Summer Reading Matters!
Don’t let summer break mean a break from learning! This year, Warren County Public Library’s Summer Reading Program starts this month (May 19, to be exact) and goes through August 1. The 10-week program is specifically designed to keep kids, teens, and adults engaged all summer long, directly addressing the challenge of the “educational slide” in school-aged children. By offering a variety of interactive programs and activities, we also aim to cultivate a vibrant community spirit and provide opportunities for individuals and families to connect and create shared experiences during the summer months.
This year’s theme, “Get Lost in a Good Story,” incorporates events and activities that inspire exploration and adventure. Kids who sign up for the activity challenge will get a Reading Trail Map to help them track what they do, so they can meet milestones and win prizes. Challenge activities include:
•Reading or listening to a book
•Attending a library event
•Walking a story trail at a local park
•Checking out five library books
•Visiting Lost River Cave or a National Park
•Visiting the Summer Reading Farmer’s Market
Adults and teens can participate in the activity challenge as well, with similar suggested activities.
Summer Reading Farmer’s Market & Market Parties at SOKY Center
Weekends at SOKY Center (formerly SoKY Marketplace) will be particularly exciting this summer, as Summer Reading Farmer’s Markets will be held every Saturday in June and July. The pavilion will come alive with food trucks, produce vendors[1] [2] [3] , and free activities for kids. In addition, “Market Parties” will be held twice each month to add an extra level of excitement! Register through our online calendar of events (warrenpl.org/calendar) to let us know if you plan to come to any of the following:
•Saturday, June 14, 10am to 2pm – Castle & Quest Party: Step back in time to a world of knights, castles, and grand festivities, including jousting, a petting zoo, crafts, and a free watercolor class for young lords and ladies!
•Saturday, June 28, 10am to 2pm – Carnival Party: Enjoy a festive atmosphere with carnival-themed activities that include a magic show at noon, a dunking booth, a petting zoo, Skee-Ball, an aerial swing, and classic carnival games!
•Saturday, July 12, 10am to 2pm – Dino Dig Party: Experience a dino-filled day of thrills, hands-on fun, and larger-than-life creatures, including the Feller Express Dino Show at noon, a petting zoo, Boris the dinosaur, and a dino dig experience!
•Saturday, July 26, 10am to 2pm – Summer Reading Finale: Celebrate nature and the great outdoors with a visit from Smokey Bear, a forestry pump truck where kids can cool off, a petting zoo, and an immersive Hundred Acre Woods walk-through experience inside the brick building next to the pavilion!
Summer Camps: For Families & Young Actors
Summertime THRIVE family camps have been a partnership project of Warren County Parks and Recreation and the library the past several years and have been a huge hit. Designed for families and elementary-school children to attend together (with a minimum of one adult per group of no more than ten kids), this summer’s offerings incorporate a variety of interesting themes.
•June 9-12 & 14: Castle & Quest Camp
•June 23-26 & 28: Carnival Camp
•July 7-10 & 12: Dino Dig Camp
•July 21-24 & 26: National Park Camp
Meeting locations for THRIVE Camps will be as follows: Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, campers will meet at Buchanon Park Gym (9222 Nashville Road, noon to 2:30pm). On Tuesday, campers will meet at the Capitol (416 E Main) for a movie. The week’s finale takes place Saturday, when everyone will meet at SOKY Center’s Summer Reading Market Party (10am to 2pm). Registration is required, as space is limited. See warrenpl.org/camps for all the details.
The Capitol is also offering two camps this summer, for youth interested in acting and performance production.
•Teen Theatre Monologue Workshop: Monday, June 9 through Friday, June 13, 8:30am to 11:30am: This workshop is designed to give a teen the skills to nail an audition, learning what to expect from it, how to make a resumé, what makes a good monologue, how to perform one, and other lessons to take out into the world!
•Kids Theatre Camp, Monday, July 14 through Friday, July 18, 8:30am to 11:30am: Kids ages 5 to 12 will learn the basics of theatrical voice, movement, and character development, while learning to work as a team and public speaking with confidence.
On Friday of both weeks, participants will perform what they’ve worked on at evening showcases that are free and open to the public. Registration is required for both camps, as space is limited.
Go to warrenpl.org/summer to view events, link to registrations, download calendars, or track your reading log activities online.
-by Ashley Fowlkes, Digital Content Manager, WCPL
@ashleyf@warrenpl.org
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