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Rural Communities Resource Center Family Literacy Project |
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Building Strong Foundations For Early Learning
Research shows that young children have a much greater capacity to learn than has previously been recognized. The first five years of life are a time of enormous growth of linguistic, cognitive, social, emotional, and motor competence. The Family Literacy Project understands that reading is a part of literacy development that begins at birth. For children to become successful readers by developing reading readiness skills and a love for literature requires careful planning. Bottom line, children need to be read to and have access to a variety of books. The Family Literacy Project includes:
Spanish Language Totes: In response to the rapidly increasing Hispanic population, the Family Literacy Project has developed a Spanish tote program for mono-lingual and bilingual Spanish parents and children. Each tote is filled with between 15 and 18 different books. Some of the totes have the same books in English and Spanish and some totes are Spanish only. These totes are checked out to parents and rotated on a regular basis in order to give children and their parents access to a wide variety of books.
Child Care Provider Lending Libraries Theme Packets: Lending library totes are filled with an assortment of books for children from birth to age twelve. The books are ready to be checked out to parents or used by providers in their home. These totes are rotated on a monthly basis in order to give children and their parents access to a wide variety of books. Theme packets are also available for check out. Each packet is filled with 3-4 books based on a similar theme, such as bugs, along with various activities and crafts for the child care provider to do with their children. This gives the opportunity for child care providers to provide free unit-type activities and provide structured learning to children of all ages.
Yuma Child Care Provider Literacy Theme Packets: Theme packets are also available for check out. Each packet is filled with 3-4 books based on a similar theme, such as bugs, along with various activities and crafts for the child care provider to do with their children. This gives the opportunity for child care providers to provide free unit-type activities and provide structured learning to children of all ages.
Lending Library: The Resource Center library has books on literacy available to check out. This includes books on choosing books, story time, literacy extenders, and learning disabilities. Developmentally appropriate toys are also available to check out.
Book Events: Children are more excited about reading when they are able to choose their own books. For young children, book ownership is very important to them. The Family Literacy Project allows children the opportunity to choose free books for their very own. We distribute books at health fairs, carnivals, parenting groups, after school programs, child care, and various other community events.
Story Hour: This is a time for children ages 3-5 years old in Washington County to read books, do crafts, sing songs, interact with other children and check out books from the library. All children also get to pick a book to keep for their birthday. Story Hour is on Tuesday mornings in the Akron Public Library from September to May.
Summer Reading: This is held at the Akron Public Library twice a week for 5 weeks in the summer. The summer reading program has two sessions for ages 3-13 years old. Activities include crafts, reading, games and checking out library books. Reading logs are kept and verified by the parents. Incentives are offered for reading time. Books are given away during registration and for 20 hours of reading time.
The Family Literacy Project is funded in part by the Temple Hoyne Buell Foundation, Daniels Fund, Northeast Colorado Child Care Capacity and Quality Building Project, Washington County Family Center, El Pomar EPYCS, Colorado Office of Resource and Referral Agencies, and the Yuma and Washington County Departments of Social/Human Services.
For More Information
Rural Communities Resource Center 970-848-3867 or 1-800-794-3867
Washington County Connections 970-345-2225 |
