The signs are all around us.
The weather is warmer, the grass is greener and the garden has been planted. Summer is almost here! From riding bikes in the park to sunny afternoons at the pool, there’s so much to do in the summer. One activity you won’t want to miss is Johnson County Public Library’s Explore Summer learning program.
Explore Summer is an annual program that encourages us to read, create and discover all summer to support the development of early literacy skills, prevent learning loss in children and bring readers of all ages together with engaging activities, educational programs and fun prizes.
This year’s program, sponsored by 100+ Women Who Care of Johnson County, runs from May 17 to July 31. People of all ages can register at any JCPL branch or online at PageAfterPage.org/Explore-Summer. Don’t forget to grab your purple sign. Post it in your yard and you just might receive a visit from the JCPL Prize Patrol as we make our rounds this summer delivering prizes straight to your door.
It probably comes as no surprise that we want you to read this summer. We’ve set a goal to read 3 million minutes together. What you read is up to you — read a book, graphic novel, newspaper or listen to an audiobook.
Read 10 hours over the summer and earn a fun prize and a chance to win our grand prize Adventure Pack: a pass and gift card from Indiana State Parks, plus gift cards for gas to get you there and sporting goods equipment for your next camping trip.
In addition to reading, there are opportunities for hands-on learning experiences. Each week, we’ll have a new Weekly Learning Badge available, where we encourage you to participate in an activity — explore the new Little Native Seed Library Trail, visit one of our five StoryWalks or participate in the Great Park Quest. We have activities to get you outside and exploring all that Johnson County has to offer.
And don’t forget to come visit us. Our calendar of events is filled with free activities for all ages in a variety of formats to meet the needs of your family.
Read, dance and sing with our children’s librarians at storytime — virtually on Zoom, outdoors on the lawn or from the comfort of your car at our new Drive-In Storytime series. Teens can participate in a cosplay contest or play a round of laser tag as we celebrate all things geeky at Random Fandom. We’re also bringing back our popular Crafting for a Cause series. People of all ages can volunteer at these events and help create projects we’ll donate to a local partnering nonprofit.
Meet popular children’s book character, Pete the Cat, as he rocks his white shoes on our lawn. But that’s not the only thing rocking on our lawns this summer.
Bring your blankets and chairs, because the Franklin Community Band returns with a medley of hits for their annual Concert on the Lawn.
Celebrate the end of the summer when the Shake-Ups, the galaxy’s most animated band, visit with an outdoor concert of their power-pop songs. You can find our full calendar of events online at PageAfterPage.org/events.
All school-age children need opportunities during the summer to continue learning so they are ready to succeed when they go back to school. Without meaningful learning opportunities, students risk losing valuable ground over the summer. To curb summer learning loss, Explore Summer encourages us to read books, learn new skills and participate in high-quality, interactive educational programs.
Summer may be right around the corner for many students, but the learning doesn’t have to stop with the final school bell. Remember, whether it’s found exploring the great outdoors in Johnson County or in the pages of your favorite book, adventure is out there.
Sarah Taylor is assistant director of the Johnson County Public Library. Library staff members share in writing this bi-monthly column for the Daily Journal. Send comments to [email protected].
