Leap into Literacy, a local initiative formed to help Forsyth County preschoolers develop the early literacy skills required for success in kindergarten, springs into action again with a special parent education program, preschool storytime, and a book character visit next month.
Leap into Literacy with Peter Rabbit will be held in the Cafeteria at Cumming Elementary School, 540 Dahlonega Street, on Tuesday, March 12. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.
Families with infants, toddlers, and preschoolers are invited to the event to enjoy a simple dinner, stories, a puppet show, and early literacy activities. Older siblings are also welcome to attend and admission to the event is free.
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| Parents and preschoolers practice writing at a Leap into Literacy event at Cumming Elementary in December. |
“Spring is the perfect time for planting a garden, so we’ll be reading popular children’s books about gardens and animals you often find nibbling on garden plants at this season’s Leap into Literacy event,” says Programming Manager Tracy Walker.
Beatrix Potter’s beloved classic
The Tale of Peter Rabbit, featuring a young bunny who sneaks into Mr. McGregor’s garden for a tasty treat, is just one of the stories participants will hear. Then, children will enjoy a visit from Peter Rabbit himself!
“Reading a book and then meeting one of the characters in person is a great way to help a child find joy and excitement in reading,” explains Walker.
Another way to help preschoolers get excited about reading and practicing pre-reading skills is to show parents simple ways to make those skills a part of daily activities at home.
“Our goal with Leap into Literacy is to help families understand how important it is to read, talk, sing, play, and write – even with very young children. Engaging in these simple activities is critical to helping children master the language and literacy skills needed to be successful in Kindergarten and later grades,” explains
Forsyth County Schools Title I Director Amy Chang.
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| Amy Chang demonstrates shape identification and color matching as part of the take-home activity kit participants received a December’s Leap into Literacy event. |
Chang and a team of librarians, educators, volunteers, and translators will lead activities during the event to show parents and caregivers how easy it is to practice the skills learned at Leap into Literacy at home.
“Our purpose with the Leap into Literacy initiative has always been to educate parents and caregivers so they can help their children become fully prepared to enter kindergarten,” explains Pamela Burlingame Miller, Executive Director of
Literacy Forsyth.
Each participating child will receive a free book courtesy of
Barnes & Noble at The Collection and Scholastic, as well as an activity kit created by the Leap into Literacy organizers.
The excitement on each child’s face as they learn to write their name or as they choose the book they want to take home from a Leap into Literacy program is an indicator that the program is having the desired effect, says Charity McDaniel, Outreach Coordinator at
Georgia Highlands Medical Services.
“That spark of interest and excitement makes it more likely that the child will go home and ask a family member to read the story with them or help them practice drawing and writing, and using those skills at home is what we’re trying to encourage at every Leap into Literacy event,” adds McDaniel.
Leap into Literacy is sponsored by Forsyth County Public Library, Forsyth County Schools, Georgia Highlands Medical Services, and Literacy Forsyth. Leap into Literacy is also supported by a Community Impact Grant from the North Georgia Community Foundation and contributions from Scholastic, Inc.,
Forsyth County Public Library Friends and Advocates, Barnes & Noble, and other local businesses.
For more information on upcoming early literacy events, including this summer’s
Leap into Literacy with Skippyjon Jones event, please visit
www.forsythpl.org.
