Enrich Your Kids’ Lives With a Children’s Reading Program

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Our local library system runs a children’s reading program called the “1000 Books Before Kindergarten Challenge.” The program is designed to prep our little ones for reading by getting them excited about books very early on.

Reading to your kids is so beneficial! It helps with language development. It exposes them to new words. It opens them up to fun stories and adventures, which can also open up a dialogue about why the characters in the story do/say/think/act the way they do. Plus, it lets them spend quality time with their special person (you, of course).

What a fun way to bond with your babies and give them a fantastic start in life!

When a family begins the children’s reading program at our library, the librarian gives them a packet (per child, I imagine) with a list of books that are recommended for every child to read (or rather, hear) by the time they reach kindergarten, as well as a sheet to mark off each of the first 100 books. Then when they’ve filled in that sheet, they take it back to the library, and the librarian gives them a new sheet for the next 100 books, plus a little gift for finishing 100 books. Our first gift was a cow bookmark, and our second was a magnet. I’m excited to see what our next one will be!

The librarian told me that if we would read just one book to Judah every day, we would be at 1000 books in about 3 years. Long before he reaches kindergarten. That’s amazing!! And so easily doable.

I’ve always loved reading. So much so that while I was in college, I had to force myself NOT to read during the semester. When I start reading a book, I don’t want to do anything else until I’m finished. (I once read a new Harry Potter book in a day and a half. Book 5 maybe? Or 6?) Not exactly ideal when there is classwork to do…

Unfortunately, I let that carry on for quite a while after graduation. When I worked midnights about 10 years ago, I read a lot, especially after Eric and my mom got me an Amazon Kindle for Christmas. But after I left that job, I went back to not reading much.

This summer, Eric and I (and Judah) decided to go into our local library to get new library cards. I was super excited to see that they now have a key chain card! While we were there, I saw the kids program advertised. I went home and researched it, and when I went back to return my books, I asked to sign Judah up!

So I wanted to make sure that Judah has lots of books and is read to regularly. It’s also why he’s having a book themed first birthday party! I want him to develop the same love of reading that I have. But perhaps with a better grasp of time management.

We didn’t find out about this program until this summer when Judah was already about 7 months old. So we are probably farther along than where we are now, but I wasn’t taking any notice of how many books I’d been reading to him before we signed up.

As it stands as of this moment, we are at 292 books of our 1000. So maybe by Judah’s 2^nd birthday, we’ll already be at 1000 and ready to sign up for the next!

Chances are, your local library has a similar children’s reading program. Check it out and sign up! And if they don’t, create your own. Make it a fun challenge for your and your child. See how many books you can read together in a week or a month. You could even turn it into a game with prizes.

Create Your Own Reading Program

Now, how fun would that be? Find lists of kids books for different age ranges on the internet. The Children’s Book Council’s website would be a good place to start.

Amazon has a large list, as well as several other lists of books to read.

Goodreads has some great lists too.

If you don’t own some of the books on the list or lists, check them out from your library. Set a goal for yourselves (like one or two books per night at bedtime) and try to at least make that goal. Make a chart (or have them make one), and use stickers to mark off each book or each mini-goal. Once you hit a specific level, go to Dairy Queen or the dollar store to pick out a toy, or a new book, or whatever would make a good, easy prize for your kids. And for the older ones, set a goal for them to read on their own, or read to you, and do the same thing. When you get to your final goal, celebrate with something larger. And feel free to start over again when you’re finished!

Making reading fun for your kids opens up their world in so many ways, and is sure to enrich their lives well into adulthood. And of course, it creates so many wonderful memories they’ll carry with them their whole lives.

What about you? What was your favorite book as a child?

And don’t forget, reading is important for you too! It’s an amazing self-care activity. Need a couple suggestions? Check out my reviews on the Monkeewrench series and the Nikki Heat series.