Story Time Brings Smiles at Palmer Park Mall

For a half-hour, several children -- and their parents -- had a chance to sing and smile.

Over four months, the Local Education and Resource Network (LEARN) is sponsoring story time at the Palmer Park Mall.

"This is a showcase of low-cost and no-cost activities," said Jan Schwartz, LEARN's local coordinator. The program is for children up to age 5.

Schwartz started Tuesday morning's program with the 12 children and eight parents with a song, "Five Little Ducks," before reading a book about a squirrel searching for nuts. She then concluded with a sing-along of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat."

"It's great," said Melanie Rizzardi of Forks Township, who brought her daughter Maggie, 3, to the reading. "Maggie loves stories and lives being read too. I just wish more people would take advantage of it."

Schwartz said that LEARN wants "to get the word out to families in communities about quality early learning programs."

Schwartz hands out information to parents such as activity guides, raffles off the book they read to a child, gives gift bags from Target with reading items and activities and passes out coupons for a free ice cream from Dairy Queen.

"It's really about encouraging literacy and early learning," she said.

The first program was held on March 20.

Two more free programs are scheduled for May 15 and June 19 in the mall's center court at 11 a.m.

For more information, please contact Jan Schwartz at 610-807-5745 or jans@unitedwayglv.org.