What is 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten? This program is designed to help parents prepare their children for one of life’s big milestones: kindergarten. Many research projects have shown that children get ready to read years before they begin their formal education. An excellent way to get your child ready to learn is by reading to them.
Why is it important to read to very young children? Developing literacy skills begins at birth and continues through the toddler and preschool years. The best way to ensure a child has the skills necessary to learn to read is having someone read aloud to them.
What books count? Any time your child listens to a whole book it counts! It can be a library book, a book from home, a book read at story time, even an audio book or e-book. If your child asks you to read the same book many times, you can count it each time. Multiple readings help to develop language skills.
Can you really expect to read 1,000 books to your child before kindergarten? Yes! Completion will take from a few months to a few years, depending on how often you read.
How does the program work?
- Register at the library or online at hersheypubliclibrary.beanstack.com or the Beanstack app.
- Stop by the library after registering to pick up your tote bag and log packet which you can use with the Beanstack app to track reading.
- Every Book Counts! Even if your child wants to hear the same book again and again, you can count it each time. You can also count the books your child hears in storytime, in daycare or preschool, etc…
- You did it!
- Come celebrate at the library. Your child will receive a free book and certificate of completion.
