While it’s important to give kids a chance to relax this time of year, it’s also important to make sure they keep those creative juices flowing!

Students who lack access to summer programming or quality reading material can lose up to two months of reading skills over summer. Even our little ones, as young as first grade, experience learning loss if they aren’t engaged with learning over summer. And when kids go back to school, if they aren’t up to speed, it can take as long as six weeks to get back on track. Summer learning matters! You can help curb summer loss by spending just 20 minutes every day reading along with or aloud to your children. Let’s send them back to school ready to learn this fall!

We created a schedule of fun events and activities — all free — for families this summer. You might have heard us talking about #cedarvalleyreads over the last few weeks on the radio or on TV (thank you to KBOL, KBBG and KWWL).  We’ve been working with Waterloo Schools on these fun events designed to keep kids’ brains firing all summer long. We’ll also be out-and-about this summer giving away free books to help build home libraries! We hope you’ll join us. And don’t forget to get that selfie at the event and tag it #cedarvalleyreads! Share it and help us spread the word about the importance of summer learning!

Our thanks to the libraries, festivals, sports teams and organizations that joined together with us to create this schedule!

Download a Printable Version in English, 8.5×11
Download a Printable Version in Spanish, 8.5×11
Download a Printable Version in Bosnian, 8.5×11

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