Family Literacy Day Fun!

On April 28th, Tandem hosted Family Literacy Day at Fairyland. Over 280 families and children came to the event to celebrate literacy and participate in our activities. Volunteers and Tandem staff worked together to run several activity tables. Children got to make paper bag reading buddies, coffee filter butterflies, and their very own books. Author Kamaria Lofton even was kind enough to join us to help the children make books! She helped some children make books about Oakland, using her own book, My City is Oakland, as a guide. 

Author Kamaria Lofton makes “I love Oakland” books with the children.

Even parents got in on the fun, helping their little ones attach googly eyes and stickers to their reading buddies. Older kids got to make reading buddies and books too, helping their little siblings as they did.

Families make “Reading Buddies” at our activity station

As the craft tables wound down, families headed over to the stage to have a read aloud from another author, Bay Area local author Danielle Anderson-Craig. She brought her book, The Magic of We, and read it to all our families (and a few other visitors to the park!). Children were captivated by the beautiful pictures.

Danielle Anderson-Craig reads her book “The Magic of We” to the crowd

The day concluded with a book signing. Each child got to pick a brand new book to take home with them. Those who took My City is Oakland or The Magic of We got to meet the author of their book and get it signed. It’s important for young children to learn about the concept of an author. Meeting one in person is a great way to talk about this concept!

Danielle Anderson-Craig signs ‘The Magic of We’

Some kids couldn’t even wait to get home to start reading!

Thank you!

We would especially like to thank our partners Aspire Education Project, Benioff Children’s Hospital, Refuge Transitions, Fairyland; authors Kamaria Lofton and Danielle Anderson-Craig, and all of the volunteers that made our event so successful!