The Jake Epp Library’s summer programs have been a staple for kids of all ages when school is not in session.
Children and Teen Program Coordinator Steph Maclean has worked with her team to offer a variety of activities and programs.
“It has been so fantastic and so exciting, full of activity and full of kids,” said Maclean.
This year, they have been offering many opportunities including the Summer Reading Challenge, which offers gift card prizes, and TD’s Summer Reading Club Tracker.
On Wednesdays, they have Story in the Park for kids of all ages. They also have a book club for elementary and middle school-aged children where Maclean has seen a boost in confidence when it comes to reading aloud.
“We have about 12 kids that come every week and they each read a sentence from a book at every turn, and then we pass it down the circle,” Maclean said. “The confidence that is built in these kids to be able to do that out loud and not be scared to make a mistake or pronounce something incorrectly. It's been incredible to see that,”
Outside of reading, they also offer other activities such as crafts, improv, puppeteering and board games.
Flexibility and accessibility were atop their minds for this year’s programs.
“We also realized that there are so many families that you know have things come up there, or somewhere they can't commit to a full eight weeks of a summer program. So, some of the things we changed have been giving families that option to just do one week at a time,” said Maclean.
As summer comes to an end, Maclean hopes to make the most out of the days we have left.
“It's been such a great summer so far, and we're so excited about what more can happen in the next three weeks that we've got.”
Visit the Jake Epp Library to learn more about their summer programs and memberships.