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15 · Wednesday, January 18, 2012 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.insideHALTON.com Take a learning journey on Family Literacy Day Family Literacy Day takes place across Canada later this month on January 27. In an effort to show how learning is a part of daily life and can be easily embraced on a daily basis, ABC Life Literacy Canada is inviting families to 'Take the Learning Journey'. As part of the initiative, families are encouraged to download the 'Journey to Learning Passport' and complete as many activities as possible leading up to this important day. "Finding time to learn with your child can be hard to do in today's hectic world," says Margaret Eaton, president of ABC Life Literacy Canada. "But once you realize that the things you do together on a daily basis already involve learning, it's so much easier to embrace it." Many parents send their kids off to school hoping they will learn solely in a classroom setting and develop into knowledgeable successful adults. But while parents are busy with work while raising a family, they sometimes forget to encourage learning at home, which is equally important in a child's educational development. "Parents are a child's first teacher," says Eaton. "Even after they've started school, there are still several opportunities for learning as a family. Spending just 15 minutes a day with them can go a long way to help children develop a love of learning and improve their literacy skills." Yet there are hundreds of thousands of parents who not only lead busy lifestyles, but also have low literacy skills. Approximately nine million Canadians are at a high school level or lower when it comes to their literacy skills, and unfortunately, many of their children end up falling behind in school because they are not given the same opportunity as their peers to read at home and engage in early learning activities. According to Decoda Literacy Solutions, children raised in literate households are likely to enter grade one with several thousand hours of one to one pre-reading experience behind them. This is why it's critical that parents embrace the learning that is happening all around them. There are numerous ways in which families can embrace learning in their lives. Involving your kids in something as simple as writing your weekly grocery list, following a recipe together while cooking dinner, or sorting laundry by colour are all learning activities. Embracing the learning opportunities in your life makes it that much easier to ensure success for both parents and children, and to develop a love of learning in your family. Established in 1999, Family Literacy Day is an initiative developed to celebrate parents and children reading and learning together, and encourages Canadians to spend at least 15 minutes enjoying a learning activity every day. You can download your Journey to Learning Passport, and find local events, tips and activities online at FamilyLiteracyDay.ca. www.newscanada.com The benefits of dedicating this time together on a daily basis, whether reading and writing, playing and exercising, or simply talking about your day, are far-reaching and beneficial for everyone. Increased literacy levels among parents mean more reading and literacy-building activities in the home, preparing their children for success in school and encouraging a lifelong love of reading and learning. Registration for Award-Winning March Break and Summer Arts Integration Camps are on Now! Come and experience theART of learning... OAA's Preschool, Junior Kindergarten and Senior Kindergarten students dance, paint, sing and play their way to becoming joyful, creative, investigative and deeply invested lifelong learners. March Break Camp (March 12-16, 2012) Summer Camps (July 3-August 31, 2012) Drama · Dance · Fine Arts · Crafts · Musical Theatre Games and much more! Full & Half Day Programs 9:00 am - 3:30 pm Extended Care Available 7:30 am - 6:00 pm Tons of Artistic Fun! Make sure your child's March Break is packed with fun memories and lots of artistic, educational and enriching activities here at The Oakville Academy for the Arts. Let our talented, University educated and passionate Instructors guide your child through energetic Hip Hop, fun Musical Theatre routines, great songs from pop to golden oldies and out of the box art projects and arts and crafts. Spaces are limited so book today to make certain your child does not miss out! ALL ORS INSTRUCTR SITY ARE UNIVE EDUCATED VOTED #1 BEST CAMP YEAR AFTE S R YEAR We invite you to tour our progressive and dynamic programs, taught by exceptionally well qualified and nurturing educators who are passionate about fostering wonder, character, resilience and a strong sense of self. Come and see why we are consistently voted "Best Preschool" in Oakville. For more information and to book a tour, please contact our Head of Kinderschool, Ms. Kim Speer - recent recipient of The National Prime Minister's Award of Excellence for Early Childhood Education. Offering The Finest in Arts Exploration and Development! 1011 Upper Middle Road East & Eighth Line · 905.844.ARTS (2787) Monday to Friday 9:00 am - 9:00 pm · Saturday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm Accepting Preschool, Junior Kindergarten & Senior Kindergarten registrations for the upcoming 2012-2013 school year. www.oakvilleacademy.com Offering The Finest in Arts Exploration and Development! 1011 Upper Middle Road East & Eighth Line · 905.844.ARTS (2787) www.oakvilleacademy.com