Idea Box: What can my program do?

When it comes to planning family literacy events and activities, the range of possibilities is endless. The following suggestions represent commonly implemented and successful family literacy events, but don't limit yourself to the list here. Remember, the families in your own community and school(s) are the best guide to what will work for your project. Invite parents and families to participate in all stages of the planning process.

Shared Family Stories

All families develop and share powerful stories: Remember the time Pop drove home with the grocery bags on top of the car? Stories may be about everyday occurrences, family trips or reunions, or transitions such as moving to a new city or country. One popular Portland, Oregon, area project, The Power of Family Stories, collected and displayed photographs and stories to document the diverse nature of families in one school district and their goals for education. This type of event promotes dialogue and encourages collaboration between families and schools. For more information, contact Shauna Adams at consult_adams@attbi.com.

Reading: A Guy Thing

Faced with the abundance of female role models in early education, a kid might wonder: Do guys read, too? Family literacy events can answer with a resounding yes, creating gender-focused events that prove that guys who read are cool, too! Common themes include father-and-child reading events, such as Donuts for Dads, and efforts to bring male community members in to read to children. These initiatives work to level the gender imbalance in the family literacy environment.

Creating Literacy-Rich Home Workshops

Often parents are unaware of the vast literacy resources that exist in their homes. Literacy specialists can provide training for parents on how activities like cooking or yard work can be literacy-rich experiences.

Character Parades

Dressing up can be fun— it's as simple as that! For this event, families dress up as characters in one of their child's favorite books, and bring the book along with them. Volunteers organize treats and music for the parade and a Master of Ceremonies announces each family and book as they file by. Afterward, invite families to act out a scene from their story. Everyone becomes better acquainted and enthusiasm for books is shared all around. This program can also include an introduction to school library resources.

Bedtime Stories

By placing a familiar event in a new context, family bedtime story nights can re-energize child-family reading partnerships. Pitch tents in the school yard just before Halloween, and invite kids and parents to come in their PJs, crawl into a tent, and read scary stories. Make sure volunteers are on hand with flashlights, hot cider, and cookies, and to demonstrate great read-aloud techniques and questioning strategies for the parents. You can design similar events for a variety of holidays or seasons.

Family Memory Boxes

Every family has treasured things that bring forth powerful memories. In a special combination storytelling/art project, ask families to bring in a collection of memory artifacts, including something for every family member. If available, local art teachers can provide instructions and supplies that will help everyone display their histories. When they are finished, each family (especially the children) can share their boxes and the stories that go with them with the group.

Author and Storyteller Nights

Many towns and cities are home to children's authors and storytellers, who are more than eager to meet new audiences. In a very special and more presentational evening, these local assets can model their skills, introduce their works, and even lead parents and children in interactive activities around lively and fun stories. Children can ask questions such as, How do you get the ideas for your stories? What's it like to be a writer? Contact local libraries and book stores for recommendations.

Computers in Family Literacy

In both rural and urban communities, computers are an increasingly essential educational tool and new technology is creating an astonishing array of educational opportunities. Integrating computers into student learning can be a daunting experience for parents who are unfamiliar with them, but family literacy events that pull parents, teachers, kids and computers together go a long way toward assuaging those worries. Take this opportunity to introduce good Web-based literacy resources and provide time for families to practice and learn from each other.

Family Literacy Event Planning Checklist