We hope everyone had a great summer! The weather has been amazing here in Philadelphia with lots of fun outdoor activities, but just because we've flipped the calendar page doesn't mean the fun has to end! There's still a few more weeks of (official) summer until the Autumnal Equinox on September 22nd.

Some other fun and unique holidays that take place in September include spending time with loved ones on National Grandparents Day on Sunday, September 7th; reading or being read to on International Literacy Day on September 8th; give a hug to your favorite stuffed animal on National Teddy Bear Day on September 9th; and make something cool with your hands on National Play-Doh Day on September 16th! And just for fun, take a look at the Crayola Process video below from WIRED magazine and how they create all those wonderful colors for kids (and adults) to make art and be creative : )

This month's calendar and links, compiled by Free Library of Philadelphia's children's librarians, is once again full of great suggestions that parents and caregivers can engage in with their children to help nurture and develop the five necessary Early Literacy skills of Reading, Writing, Talking, Singing, and Playing.

Download Early Literacy Calendar for September 2014 »

Stop in at your local neighborhood library and ask a children's librarian for more tips and suggestions on Early Literacy; we're always here to help!

Additional calendar design and content by Peter Santa Maria.