Summertime means full time fun for kids -- or does it? Should you help your child fill the summer days with more than just fun? How much time should your kids spend in front of a screen? Should chores and reading be part of your summer?
Each year, teachers work to re-establish good reading habits and to correct 'summer slide' at the beginning of the school year. Keep your kids on reading level by encouraging summer reading. Have your kids read to Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa, or a younger sibling. Pick up a grade level workbook at Given's Books and let your child work on a worksheet or two every day to keep reading, math, and other skills sharp over the summer.
Local public libraries offer many fun ways to learn and reading opportunities during the summer. There are also dozens of summer activities at the library, including many family-friendly free events for kids to learn more and enjoy social time.
Visit your favorite library this summer! Story times and other family library events for the Lynchburg area public libraries are included on the Lynchburg Macaroni Kid calendar of events.
Lynchburg Public Library has two branches: the main branch at 2315 Memorial Avenue and the new Downtown Branch, located in the former Visitor Center on 12th Street, behind Lynchburg Community Market.. There are storytimes at the main branch throughout the year with short breaks between each season. There are special family events at both branches periodically as well. You'll find all of these events on the LPL website.
Amherst County Public Library has two branches: the Amherst branch at 382 S. Main Street in Amherst and the Madison Heights branch at 200 River James Shopping Center in Madison Heights. Both branches offer story times throughout the year with short breaks between each session, as well as special events. You'll find these events on the ACPL website.
Bedford County Public Library has six branches: Bedford Central Library at 321 N. Bridge Street in Bedford, Big Island Library at 1111 Schooldays Road in Big Island, Forest Library at 15583 Forest Road in Forest, Moneta/ SML Library at 13641 Moneta Road in Moneta, Montvale Library at 11575 W. Lynchburg-Salem Turnpike in Montvale, and Stewartsville Library at 45 Cascade Drive in Vinton. All of the branches offer story times through the year with short breaks between each session, as well as special events. You'll find all events on the BCPL website.
Campbell County Public Library has four branches: the main branch at 684 Village Highway in Rustburg, Timbrook branch at 18891 Leesville Road in Lynchburg, Staunton River branch at 500 Washington Street in Altavista, and Patrick Henry branch at 204 Lynchburg Avenue in Brookneal. There are a variety of story times and other events at all of the branches throughout the year. You'll find all these events on the CCPL website.
Do your kids wake up every day and head straight for the iPad, laptop, or TV? It's summertime, right? But do you get summers off? Meals still need to be cooked, laundry still needs washing, and the house still needs to be tidied.
There's no time like summertime to teach kids the 'work before play' philosophy. Post chore charts so your kids will know what they NEED to do before they do what they WANT to do. There's an example in the slideshow above, shared by local mom, Katie Snyder.
There's nothing wrong with summer fun and screen time -- in moderation. Help your kids stay on track for the next school year by spending a little time each day reading. Spending a little time each day all pitching in to get the house in shape means more summer fun time for the whole family.
Check the Lynchburg Macaroni Kid event calendar for summer reading programs at Lynchburg Public Library and many other libraries across Central Virginia. A book a day will fill your children's summer with reading fun and help prepare them for school in the fall!
