For children not yet in Kindergarten, 1000 Books Before Kindergarten® promotes the importance of reading to children from birth. Reading is the single most important activity you can share with your child to prepare your child to learn to read when they begin kindergarten.
Families joining this reading challenge pledge to read 1000 books to their child before the first day of kindergarten. By establishing a reading routine, it is easy to accomplish this program. Whether you are reading a book for the very first time or the 50th time, all reading counts. Along the way to 1000 books, small recognitions are awarded. When a child reaches 1000 books read, the child receives a certificate and a paper crown.
Other family members such as grandparents, aunts, uncles, older brothers and sisters, and caregivers can join in the fun of reading. Reading together not only promotes reading readiness but instills a love of reading.
Anyone can participate no matter where you live. A library card is not necessary but a library card makes it easy to borrow fun, enjoyable books. With a library card, families gain access to thousands and thousands of books through our library system. Valid public library cards from any public library in Illinois can be used at the Peru Library. Peru Public Library is a fine free library.
Getting started with our 1000 Books Before Kindergarten® is easy.
- After registering at the library, families keep track of books read by using a paper log. Every time a book is read or reread, simply cross through or color the appropriate amount of circles. After completing 100 books, pick up another log at the library. The library also accepts logs from other organizations, so a child may sign up for more than one 1000 Books sponsoring site making it even more fun to participate.
With this pledge to read 1000 books, not only are you helping your child prepare to learn to read, but you are setting your child up for success in so many different ways. Reading stories with a child helps build a child’s listening and language skills and prepares them to learn to read when they begin kindergarten. Reading stories with a child also:
- Fosters a child’s imagination and helps a child make sense of their world.
- Brings joy to a family.
- Supports a child’s sense of self-worth and confidence.
- Helps a child learn positive ways to identify and appropriately express emotions of happiness, sadness, fear, anxiety, grief, anger, and frustration.
- Teaches such things as manners and kindergarten readiness concepts such as letter, number, and color recognition, counting, patterns, opposites, and directions.
- Supports social-emotional wellness as children learn about kindness, empathy, and diversity.
- Introduces engaging factual information about animals, community helpers, weather, seasons, and so much more. Learning helps children make real-world connections as they experience daily life.
- This leads to self-discovery as a child explores interests and passions that open the door to lifelong learning and success.
To learn more about all the resources available to children and their caregivers stop by Youth Services or call 815-223-0229 ext. 214. We look forward to hearing from you.