Celebrating children's creativity with reading initiative
Monday 24 June, 2024: Hillingdon Council is inviting children aged four to 11-years-old to sign up for this year's Summer Reading Challenge.
From puppets to portrait making, junk modelling to storytelling, there will be events and activities for everyone.
The Summer Reading Challenge is a national initiative encouraging children to keep reading during the school holidays, ensuring they are ready for a great start to the new term in the autumn.
Registering is easy, and children simply need to visit their local library to sign up. Once registered, they will be given a folder to record their reading journey. To complete the challenge, they will need to borrow books at least four times during the holiday period. Youngsters can claim stickers as they progress and will receive a certificate and a medal when they finish.
All library books count towards the challenge, so children can enjoy picture books, storybooks, joke books, poetry books, and books full of facts. Audiobooks are included too, so if they prefer listening to library books, they won't miss out.
Children can join the Summer Reading Challenge anytime between Saturday 6 July and Saturday 14 September. All entrants must be Hillingdon Library service members to take part. For more information, visit https://discover.hillingdon.gov.uk/summer-reading.
Children who complete the challenge by Saturday 14 September will be entered into two great prize draws. There is an art set to be won at every library, plus one major prize of a Kindle Fire and a Polaroid camera bundle. Prizes will be presented by the Mayor of Hillingdon, Cllr Colleen Sullivan, at a special event on Tuesday 1 October.
A highlight this year is The Imagination Station, a free drop-in day of craft activities, story time sessions, plus fitness and art activities for four to 11-year-olds and their families at Manor Farm, Ruislip on Thursday 15 August, 10am to 4pm.
The council is looking for young people aged 14 and above to volunteer and help with this year's events and activities. It's a great opportunity to gain experience working in a library, as part of a team and meet other young people. To find out more and sign up, visit www.hillingdon.gov.uk/src-volunteers
Cllr Eddie Lavery, Hillingdon Council's Cabinet Member for Residents' Services, said: "I am delighted that our libraries are able to offer this brilliant opportunity once again for the borough's budding readers.
"In previous years the challenge has seen thousands of children in Hillingdon take part and I'm eager to see as many youngsters as possible make the most of our 16 wonderful local libraries this summer."
