Community Corner
Kumon Center Brings Alice in Wonderland to Howell
Children get the chance to learn from the popular story
On Wednesday afternoon the Calgo Gardens were transformed into a magical destination for area children to use their imaginations and learn more about one of their favorite stories.
of Howell hosted an "Alice in Wonderland," Summer Reading event at the gardens complete with rabbits, Alice, and even The Mad Hatter. Young students from Monmouth and Ocean County, from preschool to sixth grade and higher, were welcomed to the Gardens' beautiful scenery, sunny weather, and plenty of delicious deserts and refreshments.
"I love doing events like these because they keep kids, especially younger ones, active in their reading," said Kumon Director Connie Schmidt Kirman, who has run the Howell Center since Sept. 2008 and is a long-time resident of the town.
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"It's hard as a kid to keep up with your reading in the summer, so these events allow kids to read, interact with each other, and most importantly, have fun."
The kids at Calgo Gardens did not just get delicious food and great weather, but a history lesson on "Alice in Wonderland" author Lewis Carroll and his most famous story.
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With the help of parents in attendance, each student took turns reading the classic tale. "We need to get kids in the habit of reading when they're young," Kirman said. "There's far too many distractions these days that can get a young student away from learning--cell phones, texting, games, etc. We hope the more fun students have at events like these, the more they will get in the habit of reading. It's essential."
The Kumon Center's next event is "Books that are Movies" on Aug. 17, beginning at 9:30a.m. Young readers will answer questions about books. Whoever answers the questions correctly wins free movie tickets. Click here for more details.
For more information on The Kumon Center of Howell's events and how to enroll your child, click here.