1000 Books Before Kindergarten book kits available through Berkeley County Library System
The Berkeley County Library System (BCLS) is providing multiple children’s picture books, in various categories, in an easy-to-checkout kit as an initiative with 1000 Books Before Kindergarten, an early-literacy program for ages birth to five, to improve regional literacy gaps.
According to the Center for Developing Child, 90% of a child’s brain development occurs between birth and 5 age. And, the Center notes that more than one million new neural connections are formed every second during the first few years of life.
Sadly, 74 percent of Berkeley County children are considered “no ready” when starting kindergarten, according to a 2020 Kindergarten Readiness Assessment.
BCLS is providing 1000 Books Before Kindergarten kits as an effort in improve readiness. The kits provide parents and caregivers the ability to checkout several books without having to select individual books at the library. BCLS provides a variety of interesting categories for children with 5-10 categorized books in each kit.
In addition to making the books available. BCLS is urging young readers and their caregivers to take the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten challenge. Here’s how it works.
Read a book, any book to your baby, toddler or child, with the goal of reading 1,000 books before starting kindergarten. 1000 Books Before Kindergarten is a nationwide program that encourages parents and caregivers of babies, toddlers and preschoolers to read aloud with their children. If one book is read to a child each day, 1,000 books can be read in three years. If three books are read about 15 minutes each day, 1,000 books can be read in ONE year! Getting started is also easy. Just visit berkeleylibrarysc.org/1000books/ to sign up.
For more information on this program, contact Sharon Fashion at sharon.fashion@berkeleycountysc.gov or 843-719-4227.