Hailey Heseltine
ECB Publishing, Inc.
The Jefferson County R.J. Bailar Public Library (JCPL) has provided new information about their upcoming “Adventure Awaits” summer program. In celebration of reading, exploring and discovering, plenty of activities encouraging children's literacy are planned across the summer months.
As children enjoy a break from their academic endeavors, they have much more free time to play and simply be kids. It's also a great time to pick up a new hobby, and reading is one that is both fun and highly beneficial. Good reading skills are essential to success in school, as every subject involves the ability to comprehend, analyze and follow written instruction. Kids who read independently show improved academic performance in even subjects that might seem unrelated, such as mathematics. Reading provides foundational building blocks in imagining, visualizing, listening, critical thinking, creativity and long-term memory retention. These skills aid thinking and quality of life both in and beyond the classroom. Reading independently over summer break can also help reduce stress and the effects of “summer learning loss,” the educational slump many find themselves in after months away from school.
Summer is a great time to delve into reading, and JCPL has plenty of fun activities planned to encourage the hobby. From movies to parties to special educational guests, weekdays at the library will be packed with free activities. Stop in, browse the materials, check out a book and enjoy an event. Reading and learning can be an adventure in itself, and that's what JCPL aims to show.
Every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, JCPL will host special free events. Check out the calendar to see what's ahead:
Tuesday Teen Nights (all events are at 4 p.m.):
• June 2: Teen Kickoff Party
• June 9: “Indiana Jones” movie showing
• June 16: Florida Public Archaeology Network's “Passing Through History”
• June 23: “The Mummy” movie showing
• June 30: Nintendo Game Night
• July 7: “Jurassic Park” movie showing
• July 14: Nintendo Game Night
• July 21: “Tomb Raider” movie showing
Thursday Special Guests:
• June 4: Florida Public Archaeology Network's “The Puzzle of Our Past” (2 p.m.)
• June 11: North Florida Wildlife Center (2 p.m.)
• June 18: The Aucilla Research Institute brings mastodon skeleton Priscilla to JCPL (10 a.m.)
• June 25: Tallahassee Museum's “Animals, Birds & Reptiles” (2 p.m.)
• July 2: Florida Public Archaeology Network's “Freedom in the Clay” (2 p.m.)
• July 2: Florida Geological Survey (2 p.m.)
• July 16: Dino Scavenger Hunt (2 p.m.)
• July 23: Animal Tales: Fossils Alive (10 a.m.)
• July 30: Closing party (10 a.m.)
Friday Family Movie (all events are at 2 p.m.):
• June 5: “The Good Dinosaur”
• June 12: “We're Back! A Dinosaur Story”
• June 19: “Early Man”
• June 26: “Land Before Time”
• July 10: “Journey to the Center of the earth”
• July 24: “Dinosaurs”
• July 31: “Dora the Explorer”
The summer program will kick off soon with the Dino Glow Party on May 29 at 12 p.m. The party will feature music, dancing, bubbles and glow temporary tattoos. Guests will also enjoy free treats like pizza, drinks, popcorn and cotton candy. The library invites all kids in the community to “join us for an afternoon of prehistoric-sized fun as we celebrate the start of summer programming together!”
The Jefferson County R.J. Bailar Public Library is located at 375 S. Water St. Its regular hours are Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The library is closed on Sundays. On Mondays, only curbside services are available at the door from 9 a.m to 5:30 p.m. Visit jcpl.wildernesscoast.org, call 850-342-0205 or email library@jeffersoncountyfl.gov for more information.