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Every Child Ready to Read

You can help your child succeed at reading long before they are ever ready to sound out words on their own.

Here are some important practices you probably already do when you read a book or otherwise interact with your child:

Every Child Ready to Read Practices Logo: TalkingEvery Child Read to Read Practices Logo: SingingEvery Child Read to Read Practices Logo: ReadingEvery Child Read to Read Practices Logo: WritingEvery Child Read to Read Practices Logo: Playing

Click each to learn more! 

When you practice these things with your child, you are teaching them six important skills:

Print Awareness:
Noticing print everywhere
Phonological Awareness:
Knowing sounds
Narrative Skills:
Knowing how stories work
Letter Knowledge:
Naming letters and their sounds
Vocabulary:
Knowing lots of words
Print Motivation:
Enjoying books


What's the easiest way to start?

• Go to Mother Goose on the Loose (storytime for babies!)

• Sign up for 1000 Books Before Kindergarten and win a free book and other prizes!

• Sign up for Imagination Library and receive a free book in the mail every month!

• Watch Lakeshore Public Media's Building Blocks for a great look at why early literacy and learning - just what we practice with our programs here at LCPL - are so important for babies and children!

This Month's Featured Reads!

LCPL staff have selected these books because kids love them and they help build important pre-reading skills. Check them out today!

Want more hand-picked kids' books? You can request a surprise bag of kids' books for curbside pickup! 

book cover Title:
Feelings are Wild by Sophy Williams

Skills:
• Narrative Skills
• Vocabulary
• Print Awareness

Practices:
• Reading
• Talking

Extend the book with a paper plate mood tracker!

 

Book Cover Title:
Cocoa's Cranky Christmas by Jodie Shepherd

Skills:
• Print Motivation
• Print Awareness
• Narrative Skills

Practices:
• Reading
• Talking
• Playing

Extend the book with a fake snow craft!
Preschool Events
Mon, Dec 23, 1:00pm - 1:45pm
Griffith-Calumet Twp - Children's Programming Room

Mon, Dec 23, 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Merrillville - Meeting Room A

Mon, Dec 23, 5:30pm - 7:15pm
Hobart - Large Meeting Room

Fri, Dec 27, 10:30am - 11:30am
Hobart - Children's Program Room

Fri, Dec 27, 3:30pm - 4:30pm
Hobart - Children's Area

Tue, Dec 31, 11:30am - 12:00pm
Griffith-Calumet Twp - Children's Programming Room
This event is full

Thu, Jan 02, 10:15am - 10:45am
St. John - Large Meeting Room

Thu, Jan 02, 10:30am - 11:15am
Highland - Children's Programming Room

Thu, Jan 02, 10:30am - 11:00am
Lake Station-New Chicago - Children's Program Room

Thu, Jan 02, 11:00am - 11:30am
Hobart - Children's Program Room

Thu, Jan 02, 11:15am - 12:00pm
St. John - Large Meeting Room

Thu, Jan 02, 11:30am - 12:15pm
Cedar Lake - Children's Programming Room

Thu, Jan 02, 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Munster Branch Library - Children's Area

Mon, Jan 06, 1:00pm - 1:30pm
Hobart - Children's Program Room

Tue, Jan 07, 10:15am - 10:45am
Munster - Large Meeting Room

Tue, Jan 07, 10:15am - 11:00am
St. John - Large Meeting Room

Tue, Jan 07, 10:30am - 11:00am
Hobart - Children's Program Room

Tue, Jan 07, 10:30am - 11:00am
Highland - Children's Programming Room

Tue, Jan 07, 10:30am - 11:00am
Merrillville - Children's Programming Room

Tue, Jan 07, 11:00am - 11:30am
Munster - Large Meeting Room

Tue, Jan 07, 11:30am - 12:15pm
Cedar Lake - Children's Programming Room

Tue, Jan 07, 11:30am - 11:50am
Griffith-Calumet Twp - Children's Programming Room

Tue, Jan 07, 12:00pm - 12:40pm
Griffith-Calumet Twp - Children's Programming Room

Wed, Jan 08, 10:30am - 11:00am
Merrillville - Children's Programming Room

Wed, Jan 08, 5:00pm - 5:30pm
Hobart - Children's Program Room

Wed, Jan 08, 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Merrillville Branch Library - Children's Section

Thu, Jan 09, 1:30pm - 2:15pm
Munster - Children's Program Room

Sat, Jan 11, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Merrillville - Children's Programming Room

Mon, Jan 13, 10:30am - 11:00am
Dyer-Schererville - Children's Programming Room

Mon, Jan 13, 1:00pm - 1:45pm
Griffith-Calumet Twp - Children's Programming Room

Tue, Jan 14, 10:15am - 11:00am
St. John - Large Meeting Room

Tue, Jan 14, 10:30am - 11:30am
Merrillville - Children's Programming Room

Tue, Jan 14, 10:30am - 11:00am
Highland - Children's Programming Room

Tue, Jan 14, 10:30am - 11:00am
Hobart - Children's Program Room

Tue, Jan 14, 10:30am - 11:00am
Dyer-Schererville - Children's Programming Room

Tue, Jan 14, 10:30am - 11:00am
Lake Station-New Chicago - Children's Program Room

Tue, Jan 14, 10:30am - 11:15am
Munster - Large Meeting Room

Tue, Jan 14, 11:30am - 12:00pm
Cedar Lake - Children's Programming Room

Tue, Jan 14, 11:30am - 11:50am
Griffith-Calumet Twp - Children's Programming Room

Wed, Jan 15, 3:30pm - 4:00pm
Hobart - Children's Program Room

Thu, Jan 16, 10:15am - 10:45am
St. John - Large Meeting Room

Thu, Jan 16, 10:30am - 11:15am
Highland - Children's Programming Room

Thu, Jan 16, 10:30am - 11:00am
Lake Station-New Chicago - Children's Program Room

Thu, Jan 16, 11:00am - 11:30am
Hobart - Children's Program Room

Thu, Jan 16, 11:15am - 12:00pm
St. John - Large Meeting Room

Thu, Jan 16, 11:30am - 12:15pm
Cedar Lake - Children's Programming Room

Thu, Jan 16, 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Griffith-Calumet Twp - Children's Programming Room

Sat, Jan 18, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Dyer-Schererville - Children's Programming Room

Mon, Jan 20, 10:30am - 11:00am
Dyer-Schererville - Children's Programming Room

Mon, Jan 20, 10:30am - 11:30am
Merrillville - Children's Programming Room

Mon, Jan 20, 1:00pm - 1:40pm
Griffith-Calumet Twp - Children's Programming Room

Mon, Jan 20, 2:00pm - 3:30pm
Munster - Large Meeting Room

Mon, Jan 20, 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Lake Station-New Chicago Branch - Children's Lobby Area

Mon, Jan 20, 5:30pm - 6:15pm
Cedar Lake - Children's Programming Room

Family Events
Mon, Dec 23, 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Merrillville - Meeting Room A

Mon, Dec 23, 5:30pm - 7:15pm
Hobart - Large Meeting Room

Sat, Dec 28, 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Lake Station-New Chicago - Large Meeting Room

Tue, Dec 31, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Merrillville - Children's Programming Room

Thu, Jan 02, 3:00pm - 4:30pm
Highland - Children's Programming Room

Thu, Jan 02, 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Munster Branch Library - Children's Area

Tue, Jan 07, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Merrillville - Children's Programming Room

Wed, Jan 08, 10:30am - 11:00am
Merrillville - Children's Programming Room

Wed, Jan 08, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Merrillville - Children's Programming Room

Sat, Jan 11, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Merrillville - Children's Programming Room

Sat, Jan 18, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Dyer-Schererville - Children's Programming Room

Sat, Jan 18, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Dyer-Schererville Branch Library - Children's Area

Mon, Jan 20, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Dyer-Schererville - Children's Programming Room

Mon, Jan 20, 2:00pm - 3:30pm
Munster - Large Meeting Room

Mon, Jan 20, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Merrillville - Meeting Room A