Encourage Early Reading with the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten Challenge and Ball

Reading aloud to children from birth helps strengthen language skills and build vocabulary—two important tools for learning to read. You can celebrate and get your preschooler(s) excited about reading at the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten Ball.

The event will take place at the Eastport-Annapolis Neck Library on September 27 at 10:00 am. Dress-up clothes are encouraged as you and your little ones enjoy an hour of stories, songs, and dancing. Together, you can begin your 1000 Books Before Kindergarten journey by registering at the ball. Plus, your preschooler will get a free book and tote bag just for signing up. Already participating in the challenge? Celebrate your milestones and pick up your earned prize.

The 1000 Books Before Kindergarten program is “a simple and rewarding way” to encourage early literacy. To get started, families can register at any Anne Arundel County Public Library or through the Beanstack Tracker app. From there, every book (even audiobooks!) you read with your child counts—whether it’s a new book or the same one multiple times! You can log each book in the Beanstack app or on a paper log. The best part is books read during library programs and daycare also count toward your goal. So if you attend the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten Ball, the storytime will count towards your goal! 

For every 100 books you log, your child earns a new book for their home library. Once you’ve reached 1,000 books, there’s a special prize waiting! With just three books a day, you can easily hit this milestone within a year, helping to set your child up for reading success before kindergarten.

Anne Arundel County Public Library notes that children who enjoy being read to are more likely to want to learn to read themselves. Other ways to foster kindergarten readiness and literacy among children include talking with them, singing, writing, and playing. These interactions and exercises introduce children to new words, sounds, and ways to express themselves.

Signs that your child is kindergarten language and literacy ready include clear speech, understanding and responding to stories and in conversations, picking up new words through talking, and letter and sound recognition.