This page is an archive from Family Literacy Day in Saskatchewan in 2022. For information about what’s happening for Family Literacy Day 2023, click here.

Family Literacy Day and Family Literacy Week in Saskatchewan

January 27th is Family Literacy Day! Canada has celebrated this day since 1999, thanks to ABC Life Literacy Canada.

We are celebrating across the province, too!

This in an image of both the 2022 proclamations for Family Literacy Day in Saskatchewan and Family Literacy Week in Saskatchewan, one layered over the other.

It’s official! The Government of Saskatchewan has proclaimed Family Literacy Day and Family Literacy Week in Saskatchewan. Download the Family Literacy Day proclamation or the Family Literacy Week proclamation to use at your own event!

ABC Life Literacy Canada's logo for Family Literacy Day - Since 1999 - January 27

Planning your own events? Register your Family Literacy Day event: Take a few minutes and register your family literacy event with ABC Life Literacy Canada. You can let us know what you’re doing, too – we’d love to hear about it!

The image is the logo for "Learning in the Great Outdoors" - the theme from ABC Life Literacy Canada for Family Literacy Day 2022

This year’s theme is “Learning in the Great Outdoors!” Go outside and exercise your minds and your bodies together as a family. There is so much to learn from playing, exploring, and observing our great outdoor spaces! Get free resources here in English and in French!

This is the cover image of the children's book "When the Trees Crackle with Cold" by Bernice Johnson-Laxdal and Miriam Körner. The drawing on the cover is of a winter scene. There is a fox in the trees, looking toward a group of houses in the distance. It is dark outside, and the houses have smoke coming from their chimneys from the wood stoves inside.Cover image of the book "Les amis qui voulaient jouer au hockey" by Nicholas Oldland

We’ve chosen theme books for the province! In English and Cree: Saskatchewan’s own “When the Trees Crackle with Cold” by Bernice Johnson-Laxdal and Miriam Körner. Find out more about the free events, including a reading from the author and illustrator, livestreamed from Saskatchewan’s north!

In French, look for “Les amis qui voulaient jouer au hockey” and events coordinated by Collège Mathieu, and their partners, all across the province.

Family Literacy Events Across Saskatchewan!

This year, organizations and groups around the province celebrate Family Literacy Day and Family Literacy Week. One of these groups are the Saskatchewan Family Literacy Hubs, and they have events planned all week (and beyond)!

Collège Mathieu Pour la journée de l’alphabétisation familiale du 27/01/2022, le Collège Mathieu, en étroite collaboration avec l’Association des Parents Fransaskois (APF), animera des activités virtuelles comme d’habitude au niveau des CAFES et Groupes de Jeux. Nous allons faciliter le développement du langage des enfants et l’interraction entre les animateurs(trices) et les familles participantes à notre journée.

La Ronge and Area Family Literacy Hub has planned activities in the tri-communities area. More information is coming soon!

Lloydminster Learning Council Association (LLCA) has several events and activities. Visit the LLCA Family Literacy Day events page for more information:

  • The Lloydminster Public Library will have its grand opening on January 27, 2022 and the Lloydminster Learning Council Association created a scavenger for the new library, based on “When the Trees Crackle with Cold.”, children can participate for the chance to win a prize! The Lloydminster Learning Council Association will also be handing out activity kits.
  • Join Saskatchewan author Bernice Johnson-Laxdal and illustrator and co-author Miriam Körner as they do a live reading of their book “When the Trees Crackle with Cold” at 9:30AM (Lloydminster time). If you haven’t already, you can sign up here.
  • Stroll Through A Story: On Thursday, January 27, 2022 at 11:00am (CST) the Lakeland Library Region’s North Battleford Library, in partnership with LLCA, will have a story spread throughout central park (weather depending; it will be inside the library if not able to be outside). Stroll through the story and then go inside to enter your child’s name and your phone number for a prize raffle.
  • Visit the LLCA website for downloadable templates for an outdoor scavenger hunt, read and find, and mitten design contest! All entries received before Feb 3, 2022 will be eligible to win a prize!

Moose Jaw Literacy Network has events planned in Moose Jaw and nearby communities.

  • Story Trail: Learning in the Great Outdoors Adventure: Children and their parents and caregivers take part in 20 “challenges” throughout January and email photos of them overcoming the challenges with recognition and prizes to be awarded January 27.
  • Story Trail: “When the Trees Crackle with Cold” Children and their parents and caregivers will walk the trail reading the wonderful book “When the Trees Crackle with Cold: A Cree Calendar” by Bernice Johnson-Laxdal and Miriam Körner. An activity package and a book may be picked up at the Early Years Family Resource Centre once the trail is completed.
  • Free Activity Ideas! Moose Jaw teachers are sharing fun and free activities for families.

Prince Albert Literacy Network has a main event: a Kick off to Family Literacy Day event at the Gateway Mall on January 22, 2022, 1:00 to 4:00pm. We will be joined by community organizations to host a self-guided, contact-free StoryWalk of the book “When the Trees Crackle with Cold”. All participating families will receive a family fun kit including a copy of the book, activities to do at home, and a snack! Download and share the Kick off poster here.

READ Saskatoon partnered with the Saskatoon Public Library, Wheatland Regional Library, and Southeast Regional Library for Family Literacy Day events and programs:

  • From January 13 to 27 families can visit any Saskatoon Public Library, Wheatland Public Library, or Southeast Regional Library to pick up a postcard; or download the postcard from their website here. Once completed, the postcard can be mailed to READ Saskatoon or dropped off at a library. The first 100 families to return the completed postcard will be directed to your closest library location to pick up a book for your home library. If you are not able to access your local library a book can be mailed for you and your reading buddy to read together.
  • January 27: Two online events (10:00 to 11:00am; or 1:00 to 2:00pm) in partnership with Saskatoon Public Library with tips and tricks to incorporate literacy activities in your home, including songs, rhymes, storytelling, games, and prizes. Find out more or register here.

Regina Region Family Literacy Hub is working with partners for events in Regina and area:

  • Bookbags and Bannock: Pre-K children and their families will enjoy a tasty snack of bannock and jam as they enjoy reading the beautiful picture book “When the Trees Crackle with Cold:A Cree Calendar” by Bernice Johnson-Laxdal and Miriam Körner.
  • StoryWalk®: We will enjoy the book “When the Trees Crackle with Cold” as a StoryWalk® in the great outdoors! More information coming soon.

Southwest Literacy Committee (SWLC) has many events planned with partners in the region. Download and share the poster, and read more information here:

  • The City of Swift Current will make a proclamation on January 24 at 6:30 at City Hall.
  • Chinook Regional Library (member of the Southwest Literacy Committee): January 27 at 3:30pm, Burstall, Consul, Eastend, Fox Valley, Leader, Ponteix and Maple Creek Libraries will be hosting the public for Barbara Reid’s virtual program: learning how to use clay to create a picture.
  • StoryWalk® of “When the Trees Crackle with Cold” in Maple Creek on February 3, in partnership with KidsFirst and Maple Creek Library. Book prizes will be given away.
  • The SWLC and all Chinook School Grade 2 classes will join other Saskatchewan Family Literacy Hubs, the Saskatchewan Literacy Network and families throughout Saskatchewan in a virtual reading event of “When the Trees Crackle with Cold.” Author Bernice Johnson-Laxdal and illustrator & co-author Miriam Körner will share stories and a reading. Join the event here.
  • The Family Resource Centre has book draws for their Let’s Play program, and a special program for January to celebrate family literacy: Take-a-book, Read-a-book and Leave-a-book.
  • All Grade 3 students at Chinook School Division, Holy Trinity School, Hutterite Colony Schools in the Southwest, and Home Schoolers with Chinook School Division will receive a copy of the book “Megabat #1” and participate in a celebrity reading from “Megabat #2: Megabat and Fancy Cat” by the author, Anna Humphrey. Local libraries will have copies of “Megabat #2” for borrowing and reading. This is a closed event and not open to the public. It is our hope that each student will take the book home and talk about it with their family and visit the local library to borrow other books from the series or related to the Family Literacy Day theme, Learning in the Great Outdoors.
  • Great Plains College ESL classes will participate during Family Literacy Week, January 23 to 29. The classes will have discussions on family literacy and access the online virtual presentation on the book “When the Trees Crackle with Cold.”

West Central Literacy Committee (WCLC) has worked with partners in the region to plan events. Visit the West Central Literacy Committee Facebook page or Instagram to find out more!

  • Family Literacy Day Story Skate – January 27 9:00am to 2:00pm: Children and their parents and caregivers are invited to the Davidson Rink to skate and read a story that will be up on the glass surrounding the ice.
  • WCLC is distributing a copy of “When the Trees Crackle with Cold: A Cree Calendar” to each day care and day home in the west central region. Along with the book, we are sending a story stretcher for each child and information sheets from Active for Life that help families enjoy the outdoors all year round. Each day care and day home will read the story to their kids, or attend the livestream reading.
  • WCLC also gave 42 copies of the “When the Trees Crackle with Cold: A Cree Calendar” to the Sunwest School Division, who will give a copy to each school in the division. Many of the division schools have planned activities around the book and theme. WCLC also sent a copy of a StoryWalk® of “How to Bake an Apple Pie” that will be set up at Darcy School for Family Literacy Week.

Looking for more programs and events?

Be sure to follow each Family Literacy Hub on social media for great events and information all year!

Useful Family Literacy Day event resources:

Since ABC Life Literacy Canada started Family Literacy Day in 1999, we have worked together to raises awareness of the importance of reading and engaging in other literacy-related activities as a family. Every year, we celebrate Family Literacy Day in Saskatchewan. This is our second year for Family Literacy Week in Saskatchewan!

What is family literacy? Visit our family literacy resource page for more information!

Barbara Reid, award-winning Canadian author and illustrator, is the Honorary Chair of Family Literacy Day. You can download her tip sheets here for some great ideas on how to make learning a fun part of your family routine.

ABC Life Literacy Canada’s Family Literacy Day Resources
ABC Life Literacy Canada’s family literacy and family literacy statistics

 

If you have questions, or would like support for your event, please contact us.