1,000 Books Before Kindergarten encourages parents to read 1,000 books to their children before they enter Kindergarten. Reading together helps develop literacy skills that will prepare your child for success in school!
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, research shows that early literacy is key to a child’s early development in critical thinking, building language, strengthening the parent child bond, and developing healthy emotional and social response.
There are six early literacy skills that are important for child development:
- Print Motivation is your child’s interest in and enjoyment of books and reading.
- Print Awareness is noticing print, understanding how to handle a book and how to follow words on a page.
- Narrative Skills include expressive language, describing things, telling events in order and retelling stories.
- Phonological Awareness is the ability to hear and play with sounds in words.
- Vocabulary is the comprehension of the names of things, feelings, concepts and ideas.
- Letter Knowledge is knowing the names and sounds of letters.
Each child signing up for the program will receive a reading log. After reading with your child, color in one of the stars on the reading log. One star equals one book read. A reading log has 100 stars (it will take 10 sheets to finish the program). When the reading log is full, return it to the Children’s Desk for a new one and to have your child’s account updated. Children who complete the program will receive a certificate of completion and a special book. There will also be an annual party for children who complete the program.
While the library is closed, please feel free to download the 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten sheet to continue tracking your child's reading! Bring the sheets back when the library reopens and we can check-in your progress. For those that haven't signed up for the program, feel free to start the program by downloading the sheet and coloring in a star for every book read. Stop in the library after we reopen and we can get you signed up!