Read 1000 Books Before Kindergarten

Why read 1000 books? Is it even possible?

The concept is simple, the rewards are priceless. Read a book (any book) to your newborn, infant and/or toddler. The goal is to have read 1000 books before your child starts kindergarten. Does it sound hard? Not really if you really think about it. If you read 1 book a day its 365 in a year. That’s 730 in two years and 1,095 in three years. If you consider that kindergarten starts around 5 years of age, you have more time than you think (so get started)!

Why do it?

• Instead of being seen as a chore or a task, reading will become a nurturing activity that will bring the two of you closer together.
• Toddlers may initially squirm and become distracted during reading, but eventually they’ll learn to stay put for the duration of the book. This helps create a stronger self-discipline, longer attention span, and better memory retention, all of which will serve your child well when she enters school.
• Pretend reading (when a toddler pages through a book with squeals and jabbers of delight) is a very important pre-literacy activity. As a preschooler, your child will likely begin sounding out words on his own.
• Numerous studies have shown that students who are exposed to reading before preschool are more likely to do well in all facets of formal education.
• Reading allows for the learning of phonics, grammar, critical language skills, and enunciation skills. It increases vocabulary and betters communication skills.
• Strengthens a child's ability to grasp abstract concepts, apply logic in various scenarios, recognize cause and effect, and utilize good judgment.
• As your child approaches a major developmental milestone or a potentially stressful experience, sharing a relevant story is a great way to help ease the transition. For instance, if your little one is nervous about starting preschool, reading a story dealing with this topic shows her that her anxiety is normal.

How to sign up?

At the Childrens Desk. You will be given log sheets to keep track of your books. (Yes, you can read the same books over and over again.) You will have your child’s very own star placed on our 1000 books wall. See our childrens staff for details.

Did you Know?

For the first time, on June 23, 2014, the American Academy of Pediatrics issued a policy statement that promotes reading aloud to children daily, beginning in infancy.
The policy statement recommends that pediatric providers promote early literacy development by: (1) advising parents of the benefits of reading aloud with young children; (2) counseling all parents about shared-reading activities; (3) providing developmentally appropriate books during their visits for all high-risk, low-income young children; (4) using different options to support and promote these efforts; and (5) partnering with other child advocates that support and promote these key early shared-reading experiences.