KANGIQTUGAAPIK/CLYDE RIVER - It's a weekday afternoon in the summer and there is no better place for moms and tots to be than at the Moms and Tots preschool program at the Ilisaqsivik Family Resource Centre at the Clyde River Community Library.

Hope Tigullaraq gets some help writing her name with a washable marker from teacher's assistant Geela Aipellee at a Moms and Tots pre-school program at the Clyde River Community Library on July 16. - photo courtesy of Irene Jonas

"Every week I try to think of something and whatever comes into mind I do it," said librarian Irene Jonas, who runs the program and has been working at the library for the last eight years.

The group meets weekday afternoons during the summer starting at 2 p.m. Jonas said she has had anywhere from two to 13 preschoolers attend a single session so far. The program started at the beginning of July.

On July 16, the session was all about encouraging and developing eager young readers and writers.

Jonas said she was inspired to do the week's activity after someone donated a lot of old magazines to the centre. With assistance, the children were given sheets of paper with the letters of their names cut out and glued on them. They then could scribble whatever they wanted on the sheet. Reading and writing in English and Inuktitut is practised.

"I am hoping it will help them learn writing and the letters of the alphabet," said Jonas.

Rayleen Tigullaraq brought her one-year-old son Braden to the group. She said it allows him to start learning his ABCs and 123s even before he starts preschool.

"It is a good idea for kids. It keeps them busy and they are learning something," she said.

Tigullaraq added that at past sessions there has been singing and dancing which she said her son really likes especially the English and Inuktitut versions of the childhood classic "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star."

"When we sing, he acts and you can't keep up with him," said Tigullaraq.

Jonas said some of the preschoolers are able to spell their names and they are beginning to learn how to say words.

Since she works with children, she said she has found that some words in English and Inuktitut are slightly harder to learn at an older age so it is better to start children off young when they are learning to read and write.

She said while the children may be young, they are keen.

She said she has one toddler who was looking at books and said "I can't wait to learn how to read and write."