Level Up! Your Learning This Summer

Last year, I wrote a blog post about summer slide, a term that refers to the loss of learning over the summer months while children are out of school.  This year, a new term has been floating around called “COVID slide”. It refers to the potential loss children are experiencing with schools closed and classwork moving to an online-only environment.  As a parent, this is something I am grappling with myself as I look ahead to the summer, and try to figure out how I am going to help my children maintain their learning, while also fighting the inevitable burnout that we are all feeling.

That is one of the main reasons I am so excited about Level Up! It is Regina Public Library’s online reading and learning program that will be held June 1st to August 31st.  The purpose of Level Up! is to encourage children ages 12 and under to continue to read, attend programs, discover something new, and explore nature over the summer months.  Children keep track of every 15 minutes they spend in these activities and enter draws for prize packages.  

What I love most about the program is that it provides a goal setting structure which allows children to be completely creative in how they reach their goals by embracing learning in many forms.  The point is to keep children actively engaged in reading, learning, and exploring in a way that inspires them. 

• Love reading and graphic novels?  Sign out some new eBooks and eAudiobooks from Overdrive (Libby) and Hoopla. 
• Looking for library programs? We have some great online programs for children that they can count towards their minutes.
• Interested in nature?  Get outside and explore your garden.   
• Want to visit an online museum, art gallery or science centre?  That counts too!  

For full contest rules, and ideas on how to participate, visit the LevelUp! webpage. Hopefully, it will help you keep your children active and engaged over the summer months.