Family Literacy Day takes place every January 27th to raise awareness about the importance of reading and engaging in literacy activities as a family.

This year’s theme is Travel the World Together (not literally of course!). After a year of limited mobility, we are encouraging families to use their imagination to explore and travel the world from the comfort

of their homes. Whether it be discovering what’s in your own back yard or researching a faraway place, the opportunities for adventure are endless!

Family literacy focuses on parents, grandparents and other family members to improve the reading and writing skills of the whole family.
By reading to children and engaging in fun literacy activities regularly, adults actively keep their own skills sharp and also help children improve their skills.
Family literacy activities strengthen the relationship between family members which, in turn, encourages lifelong learning.
Without adult support and a strong foundation at home, a child is less likely to be successful and engaged in school.

The Okotoks Public Library is a great resource for tips and activities to encourage literacy in your family! 

They are holding a "Race Around the World" today! The challenge is free to take part in and is a great way to learn about the world with your family from your own home. Collect points as you learn about different parts of the planet. The team with the most point will win a prize from the OPL.

With the help of ABC Life Literacy, here are 10 activity ideas for families to Travel the World Together this Family Literacy Day.

1. Go online. Research a country that interests you on the internet with your family. Find out things like the language they speak, their currency, and popular food, music and sports.

2. Flags of the world. Look up colourful flags from different countries and try drawing them together.

3. Ciao! Teach your family how to say hello and goodbye in different languages.

4. Greetings from abroad. Imagine you’re on a vacation and write a postcard to a friend or family member. Describe the weather, what it’s like and what activities you’re doing.

5. Map the world. Look at a blank world map and try to name each continent and ocean. For more of a challenge, try identifying countries or even cities.

6. Family vacation. Research your next family vacation online together, even if you don’t have one planned. Look up how much it will cost to travel there, hotels and activities, and put together a budget for your trip.

7. Get cookin’! Find a recipe for a popular international dish, such as butter chicken or paella. Follow the recipe together as a family and enjoy the meal you’ve cooked.

8. Family history. Research your family’s history and culture. Learn about your family traditions (how about starting a new one!)

9. Sounds of the world. Go to YouTube as a family and play some popular songs from other countries. Dance and move to different tunes and hum along, trying to guess what the lyrics mean.

10. A to Z. Test your family’s geographic knowledge by trying to name a country for every letter of the alphabet. Hint: there is one for every letter except X.

 

Happy Reading!