The Province of British Columbia has proclaimed Family Literacy Week 2022 in BC from January 23rd to January 30th. The week includes ABC Life Literacy Canada’s Family Literacy Day on January 27th.

The Mount Waddington Family Literacy Society, Decoda Literacy Solutions and its partner organizations across BC will celebrate throughout the week.

What is family literacy?
“Family literacy is the way parents, children and extended family members use literacy at home and in the community. It occurs naturally during the routines of daily life and helps children and adults get things done.” – Hayden & Saunders, 2017

Let’s Connect! Care * Play * Listen

Woman reading with small children.

This year’s theme, “Let’s Connect!”, encourages families to connect through
caring, playing and listening.

Families are children’s first and most important teachers. Improving literacy levels by connecting with children through caring, playing and listening helps improve health, social and economic outcomes for everyone.

Family Literacy Week 2022 activities from Decoda Literacy Solutions

Family Literacy Week Photo Contest poster.

Let’s Connect! Care * Play * Listen ideas

  • Play Peek-a-Boo and Patty-cake with babies
  • Read early and often with toddlers
  • Play inside or outside with preschoolers – board games, puzzles, build a blanket fort or play dress up
  • Make a listening chair, try a ‘table talk’ jar or tell family stories with primary students

Find more ideas on these Family Literacy Week Activity Sheets posted as free downloads at decoda.ca.

January 27 Family Literacy Day webinar workshop: Create a clay picture

Family Literacy Day Honorary Chair Barbara Reid will be doing a demonstration on how to use clay to create a picture. She will share unique techniques you can use to make different things. The event will end with a Q&A.

January 27, 1:30 pm (Pacific)

Register for the ABC Life Literacy Canada Family Literacy Day workshop here.

To take part fully in this event, you’ll need:
• Clay (the more colours the better!)
• A paper plate or round lid to act as the base of your picture
• A sharp pencil or toothpick

This event is ideal for children in grades 1 to 6. To register, please provide your information below.

Q&A and Photo Contest
If you want to ask Barbara Reid a question during the event, you’ll have the opportunity to do so. However, we may not be able to accommodate all questions, so feel free to submit your answers ahead of time to communications@abclifeliteracy.ca.

After the event, you’ll have an opportunity to send in photos of your completed artwork for a chance to win a Family Literacy Day prize pack courtesy of Scholastic Canada! Details will be announced during the event.

Learning in the Great Outdoors Activity Book

Learning in the Great Outdoors Activity Book cover

Download the ‘Learning in the Great Outdoors’ Activity Book from ABC Life Literacy Canada. It includes ideas for outdoor family learning, crafts, word games, a recipe, winter Bingo and more!

Family literacy kits for local tutoring students

Locally, 100 families in North Island communities will receive family literacy kits filled with books, games, activities and resources from the Mount Waddington Family Literacy Society, thanks to generous donors and Raise-a-Reader funding from Decoda Literacy Solutions.

“This year, we focused on families referred by other organizations or through outreach, and who did not receive kits last year,” said Leslie Dyck, literacy outreach coordinator at MWFLS. “Our goal is to make family fun and learning accessible, and to support these young readers.”