Early Literacy

One Thousands Books Before Kindergarten

Fox Book Stack

What is 1000 books before kindergarten? It’s a reading program designed to help caregivers prepare children for success in kindergarten. Children get ready to read years before they begin formal education. The most effective way to help children in your life is to read to them. This program is designed to encourage you in that endeavor.

What happens in early childhood can last a lifetime. Caregivers are a child’s first teacher, and fostering a love of reading from a young age sets children up for a lifetime of success. Reading together:
• Is a great bonding experience

• Builds vocabulary
• Instills a love of reading
• Familiarizes a child with story
structures & books in general
• Teaches children the value and fun in reading!

Getting Started: Print out your first log below!

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How it works: Keep track of books read to the child in your life. Books can be read by parents, grandparents, teachers, siblings, anyone! You can even count their favorite book each and every time.
For every 100 books read, stop back at the library for your reward and next log!

FAQ’s

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Who can participate? Every child from birth to their first day of Kindergarten.

What books count? Any book counts and it doesn’t have to be in one sitting. You can also read the same book over and over and count it every time. Reading a book or selection multiple times helps build confidence!

Do I have to read all 1,000 books or can other caregivers help out? You can count any book your child hears, no matter who the reader is or where the reading takes place. No matter who they read a book with or how they hear it, count it towards your goal!

Do I need a library card? A library card is not necessary to participate. But we’d love to help you get a card if you would like!

1,000 books seem like a LOT! It does. But you would be surprised to learn that completion is well within your reach. Starting at birth, it’s only 1 book a day or 4 books a week. Even if you don’t start until age 4, it’s only 3 books a day or 20 books a week.

What else can I do to help prepare them to be ready to read? Talk, sing, read, write and play with your kids. These activities will help develop your child’s language skills, letter awareness, conversational skills and help children learn to love learning! Join us at library storytimes as we incorporate these early literacy techniques into practice. Don’t forget to count those books towards your goal!

All East Central Regional Library locations are now offering this program! If you need your next reading log they are all below!

Log 1 – 0-100

Log 2 — 101-200

Log 3 — 201-300

Log 4 — 301-400

Log 5 — 401-500

Log 6 — 501-600

Log 7 – 601-700

Log 8 – 701-800

Log 9 – 801-900

Log 10 –901-1,000

Storytime!

This is a great chance for children and caregivers to engage in early literacy activities together. We also share a number of ways that you can help your children develop their early literacy skills at home. Each and every Storytime focuses on the five practices that best help children develop their early literacy skills those practices are: talking-singing-reading- writing -playing. Doing these simple things for 20 minutes everyday can drastically improve a child’s early literacy skills which will in turn help them to be ready to learn to read when they enter kindergarten!fox family

Due to COVID-19 and our current social distancing measures we are unable to offer Storytime in person. However, we are offering Storytime via Facebook Live, join us and follow East Central Regional Library on Facebook.

Storytime Handouts:

Letters:

Letter A

Letter B

Letter C

Letter D

Letter E

Letter F

Letter G

Letter H

Letter I

Letter J

Letter K

Letter L

Letter M

Letter N

Letter O

Letter P

Letter Q

Letter R

Letter S

Letter T

Letter U

Letter V

Letter W

Letter X

Letter Y

Letter Z

Colors:

Green

Purple

Black

Orange

Concepts:

Shapes

Numbers

Music

Cars

Seasons:

Winter 1

Snow Dec 2020

Spring

Spring – Growing

Rain

Butterflies

Flowers

Day and Night

Bees

Jobs:

Doctors & Nurses

Astronauts

Librarians

Teachers

Firefighter

Secret Agent

Places:

Zoo

Jungle

Beach

City

Farm

School

Holidays:

Valentine’s Day

Best Practices:

Writing

Play

Counting

Early Literacy Calendar

A full month of Early Literacy and Early STEM activities for you and your little one to do together!

Early Literacy Calendar September 2021

Early Literacy Calendar August 2021

Early Literacy Calendar July 2021

Early Literacy Calendar June 2021

Early Literacy Calendar May 2021

Early Literacy Calendar April 2021

Early Literacy Calendar March 2021

Early Literacy Calendar-Feb 2021

Early Literacy Calendar-January

Early Literacy Calendar- December

November Early Literacy Calendar

 

Learning Opportunities with Library Kits!

Play and Learn Kits

These are kits you can check out and explore fun new toys that help facilitate powerful play that empowers early learning. Interactive play makes learning fun.

Storytime to Go Kits

If you can’t make it to Storytime these kits are a GREAT option for you! It’s a couple of books and few activities you can do together around one main theme!