Building Children's Home Library

The NWT Literacy Council proposes using funds from the Field Law Community Fund to develop and distribute Family Literacy kits to children that have enrolled in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library (DPIL). Through DPIL, children ages 0-5, receive a free, age-appropriate books mailed directly to their home every month. Families across the NWT can grow a home library of up to 60 books before their child starts kindergarten. Access to these books increases the likelihood of families reading together, an activity that cultivates strong and healthy relationships between caregivers and children and supports important early literacy development.

To build on the benefits of reading together, the NWT Literacy Council would like to create and distribute Family Literacy kits to accompany books from the Imagination Library. Each kit will include a letter for caregivers with tips and ideas about how to use the kit, as well as materials for various literacy activities including songs, crafts, games, and recipes. The goals of these kits are to:

-Help animate stories and generate excitement about reading.

-Demonstrate how to create connections between stories and real-world experiences.

-Provide caregivers with ideas and materials to engage with their children in meaningful ways.

-Support family learning and play in the home environment.

Like the books in the Imagination Library, NWT Literacy Council would like to mail these kits directly to children’s homes at no cost to the families. This is particularly beneficial to families in remote communities where access to learning supports, craft supplies, and games might be limited or costly.

Since June 2022, the NWT Literacy Council has registered and mailed Family Literacy Kits to over 1000 children aged 0-5 years old in 15 communities in the Sahtu, South Slave, and Yellowknife regions. Our plan is to continue offering kits to families in these communities. Through other funding, all other communities in the NWT are also included in the program. Caregivers will benefit by receiving ready-made activities to do with their children. Children will benefit from spending time learning with their caregivers.