The Value of Take Home Literacy

Becoming literate should be an enjoyable, exciting, and fun journey for a preschooler to undertake as they study the world around them. However, many children find themselves falling behind when they reach the kindergarten and primary grades because they were not read to enough by parents or caregivers during their early years. This can occur in lower-income homes that cannot afford as many books and forms of print to keep around the house. When a child isn't exposed to enough print, they are not getting that jump start they need in order to have an easy time learning how to read in school.

One way that preschools combat this problem is by creating take home literacy bags. Children are able to borrow books they are interested in from the classroom and take them home to be read with a parent. This is a wonderful way to encourage parents to get involved in supporting their child's literacy, and it leads to new and interesting stories being told in the household. These take home literacy bags help to support preschool literacy and make it so more children enter kindergarten and elementary school ready to be successful at reading.

As a parent, it is important that you take advantage of this great resource! New books are regularly being brought into your home to enjoy and experience with your child. Considering how important read-aloud time is (see this post), it is up to you to support your child's journey through early literacy. If your school does not offer a take home literacy program, try bringing it up with your child's teacher to see if it will work for your classroom. Happy reading!