1,000 Books Before Kindergarten

• Read.  Any book, every book, the same book over and over.  If it is you reading, a family member reading, or a book that is listened to during Storytime; any book that is read start to finish counts.

• Log each book read in your Beanstack account. You can scan the ISBN barcode to make it easy. If you re-read a book, you can count it each time.

• Once you read 100 books, you will receive a reward for your accomplishment. Come to the Youth Desk to claim your prize anytime the library is open.

• Keep doing steps 1-3 until you have finished reading 1000 books.

• When you have reached 1000 books, visit the Youth Desk to receive a special reward for your successful reading accomplishments.

There is no end date to this program other than when your child enters Kindergarten, so don’t feel rushed!

If you read three books a day you’ll have read 1095 books in a year or read one book a day will get you to 1095 in three years.  Make this about more than just reading a book.  Talk about the stories, the pictures, and explore the new worlds that books can offer.

Reading and interacting over books at a young age is setting up the building blocks for children when they start school.  Reading out loud helps children develop vocabulary, pronunciation and a familiarity with books that makes children more comfortable and prepared to read on their own.

With every 100 books you read, your child can feel the satisfaction and excitement that you accomplished something.  The prizes along the way help too.  Getting your child excited about reading is half the battle to getting them reading on their own.

Websites

•     The Benefits of Reading to Babies - The Cleveland Clinic
•     Zero to Three