London,
26
July
2018
|
16:50
Europe/London

Camden launches Summer Reading Challenge

  • Camden children aged 4-11 years challenged to read six books over the summer holidays.
  • Libraries will host weekly craft activities and workshops and link up with our ‘Energise and Get Wise’ leisure programme to offer free swims.

Keeping your children occupied and out of mischief is a familiar parental angst as the school holidays begin.

But this year’s Summer Reading Challenge – themed ‘Mischief Makers’ in celebration of 80 years of the comic The Beano – will harness children’s fascination with trickery to get them reading.

We want to see as many children as possible in Camden taking books out from one of Camden’s libraries and falling in love with stories. Children who sign up will get various gifts as they progress with their books, including a certificate and medal on completion.

Councillor Jonathan Simpson, Cabinet Member for Promoting Culture and Communities at Camden Council, said: “Now the schools have broken up and with the warm weather set to continue, we want as many Camden children as possible getting books out of the library and reading outside, or getting involved in our physical activity programmes and exercising in the fresh air or at one of our leisure centres.

“Events like the Summer Reading Challenge are of course aimed at children but they also get our families into our libraries making use of our wider learning and leisure services offer and access to support services where they may need it. We want our libraries to be community hubs now and in the future, where people can come and make friends and connections.”

Other summer highlights involving our libraries and leisure centres include:

  • Storyteller John Kirk will lead reading three sessions at Swiss Cottage Library, Camden Town Library and Queens Crescent Library.
  • Our ‘Energise and Get Wise’ programme promoting physical activity will run alongside the Summer Reading Challenge - children who sign up will receive a voucher for free swimming. This will launch on Saturday, 28 July 2018 at Kentish Town Library at 11:30am and Kilburn Library at 2:30pm.
  • Freshwater Theatre Company will be running two fun interactive workshops at Kentish Town Library and Kilburn Library on Saturday, 28 July 2018.