If you are or a parent or caregiver of a toddlers ages 2-4, you won’t want to miss out on East Baton Rouge Parish Library’s Press Start! Ready, Set, Read! Program! The program seeks to equip children with early literacy skills that will enable them to enter school with confidence.
Press Start! Ready, Set, Read! Program!
Parents and caregivers may stop by the children’s room of any Library location to pick up a booklet that focuses on beginning literacy concepts that can be incorporated into their daily routines.
The booklets are full of fun activities that the children will enjoy while learning basic concepts that build a firm foundation for math and reading. Each monthly booklet will feature a new letter, number, color or concept, while also building on the previous month’s concepts. Children begin with booklet one, work their way through the program at their own pace, and earn rewards along the way.
Studies show that early literacy development strongly correlates to later school achievement. For this reason, EBRPL Children’s Services has developed the Press Start! program to ensure its youngest patrons get off to a good start and continue to reap the benefits once they reach school-age and beyond.
EBRPL’s Children’s Services Coordinator, Tara Dearing, commented, “Our Children’s departments at each library branch will also highlight these concepts through decorative displays, book displays, and programs each month. In fact, each month will be ‘brought to you’ by a new letter, color, or concept.”
When young patrons visit the Main Library at Goodwood, they may be excited to see a stuffed Mike the Tiger wearing a circular medallion with a number upon it and a rabbit proudly arrayed with the letter of the month.
Along with the easy activities you can do at home with your little one, reading aloud in itself has great benefits – be sure to pick up some books!
Benefits of using read-aloud:
One of the most important things adults can do in preparing children for success in reading is to read aloud with them.
- Listeners build listening and comprehension skills through discussion during and after reading.
- Listeners increase their vocabulary foundation by hearing words in context.
- Listeners improve their memory and language skills as they hear a variety of writing styles and paraphrase their understanding.
- Listeners develop individual interests in a broad variety of subjects and they develop imagination and creativity: what better way to build skills which foster inquiry?
Read to your child
Reading aloud to your children will not only give them a solid reading foundation, but it will also help them discover the joy of reading.
It’s never too early (or too late) to start reading aloud to your child. One thing we can do to kick-start the road to reading is simply to read to our children and read to them often. Discuss what you have read with your child and ask questions before, during and after your reading sessions. Create a reading nook in your home and commit to reading aloud at least once daily. Keep books readily available and take them with you when you go. Reading aloud can take place anytime, anywhere.
Make reading fun
There are many different activities that will help a child build a strong reading foundation. Mastering letters and matching lowercase letters with their sound is very helpful when a child is learning to read phonetically. Let your reader make letters out of Play-Doh, whipped topping, shaving cream, sprinkles or sand. If they are learning sight words, they can create beginning sight words with noodles or pipe cleaners.
Be the example
Monkey see, monkey do. The best example we can give to our child is to show them our love of reading. It’s one thing for us to tell a child they must read each day, it’s another for them to see us reading each day.
Enjoy the journey
There might be days when you feel as though your child will never learn to read — it can be a daunting task at times. Remind yourself that you are giving your child a gift that will truly last them a lifetime. Embrace the struggles with the lightbulb moments and enjoy making sweet memories along the way.
Press Start!
Stop by the Children’s Room of any library location to pick up your Press Start! booklet! The month of February is brought to you by the letters H, I, J & K; the numbers 7, 8, 9 & 10; and the weather concept, “rainy/wet.” Each month’s booklet introduces basic concepts with fun activities for ages 2-4 that you can fit into your daily routine and that help prepare your child for kindergarten.