Junction City, Kansas – July 20, 2010 – Loving Arms Learning Center, a non-profit organization, is offering young children the opportunity of a lifetime. With Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, involved children will learn about the many peculiarities of the English language before they even enter kindergarten.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which was established by Dolly Parton in 1995, supports the belief that all pre-school children should have their own library of books. This helps them not only learn the language, but use their knowledge to come up with creative ideas themselves. The most important themes featured in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library are inspiration and, of course, imagination. Other important themes include regard for diversity of people, love of learning, promotion of self-esteem, and appreciation of art and aesthetics.
The books in the program progress as the child grows, and over time they touch on over 25 very important concepts. In the first year of a child’s life, they receive books which are simple, with minimal text. These books help them to to learn rhyme and rhythm, as well as improving their sense of vision and touch. In a child’s second year, books in this program aim to help them construct their own language, as they learn concepts such as repetition and predictability. At this age, children also learn colors, letters and numbers while they listen to nursery rhymes.
The third year is especially important, as children learn concepts of having values and morals, and what builds character. Close to the end of the literary journey, year four encompasses more complex stories, such as stories with a hero or heroin who runs into complications and has to sort things out. Children in their fourth year also prepare for kindergarten as they learn about diversity, and about how it’s ok for people to be different. The final year intends to prepare children for their life at school, teaching them how to properly read non-fiction books, and how to read and write poetry.
The range of books given out by Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is really quite spectacular, with over 70 different books given out each year. Last year, children received books with titles such as Spot Goes To The Farm, Pigs Love Potatoes, Twenty-Six Princesses, and A Place Called Kindergarten. With a free book given out every month, as well as two customized books to begin and end the journey, children receive over 60 books for their personal library.
Speaking of children receiving the books, every time a book arrives in the mail, it is addressed to the child, so they can practice responsibility while feeling a sense of importance in the world. All of the books are clear-wrapped, so the vibrant cover can be seen when the child first sees their new book. Being literate is probably the most important learning concept in our world, so Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is right to start children off early, and surely what they do is highly appreciated.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is possible thanks to proud sponsors and donors, who receive the opportunity to have their name, or company name, printed on a special page on the Loving Arms Center’s web site. For sponsoring a predetermined amount of children, they also may have the option to have their name printed on the mailing label, to show everybody that they sponsored this life-engaging program.
About Loving Arms Learning Center
Loving Arms Learning Center is a local non-profit organization that collaborates with community organizations to provide training, professional development and mentoring programs modeled to nurture the mental, social intellectual and physical needs of every individual. Through responsible management and dedicated staff, our programs reflect the aesthetic and social fabric of the families in our communities and provide a unique learning experience to individuals and associations. To learn more about Loving Arms Learning Center, please browse through our web site at www.lovingarmscenter.org/learning.
LaFarris L. Risby, CFLE is a mother of two. She is a Certified Family Life Educator and the Executive Director of Loving Arms Learning Center and CEO of Loving Arms Child Care and Preschool in Junction City. For questions please contact LaFarris through our contact form.
