Parents and carers this week were delighted by acclaimed author Mem Fox at the Redland Performing Arts Centre, where she spoke about the importance of early literacy and reading to children and how Redland Libraries’ First 5 Forever Program can help.
Redland City Council strongly supports under five programs so parents and carers of young children have more opportunities to gain the early exposure to books vital to learning.
Redland Libraries runs the First 5 Forever program, a Queensland Government initiative, which aims to improve outcomes for children under five by providing resources in the libraries and online to help build children’s interest and learning around reading.
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All Council’s mainland libraries offer a range of free baby and toddler sessions that introduce books and reading through stories, rhymes, song and play activities and at the same time give parents the chance to get out and socialise and meet other families.
Redland Libraries also runs a Summer Reading Club which offers incentives through competitions, prizes and fun activities to encourage reading over the extended summer school holiday period so kids don’t fall behind.
Mem Fox entertained her audience on Wednesday night with a hilarious reading of two of her most popular books, Possum Magic and Where is the Green Sheep? and said that 10 minutes of reading aloud to children each day is all it takes to improve their literacy skills for life.
For more information about Redland City Council’s First 5 Forever program and Summer Reading Club, which launches 1 December and runs through until 31 January, visit www.redland.qld.gov.au or pop into your local Redland Libraries branches.
