Remember the long, lazy summer days of childhood? I certainly do. My memories include lemonade stands, swimming until my hair turned chlorine-green, sleepovers with friends, and….reading. I loved to read in the summertime, when it was purely for pleasure and not schoolwork. It’s hard to imagine now, in our tech-filled world, that sitting down with a good book once provided the simplest and greatest pleasure. But you know what? It still does, and it still can. There’s no better time for our children to unplug and learn the joys of free reading than in the slower pace of summer. And the Lafayette Library and Learning Center’s Summer Reading Program is a great way to get started.

This summer’s theme is Build Your Brain! From June 5 to August 5, all ages (even babies!) are invited to participate in brain-training activities and challenges for which prizes are awarded. All participants will take home a free book and robot building kit. A program record can be found at the Library (or download here) where kids can track their progress. It doesn’t even matter what they read, as long as they do read. Points can also be earned for activities other than reading, such as for visiting a museum, or playing a board or card game. Even babies can participate by building a block tower, or watching construction trucks at work.

Summer Reading finishers at the Lafayette Library have a chance to win: a Fitbit, Giants tix, Lego sets, and a variety of tabletop games. Countywide finishers might win an instant camera, a GoPro, Passes to the Lindsay Wildlife Museum, and much more. Make sure your child visits the Library occasionally for added weekly brain challenges, monthly raffles, and monthly scavenger hunts. Of course the true reward of reading is in the fantastical places one can visit and the amazing things one can learn through books.

Summer is the time for kids to be kids; having the time and freedom to read is one of the best parts of childhood. At least it was for me, green hair and all.