How often as a parent or caregiver have you heard the refrain, “Read it again! “or “Read me another!” from your child?
Reading a favorite book aloud over and over (and over!) with your child is one of the key building blocks of early literacy – and develops and expands your child’s language, vocabulary and early reading skills. Re-reading that favorite book will also help you reach the goal of reading 1000 books to your child before they enroll in kindergarten – so take the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten pledge and instill the foundation for a lifelong love of reading with your little one.
The library’s 1000 Books Before Kindergarten program is designed to promote reading to newborns, infants, and toddlers, encourage parents to bond with their children through shared reading experiences and provide structure and incentive for reaching the 1,000-book goal. Research shows that reading books and sharing stories with your child is a great way to help them develop early language and literacy skills – skills that are foundational for success in kindergarten and beyond. Reading aloud with your child is a wonderful shared activity you can continue for years to come.
Reading 1,000 books isn’t as hard as it sounds. If you read only one bedtime story every night for three years, you will have read 1,095 books. If you read just three books every day, you will have read 1,095 books in just one year. The 1000 Books program is now available to you remotely via Beanstack – and as always, available in person at the library.
Wondering what to read next? Looking for recommendations? View our Storytime Shorts on YouTube or browse our book suggestions for kids, including our Storytime At Home guides. For personalized recommendations, complete a Personalized Picks request, and librarians will be happy to send you a curated list.
With the support of this program, we hope that you and your child will develop a love of reading and an appreciation for the library and discover the joy of reading together.
by Mim Bowlin