The annual Dia De Los Niños celebration held at the Jo Anne Darcy Library in Canyon Country drew more than 430 people seeking fun for children of all ages last weekend.
“Whimsical Adventure” was this year’s event theme, and young children could wear fairy wings and play with real-life tortoises roaming around the library yard.
The “Dia De Los Niños” is a nationally recognized day in Latin America and at the Jo Anne Darcy Library, the goal of the celebration is to promote reading and celebrate an integral part of the community, the children, said David Janning, library administrator for the Canyon Country branch.
“Día [de los Niños] is a nationally recognized initiative that emphasizes the importance of literacy for all children of all linguistic and cultural backgrounds. It is a daily commitment to linking children and their families to diverse books, languages, and cultures,” states the American Library Association website.
In the event held at the Canyon Country branch every year, local families including those who are Spanish-speaking make their way to the library and participate in a wide range of fun including arts and crafts, reading, performances and games.
Special guest Gloria Arjona led an engaging lecture using music, stories, media, and traditional attire shedding light on the rich cultures and traditions of Latin America. It was a popular segment during the event among families, said Janning.
The children spent a lot of time playing with the live reptiles and hand feeding them fruit and engaging with performers, he added.
Janning, who has been with the branch since 2018, spent the morning witnessing how much fun the families were having and even greeted new people who were at the library for the very first time, he said.
The celebration served as a kickstart to the library’s summer programming and the theme for this season surrounding recycling and being environmentally friendly, Janning added.
Some of the activities included were singing songs in Spanish, children learning how to speak the Spanish language, children creating their own wind chimes and fairy wings.
