Literacy Labs

Literacy Labs are hands-on, exploratory programs designed to foster a love of reading and writing in young children. These open-ended learning experiences feature a variety of interactive centers tailored to different aspects of literacy development, encouraging children to explore at their own pace.

Our labs are not just for kids! We invite parents and caregivers to participate actively by providing support and encouragement as children navigate the games and activities.

Upcoming Literacy Labs

View Our Program Calendar

What is a Literacy Lab?

A Literacy Lab is a fun and exploratory space where young children can dive into the world of reading and writing through exciting games and activities. Here, kids can explore different stories, phonics skills, and words. Our activities help them understand what they read and learn new vocabulary along the way. Literacy Labs are all about playing and discovering while developing important early literacy skills. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to join in on the fun -- making it a great way for families to learn together. Literacy Labs aim to spark a love for reading and writing in everyone involved!

Family Involvement

We know that a child's adults are essential to their learning. Each activity center in our literacy labs include helpful prompts to guide family members in supporting their child's language development and encouraging them to explore. We invite you to ask open-ended questions, like “What do you think will happen next?” or “How does this make you feel?” This approach allows children to express their thoughts and ideas while following their interests.

Drawing from the Reggio Emilia philosophy, we recognize that parents are a child's first teachers.

Your involvement is key to helping your child learn and grow. While VLN's program facilitators are here to provide support and ideas, we want families to feel confident in guiding their child's learning journey.

Literacy Skill Development

Our Literacy Labs are designed to support skill development through a structured approach to literacy. This means we focus on teaching important building blocks of reading and writing in a clear and organized way.

In the labs, children engage in various hands-on activities that promote important skills such as understanding specific phonics skills, building vocabulary, and improving handwriting. For example, through interactive games, kids learn to make connections between words and their meanings which helps them become more confident readers and writers.

We create a welcoming environment where children can explore at their own pace. Each session is designed to ensure that children are actively involved and engaged.

Testimonials

I brought my 4 year old to the bugs and beetles literacy lab last week and he cannot stop talking about it! He's always loved a hands-on activity, but I was shocked at how interested he was in a few of the writing projects. Highly recommend!

- Tamara S.

I can’t say enough good things about Vermont Literacy Network's Literacy Labs! My pre-verbal son always loves the activities and his language has developed so much lately. The best part is seeing how excited he gets to explore.

- Casey B.