The Mansfield/Richland Public Library (MRPL) hosted a new event on Saturday afternoon and the response from the community was overwhelmingly positive. The Kindergarten Readiness Fair was created to help parents connect with community resources for children from birth through kindergarten.
The library has been working with Mansfield City Schools on their reading readiness grant as well as their own “Every Child Ready to Read at Your Library” program. Both programs focus heavily on research that shows how critical the first five years of life are in brain development and lifelong learning.
“Reading starts at birth. The things that matter most are learned in the first five years,” said Deborah Dubois, MRPL Outreach Manager.
The fair featured booths from thirteen area organizations that provide education and healthcare services to young children. The library set up five early literacy activity tables: play, read, sing, talk, and write. These five activities are the best ways that parents can support their child’s learning and development at home.
“There are lots of things parents already to that can help children get ready to read. That’s what we are highlighting with these activities,” said Dubois.
North Central State/Ohio State University-Mansfield Child Development Center offered assessments at their table. Parents could fill out age-specific questionnaires to benchmark their child’s development. These assessments let you know how your child compares to typically developing peers of the same age.
Choosing childcare providers, preschools, and other services can be a difficult task for parents. The YWCA Chilcare Resources and Referral (CCR&R) program helps families make informed choices. The nonprofit serves twenty counties, including Richland, in Northwest Ohio.
In addition to the literacy activity tables the children were treated to face painting, an ABC scavenger hunt, and even a special visit from Curious George. Children could also read inside colorful tents shaped like a school bus, Thomas the Train, and a ladybug.
Any day of the week the library is a good resource for families. “The library is a great place to bring children from birth through their teens. It’s especially important before kindergarten though. The first five years really matter,” said Diane Tobias, MRPL Childrens Services Coordinator.
The Kindergarten Readiness Fair had a unique blend of fun activities for the kids and informative resources for parents. Ashley Foust brought her three year old daughter Ella to the fair. While her daughter had fun, Foust was surprised by a few organizations she was unaware of.
“This is great. It’s good to educate people about all the options that are available,” said Foust.
This was the first time MRPL hosted a Kindergarten Readiness Fair and the library’s organizers do not yet know if this will be an annual event. For more information about MRPL programs for families visit http://www.mrcpl.org/family or follow MRPL on facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mansfield-Richland-County-Public-Library/291452779342
“Reading starts at birth. The things that matter most are learned in the first five years,” said Deborah Dubois, MRPL Outreach Manager.
