1,000 Books Before Kindergarten is a simple way for families and children to build a love of reading together.
Caregivers track each book they read with their child, from birth until they start kindergarten. Repeating books is OK!
The program is part of a national effort to help prepare kids for school by building reading habits. It also seeks to encourage caregiver and child bonding through reading.
According to 1,000 Books, the nonprofit that started the nationwide initiative:
“Numerous studies estimate that as many as one in five children have difficulties learning to read. Reading has been associated as an early indicator of academic success. Public formal education does not typically start until ages 5-6. Before then, parents and caregivers are the first education providers during the 0-5 early critical years.”
Complete the Challenge
- For every 100 books you read, pick up a prize at the library.
- After reading 500 books, your child gets a free book.
- After reading 1,000 books, they earn a prize and a completion certificate.
1,000 Books Before Kindergarten is part of Cedar Rapids Reads, which seeks to make Cedar Rapids a city of literacy.
The program complements other library early literacy initiatives, including Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which sends monthly free books to children in Cedar Rapids from birth to five-years-old, and the Growing Readers challenge, which encourages developing a reading routine during pregnancy.
