Family Literacy Week Encourages Students to Unplug and Play

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Story provided by Chelsea Isenor, Director of Communications and Board Administration

From January 25 to February 2, 2025, schools, students, and families have been participating in the 14th annual Beem Credit Union Unplug and Play Family Literacy Week. This week is focused on raising awareness about the importance of reading and encouraging families to find a healthy balance between screen time and active family time.

Schools across the Kamloops Thompson School District participated in various Unplug and Play activities and school challenges throughout the week. As part of the Intellectual Development priority in the 2022-2027 District Strategic Plan, the District is committed to providing diverse learning opportunities featuring multi-leveled resources that promote joyful reading, thoughtful written responses, and interesting conversations.

With over 400 classes from 33 schools participated, approximately 8,500 students across the District celebrated Unplug and Play Week with various activities, including sharing poems and jokes, Drop Everything and Read times, Reading Bingo, Playing Card Fitness, trivia challenges, and literacy themed dress up days such as Read My Shirt Day and Reading Rocks Wear Funky Socks Day.

Students at Beattie and Dallas Elementary schools took the Unplug and Play challenge to reduce screen time and spend more time with friends and family reading, playing games, being active, and doing other activities. Each student received an Unplug and Play Challenge to take home and keep track of their activities throughout the week. At school, there was a different themed activity each day for classes to participate in. Monday's theme was MOVE and classes took part in Playing Card Fitness. Tuesday's theme was CREATE where students created their own bookmarks. Wednesday's theme was READ where all students at Beattie Elementary came together in the gym for a Beach Read, wearing sunglasses and hats, laying on their beach towels while listening to sounds from the ocean. Thursday's theme was DRAW. On Friday, students had the opportunity to REFLECT on why it is important to have a good balance between having screen time and doing other activities with friends and family.

Aberdeen Elementary alsoscheduled a full week of Unplug and Play activities, starting with Read Me Day on Monday where students were encouraged to wear a shirt with words on it. The week continued with students bringing poems and jokes to share and ending with Dress as Your Favorite Book Character Day on Friday. Throughout the week students also participated in Reading Bingo and a Book Swap – students were encouraged to bring gently used, age appropriate books to the school library and in exchange could get a “new” book from the donated collection, with all leftover books being donated to Literacy in Kamloops. 

AE Perry Elementary participated in a school-wide trivia challenge where primary and intermediate book questions were asked during the morning announcements and students who submitted a correct answer were entered into a draw for prizes.

Juniper Ridge Elementary encourages students to participate in a full week of activities including themed dress-up days, including Reading is Snow Much Fun (wear a toque or scarf), and Reading Makes You Bright (wear sunglasses and bright colours). Every day during Unplug and Play Week, classes would choose a time to Drop Everything and Read. Students also designed their own bookmarks, shared their favourite books on a school bulletin board, and played Home Reading BINGO to enter a draw for a pizza party with the Principal and Vice Principal. The week ended with a school wide assembly to celebrate and culminate Family Literacy Week.

Thank you to all the teacher-librarians, teachers, principals, vice principals, school staff, parents, and caregivers who helped organize and participate in Unplug and Play activities throughout the week!