The kickoff event for summer activities for kids and young adults at Boonslick Regional Library in Sedalia is coming up.

"Summer reading programs will begin June 1," said Jackie Oliphant with Boonslick Regional Library. "That's the day that kids can start signing up for all of the summer reading programs, and we have a big variety of programs. We have a reading club for kids ages 11 and under, and the theme this year is 'on your mark, get set, read.' And for our teens, kids ages 12 through 18, the theme is 'get in the game, read.' Our activities are centered around sports and fitness, so we've got all kinds of great activities planned for this summer."

Boonslick Regional Library - Sedalia, Missouri
Randy Kirby
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Reading clubs will allow kids to win prizes throughout the summer, according to Oliphant. "With the reading club the kids have a chance to win prizes for the amount of time they spend reading. For kids 11 and under, they get reading records and after four hours of reading they can bring their completed reading record back to the library and turn that in for a prize out of our treasure box. Then they put their completed reading record in a box for a chance to win a grand prize, which is a Walmart gift card. We usually give away five or six gift cards for the different ages. The teens do the same thing, though they return their reading records after eight hours of reading." Oliphant says that about 400 kids sign up for the summer reading club at the library.

Oliphant says that many of the reading club kids also attend additional summer programs. Summer demonstrations taking place at the library include an appearance from rodeo clown Blake Potts, a fitness presentation from Brian of Brian's Gym, a program on origami and yoga, and a magic show from Joe Magic to wrap up the summer. There will also be a three-day writing workshop for teens led by author Angela Roquet, where participants will write a short story, and then those stories will be published in a book called Budding Bards: Vlm. 2.

Library Olympics will be taking place during the kickoff event on Wednesday, June 1. "We're going to have all kinds of different games set up in our meeting room, like mini bowling, mini golf, bubble races, just all kinds of fun games, and then there will be some crafts for kids to make, too. and of course we'll have refreshments, and kids can start signing up for other programs. We've got story time for pre-school age kids, demonstrations for kids 6 through 11 years of age, a book club that is conducted by staff from Bothwell Lodge State Historic Site, and that's for 9 to 12-year-olds. We'll also have a LEGO club for kids 4 to 11, just a whole bunch of things going on," said Oliphant.

If a child cannot make it to the kickoff event, they will still be allowed to sign up for programs and activities throughout the summer.

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