In April, City’s First Readers (CFR)  brought early literacy outdoors! With four free garden programs, CFR offered toddlers and their families a chance to explore nature while developing essential early learning skills. Children discovered the joys of reading and playful exploration in the beauty of gardens across the city. The first program was held at the MET Cloisters on April 14, followed by the Queens Botanical Garden on April 15, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden on April 16, and on Earth Day, April 22, CFR held its final event at Wave Hill. Families had a chance to learn, play, and win prizes while welcoming spring in their home communities. With little readers blooming in New York City gardens, the City’s First Readers website saw a huge spike in traffic, with nearly 11,000 visitors and over 10,000 views in April. That’s an increase of approximately 10,000 more visitors and 15,000 more views than the previous two months — a major jump!  We are delighted to welcome so many families in person and online and are incredibly grateful for the support of our partners and the New York City Council for making these programs possible. Queens Botanical Garden Wave Hill MET Cloisters Brooklyn Botanic Garden For more information about City's First Readers (CFR) , please contact Emmanuel Novy, Chief of Strategic Initiatives at enovy@lincnyc.org .