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1000 Books Before Kindergarten encourages families and caregivers to read 1000 books with their young children before they enter kindergarten.

Studies have shown that families who start reading aloud to their children at birth help strengthen language skills and build vocabulary–two important tools when children begin learning to read in kindergarten.

 

How does it work?

  1. Register at any branch and take home a reading log, or sign-up online and print a reading log at home: English | Spanish. Download the Beanstack Tracker App from the App Store or on Google Play for easy tracking on your mobile device. Watch a video tutorial on navigating the app
  2. Every time you read a book with your child, mark a circle on the reading log or add it in Beanstack.
  3. Visit your local branch each time you read 100 books and receive a sticker. When you reach 500 books, your child will receive a free book and a small prize. When you complete 1000 books, your child will receive a free book, a drawstring bag and other fun items.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Can we really read that many books before kindergarten? 
Yes! If you read one book a day you can complete the program within three years.

Can other people read to my child besides me? 
Stories read by parents, grandparents, siblings, etc. all count. You can also count books read at story times.

But my child wants to read the same book over and over! 
The good news is that repetition is important to learning and you can count that book multiple times.

Sitting giraffe holding a blue book open with the text 1000 Books Before Kindergarten to the right on a pale yellow background
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