Early literacy begins long before a child starts school, and Pioneer Library System (PLS) is here to help every family prepare for success through its Growing Like a Read (GLAR) initiative.
Designed for children from birth to age five, the library’s Growing Like a Read program supports the development of six essential pre-reading skills: Phonological Awareness, Letter Knowledge, Narrative Skills, Vocabulary, Print Awareness, and Print Motivation. These skills are nurtured through everyday activities like reading, singing, talking, and playing — the foundation of lifelong learning.
Families interested in Growing Like a Read receive a free early learning tote bag complete with a full set of resources to grow a child’s pre-reading skills:
• A stand-up book of rhymes, songs, and activities.
• A storybook to share together and keep.
• Links to a Songs & Rhymes / Canciones y rimas playlists on YouTube for learning on your own time.
• Additional tools to help children build pre-reading skills in just 20 minutes a day.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children who are introduced to reading early in life tend to read earlier and excel in school.
That’s why PLS encourages all families with young children to take the first step toward literacy: get a library card and start reading together today.
“Early literacy development begins in the first three years of life through reading, singing, talking and playing with a supportive and engaged caregiver,” said Meghan Hollingsworth, Early Literacy and School Readiness coordinator at PLS. “Literacy skills developed in these early years help support the development of language skills for lifelong learning and success.”
The library supports caregivers in their role as their child’s first teacher by providing resources to promote healthy brain development and build language skills. Reading 20 minutes through the day to babies, toddlers, and preschoolers grows a child’s pre-reading skills, build relationships, and builds confidence for later learning!”
All PLS early literacy events are deliberately crafted with these skills, so by attending any Story Time, you and your kids can see this model in action.
Can’t make it to the library? No problem! PLS offers digital GLAR content on their YouTube page such as songs and rhymes to follow along anytime, anywhere.
Whether you get books from the library or through PLS’s Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library (DPIL), GLAR gives you the skills you need to read and learn with your kid to get the early literacy skills they need.
To learn more or sign up for Growing Like a Read, visit pioneerlibrarysystem. org/services/grow-like-a-read or contact your local PLS library. Because every great story — and every great learner — begins with reading.
