I was such a reader as a child. I am not real sure what happened as I grew up but I guess I found other things to occupy my time. (unfortunately). I used to love curling up with a book and locking myself in another world. I would just devour the pages and crave more. I want my own children to have the thirst for books and reading. So this summer we are going to be doing a Summer Reading program at our local library. We started out by getting library cards for the girls.
They both signed their names to the registration form. The older one did a great job. The baby tried her hardest. Look at the concentration and the grasp on the pen!
Next we went over the the Summer Reading desk and signed the girls up for the program. You record the number of hours you read and you are eligible for prizes. FREE!! You all know how I feel about THAT word. My oldest had a great experience showing off her knowledge of her address and where she will be going to school in the fall. She even was able to tell the librarian WHY the school was building a new building. I didn’t know she had heard us adults talking about why they were building the new school. It amazes me how much she listens and retains. The mind of a child is such a sponge. Soaking up everything around her.
Then it was off to select some books. I took this photo while the librarian was looking for a book we had requested. E is checking out the DVD we were going to borrow and M was sitting down to check out her summer reading program packet.
We are also going to be participating is the libraries Letterboxing program. Check out Letterboxing.org to see how much fun we are going to be having this summer. Here is a quote from the website on what exactly letterboxing is:
What is Letterboxing?
- Letterboxing is an intriguing mix of treasure hunting, art, navigation, and exploring interesting, scenic, and sometimes remote places. It takes the ancient custom of placing a rock on a cairn upon reaching the summit of a mountain to an artform. It started when a gentleman simply left his calling card in a bottle by a remote pool on the moors of Dartmoor, in England.Here’s the basic idea: Someone hides a waterproof box somewhere (in a beautiful, interesting, or remote location) containing at least a logbook and a carved rubber stamp, and perhaps other goodies. The hider then usually writes directions to the box (called “clues” or “the map”), which can be straightforward, cryptic, or any degree in between. Often the clues involve map coordinates or compass bearings from landmarks, but they don’t have to. Selecting a location and writing the clues is one aspect of the art.
Once the clues are written, hunters in possession of the clues attempt to find the box. In addition to the clue and any maps or tools needed to solve it, the hunter should carry at least a pencil, his personal rubber stamp, an inkpad, and his personal logbook. When the hunter successfully deciphers the clue and finds the box, he stamps the logbook in the box with his personal stamp, and stamps his personal logbook with the box’s stamp. The box’s logbook keeps a record of all its visitors, and the hunters keep a record of all the boxes they have found, in their personal logbooks.
Be sure to check out your local library for what they have to offer you and your family this summer. This can definitely be a penny pinching summer when you visit your library.
