SWIFT CURRENT, SK – Great Plains College, in partnership with the Southwest Literacy Committee, will celebrate Family Literacy Day on January 27, 2026. This year’s theme, “Make Mealtime Family Literacy Time,” highlights the importance of sharing meals together as a family and the positive impact this has on literacy and overall well-being.
Research shows that family mealtime offers more than just nourishment—it creates opportunities for conversation, cultural storytelling, and memory-making. These interactions strengthen family bonds and support children’s physical health, mental well-being, academic success, and social development. Mealtime conversations also enrich language skills and foster lifelong learning habits.
“Family Literacy Day was launched in 1999 by ABC Canada to raise awareness about the importance of reading and engaging in literacy activities as a family. Studies show that children who are exposed to books at home early in life have a better chance of developing strong reading and writing skills,” said Bula Ghosh, English language training coordinator at Great Plains College. “Parents and caregivers play a vital role in this process, as much of a child’s physical, social and cognitive development happens at home through activities like playing, reading, listening, talking, singing, storytelling and drawing. We encourage families to make learning fun and interactive from an early age to set the stage for lifelong literacy.”
The Southwest Literacy Committee offers a variety of literacy programs throughout the year, including Books for Babies, which provides parents and caregivers of four-month-old babies with a tote bag of books, toys and tools to support early development. Pre-school kits and two-year-old kits are also distributed through public libraries and community health offices.
This year, in celebration of Family Literacy Day, the committee is introducing two new projects:
- January 27, 2026 – Launch of Where’s Swifty? A Grocery Adventure for Little Learners
The Literarcy Committee will unveil Where’s Swifty?, a fun grocery-themed adventure designed to help children explore literacy in an interactive way. Families are welcome to join on launch day or take part in the adventure at their next Pioneer Co-op grocery store visit.
- January 29, 2026 – Virtual Author Visit with Muriel, author of The Missing Ingredient
In partnership with Teach Nutrition, Muriel will virtually visit Grade 3 classrooms to share her book and lead interactive learning sessions. Follow-up activities will be sent home to extend learning with families.
In addition to these events, families can enjoy a variety of theme-related activities such as bingo cards, story walks, family video submissions, and reading books that highlight food and sharing. This year’s featured book, Salma the Syrian Chef by Danny Ramadan, will be available at libraries and schools throughout the region. Families are encouraged to read the book together and pair it with a food-related activity to bring the theme to life.
“When families share meals, stories and conversations together, they create a nurturing environment that strengthens language skills and builds lifelong learning habits,” added Ghosh. “In celebration of this year’s theme, Make Mealtime Family Literacy Time, we encourage families to read the featured book, Salma the Syrian Chef, prepare a meal and enjoy it together in the spirit of sharing, caring and learning.”
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For more information, contact:
Amy Masse, manager of marketing & communications
Phone: 306-737-6107
Email: @email