Learning to read is a milestone for almost any child, but the process is not always easy. That’s why the Gebbie Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic in Syracuse University’s College of Arts and Sciences is offering a five-day program aimed at helping children learn important literacy skills.

Facilitated by graduate students in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, the Phonological Awareness Camp for Kids (P.A.C.K) is a fun, play-based program that promotes early literacy skills in children. The camp is supervised by Megan Leece, a speech-language pathologist specializing in early childhood speech and language disorders.

P.A.C.K. meets July 20-24 from 9:00 to 11:30 a.m. at the Gebbie Clinic (621 Skytop Rd., South Campus). Enrollment is limited and open to four- and five-year-olds, regardless of literary skill level, enrolling in kindergarten this fall.

Children will learn phonological awareness, vital to developing successful reading skills. They also will participate in listening and rhyming games, vocabulary activities, songs, crafts, and story time—all in a fun, engaging, small-group setting.

P.A.C.K. is $90 for each child of a University faculty and staff member; $180 each for non-University participants.

The Gebbie Clinic provides complete diagnostic and treatment services for adults and children having difficulty with any area of communication. Having recently celebrated its 40th anniversary, the clinic serves more than 3,900 clients and provides a 24/7 laboratory for graduate-student clinicians.