American Sign Language Offered at Duluth Public Library’s Story and Play Sessions

DULUTH, Minn. — The Duluth Library is making their Story and Play in the Park sessions more accessible to all.

Organizers say requests were being made to include American Sign Language at these story times. And now they are able to do so. On Monday the ASL Story and Play took place at Blackmer Park. This is the 4th year of the program partnering with Duluth Parks and Recreation. It includes an interactive story time, play time with equipment and fun activities for kids. These sessions are critical in the learning process for these young children.

“Especially in this birth to 5 age range learning it’s not just sitting down and reading stories, which is obviously very important, but kids learn through play primarily when they’re this young. So, we love any opportunity we can combine bringing them together around books, around singing and rhyming that builds language skills but in a more playful way,” said Carmella Hatch, Early Literacy Coordinator.

There are two more Story and Play in the Park sessions offered this season. The hope is to include more ASL in programs at the Duluth Public Library in the future.