Making reading fun

The Mount Gambier Library’s popular Summer Reading Club is back for 2023-24. It started on Monday and runs for six weeks.

Mount Gambier Library children & youth services officer Bek Coates said the Summer Reading Club encouraged children to keep up with their literacy skills during the school holiday break, while having fun by participating in a huge variety of challenges and activities.

The club is open for three levels; 0-5 years, 6-12 years and 13 years and over. After registering at the Library, the two younger levels will receive a ‘Passport’ of weekly challenges, and the youth will receive a challenge card.

“While some of the challenges are reading based, other challenges have participants exploring some of the library’s resources such as magazines, online movies or eBooks and even quizzing staff about our favourite books,” Mrs Coates said.

Once the weekly challenges are completed, members visit the library to go into the weekly prize draw consisting of a variety of games, art equipment and toys that are age appropriate for each club level. Prizes will be on display at the library and weekly winners can select their own prize.

In addition to the weekly challenges, a ‘Golden Ice Cream’ representing summer will be hidden around the library in a new location every day.

The challenge is simple – find the Golden Ice Cream and tell a staff member to receive a treat.

Summer Reading Club traditionally winds up with a finale party and that will take place at Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre on January 25 with a free barbecue lunch and the major prize draw for each age group at 10.30am.

“This year we are fortunate that Friends of the Library Mount Gambier have generously sponsored the total prize pool – to the sum of a whopping $1400,” Mrs Coates said.

“As they say, you’ve got to be in it to win it, so make reading part of your child’s summer adventure and pop into the Mount Gambier Library to register anytime over the summer period with the Library open seven days a week. The earlier you join – the more opportunities to win.”