1,000 Books Before Kindergarten Encourages Families to Read Together

Should you read to your baby before they can talk? Or to your toddler if they won’t sit still? Should you keep reading if your children ask for the same book again and again? According to your Tredyffrin librarians – and research-backed recommendations – the answer is YES! Tredyffrin Public Library and Paoli Library launched the “1,000 Books Before Kindergarten” challenge to inspire caregivers to read with their young children as often as possible.

The “1,000 Books Before Kindergarten” challenge is a fully self-directed program that caregivers and children can complete at their own pace. Caregivers can register children at either library or on the library website any time before each child begins kindergarten. Once registered, caregivers will log every book their child hears, including home books, library books, books read at storytime or at school, etc. After each 100 books, caregivers and children can visit the library to get a sticker and celebrate their progress. After reading 1,000 books, children will receive a certificate and be able to look back on all the books they enjoyed. Children that read 1,000 books before beginning kindergarten will be celebrated on a bulletin board at each library!

Miss Sarah at Paoli Library and Miss Stephanie at Tredyffrin Public Library launched the “1,000 Books” Challenge to normalize and encourage reading to very young children. The benefits of sharing books with children as young as just a few months abound. Caregivers and children bond when reading together. Each book read increases the number of words children are hearing each day, which is a strong determinant of literacy readiness. Young children’s brains are developing rapidly and surrounding them with words gives children a huge advantage when beginning school.

Librarians hope that the “1,000 Books” challenge will normalize reading to infants before they speak, wiggly toddlers, and children who seem uninterested or request only the same few books all the time. This experience feels uncomfortable to some caregivers. The challenge engages caregivers in continuing to read to their young children. For new English speakers, the opportunity to read to their children is also a chance to share their new language together, and books read in languages other than English also count.

Register anytime before your child begins Kindergarten! Get started by registering online at this link or visiting Tredyffrin or Paoli Library!