1000 Books Before School

Research shows that babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers develop literacy by listening to stories, engaging with pictures, singing, rhyming and ‘reading together’. The more books children hear, the better prepared they are when it comes time for them to learn how to read.

The 1000 Books Before School program gives you the opportunity to record books shared with your child in their pre-school years with the aim of reaching 1000 books read before they start school.

Why read 1000 books before school?

Early literacy skills are essential building blocks for lifelong learning beyond primary school and high school. Research shows that children who are read to six or seven times a week have a literacy level almost a year ahead of children who are not read to at home.

By reading to your child or sharing books with them for around 15 minutes each a day, they get a head start and you will read around 1000 books over 3 years.

How to participate

• Register your pre-school child at one of our libraries
• You will need to be a Swan Hill Regional Library member to join and it’s free!
• We will give you a ‘1000 Books Before School Jungle Journal’ to record each book
• Mark, colour or put a sticker on a footprint in the journal each time you read together with your child
• Each time you reach a milestone in your journal, bring it along to the library for a prize
• When you reach 1000 books read, bring in your completed journal for an extra special prize

The program finishes when you reach 1000 books or your child starts school.

Every book counts

• Favourite picture book one thousand times?
• One thousand different books?
• Books heard at Move and Groove or Storytime?
• Big sister pointing out the pictures to her baby brother?
• Reading with Nanna or Pop?
• The dog-eared picture book in the doctor’s surgery waiting room?

They ALL count, every time!