The Jake Epp Public Library in Steinbach is getting set to launch its Summer Reading Club. Coordinator Madison Redekopp explains that in addition to giving kids something constructive to do during the summer, it plays an important role in their education.

"It is a home-based literacy program to help your kids keep up their reading levels through the summer because kids who don't read throughout the summer months will lose one to two reading levels by September, which is amazing, in a bad way. We want to make sure that your kids are keeping on tops of their reading. All we're asking for is 30 minutes a day, five days a week."

She notes this includes time that parents or siblings spend reading to the children as well as time spent listening to audio books.

Redekopp says each of the children enrolled in the Summer Reading Club will spend one hour per week at the library where they will participate in things like crafts and experiments and have a chance to meet and interact with other children.

Registration for the program opens on Monday at the library.