Parents or caregivers and their young children can soon “hop aboard” The ABC Express, a new early childhood literacy program offered through the Lethbridge Public Library (LPL) Bookmobile, in partnership with Family & Community Support Services (FCSS).
This half-hour Bookmobile program will be provided free of charge to Coalhurst families beginning Friday, April 25, 2025. Thanks to a first-of-its-kind partnership with FCSS, it will be delivered every second Friday as part of the current FCSS Stay & Play program, which runs from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Coalhurst & District Community Centre (527 50 Avenue).
“It is encouraging to see the Bookmobile and FCSS, who have long been committed to enhancing quality of life for Coalhurst residents, come together to bring this new program to the Town,” said Coalhurst Mayor Lyndsay Montina. “Investing in early childhood literacy is investing in the future of our community. This new program opens doors for our youngest learners and families will benefit from this enhanced service.”
The ABC Express program aims to encourage parents to interact with their children using the five early literacy practices of singing, playing, talking, reading and writing from Every Child Ready to Read. “Rather than programming directly to the kids, our programs are instead aimed at encouraging parents to interact with their children using these five practices to get them ready for reading independently,” said Emily Kundrik, LPL Bookmobile Coordinator.
The FCSS Stay & Play program provides a space for parents/caregivers and their children ages 0-6 to engage together in self-guided and structured play, which encourages healthy attachment and development. Through hands-on activities like working memory games, turn-taking, and interactive exposure to language and print, FCSS staff help support the development of executive functioning, early literacy, social skills, and other age-appropriate skills.
“Barons-Eureka-Warner FCSS has offered Stay & Play in Coalhurst for over two decades and it is one of our most attended programs,” said Petra DeBow, FCSS Manager. “We are excited to enhance this valuable program through collaboration with the Lethbridge Public Library Bookmobile. We hope this partnership will bring more awareness around early literacy and its importance to the community of Coalhurst.”
This partnership program will continue until at least the end of June 2025.
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