Family Play & Learn

Family Play and Learn began as the brain child of a School District staff person and the Director of the Coquitlam Public Library. After seeing a presentation at conference, about a Family Literacy initiative in a shopping centre in Duncan, these two organizations approached Coquitlam Centre, to see if they would be interested in partnering. They were, and the initiative was launched in January of 2008. The Tri-Cities ECD Committee was approached prior to the first session to partner as well, and the role of the committee was to organize and recruit community partners to attend. A few years later, the Tri-Cities Literacy Committee joined the co-ordinating group.

The event runs monthly at Coquitlam Centre on the last Wednesday of the month from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. It is a family literacy event and is geared to families with children aged 3 to 10 years. Local libraries take turns providing a story time during the event, and local community partners and SD43 student volunteers, offer theme based craft activities to the children. Additionally, School District 43 provides take home bags, with extension activities and once children visit at least 6 stations, they also get a free book to take home.