24 August 2023
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – Storytime Village is opening up new worlds for kids to explore.
“Once they open it, we know that they’ll love it, but we gotta get them there first,” said Prisca Barnes, CEO of Storytime Village.
The nonprofit is helping kids turn that page.
“We don’t want a child to feel like reading is something that they should dread or ‘oh, that’s boring,'” Barnes said.
Volunteers are taking words on pages and turning them into fun.
“This is called Jabari Jumps. Can everybody say Jabari jumps?” a volunteer asked a group of kids.
“My boys love it! Every week they ask me, is it storytime day?” said Taylor Ballard.
A third of Kansas third graders scored at the lowest level of reading during state assessments in 2022. This is why the group focuses on inspiring a love of reading from babies to 8 year olds.
“Reading is so fundamental. If you don’t have that basic fundamental skill by the end of third grade, then your chances of being successful in school and life are very challenged,” Barnes said.
The group hosts engaging story times in the park twice a month at Naftzger Park. Each kid takes home a book of their own.
“We are all about getting our kids immersed even from a young age. Even though he’s not reading,” said Micaela Miller, the mom of a young baby. “Just getting him used to books and being around other kids.”
A bind with a book bounding them for success. Storytime in the park happens every second and fourth Tuesday of the month at Naftzger Park. You can learn more about Storytime Village by clicking here.