Family Literacy Events
About Us
Words in the Wild makes learning to read and write a joyful pursuit for children (and the adults who teach and love them) through student programs, educator training, and family literacy activities. We work with schools, homeschool and youth serving organizations to bring the spark of wonder to the power of structured literacy.
Our Family Literacy Events
Words in the Wild supports families in developing their TK-5 children's literacy skills in fun, accessible ways. Facilitators empower all families to recognize themselves as skillful partners in their children’s literacy development, including families with special needs, multilingual families, and families with a range of adult literacy levels. Teachers are always welcome and encouraged to join! (We also offer staff training and train-the-trainer opportunities.)
For Caregivers
Workshops for families/caregivers, with or without their children present. In-person or remote.
Beyond Books: Everyday Family Literacy. Explore multilingual storytelling, audiobooks, nature journaling, and non-book based ways that families can foster literacy development. Our strengths-based approach builds on the rich literacy practices and language resources of all families, including those historically marginalized from school. Discover ways that you already build reading and writing skills at home, and learn new ones!
Shared Reading with More Joy, Less Stress. Parents are told to “read with your child every day,” but this isn’t always as easy as it sounds. We’ll explore ways to build vocabulary, comprehension, and other skills through shared reading. Participants may bring their own book in any language. We will also provide books for practice.
Stressless Summer Reading Menu. Create a ‘menu’ with realistic plans to help your child(ren) keep up with learning over the summer. We’ll share ideas that are enjoyable, relationship building, and minimize stress. We love partnering with teachers and librarians for this session.
For Kids (and their grown-ups)
WitW offers a school event for children in grades TK-5, with their caregivers. IN PERSON ONLY
Family Literacy Fun Night. We will help your community create a relaxed event with fun literacy activities for children and families to enjoy together. Ahead of time, we help you plan and organize the activities. During the event, two members of our team will support your staff/PTA volunteers with set-up and then lead activities including our unique games and read-alouds. This event requires site-based volunteers/staff or we can provide additional staff for an additional fee.
Fees & Details
Workshop or Family Fun Night (base prices for full-service events described above)
Stand alone: starting at $1,575
3+ events (series or multi-site): starting at $1,275 each
Storytime Childcare add-on: starting at $250
Professional development/train-the-trainers: please inquire
Details: Events are typically 90-minutes, in-person, in English, and ideal as a series. We also offer Spanish and can coordinate with site-provided interpretation. Travel fees apply outside of the SF Bay Area. Please contact us for assistance with identifying funding, putting together a package, or requesting sliding scale.
Contact
Request an event here or contact team@wordsinthewild.us or call/text 510-500-5380.
Prefer to host your own Family Literacy Fun Night?
Family Fun Night In A Box: Done-With-You. We provide materials for literacy games and a digital bundle of customizable templates for more activities, bingo card, signs, fliers, etc. Plus, a consultation with our team for guidance on planning a memorable, meaningful event!
Family Fun Mini Printable Pack. “DIY” your event with a digital pack of printable literacy games and an editable bingo card and timeline to guide children through literacy night activities.
Testimonials
“... No workshop that I have attended has changed how I approach a topic as much as yours did. I believe that my daughter is better off as a result of it.
It [your workshop] changed how I read to my daughter and made me a subscriber to audible.com (easy to deal with due to my own dyslexia).”
— Joe G., parent
Workshop: Joyful and Productive Shared Reading
“Attendees were appreciative, as always, of your interactive and engaging style. It definitely helped to make our first live-streamed event a huge success!”
— Jo Cummins, Parents Education Network (now CHC) program director
Workshop: Fostering a Love of Reading
“Yo aprendi que podemos empezar a leer cosas que los interesa.”
“I learned that we can begin by reading things that interest the kids.”
— Anonymous Parent, Santa Rita Unified School District
Workshop: Everyday Literacy
Approach and Audience
Words in the Wild’s approach brings together research and relationships to create positive and effective shared literacy experiences. Family workshops engage caregivers in activities that are based in interdisciplinary evidence and lift up curiosity and connection.
Our events are suitable for elementary age and the workshops give special attention to families of emerging readers (preK-2), families of children with learning differences including those which disproportionately impact literacy skill development including dyslexia, dysgraphia, ADHD, and processing disorders.
We recognize that families are children’s first and most important teachers. We value families as holders of wisdom, not recipients of outsider knowledge. We honor the diversity of families through meaningful representation in materials and highlight culturally, linguistically, and ability inclusive practices. We have carefully considered the broader research base that includes multilingual learners.
Our workshops are also offered as family-provider partnerships hosted by a school or organization (both caregivers AND teachers/providers attend to learn more about supporting their families).
Help us make joyful, evidence-based early literacy experiences the norm.
Logistical Questions? Content or "Fit" Questions?
Contact us if you have any questions or if you’re ready to bring a family literacy workshop to your community
email: team@wordsinthewild.us | call: 510.500.5380