1000 Books Before Kindergarten!

 1000 Books Before Kindergarten is a self-paced library program that challenges families and caregivers to read 1,000 books with their children before they enter kindergarten.

One thousand books? That seems like way too many, right? Not at all. You got this. It doesn’t matter if your child is three, or just three months – there’s no better time to start than now! 

Reading helps build social and emotional skills, sparks creativity and imagination, promotes bonding, and helps kids do well overall in school. Take that motivation, open one book, and get started. And remember, a thousand is just a number. The goal is to work reading aloud into your regular routine, and let the magic of stories do the rest.

How to Participate

1. Choose how you want to keep track of the books you are reading with your child.

• • • • Beanstack’s Interactive Online Reading Log: Register with Beanstack to track your activity online. 
      • Complete a Paper Reading Log: Download and print a reading log.

2. Start reading books. You can read at home, find books at the library, or attend our storytimes to hear books read by our librarians.

3. Collect prizes for hitting the reading milestones listed below. Just bring your paper log to the library, or provide your Beanstack account if you have been logging your books online.

Reading Milestones

Come back to the children’s library at the following milestones to claim your prize! 

• 100 books: sticker sheet
• 250 books: toy
• 500 books: coloring book
• 750 books: toy
• 1,000 books: a book and ribbon! Congratulations!

FAQ

Who can participate in this program? 

Any child from birth until they enter kindergarten can participate. There is no minimum age requirement for this program. 

How long will this program take?

This self-led program can take anywhere from a few months to a few years to complete. It is a self-paced program and will depend on how frequently you read with your child.

How many children can participate?

All of them (provided that they have not yet started kindergarten). Make it even more fun and read as a family! 

What reading counts?

Caregivers and older siblings reading to the participating child counts, as well as the child beginning to read on their own! All types of books can be counted towards your 1,000 books. Repeat reads count as well!