Calgary, AB — Calgary Public Library’s popular annual Ultimate Summer Challenge for kids and teens is back, and this year it’s out of this world. This free summer-long program challenges participants to track their reading and keep their hands and minds active during their school break. Families with kids ages 0 – 17 can look forward to hundreds of exciting space-themed activities and programs to keep them learning and having fun from June 1 to August 31. Registration is now open at calgarylibrary.ca.
“Summer break is a crucial time to keep kids’ minds engaged and having fun while learning, but it can be challenging when in-person activities are limited,” says Kate Schutz, Service Design Lead, Calgary Public Library. “In a time when young people are facing uncertainty all around them, it’s important to have an annual event like Ultimate Summer Challenge to look forward to. Our team has spent months working on a great virtual version to bring kids together to have fun and learn this summer.”
The Ultimate Summer Challenge has been specifically designed to support literacy and address “summer slide” — the tendency for kids to lose some of the gains they made in the previous school year — through resources to set kids up for learning success when school returns. With an easy way to track reading goals through the free Library app, Beanstack, and hundreds of free challenges and online programs, it’s the perfect way for kids to stay engaged, reading, and learning this summer.
“The Ultimate Summer Challenge is getting an exciting outer space theme this year to represent recent achievements in space exploration,” says Schutz. “Families can look forward to learning more about the night sky with lots of space-themed activities and virtual programs this summer.”
Everyone who registers for the Ultimate Summer Challenge is entered to win great prizes, including iPads, Nintendo Switch and Mario Kart Live combos, STEM activity kits, custom storybooks, and Chromebooks. Offering both a convenient virtual experience and the option to print out resources, families can choose how they participate from home and complete the Challenge at their own pace.
Starting June 1, Challenge maps can be picked up at Library locations through curbside service or downloaded at calgarylibrary.ca/summer and printed at home. Kids can also track their reading online using the free Library app Beanstack.
The Ultimate Summer Challenge is part of the TD Summer Reading Club, which is a national program for kids in Canadian public libraries. The Ultimate Summer Challenge is presented by J K L MacLachlan Family Fund. Visit calgarylibrary.ca/summer for more information and to register.
