Ready, Set, Kindergarten!

Have fun at the library and help get your child ready for school!

In this special six-session series, families enjoy stories and activities designed to encourage the development of early learning practices.  Exploring literacy, science, and math through music, stories, art, and play will help you and your child get ready for school. The experience of learning together with peers also teaches children important social-emotional skills that will help them adjust to being in a classroom environment. 

Here are some booklists to get you started:

Singing

Talking

Reading

Writing

Playing

Each week, we explore one of these five early literacy practices.  Parents and caregivers learn how to use these practices to develop their children’s oral language and pre-reading skills.  Families will receive free materials to continue the learning and fun at home.

Here are some tips and activities you can try!

•Talk to your children even if they aren’t talking yet.

•Talk with your child as you go through daily routines. Explain things and ask questions.

•Talk with your children in the language you know best.

•Look at family photos with your child, and tell a story about someone in the photo. Children love hearing stories told by you!

•Talk to your child as you do everyday tasks such as sorting the laundry or thinking about what to cook. This will help them learn new words!

 

•Singing slows down language so children can hear sounds and syllables. This will help them sound out words when they begin to read.

•Don’t worry if you are not a good singer. Your children will love singing with you!

•Sing with your child in the language you know best.

•Play a rhyming game on the way home today! You can even make up words as long as they rhyme! Rhyming helps children learn letter sounds.

•Read with your child every day!

•Read with your child in the language you know best.

•As you read together, point to letters and words on the page.

•Share what you read with your child. Read aloud a portion of the newspaper or a book you are reading. Talk about why reading interests you.

•In Kindergarten, children will read non-fiction a lot! Start introducing informational books now to get them ready.

•Have crayons, markers, and paper in your home.

•Scribbling leads to writing. Give your child plenty of time to scribble and draw.

•Let your child see you write in the language you know best.

•Create a writing bin! Make markers, pencils, crayons & paper easy 2 access. Create a version you can take on the go!

•Play a connect the dots game! Fill a paper with dots, and allow your child to start and end anywhere.

•Play = Learning!

•Children learn and use language by playing with one another

•Give your child time for free play during the day.

•Young children love to measure! Grab a ruler or measuring tape, & go on a walk around your house or neighborhood. Measure things as you go!

Math is everywhere in nature. Collect some sticks and grab a ruler. Guess which one is longest, shortest. Then measure them together!

Upcoming Events

Afterschool Ready Set Kindergarten Series

Thu, Oct 17 3:30pm
Central Library

after school first five years ready set kindergarten

Join us for Ready Set Kindergarten on Zoom! This is a virtual version of our popular school readiness program, led by educators, and designed to help children ages 3-5 get ready to read, and ready for school. Learn about every day early literacy practices you can do right now to enhance your…

Ready, Set, Kindergarten!

Sat, Oct 19 11:00am
Cortelyou, Meeting Room

early literacy preschool storytime ready set kindergarten

In this special six-session reading readiness series, families enjoy stories & activities designed to encourage the development of early learning practices, rooted in the Science of Reading. Exploring literacy, science, & math through music, stories, art, & play will help you &…

Ready, Set Kindergarten!

Sat, Oct 19 11:00am
Mill Basin, Program Room

early literacy preschool storytime ready set kindergarten

In this special six-session reading readiness series, families enjoy stories & activities designed to encourage the development of early learning practices, rooted in the Science of Reading. Exploring literacy, science, & math through music, stories, art, & play will help you &…

Ready, Set Kindergarten!

Sat, Oct 19 11:00am
Washington Irving Library

early literacy preschool storytime ready set kindergarten

In this special six-session reading readiness series, families enjoy stories & activities designed to encourage the development of early learning practices, rooted in the Science of Reading. Exploring literacy, science, & math through music, stories, art, & play will help you &…

Ready, Set, Kindergarten!

Sat, Oct 19 11:00am
Cortelyou, Meeting Room

early literacy preschool storytime ready set kindergarten

In this special six-session reading readiness series, families enjoy stories & activities designed to encourage the development of early learning practices, rooted in the Science of Reading. Exploring literacy, science, & math through music, stories, art, & play will help you &…

Ready Set Kindergarten Saturday Series at Cortelyou Library

Sat, Oct 19 11:00am
Cortelyou Library

first five years ready set kindergarten storytime

Join us for Ready Set Kindergarten on Saturdays for a six week series at Cortelyou Library this October/November. Through a fun storytime and craft, families will learn about early literacy practices they can do at home, in the car and out walking in their neighborhood that will help…

Ready Set Kindergarten

Sat, Oct 19 11:00am
Ulmer Park, Meeting Room

ready set kindergarten saturday storytime

Ready, Set, Kindergarten!

Sat, Oct 19 11:00am
Coney Island, Meeting Room 2

early literacy preschool storytime ready set kindergarten

In this special six-session reading readiness series, families enjoy stories & activities designed to encourage the development of early learning practices, rooted in the Science of Reading. Exploring literacy, science, & math through music, stories, art, & play will help you &…

Ready, Set, Kindergarten!

Sat, Oct 19 11:00am
Highlawn, Meeting Room

early literacy preschool storytime ready set kindergarten

In this special six-session reading readiness series, families enjoy stories & activities designed to encourage the development of early learning practices, rooted in the Science of Reading. Exploring literacy, science, & math through music, stories, art, & play will help you &…

Ready, Set, Kindergarten!

Sat, Oct 19 12:00pm
New Lots Library

early literacy preschool storytime ready set kindergarten

In this special six-session reading readiness series, families enjoy stories & activities designed to encourage the development of early learning practices, rooted in the Science of Reading. Exploring literacy, science, & math through music, stories, art, & play will help you &…

 

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Get a Library Card

Brooklyn Public Library's card is free for anyone who lives, works, pays property taxes or goes to school in New York state. Library cards are available to even the littlest New Yorkers! Sign up today.

 

Get started with Bookflix!

Bookflix encourages reading by pairing streaming video storybooks with related fiction and non-fiction titles for children. Use this resource for free from home with your library card!

 

Keep on track with the Ready, Set, Kindergarten calendar!

Use this calendar as a reminder to do at least one early literacy activity daily. Download now!

 

Ready, Set, Kindergarten! is now on your phone!
 

Text "RSK" to 313131 to get 1-2 early literacy tips sent to your phone each week.