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Concert in the Park connects children with storytelling

Aug 11, 2017 | 5:00 PM

The North Battleford Public Library gathered children in Central Park Friday afternoon as they hosted their annual Concert in the Park to promote storytelling and literature.

Concert in the Park has run for over 10 years, and aims to encourage children to read and use their imaginations.

Danica Lorer, a professional storyteller for 20 years, led the show on the topic of memory and imagination with a focus on original Saskatchewan stories, songs, and audience participation.

“There’s something really beautiful about taking the time to be with people eye-to-eye, voice-to-ear, and making [personal] connections,” Lorer said. “Storytelling is a really important way of connection and building those relationships, and when we can listen and learn we become stronger as a community.”

Colin Evans, Community Services Librarian and Co-Manager, also believes that technology has also been detrimental to children’s attention spans, and consequently affecting their performance in school.

By getting children involved in reading and literature during summer vacation, Evans and Lorer believe they will be more prepared for when school starts in September.

“It’s really nice to have something that we can offer that’s educational, entertaining and engaging that doesn’t use a screen at all,” Evans said. “It reaches their imaginations, and creates a connection [which] is really rare now.”

The library also holds a summer reading program, which has over 300 children registered.

 

jared.gottseli@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @jgottsel