Reading can sometimes be difficult for young children, but the Airdrie Public Library has an upcoming program that's meant to bolster their reading skills and self confidence.

The "Listening Tails" program is designed to help children in grades two through five improve their reading skills and self confidence by letting the kids read to therapy dogs.  Children and Youth Services Manager at the Airdrie Public Library Lindsey Skeet says the program is in partnership with the Chestermere Therapy Dogs Society.

Skeet says dogs are the perfect listening companion for kids.  "They're non-judgmental, generally they don't distract, unless they get excited about something, but usually they're very calm and they provide that kind of stability that struggling readers need sometimes.  They need an opportunity to work through what it is they're struggling with without being rushed and without having any judgment and that's what the dogs provide."

Naturally, Skeet feels the kids will love the program.  "I can imagine this program is going to fill up really quickly.  Kids love animals.  I've heard of great programs where libraries have partnered with humane societies and children have gone there and sat with a dog, even through the enclosure that the dog's in.  Just being around dogs, children love that so they'll benefit from this program."

Registration is now open, but is a bit different from other programs, according to Skeet.  "We have three therapy dogs coming each of the days that we're running the program which is Thursday afternoons, and each therapy dog will see two kids throughout the afternoon, so we'll see six kids at a time and children can register for each session.  Unlike other programs where you register for the whole five weeks of sessions, with this program we want to make it available to as many children as possible so you kind of register per session."

The program runs every Thursday from April 27th - May 25th  To register go to the Airdrie Public Library website here.  

 

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