1,000 Books Before Kindergarten Program
The concept is simple; the rewards are priceless. Read any book to your infant or toddler. The goal is to have read 1,000 books (yes, you can repeat books!) before your little one starts kindergarten. It’s not as overwhelming as it sounds! If you read just one book a night, you will have read about 365 books in a year. That is 730 books in two years and 1,095 books in three years. If you consider that most children start kindergarten at around 5 years of age, you have more time than you think.
For more information on 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten, including how to register, please visit our 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten page.
Helpful Links for Kindergarten Readiness
Get Ready to Read: Screening Tool
“Get Ready to Read” is a fast, free, research-based, and easy-to-use screening tool. It consists of 20 questions that parents and caregivers can ask a four-year-old to see if he or she is on track for learning how to read.
Scholastic: Parents: Ready for Kindergarten?
Five kindergarten teachers explain the top readiness skills that they look for.
Fountas & Pinnell: Text Level Indicators
This document describes behaviors that a child may demonstrate at each of Fountas and Pinnell’s A-Z guided reading levels.
Sight Words List
The term ‘sight words’ is typically used to describe words that can’t be sounded out using standard phonetic rules. This list contains the most common kindergarten sight words.
Early Literacy Games and Webinars
Get Ready to Read! is designed to support educators, parents, and young children in the development of early literacy skills in the years before kindergarten.
Resources for Kindergarten
Kindergarteners have just started down the exciting road to reading and writing. These materials are designed by experts to help them on the journey outside of school.
Starfall.com
Starfall.com is a free public service website created to teach children to read and write with phonics.
WILSON Fundations®
A multisensory, systematic, phonics, spelling, and handwriting program that is used in the Radnor Township School District.
Playdough to Plato
Fun, free learning activities for preschool through 1st grade.