GRAYSON -- While Family Literacy Day focuses on getting kids more engaged with reading, a Saskatchewan principal decided to celebrate the day by heading outside to read to her school’s goats.

Family Literacy Day, Jan. 27, is an initiative by the Saskatchewan government that aims to promote family engagement in literacy. 

Sara Campbell, principal at Grayson School south of Yorkton, said they use the week to try and encourage different literacy activities, aside from just sitting down on the couch and reading. 

"It can be you reading a book to your dog, to your cat, to your goats, to your cows, it doesn't matter, literacy can be really fun and really engaging if you just think outside the box a little bit," said Campbell. 

This was the first time Campbell has gone out to read to the goats, deciding to do so as a way to bring the goats back to the school and while promoting literacy. 

"I’ve heard lots of laughs in the hallways,” said Campbell about the video she shared Wednesday morning. “At first the K through [Grade] 3 class read it and I guess they have to go back and re-listen the story because they were watching the goats and all of their antics " 

Larry, Twig, Blue and Red were bottle-raised by the students at Grayson School. Typically the goats wander the halls and join the kids out at recess, but have not been in the building yet due to COVID-19. 

The unusual class pets came to be four years ago. While working on their inquiry projects, student Jordyn Ottenbreit wanted a class pet. 

"I originally wanted like a cat or a dog, but [the school division] kind of shut that down so we decided to pick goats," explained Ottenbreit. 

The school gets a pair of baby goats in the spring and the students take care of the goats until they spend their summer living on Campbell’s farm.

Ottenbreit says having the goats around was more fun while they were babies, but she still does miss having them in the building. 

While this video was just meant to give her students an update on the class pets, Campbell said she's happy if it inspires people in other communities.

"If this can be used as an example of some different literacy opportunities I’m happy to spread the word.” 

Last year, the pandemic prevented the student’s from getting a new set of goats, and they will likely be unable to welcome some this spring as well.