Library offers educational summer events for children

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Kelly Ogden
  • 16th SOW Public Affairs
Children were beginning to squirm in their seats and the parents were struggling to keep their attention as anxiety grew into excited anticipation of meeting Shana Banana, a children's singer/performer, who entertained children June 7 at the base theater.

The scheduled event was just a taste of what the 16th Services library has planned for children of all ages over the next few weeks.

The library is offering a variety of programs to stimulate the minds of youngsters. A six-week run of entertainers, singers, and arts and crafts began with Shana Banana.

Each Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. for the next six weeks a new act will take over the base theater.
They are also continuing the themed reading hour that takes place every Thursday at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the library.

"The story hours are geared towards preschoolers, but during the summer older siblings are encouraged to come along," said Sabrina Honda, the library's program coordinator on base.
"I love it," said Nicole Perrin, who brings her two children with her to the weekly event. "It's nice to be able to take my children somewhere that is free and educational. My daughter loves to listen to the stories and my son loves to be around the other children and make crafts."

Children are awarded stickers for books that they read. Every sticker entitles a child to pick a prize from the library's own personal stash.

"This program also runs hand-in-hand with the reading portion of the school districts curriculum," said Ms. Honda. "Each child is afforded the opportunity to maintain their reading proficiency levels that they gained over the school year. They can stay at their current levels by simply coming to the library and reading books."

"This helps children because over the school year students minds are shaped to absorb information and to become more proficient in reading," said Ms. Honda.

"It would be a shame to lose any portion of the knowledge attained during the school year. Children should, at a minimum, be able to maintain the same proficiency that they gained over the school year, so that they can begin the school year ready to read."

"The programs were developed to further reading abilities, as well as to provide good, old-fashioned educational entertainment to kids," said Capt. John Cronin, 16th Services Squadron combat support flight chief.

"This program comes as an option for parents who are looking for an alternative to children just hanging around the house this summer,” said Captain Cronin. “Parents are looking to keep their children in a learning environment all year round. I'm proud of our library team and how they make reading and learning fun."

For more information on all of the programs offered at the library this summer, contact Ms. Honda at 884-1435.