READING REWARDS – 1000 Books Before Kindergarten
How can you give a child a smart start toward school and a lifetime of success? Start by opening a book.
This fall, 1000 Books Before Kindergarten launches at York County Libraries. Designed to instill healthy habits of daily reading and build positive nurturing experiences between caregivers and children, this countywide program focuses on early literacy skills development before children start kindergarten. Parents can register their kids at any time throughout the year for free with their library card. Starting at birth, kids can participate up until the day they enter kindergarten.
Once they’re registered, start reading — one book a night is all it takes to reach the 1000 books goal in three years. Multiple readings of the same book count, too.
At every 100-book milestone, kids get special recognitions and stamps in their 1000 Books passport. Starting in 2019, all children who reach the 1000 books goal will be honored during a countywide graduation ceremony.
York County Libraries will be working with York County nonprofits, child care centers, pediatricians and early childhood learning centers to distribute information and program materials about 1000 Books Before Kindergarten to all families. Through this program, York County Libraries aims to ensure all children have equal access to early learning that can put them on the path to success in school, says Paula Gilbert, youth services director.
Additionally, 1000 Books complements the York County Libraries’ existing early childhood educational offerings, including story times. “We incorporate early learning standards from the state into every story time,” says Robert F. Lambert, president. “The training our youth services staff receives positions us as a leader in the county for fostering high levels of literacy education.”
“Reading is so much more than saying words,” adds Lisa Schmittle, youth services program manager. “It’s processing and thinking about words, teaching elements of a story and encouraging children to interact with and respond to stories. When we read to children, we are more than storytellers; we are educators.”
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