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What is it?  

           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 completes 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)!

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Why do it?

              As your child grows older, she’ll be on the move—playing, running, and constantly exploring her environment. Snuggling up with a book lets the two of you slow down and recaptures that sweet, cuddly time you enjoyed when she was a baby. 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.

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Academic excellence

         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. After all, if a student struggles to put together words and sentences, how can she be expected to grasp the math, science,  and social concepts she’ll be presented with when she begins elementary school?  Reading allows for the learning of phonics, grammar, critical language skills, and enunciation skills.  It increases vocabulary and betters communication skills.

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Basics of how to read a book

        Children aren’t born with an innate knowledge that text is read from left to right, or that  the words on a page are separate from the images. Essential pre-reading skills like these are among the major benefits of early reading. 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.

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  Logical thinking skills  

        Another illustration of the importance of reading to children is their ability to grasp abstract concepts, apply logic in various scenarios, recognize cause and effect, and utilize good judgment. As your toddler or preschooler  begins to relate the scenarios in books to what’s   happening in her own world, she’ll become more excited about the stories you share.

 Acclimation to new experiences  

       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.

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    Enhanced concentration and discipline

        Toddlers may initially squirm and  become distracted during story time, but eventually they’ll learn to stay put for the duration of the book. Along with reading comprehension comes  a stronger self-discipline, longer attention span, and better memory retention, all of which will serve your child well when she enters school.

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  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 book placed on our 1000 books wall. See our childrens staff for details.

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