New Reading Adventure for Grades PreK-5 Coming to Sands Point Preserve

New educational book clubs at Sands Point Preserve will help children in grades PreK-5 discover a love of reading books and poetry through dramatic enactments, dancing, artwork, and outdoor exploration – outside of school and among friends.

The Book Blossoms and The Book Buds, already established in Manhattan, starts March 14 with a series of 10 weekly sessions at the Preserve. An open house at Castle Gould’s Great Hall on Saturday, March 5, from 9 a.m.-12 p.m., will give families a preview of the reading adventures ahead.

“As all children learn differently, we utilize all their senses by incorporating art, drama, dance, reading and writing,” noted Sharon Marcus, the program’s founder. “We bring in special guests such as choreographers, authors and actors who will bring the stories to life via different creative mediums.”

The Preserve’s environment can inspire young imaginations. “We are very happy to present this new literacy program at the Preserve, where the Phil Dejana Learning Center and Outdoor Classroom as well as our mansions and grounds offer the perfect settings to support creative ways of learning,” said the Preserve’s Managing Director Beth Horn.

In addition to being a source for entertainment, reading teaches children about the world around them, both near and far, experts say. It also helps them build vocabulary, perform better in school and develop empathy. And studies show that when a love of reading is fostered in children, they see it as a joy, rather than a chore.

Led by experienced teachers, the book clubs – Book Blossoms is for girls, Book Buds for boys, though co-ed groups can also be formed – cover two to five books per season, as well as poetry.

Marcus, who holds a Masters of Science in Education from Hunter College, said she came up with the idea last summer, after Maya, her 7-year-old daughter, had completed first grade.

“She had discovered her love of reading, and I didn’t want to lose that momentum,” Marcus said.

At Book Blossoms and Book Buds, each session starts with an ice-breaker, where kids are given the chance to think and share about their lives by answering questions such as “What one word best describes you?” and “What’s something kind you did for someone today?” And younger children, perhaps first learning about exclamation points for the first time, might be asked, “What excites you?”

Each club is limited to eight-to-12 children, allowing teachers room for flexibility and to individualize the programs based on abilities.

Marcus said she began the program with a small book club in her apartment, adding, “I knew Maya loved to spend time with her friends, so what better way to get her to read than read with her friends?”

Aside from a chapter book, Marcus brought the group tote bags and notebooks, and the journey began. “Before I knew it, the girls were reading out loud dramatically as the characters in the books,” she said. “They were doing creative art projects.”

As Marcus brought in choreographers and authors, word began to spread, with people Marcus didn’t know contacting her, wanting to register their children.

The club – which has an advisory board made up of professors, reading specialists, teachers and more – focuses on the whole child.

While activities change each week, the emphasis always remains on the book.

“We always spend 30 minutes reading aloud as each child will act out a character in the book and do dramatic role play,” Marcus said.

That emphasis is a hit with the children. “They get really into the characters and add their own accents and mannerisms,” she said.

And though creativity is key, the teachers ensure that the children “are still paying attention to language and reading comprehension,” Marcus said.

Perhaps the most essential ingredient for the program is fun.

“The goal is for children to find the joy in reading but also form connections with each other,” Marcus said.

Empathy, too, plays a big role.

“We always include messages about kindness and compassion in all of our book clubs,” she said. “Children are paying attention to doing more acts of kindness and learning what respect and friendship means. While we strive to encourage the love of reading books, it’s probably even more important that we also help children to become citizens of the world that treat one another with kindness and respect.”

A 12-month Sands Point Preserve membership is required to enroll in the 10-week program, allowing access onto the grounds. For additional information about The Book Blossoms and The Book Buds, or to purchase the newly available 12-month membership, visit www.TheSandsPointPreserve.com, call 516-571-7901 or visit the Gate House at 127 Middle Neck Road, Sands Point, NY, 11050. Open daily from 8:00 a.m.

Friends of the Sands Point Preserve is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization with the mission to protect and preserve the 216-acre waterfront grounds and historic mansions and to provide a range of cultural arts events and educational programs for families and schools in the Phil Dejana Learning Center and Outdoor Classroom.