Hi, I’m Lauren!

Hello!

I’m an early literacy expert, former children’s librarian, and mom to four-year-old, Stella.

I believe that all young children have an inner zest for reading and learning, and we can unlock and nurture that zest through natural and playful methods.

I started Hooray Zesty Day to give parents and caregivers of young children the mindset and methods they need to spark a zest for books and learning.

This is what starts our children off on the right foot AND is a gift that can last a lifetime!

And the great news is that you don’t need supplies, lessons, activities or stress to do it. Hooray!!!

WHAT ZEST LOOKS
(& FEELS!) LIKE

Joy comes in many forms—color, music, confetti, great conversation—and we believe it sparks creativity, connects people, and makes us more resilient. It lives inside of all of us, sometimes it just needs a little encouragement. So we create and curate products to inspire it.

Since receiving my Master of Library and Information Studies (MLIS) with school library licensure from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 2009, I’ve had a few different. My first librarian job was at a private school where I taught weekly library enrichment classes for students in Pre-K through 4th grade, served on the Lower School Language Arts Curriculum committee, and instructed second grade students in small reading groups each week. I became a private reading and spelling tutor after completing the Augustine Literacy Project (augustineproject.org) tutor training program, where I received classroom and practicum training in the Orton-Gillingham Approach to reading instruction. I then started working as a youth services librarian at a regional public library where I planned and presented preschool and family storytimes, which I modeled after the pre-reading practices from the Every Child Ready to Read initiative. I’m a huge bookworm (no surprise there!). I served on the North Carolina Children’s Book Award committee for three years, and wrote picture book reviews for School Library Journal. When I’m not playing with Stella (or reading!), I can usually be found

I’m committed to:

  1. Challenging the messages and stories we’ve been told about how to teach our young children. You and your child deserve joyful learning experiences — regardless of whether you have a fully-stocked craft supply closet or countless hours to prepare lessons, like we've been told are necessary. They're NOT. I’m here to show you a better way.

  2. Helping you connect with your child while sparking their curiosity. Through songs and movement, interactive reading experiences, silliness and laughter, and imagination-building play. So that the magical parts of early childhood are weaved into your daily life.

  3. Celebrating and encouraging true learning. True learning is about learning what is meaningful to you. Our role as parents is to feed our children’s curiosity and to nurture their zest, not to make them dependent on us for their learning. True learning is joyful and empowers our children to learn on their own and follow their own interests. It doesn’t make our children stressed out or anxious.

Let’s get zesty!

…HOORAY ZESTY DAY WILL TRANSFORM HOW YOU APPROACH READING AND LEARNING WITH YOUR CHILD, SO THEY’RE JOYFUL AND STRESS-FREE.

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit. Now I’d love to learn more about you! The best way to do that is through the Contact page. Drop me a line and tell me what I can help you with. If you have any questions, please reach out to me.