Humanities Washington's Mission
Humanities Washington opens minds and bridges divides by creating spaces to explore different perspectives.
Humanities Washington and its partners create spaces for people to come together to explore and consider what it means to be human, and to reflect on our shared past, present, and future. All Humanities Washington programs are open to the public, and nearly all are free of charge.
Family Reading
Family Reading programs extend beyond simply sharing stories; they inspire families to read, think, discuss, and learn together by exploring the rich ideas found in children’s literature.
Since its launch in 2014, the Prime Time Family Reading program has served thousands of families statewide through partnerships with public libraries, schools, museums, and other eligible youth-serving organizations. To reach a diverse audience, the program is offered in two formats—Prime Time Family Reading and Prime Time Preschool—available in both English and Spanish.
Learn MoreWockner Foundation Impact
Thanks to grant support from The Gene and Irene Wockner Foundation, the Humanities Washington Prime Time Family Reading program has been able to serve 59 families, making an immediate impact on the lives of an estimated 209 children and parents/guardians.
The program increased enthusiasm for and confidence in reading, particularly for children who struggle with reading and discussing texts; increased engagement in family reading and discussion activity by parents; increased complexity in group discussions around major humanities themes; and increased family connections with and usage of local public libraries.
Our families came to Prime Time with severely limited critical thinking skills because many families have not had this kind of experience before. Families had all different educational backgrounds. We were able to successfully push kids in great conversations but also push adults. I also heard that many families and kids had great conversations at home before they attended our events, which ignited our conversations each week.Katelyn Wiens, Granite Falls Storyteller
Photos courtesy of Humanities Washington/Kirk Hirota