Marking its tenth birthday, Nal’ibali, the reading-for-enjoyment campaign, and the Kleinbegin Community Reading Club will be hosting a pop-up book party for children and their caregivers at 10:00 on Friday (24/06) at the Daniëlskuil Municipality Hall.
Eunice Blom, the Nal’ibali literacy mentor supporting the six Nal’ibali reading clubs in Daniëlskuil, says we all love stories and when children have positive early experiences with books and reading, they learn to love them.
The Nal’ibali reading-for-enjoyment campaign was founded in 2012 by a handful of people who were passionate about children and the power of books and stories to transform the future of the country.
Nal’ibali is based on research that says children who regularly enjoy great stories in languages they understand, are better equipped and more motivated to learn to read when they reach school.
Blom’s work includes running reading clubs, training of caregivers and other adults on how to read and share stories with children, and hosting public events and activations that demonstrate how to get young children to enjoy stories and related literacy activities.
It also allows community members to experience the joy reading brings first-hand, and learn where to find free children’s stories in their home languages.
“When these experiences are with parents or caregivers, a bond is formed between them, and children have the added benefit of feeling loved and emotionally secure. This lays a foundation of early learning that can be built on in school,” says Blom.
The pop-up book party will be a celebration of the work happening in the Daniëlskuil community.
Children and caregivers will enjoy songs, games, book gifts and a visit from one of the Nal’ibali mascots.
- For more details on the party, call Blom on 060-679-2098.
