THE CASTLE OF BOOK
The Castle of Books, whose first edition was launched in 2016, is an all-year, comprehensive and consistent programme focusing on worthwhile books for children and young people. Its core idea is rooted in the conviction that reading is a fundamental skill of the contemporary human, while lasting reading habits are formed during childhood. Given that children today have much broader choice of entertainment, we always look for new, attractive and varied ways of promoting readership (workshops, literary paper chase, the library on a bike). We seek to make our projects show that reading builds one’s identity, broadens knowledge and improves language skills; on the other hand the participants find out that it is a vital existential experience, the best food for imagination, an adventure and, simply, a pleasure.
The programme is addressed both to children (even those who cannot yet read on
their own) and adults: parents, animateurs and teachers. This is because we are
convinced that school plays a tremendous role in moulding reading habits. At
the same time, we aim to show how to work with a book, not only during classes
of Polish, but also during basic science, mathematics or... physical education.
The idea to make PE teachers and coaches ‘smuggle in’ the habit the reading has
been borrowed from the Swedes who have long been promoting reading through a
variety of forms and channels. Scandinavians
conducted studies which demonstrate that boys at school age are the most
unwilling to take up reading on their own. Hence the idea to get them to read
by reaching them through people they consider their authorities – coaches and
PE teachers.
Two permanent elements of the programme are two holiday undertakings: Carpet Reading Hours and The Library on a Bike. Our mobile bookshelf, filled with interesting reads for children of all ages, visits playgrounds, football pitches and all sorts of places where children play outside, using this unusual method to encourage them to reach for a book and enjoy it.
Partners
