YORK's well-loved places for reading and creative activities are inviting children to ‘fire up their imaginations’ this summer.

Explore Libraries and Archives is gearing up for Summer Reading Challenge 2024 : Marvellous Makers, from July 13 to September 7.

Children are invited on a creative journey complete with storytelling, arts and crafts, theatre, puppet making, amination, poetry and more.

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Lyndsay Glover, Explore’s service developer for children, young people and schools, said: “The Summer Reading Challenge is all about encouraging children to read for fun.

“Letting them choose books that interest and excite them is the key to children enjoying reading.

“I can’t wait to launch ‘Marvellous Makers’ in our libraries this summer.”

Explore York is also celebrating ten years of summer reading adventures by inviting past participants to share their stories.

The organisation has sent out a 'call to arms' for anyone York who has been inspired by the event, or saw it spark a lifelong interest in a topic which you’ve developed or turned into a career.

Anyone who has an experience to share can email contact@exploreyork.org.uk, or share a video reel or TikTok.

All children taking part in this year’s challenge will be entered into prize draws throughout the summer holiday, where they could win family tickets to York attractions like the National Railway Museum, York Maze, Accessible Arts and Media and more.

Activities are free or low-cost with special programmes tailored for pre-schoolers and teens.

Booking for the summer activities has begun and anyone wanting more information can pick up a leaflet at any one of the Explore sites across York.

Each year, the challenge aims to combat the ‘summer dip’, which Explore said is a learning loss many children experience during the holidays.

In 2023, over 685,000 nationwide, including more than 3,000 in York, took part.

This year’s challenge features bespoke artwork by artist Natelle Quek.

More information and bookings can be found at https://www.tickettailor.com/events/exploreyorklibrariesandarchives