Programming for Día

Congratulations! You have decided to celebrate El día de los niños/El día de los libros or want to expand your Día activities and are anxious to get your plans in motion. Before you start, remember that there are two rules of thumb for planning an event, whether big or small: (1) don’t do it all at once, and (2) don’t do it all alone. Librarians who have planned citywide events suggest a year as the appropriate lead time for such a large-scale event. Those who have participated in smaller events indicate planning should begin three to six months before April 30. With the  goal to have Día activities incorporated into year-round activities, programs, and events, some planning may be included in the planning of other on-going programs, such as storytime, summer reading, and after-school programs.

Celebrating Día outlines ways in which someone organizing these events can plan and prepare effectively. The more that can be done beforehand, the less that needs to be done as the event approaches. Plans and checklists also help you stay on task and avoid overlooking any details.

The TLA Día committee developed a tool kit  as a “how to” manual for librarians/teachers, both experienced and new to their respective fields, wanting prepare  a celebration. Some librarians/teachers may use the ideas to supplement general bilingual, biliteracy, or El día de los niños celebrations in their communities. Others will use the programming suggestions for their own El día de los niños/El día de los libros celebrations focusing exclusively on children and their literacy.

Additional Resources

Official Día Planning Booklet

Día Press Kit and Free Program Downloads