Suggestions for Celebrating Día de los Niños ~ Día de los Libros
Mark this day on your calendar of events today! April 30, 2006 is on a Sunday. Plan as early as possible.
- Check out the following websites for ideas: REFORMA Día de los Niños: Día de los Libros http://www.reforma.org/resources/ninos/dia.html and Día de los Niños: Día de los Libros Web site at the Texas State Commission (http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ld/projects/ninos/index.html ).
- Develop a local bookmark or brochure of recommended read-aloud books.
- Reserve the Building Bridges display for your community.
- Purchase additional Spanish and bilingual material for your collection for children and adults. Make sure they are available on the day of your big event.
- Feature lively music, fun stories, face painting, and cultural crafts. Invite a children’s folklore dance group, storyteller, or Mariachi band to perform. Make musical instruments, traditional Mexican Piñatas, paper masks, paper flowers or other family crafts from Russia, China, Vietnam and Latin America. Try Milagros (see handout in this packet) by writing your dream and framing it. Libraries in Buhl and Hailey are celebrating the day with a "Hats Off to Children" theme! They’ll encourage children to make and wear hats in local parades.
- Make sure to publicize the event in English and Spanish throughout the Latino community: grocery stories, laundromats, churches, schools, etc. Contact pastors of local churches. Ask them to help you publicize your event in the church bulletins. Take photos at your event.
- Contact local organizations to help sponsor your events. Try Head Start, the local Americorps/VISTA coordinator, churches, schools, High School groups like Spanish Club or Key Club, Hispanic Women’s Associations, Chamber of Commerce, Girl Scouts, Civic Groups, etc.
- Contact the local grocery store manager about providing free refreshments and/or publicity in their store for your event. Contact the local panadería. Ask them to provide pan de dulce for the event. Ask them for permission to put up posters and flyers.
- Find a senior citizens’ center that is willing to allow elementary, junior high, or high school students to record the seniors’ childhood stories. Get the students to write these histories, and have them present the stories in book form. Hold a special event to honor the students and the senior citizens for their efforts.
- Contact the local Spanish-language radio station. Who is the most popular DJ in the community? Ask him or her to help you promote Día de los Niños: Día de los Libros by urging their listeners to read to their children and take them to the public library. Ask them to promote any activities you have planned for that event. Invite the radio station to broadcast live from the library on that day.
Enjoy the rewards of seeing children sharing their reading delights with their families!
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