Program Overview
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 1,000 books (yes you can repeat books) before your precious one starts kindergarten. Does it sound hard? Not really if you think about it. If you read just 1 book a night, you will have read about 365 books in a year. That is 730 books in two years and 1,095 books in three years. If you consider that most children start kindergarten at around 5 years of age, you have more time than you think – start today.
Reading with your baby, toddler, or preschooler is one of the best ways to help them become a lifelong reader. Taking part in our 1000 Books Before Kindergarten program encourages family bonding while your child develops the skills they'll need to succeed in school.
The key is perseverance. Make it exciting. Celebrate when you and your children reach a milestone together! We want to celebrate with you.
How to Participate
- Register at the Carstairs Library
- Read with your child. Studies have shown that reading with your child provides a great opportunity for bonding and developing literacy skills and a love of reading for enjoyment. Reading together is fun and will create life-long memories for the both of you.
- Keep track of the titles of the books that you read with your child on the convenient reading logs available at the library or through the free Beanstack App and webpage www.carstairspublic.beanstack.org
- If you are able to, make sure to keep a record of “any” book that is being read to your child. This includes teachers and siblings.
- Your child will earn an online badge in Beanstack every time they reach a milestone on the way to their 1000 books goal. Bring your app or record book into the library in order to collect your prizes for each 100 books read. After your child reaches 1000 Books bring them into the library to collect their final prize, get their certificate and get your invite to our next 1000 books celebration party.
Come Read With Us
Join us at any of our preschool storytimes (Events) and track the books we share together. At the end of each program will be time to claim prizes and register for the 1000 Books reading challenge.
Baby Laptime Tuesdays at 10:30amRead Romp and Rhyme Wednesdays at 1pmRead Romp and Rhyme Thursdays at 10:30am
Frequently Asked Questions FAQs:
- Who can participate in this program? Any child from birth until he or she enters kindergarten can participate in the 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program.
- How long will the program take? The program will take anywhere from a few months to a few years. The program is self-paced and will depend on how often you read together.
- How many of my children can participate? All of them (provided they have not yet started kindergarten). Make it even more fun and read as a family
- What is Beanstack? Visit our Beanstack page for full details including a helpful getting started guide to the Beanstack app!