Libraries are Abuzz!

Whitsunday Regional Libraries welcomed a hive of bees to Story Time, along with Early Literacy Champions from our local PCYC branches and Stackelroth Farm. During the sessions, children learned about native bees and their important role in farming. They were able to share stories and songs, taste honey, view the bees busily working in their hive, dress up in a beekeeping suit, and create their own paper cup bees and doily flowers to take home. Sergeant O'Regan from Bowen PCYC also created a buzz when she painted colourful bees on the children's arms to fly about the library!

These Story Time sessions are part of Whitsunday Regional Libraries Early Literacy Champions program, made possible through the 2019-20 First 5 Forever Community Literacy Champions Grant. The delivery of the program was delayed by COVID-19 in 2020 and we were fortunate that restrictions eased enough to be able to get underway with our in-library sessions in early 2021. The program has also included the installation of permanent Library Stations at local PCYC branches, which are visited by library staff on a monthly basis as part of our outreach activities.

In term 2, we will be offering families the opportunity to visit Stackelroth Farms and learn more about farming - keep an eye on our events calendar for future activities! This will link to our term 1 children's library programs which have been looking at farm related topics such as Growing Things, Bugs and Insects (bees), Machines and Our Farm. Promotion of the program has been through word-of-mouth, social media, bus advertising and radio interviews (planned for term 2). We also hope to collaborate further with PCYC and Stackelroth Farms at our upcoming local agricultural shows, with an information/activity stand showcasing the valuable partnership between our organisations and our common goal in promoting children’s wellbeing, particularly language and literacy development.