Early Literacy
What is early literacy?
Early literacy is what children know about reading and writing before they can read and write. Babies chew on board books. Toddlers learn which way to turn the pages and hold the book. Preschoolers discover that adults are not reading the pictures, but the words on the pages. All of these are examples of early literacy.
What do parents and caregivers need to know?
Learning to read begins before children start school, and parents/caregivers are a child’s first teacher. Help your children develop early literacy skills now; this makes it easier for children to learn to read once they begin school. Storytimes at Thomas Ford Memorial Library incorporate these five practices:
1000 Books Before Kindergarten Program
Want to set your child on the path to success? Sign up for 1000 Books Before Kindergarten!
Read any book to your child. The goal is to read 1,000 books (don’t worry, you can repeat books!) before your child starts kindergarten.
Pick up a 1,000 Books starter pack from the Youth Services desk. Using your reading log, track the titles of the books you read with your child. Check in with Youth Services staff members after every 100 books to receive a sticker and a new reading log to add to your folder.
Check out these booklists that have great suggestions for getting started!