Unearth a Story at Your Library This Summer
Summer is rapidly approaching, and the Youth Services staff of the Craighead County Jonesboro Public Library are excited to share their summer reading programming with you! This year’s theme is ‘Unearth a Story’ and will include paleontology, archeology, and geology-focused programs. We will have events and activities for kids of all ages and their families, as well as our Summer Reading Challenge to help your child continue to build their literacy skills over the summer break.
Our summer programming will begin during the first week of June. We will host the PBS Read to Succeed event at 1 p.m. on Tuesday June 2nd. This program is geared toward children in preschool through third grade and will focus on building early literacy habits and skills. Lunch will be provided and each child will receive a free book. This program is limited to the first 50 people so be sure to arrive early! On Thursday, June 4th, we will host the Summer Reading Kickoff. Bring your kiddos to sign up for the Summer Reading Challenge and receive their registration prize from 2-4 p.m. in the Round Room. If you can’t make it to the kickoff, SRC game sheets will be available for pickup at the Children’s desk anytime beginning Monday, June 1st.
Our storytime schedule for the summer will be slightly different from the rest of the year. Two Pre-K storytimes will take place on Tuesdays at 10 and 11 a.m. and will cater to 3-5 year olds and their families Toddler Times (19-36 months) will be on Thursdays at 10 a.m., and Bookish Babies (0-18 months) will take place on Fridays at 10 a.m. Jurassic Jamboree, our program for kids in kindergarten through third grade, will be in the Round Room on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2 to 3 p.m. These events will focus on STEAM activities and crafts that explore paleontology, archeology, and geology themes which correlate with our Unearth a Story theme.
Tweens (4th-6th graders) will meet at their usual day and time of Tuesdays at 4 p.m. to build ancient structures, make their own prehistoric accessories, and engage in other educational and fun activities. Tween Book Club will continue to meet on the first Tuesday of each month at 4 p.m., and a limited number of free books will be available at the Children’s desk for any tween who would like to join in the discussion!
The Teen Hub will be open all summer. The Makerspace includes a plethora of craft materials and tools for teens to utilize, including a new 3-D printer. The Game Zone has new games on the Nintendo Switch, and the gaming cabinet has a selection of board and role playing games as well as cozy seating. Miss Michaela will have teen activities each Wednesday at 4 p.m. in addition to other special programs throughout the summer. Check out her blog on our website to see what’s in store for the 7th-12th graders in our community!
Wednesdays will feature performers and activities for kids of various ages and their families. From baby dinosaurs to puppets shows to meet-ups around our community, there’s something for everyone. Check out our website or posters to get more details about our Wednesday events! Matinee Mondays are back this year thanks to the Friends of the Library. Each Monday at 2 p.m. we will show a family-friendly film and serve popcorn! Look at the event calendar on our website or our posters to find the movies you and your family want to watch together.
In honor of America’s 250th birthday, we will have special Staycation programming during the week of June 29th through July 2nd. Each morning at 10 a.m., there will be programs geared toward preschool children, and older kids will have programs at 2 p.m. Patriotic crafts, puppet shows, and STEAM activities will help your young ones learn about and celebrate the United States of America.
Finally, our Summer Reading Challenge will be available to any child from babies to teenagers who have just completed high school. Children who are still being read to by their caregivers can read 50 books together and complete our education bingo game to be entered into our grand prize drawing. Kids who are reading on their own can read 20 books or for 10 hours over the summer and complete the bingo game to enter for our grand prize. Tween and Teens have their own challenges to keep kids reading and learning over the summer. Each reader group has their own grand prize so there’s a good chance of winning something fun! There are also registration and completion prizes as supplies last. The Summer Reading Challenge is free to enter and open to any child, regardless if they have a library card or not.
Summer at your library will have programs for your children of all ages and interests. Check out our calendar of events! We hope to see you soon!