1000 Books Before Kindergarten
Book Your Adventure!
About the Program
Help to develop and encourage your child’s love of reading by joining the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten program! Share any new or favourite book with your newborn, infant, and/or toddler. The goal is to read 1000 books together before your child enters kindergarten. The program is self-paced and can take anywhere from a few months to a few years depending on how often you read together.
FAQs
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No, you can read books from anywhere and in any language. Staff members at any branch will be more than happy to assist with suggestions.
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Tracking sheets will be provided to record every 100 books read (10 sheets in total) and will be included in the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten kits available at any SDG Library Branch. Alternatively, you can download and print tracking sheets from home.
For every book read together, colour in one (1) star. Read the same book three (3) times – colour in three (3) stars.
You can record the book titles if you wish, but it is not required.
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It may seem like an enormous goal, but it’s far more achievable than it appears. If you read just one (1) book each night, you’ll reach about 365 books in a year, 730 in two (2) years, and 1,095 in three (3) years.
There’s no deadline at all, you are encouraged to move at a pace that feels right for you and your child. Some families finish in a few months, while others take several years.
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Yes! Each time you read a book, it counts. Young children learn through repetition, hearing familiar words, rhythms, and sounds again and again helps them build language skills. So, if they adore a particular story, feel free to read it as often as they like and record every single reading.
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Absolutely! The focus is on making reading enjoyable. Little ones all have different attention spans, and some stories simply won’t hold their interest. It’s perfectly fine to chat about the pictures, make silly noises, or skip parts. If your child flips the pages before you’re done, that still counts. Share books in whatever way feels natural for the two of you. In these early years, reading together is really about bonding, building early language and picture awareness, expanding vocabulary, and having fun.
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Yes, any time your child listens to a story, it counts, whether the book is shared at home, daycare, preschool, or library, it all goes towards your total.
Anyone can be a storyteller for your child: parents, siblings, grandparents, caregivers, babysitters, even your friendly Librarian during a storytime program. Hearing books from a variety of people helps your child see that reading is fun for everyone!
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Yes. Each child participates individually and earns their own prizes, so they need separate tracking sheets to record their progress.
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The SDG Library offers several programs suitable for children 0-5 years, including storytimes. Please visit our events page to view all the programs available.
