Summer reading programs are now catering to the preschool set

Summer reading in libraries all over the country originated as a vacation-time activity for school-aged children. Now many libraries are extending the fun to the preschool crowd as well. "It's never too early for books" is a message we share with parents year-round. So why not emphasize it in our summer reading materials, too?

At Multnomah County Library, we've added a new prize to our summer reading treasure chest: onesies with the message "Read to Me!" They'll join the sippy cups and the teeny, tiny summer reading T-shirts we added last year to attract more babies and toddlers (and their caregivers!) to our summer reading program. We encourage parents to enroll all of their children in our program, which, like many libraries', we refer to as a "game." Everyone gets the same "game board," which is simply designed and easy for children of all ages to enjoy. Children color one space on a segmented pathway for each 30 minutes that they read or pursue a suggested activity, such as attending a library event or listening to a book on cassette or CD. They may also color a space for every 15 minutes that someone reads to them. The pathway has three "mileposts," one after each 10 segments. When children reach a milepost, they bring their game board to their local library and choose a prize from a box of safe, age-appropriate toys and goodies chosen just for them. Big kids receive a Summer Reading 2007 T-shirt when they complete the game. The onesies are reserved for the youngest finishers.

Pamela Martin-Diaz, an early literacy specialist and manager at the Shawnee branch of the Allen County Public Library (ACPL) in Fort Wayne, IN, says that she and her colleagues started more aggressively promoting the summer reading program to preschoolers as an outgrowth of their work with the American Library Association's "Every Child Ready to Read @your library" initiative. "Brain research has shown us the importance of providing babies and toddlers with activities that help their brains grow," Martin-Diaz says. "Activities that promote the development of early literacy skills, especially language development, are now incorporated into our summer reading program."

ACPL's summer reading program is also a "game," and its activity guide, which accompanies the game board, suggests that in addition to reading to children, parents include activities such as singing songs or pointing out letters in books.

"In the past, many parents have asked our staff why they should sign up their babies for summer reading," says Martin-Diaz. "They tell us, 'My baby can't read!'" Giving parents some simple early literacy information is a key to getting them involved, she has found. Allen County's summer reading activity guide also includes information on the six early literacy skills children need if they are to start school ready to read. The librarians believe that this new approach to the summer reading game helps adults make the connection between the six skills and simple activities they can do with their children to help them develop these skills.

The San Francisco Public Library's (SFPL) new Baby/Toddler Summer Reading Club Log also provides guidance for parents. The log is a simple chart with four boxes running across the page horizontally and eight boxes running vertically. Each box represents 15 minutes and has a suggested activity, such as "play I Spy at the park or in the car" or "share rhymes with baby during bath time."

Christy Estrovitz, SFPL's early literacy specialist, believes that actually spelling out specific activities that parents can do will increase their understanding of how easy and fun it is to help their children get ready to read. We think so, too—and what better time than summer to emphasize that the key to early literacy is fun!