By Andrea Arnold
The McBride and District Public Library is offering an eight week playschool option for kids ages three to four in collaboration with the Elementary school and Little Munchkins Daycare.
Following the announcement by the Robson Valley Community Services, that they would no longer be offering a preschool, concerned parent Megan Ryan approached Abi Ward at the library to see if there was anything that could be made available.
“We are thrilled to provide the community with this opportunity,” said Ward. “ It will give the children a taste of learning in a school environment. We will be learning literacy, playing games, making crafts and playing.”
The program will run two times a week for two and a half hours each day beginning October 10th. It is a longer version of the Ready Set Play program that the library has offered in previous years.
Ward has been able to hire Cathy Pittman to help run the program using grant funding. The children attending the playschool will also need to have a guardian present throughout each session.
The playschool will be held at the Elementary School in the same room that Ready Set Learn and Strong Start is held. Ward says the space is already set up for small students and will serve the need well. The Little Munchkins Daycare staff and children will be joining the playschool environment on Tuesdays.
Ward cautioned that this is not going to be an ongoing offering by the library. She also said that another preschool option is in the works.
Little Munchkins Daycare founder Tabitha Reis confirmed they have been working hard to complete the necessary steps to begin offering a preschool.
“We hope to be able to offer programming in January,” said Reis.
The library-hosted playschool program still has spots available. Please contact the library for more information.
