The Reading Club began in April 2025 with the implementation of the “Joy of Reading” campaign, whose main objective was to promote interest in reading. This initiative was preceded by research that demonstrated its importance.
The project was supported by Astrid Martínez, a renowned professor specializing in early childhood education and author of Jardín de Soñadores – Poemas para niños (Garden of Dreamers – Poems for Children). As part of the activities, home visits and various group sessions were held in which reading and listening experiences were shared with the children of the Foundation, spreading awareness of the benefits of reading for both child development and strengthening the bond between parents and children.
A significant opportunity to optimize the experience was identified, and a program was designed to encourage reading habits among children and their parents. The goal was to develop an initiative that could be replicated in different institutions, with tools for monitoring and evaluating its impact.
To implement the program, an initial agreement was established with the Casita Infantil Campestre institution, located in the municipality of Acacias, Meta. This agreement allowed for the joint implementation of a pilot plan aimed at designing a specific, measurable, and easily supervised program, which concluded with the first official graduating class.
OBJECTIVE
The Matías Panatta Reading Club is an initiative promoted by our Foundation with the aim of encouraging the love for reading and oral expression, prioritizing enjoyment and appreciation of these activities. Beyond teaching reading or storytelling, the club seeks to provide a space for sharing ideas, fostering imagination, and enjoying the act of reading and communicating. Its main purpose is to stimulate in children, from an early age, and in their parents, the development of reading habits and communication skills, taking into account that, according to specialists, “reading is a habit and a pleasure that is difficult to acquire in adulthood.” In addition, it is noteworthy that a love of reading is more likely to take root when it is promoted during childhood.
JUSTIFICATION
The foundations for developing competent reading skills are laid during the first six years of life, which is why specialists recommend that children have early contact with books.
Although it is widely recognized that reading is beneficial for children, if parents do not read themselves or promote this habit in their children, it becomes significantly more difficult for children to perceive reading as an attractive activity. This stimulus is essential for them to experience the pleasure of reading and develop the ability to imagine, dream, and reflect.
"The reading level among Colombian children shows worrying indicators: nearly two-thirds of 10-year-olds—two out of every three children—are unable to interpret or understand a simple text. This problem is exacerbated by limited investment in the promotion of reading. Studies show that approximately 50% of adolescents do not reach a minimum level of reading proficiency and 51% of 15-year-old Colombian students perform poorly in reading, compared to the average for OECD countries."
OUR COMMITMENT
To provide the support and logistics necessary to run the Matías Panatta Reading Club workshops, ensuring that adequate and sufficient materials are provided for their optimal development. In addition to supervising and monitoring the implementation of the various activities planned in the program.
If you would like to implement our program in your institution, please write to us to request more information.