• Home
  • Contribute To Our Blog
  • Disclaimer & Privacy Policy
  • COLLABORATE

Grits & Grace: lifestyle & parenting with southern flair

  • Hey, Welcome To Grits & Grace!
  • Home
  • Entertainment
  • Food
  • Lifestyle
    • Keeping Your Family Safe
    • Budgeting
    • Family & Life
  • Motherhood
    • Health & Wellness
    • Pregnancy
    • Self-Care
    • Breastfeeding
  • STEM Fun
  • Travel
    • #DiscoverSC
  • Lit Brown Kids

1000 Books Before Kindergarten

December 29, 2016 in Raising Readers
1000 Books Before Kindergarten, gritsngrace.com

If you are the parent of a child under the age of five, you will definitely want to read this post.

Books have been a life long passion of mine. Even now as an adult, once I find a good book, it’s hard for me to put it down.  The love that I have for books is the same love that I want for children to have for them. My oldest who is now 12, have been reading full chapter books since kindergarten. Yes, you read that correctly. Her very first chapter book was Goosebumps: Welcome to Horrorland. By the summer leading into her first-grade year, she had already completed the entire series. In second and third grade she read the entire Harry Potter series, and in fourth grade, she read the first Twilight book. Even at 12, it is difficult to find books that she hasn’t read, or that I think she should read (currently she is on another Rick Riordan series, and reading the Red Queen series simultaneously).  Seriously, the girl reads so much, that the only punishment we could ever have for her is to take her books, and because I love books so much, I could never do that to her!

1000 Books Before Kindergarten/gritsngrace.com

I would love for all of my children to have that same enthusiasm, but I know that chances are that at least one or two of them will not, and that’s okay, as long as they understand that reading every day is important.

This is why I love the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten program. The premise of the program is this: the goal is to have 1000 books read before your child starts kindergarten. Simple right? Of course, it is! One book each day for three years is all it takes. And if you start early on, you will complete the program early on, and if you continue until the age of 5, you would have surpassed the amount needed.

1000 Books Before Kindegarten gritsngrace.com

Why is this program important?

Focusing on literacy early on increases reading readiness. It helps early language skills and will help contribute to positive home experiences. Reading books aloud to your children is an excellent way of increasing phonological awareness-identifying the alphabet and practicing sounds.

Reading also allows you to prepare your child for kindergarten. Books can encourage and reinforce skills in math, science, social studies and of course language arts. Allowing children to make connections early on is a powerful tool that can be used as they continue through school.

Teaching a child to activate his prior knowledge begins with modeling how to make connections through think-alouds. As the caregiver reads, he can express the connections he is making from the text to himself, to the world around him and to other texts he has read. There are ample opportunities for a caregiver to model this behavior as he shares books with his child.-Liz Bowie

The books your child reads during this time reinforces knowledge and creates new experiences for them, preparing them for school.

Over the next few months I will be sharing our progress through the program, as well as providing information on various books you can read to your child.  Many local libraries have this program available for families to sign-up, however, if yours does not, talk to them about starting one. Also, the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten also has an official app for the iPhone and Andriod phones. The app is simple: sign up, add your children and as you complete books log them. I will tell you not all books are listed. So you may have to scan the barcode of the book, or manually.

If your family is completing the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten program, tag us on social media using the hashtag #gngreads1000, we would love to share photos of fellow readers from all over!  

Do you have any great book suggestions to share? Drop them below and we will include them in a future post! Happy Reading!



Natasha Brown

Love of impromptu dance parties, 80’s cartoons, and horizontal life pauses (aka naps); Natasha Brown is a stay at home mom of 4 kids, and wife to one lucky guy! In her spare time, she is co-editor of Grits & Grace, as well as editor for The Mother Hustler Blog and Creative Director for the Mother Hustler podcast.

www.themotherhustlerblog.com

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
0

Tags : 1000B4K

26 Comments
Previous Jumanji
Next The Best Read Aloud Chapter Books for Young Kids
header ad

Related Posts

Books I Am Reading This Spring

Mahalia Jackson: Walking with Kings and Queens

Mommy’s Khimar by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Melissa says

    December 29, 2016 at 2:49 pm

    I love this program. My 17month old and I are working towards book #700. She loves books!

  2. nnsmith says

    December 29, 2016 at 4:14 pm

    This is really awesome! I truly believe that reading is fundamental and important! I am currently homeschooling a 5th grader and Kinder (read alouds are included in my daily curricula), but have an almost 1 year old that I can definitely start this process with.

  3. Natasha Brown says

    December 29, 2016 at 4:22 pm

    We used to homeschool,and I definitely attribute our success starting off, with this program. Early literacy has so many benefits,and for my kids, it made them want to learn even more about a variety of subjects. I miss homeschooling my older ones, but I am actually unschooling my younger two children.

  4. Kasey @ The Kept Wife says

    December 29, 2016 at 6:54 pm

    Can’t wait to start this with my niece!

  5. Brittany says

    December 29, 2016 at 9:01 pm

    Ohh my kids would LOVE this! Especially my son! How exciting <3 Thank you for sharing!

  6. yvetteputter says

    December 29, 2016 at 9:01 pm

    Wow I’ve never heard of this app before. Thanks for sharing info about it, I will go check it out. Three kids under the age of 10 (boys), I could use some help.

  7. Natasha Brown says

    December 29, 2016 at 9:16 pm

    You’re very welcome!

  8. Kendra says

    December 29, 2016 at 10:54 pm

    I love this program! I heard about it recently from a friend while reading at the library! We LOVE books too. So fun watching my kindergartener begin to ready :)!

  9. Candace @ Fullest Mom says

    December 30, 2016 at 12:43 am

    That is quite a lot of books. I think it’s worth researching especially after the comments on your review. The more they get in the habit, the larger it will grow, I suppose. My son is in kindergarten and his school requires 10 mins a day rather than qty. it’s interesting to compare.

  10. Natasha Brown says

    December 30, 2016 at 12:45 am

    It is a lot, but at one book a day for three years, its not so bad. My older kids school requires 20 minutes a day for my 3rd grader and one hour for my 7th grader. Getting them in the habit early on has made it easier for them to adjust to the longer required reading times as they have gone through school.

  11. thecoffeemom0617 says

    December 30, 2016 at 1:29 am

    This seems like an awesome program. I had never heard,of the 1000 books before kindergarten, but I’m for sure checking it out now. I typically read to my daughter and son at night before bed and she loves it. He’s only 3 months, but gotta start them early

  12. Jenni Petrey says

    December 30, 2016 at 1:30 am

    What a brilliant idea, reading is so important. it astounds and scares me when I meet children who have never had a book read to them. Both my children love reading books and love being read to!

  13. Ali Rost says

    December 30, 2016 at 1:44 am

    Thank-you .. I hadn’t heard of the program before! I sent the link to your post to my daughter .. she’ll love referencing it for my grandson 🙂

  14. Ashleigh says

    December 30, 2016 at 2:18 am

    This is great! I will have to look into this for my son! Thank you for sharing!

  15. JustPlayingHouse.com says

    December 30, 2016 at 5:03 am

    Love this! Reading is so important to start at a young age. I only hope my girls will be half the reader your daughter is.

  16. Jasmine - LoveLifeLaughMotherhood says

    December 30, 2016 at 6:36 am

    I’m totally signing up my son for this!

  17. Lindsey says

    December 30, 2016 at 12:58 pm

    This program is amazing…can’t wait to look into it further for my girls! We love to read…books are such a joy!

  18. Angela Fry says

    December 30, 2016 at 3:34 pm

    How was I not aware of this program? We are book crazy in this family. And I even sell Usborne Books. Getting started today. Thanks so much for sharing!

  19. Maggie says

    December 30, 2016 at 8:36 pm

    SO important!!!! I am so thankful my girls love storytime and hope that continues!!!

  20. Bobbi Burleson says

    December 30, 2016 at 9:52 pm

    Reading is SO important! My parents enrolled me in several book of the month clubs when I was young.

  21. savagesevenblog says

    December 30, 2016 at 10:50 pm

    Early literacy is very important for those school years. I started off by reading to them as babies. My son went into Pre-K reading and his teacher was surprised. She told me a lot of 4 and 5 year olds come into pre-k with little to no literacy skills. I am glad I saw my hardwork paid off because now I have two accelerated readers. Hopefully I can get number 3 on board before it’s time for him to start school but he is my stubborn one. Great post. -Breyona Sharpnack

  22. Trista says

    December 31, 2016 at 3:17 am

    I LOVE this! How have I never heard of it before?! Downloading the app right now! Can’t wait to see where we’re at!

  23. Rachel Timmerman says

    December 31, 2016 at 3:32 am

    This is an amazing idea! I don’t have the time to read nearly as much as I’d like to, but reading has always been a big part of my life. I want so badly for my boys to share that love and this seems like such a great way to get them on that path!

  24. Amanda says

    December 31, 2016 at 12:34 pm

    Fantastic! I have been patient with my boys and their reading and never pushed it but always read to them. My oldest finally found a passion for reading at 8 and devours books now. My second is turning out the same. In fact, he received a book set for Christmas. Total of 6 books at around 200 pages each and he will finish it up before the ball drops to ring in the new year. It amazes me!

  25. Chanel van Reenen says

    December 31, 2016 at 6:59 pm

    we need to jump on this! my son will be in Kindergarten in August!

  26. thetaylor411 says

    January 1, 2017 at 1:39 am

    This is a great idea, my son loves books!! He isn’t old enough to read on his own yet but he loves looking at the pages while potty training.

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

About

About

Natasha Brown is a mom of four and head sock finder in her home. Grits & Grace was started as a way to meet other southern moms who love everything from their smock dresses and Lily Pulitzer to sweet tea. Let's connect!

Categories

Featured On

Scary Mommy

Subscribe!

Latest

  • A Disney Princess Surprise with Hasbro
  • Winter Skin Care Tips For Kids
  • Meal of the Week: Meatless Cheese Lasagna
  • 5 Inexpensive & Thoughtful Gifts For Someone Special
  • Modern + Classy Farmhouse Christmas Table Setting

Popular Posts

Critiquing the representa...

August 22, 2017

Achieving Work-Life-Balan...

August 25, 2017

1000 Books Before Kindergarten, gritsngrace.com

1000 Books Before Kinderg...

December 29, 2016

When You’re The Mom...

September 21, 2018

5 Things Successful Women...

June 7, 2020

Latest Posts

  • A Disney Princess Surprise with Hasbro

    Lifestyle
  • Winter Skin Care Tips For Kids

    Lifestyle
  • Meal of the Week: Meatless Cheese Lasagna...

    Food

Instagram

Joy is you at the deepest level, and your joy is o Joy is you at the deepest level, and your joy is one with the infinite timeless joy of this unbound universe.-Robert Ellwood⠀
⠀
I have taken a long hard look at what will bring me joy in this season of my life. With everything that has come to pass two things have stood out to me as being most important; being intentional and being present.⠀
⠀
By being intentional, this means that everything I do has to serve a purpose. Just as I want to keep only things and people in my life who serve a greater good, I want to ensure that I everything I am doing serves a greater good as well.⠀
⠀
Being present means exactly what it says. Live in the moment and stop worrying about “next”. This is a major fault of mine, but I am realizing more and more how important this is in order to maintain a higher quality of life. ⠀
⠀
How are you working to be present and intentional in your daily living. #graceupongrace #blackchristianinfluencers #soulsreconnected #familyiseverything #realmomsofinstagram #honestmoms
“If you’re going through hell, keep going.” “If you’re going through hell, keep going.”
-Winston Churchill

This is my mantra for the day and probably the next several days. My husband and I received some devastating news yesterday, and I truly don’t know how to react. 

‘Do I post? Do I take a break from social media? Should I take a day off?’
All these thoughts have been running through my head, but through tragedy, we must keep going, that’s what our lost loved ones would want. They would want us to thrive and be mentally and emotionally strong, so that’s what I’m going to do. We may be going through hell, but we will keep going. 

#mentalstrength #emotionalstrength #family #familylove #loss #lossofalovedone #mindovermatter #realmomsofinstagram #itsokaynottobeokay #prayers #prayersforhealing #ifyouregoingthroughhellkeepgoing #pushthrough #focus #takeabreak
My husband unexpectedly lost his younger brother y My husband unexpectedly lost his younger brother yesterday.⠀
⠀
Even as I type this those words are unreal. He was only 33 years of age. He was honestly my sons best friend, he and my brother are the younger cool uncles, who every kid wishes they had. My husband is my rock, and has been for nearly 12 years. Over the last 8 years I have dealt with death after death in my family and he has been there for me. This time being on the other side, I admit that I do not know what to do.⠀
⠀
We laughed with his sister who asked “when people ask what do you need, what are you supposed to say?” She’s right. None of us know what to say. Is it okay to ask for a cup of coffee, a smoothie, or just someone to vent to?⠀
⠀
My husband is not the type to express his needs. He doesn’t show anger or sadness. So trying to figure out how to support him has been hard. I know he is sick of me asking “are you okay?”, I can’t help it. To support the whole family I’m taking on quite a bit of extra duties and through all of this I have one major thing I have realized- YOU grieve how YOU want to grieve ⠀
⠀
Try not to fall prey to the belief that you have to feel a certain way or do certain things in order to feel normal. Meaning, if you feel sad, please allow the tears to come. If you are angry and you need to vent, allow yourself to safely do so as well.⠀
⠀
Even in a family, it’s important to remember that we all grieve differently and that in itself can create strain and confusion between family members and friends.⠀
⠀
I’ve spent most of the day calling funeral homes, figuring out clothes needed to dress a deceased loved one, and finding a suit for my son and husband. Now that I have a moment, I’m just watching Chris as he sleeps. Figuring out how to be there for him and my children who are hurting. There are so many things that have occurred in the last 24 hours, and maybe one day I will talk about it.⠀
⠀
But in the meantime hold your loved ones tight. ❤️❤️ #familyisforever
On Saturday we serenade the husband with Dru Hill. On Saturday we serenade the husband with Dru Hill. Whether he likes it or not. 😂😂😂

He really thought I was going to hit @sisqo ‘s note like that...nah

#blacklovematters #blackcouples #blacklovepage #viralquotes #millennialmarriage #realmomsofinstagram
We moved to Georgia to start the next phase of our We moved to Georgia to start the next phase of our lives and to make sure our children have better educational opportunities. Being black In Forsyth County...being black in Cumming, Georgia is not easy.⠀
⠀
We have had people drive by us making money sounds as we walk across the parking lot, we were called the n word. This past Tuesday we couldn’t even vote because our names mysteriously were not on the rolls, even though we are registered and received welcome letters from the GOP (and we are far from republicans). My children have even faced racism from their teachers. ⠀
⠀
Being a black American, black mother, black woman is exhausting. I’m terrified when my husband leaves the house. I hate sending my son to school. I hate sending my girls to school. ⠀
⠀
The riot at the Capitol building reaffirmed everything that we were taught as kids. Stay on your p’s and q’s, and the color of your skin does matter. No matter how many times someone says “I hear you, I see you”, the truth is we will never be seen, nor heard. ⠀
⠀
When you are the mother of five beautiful souls and have been trusted to raise them to love everyone, that’s a hard pill to swallow. It’s hard to know people question how can you afford the home you have. When you are chillin in the front yard and the cops slow alllllll the way down to see what you are up to. ⠀
⠀
I just want to live my life in peace. I want know that when the mister leaves, he’s good. When my black son walks home from school that he won’t have any problems. When I go to the grocery store the asinine cashier won’t ask if I have an EBT card...which I don’t. But if I did, so the heck what?⠀
⠀
I shouldn’t have to prove that I belong. But everyday I am, it’s exhausting. #blacklivesmatter #realmotherhood #honestmotherhood #blackandmarriedwithkids #blackmillennials #blacklove #blackmotherhood
Remember: Even the moon goes through phases. There Remember: Even the moon goes through phases. There will always be things that occur that we don’t agree with, but sometimes we just have to let them happen. 

Follow me in the @LIKEtoKNOW.it shopping app to shop this post and get my exclusive app-only content!

#liketkit #StayHomeWithLTK #LTKcurves #LTKunder50
@liketoknow.it
http://liketk.it/35oRm
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Hello

Join the Newsletter

Joy is you at the deepest level, and your joy is o Joy is you at the deepest level, and your joy is one with the infinite timeless joy of this unbound universe.-Robert Ellwood⠀
⠀
I have taken a long hard look at what will bring me joy in this season of my life. With everything that has come to pass two things have stood out to me as being most important; being intentional and being present.⠀
⠀
By being intentional, this means that everything I do has to serve a purpose. Just as I want to keep only things and people in my life who serve a greater good, I want to ensure that I everything I am doing serves a greater good as well.⠀
⠀
Being present means exactly what it says. Live in the moment and stop worrying about “next”. This is a major fault of mine, but I am realizing more and more how important this is in order to maintain a higher quality of life. ⠀
⠀
How are you working to be present and intentional in your daily living. #graceupongrace #blackchristianinfluencers #soulsreconnected #familyiseverything #realmomsofinstagram #honestmoms
“If you’re going through hell, keep going.” “If you’re going through hell, keep going.”
-Winston Churchill

This is my mantra for the day and probably the next several days. My husband and I received some devastating news yesterday, and I truly don’t know how to react. 

‘Do I post? Do I take a break from social media? Should I take a day off?’
All these thoughts have been running through my head, but through tragedy, we must keep going, that’s what our lost loved ones would want. They would want us to thrive and be mentally and emotionally strong, so that’s what I’m going to do. We may be going through hell, but we will keep going. 

#mentalstrength #emotionalstrength #family #familylove #loss #lossofalovedone #mindovermatter #realmomsofinstagram #itsokaynottobeokay #prayers #prayersforhealing #ifyouregoingthroughhellkeepgoing #pushthrough #focus #takeabreak
My husband unexpectedly lost his younger brother y My husband unexpectedly lost his younger brother yesterday.⠀
⠀
Even as I type this those words are unreal. He was only 33 years of age. He was honestly my sons best friend, he and my brother are the younger cool uncles, who every kid wishes they had. My husband is my rock, and has been for nearly 12 years. Over the last 8 years I have dealt with death after death in my family and he has been there for me. This time being on the other side, I admit that I do not know what to do.⠀
⠀
We laughed with his sister who asked “when people ask what do you need, what are you supposed to say?” She’s right. None of us know what to say. Is it okay to ask for a cup of coffee, a smoothie, or just someone to vent to?⠀
⠀
My husband is not the type to express his needs. He doesn’t show anger or sadness. So trying to figure out how to support him has been hard. I know he is sick of me asking “are you okay?”, I can’t help it. To support the whole family I’m taking on quite a bit of extra duties and through all of this I have one major thing I have realized- YOU grieve how YOU want to grieve ⠀
⠀
Try not to fall prey to the belief that you have to feel a certain way or do certain things in order to feel normal. Meaning, if you feel sad, please allow the tears to come. If you are angry and you need to vent, allow yourself to safely do so as well.⠀
⠀
Even in a family, it’s important to remember that we all grieve differently and that in itself can create strain and confusion between family members and friends.⠀
⠀
I’ve spent most of the day calling funeral homes, figuring out clothes needed to dress a deceased loved one, and finding a suit for my son and husband. Now that I have a moment, I’m just watching Chris as he sleeps. Figuring out how to be there for him and my children who are hurting. There are so many things that have occurred in the last 24 hours, and maybe one day I will talk about it.⠀
⠀
But in the meantime hold your loved ones tight. ❤️❤️ #familyisforever
On Saturday we serenade the husband with Dru Hill. On Saturday we serenade the husband with Dru Hill. Whether he likes it or not. 😂😂😂

He really thought I was going to hit @sisqo ‘s note like that...nah

#blacklovematters #blackcouples #blacklovepage #viralquotes #millennialmarriage #realmomsofinstagram
We moved to Georgia to start the next phase of our We moved to Georgia to start the next phase of our lives and to make sure our children have better educational opportunities. Being black In Forsyth County...being black in Cumming, Georgia is not easy.⠀
⠀
We have had people drive by us making money sounds as we walk across the parking lot, we were called the n word. This past Tuesday we couldn’t even vote because our names mysteriously were not on the rolls, even though we are registered and received welcome letters from the GOP (and we are far from republicans). My children have even faced racism from their teachers. ⠀
⠀
Being a black American, black mother, black woman is exhausting. I’m terrified when my husband leaves the house. I hate sending my son to school. I hate sending my girls to school. ⠀
⠀
The riot at the Capitol building reaffirmed everything that we were taught as kids. Stay on your p’s and q’s, and the color of your skin does matter. No matter how many times someone says “I hear you, I see you”, the truth is we will never be seen, nor heard. ⠀
⠀
When you are the mother of five beautiful souls and have been trusted to raise them to love everyone, that’s a hard pill to swallow. It’s hard to know people question how can you afford the home you have. When you are chillin in the front yard and the cops slow alllllll the way down to see what you are up to. ⠀
⠀
I just want to live my life in peace. I want know that when the mister leaves, he’s good. When my black son walks home from school that he won’t have any problems. When I go to the grocery store the asinine cashier won’t ask if I have an EBT card...which I don’t. But if I did, so the heck what?⠀
⠀
I shouldn’t have to prove that I belong. But everyday I am, it’s exhausting. #blacklivesmatter #realmotherhood #honestmotherhood #blackandmarriedwithkids #blackmillennials #blacklove #blackmotherhood
Remember: Even the moon goes through phases. There Remember: Even the moon goes through phases. There will always be things that occur that we don’t agree with, but sometimes we just have to let them happen. 

Follow me in the @LIKEtoKNOW.it shopping app to shop this post and get my exclusive app-only content!

#liketkit #StayHomeWithLTK #LTKcurves #LTKunder50
@liketoknow.it
http://liketk.it/35oRm
Let’s talk about manifesting. Every month I sit Let’s talk about manifesting. Every month I sit down and write down my goals and what it is I want to achieve.  I practiced manifestation methods like 33x3 and 55x5. Maybe one day I’ll share how I manifested $15000 in 3 days.

I’ve found that it’s always helped me visualize what it is I want or need. And it has to be absolutely quiet when I do so. 

Do you believe in manifesting? If so, how often do you use this technique? 
#manifestyourlife #manifestthatshit #goalsetter #angelnumbers #spiritualdevelopment #soulpath
Copyright © 2019 One9Eight3 Media Group 2021 Grits & Grace: · Theme by SheShoppes