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Books for Kids
is a FREE program set up to instill the joy of reading in children by providing free books and parenting resources to families in the greater Mankato area. Reading at an early age has been proven to increase school readiness by developing literacy skills, language patterns, attention span, and creativity. The program is also intended to increase the bond between caregiver or parent and child as they read together.
Parenting Counts — Parents of children between the ages of 2 months – 5 years receive a free monthly newsletter filled with parenting tips, child development information, and fun activities to do together.
Books for Kids — Children between the ages of 1 – 5 years receive a free book every month, along with the Parenting Counts newsletter. All of the books are provided by a local publisher, Coughlan Companies.
Born Learning — Parents periodically receive free Born Learning inserts, which provide additional tips and information to help parents create a happy, healthy, and stimulating home for their children. The Born Learning inserts are provided in partnership with Immanuel St. Joseph’s Auxiliary.
Calendar of Events — Each month parents receive an overview of some of the family-friendly events going on around our community. Click on a month below to read the most current events calendars.
Making the Case for Beginning Reading Early:
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The best time to start sharing books with children is during infancy. The more words a child hears, the bigger their vocabulary, and they stand a better chance of becoming a proficient reader.
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One study reported that children who were read to at least one hour per day during their preschool years, come to school with a 10,000 to 14,000-word vocabulary. In comparison, children read to only 30 hours during their first five years come to school with a vocabulary of fewer than 4,000 words. That’s a big difference!still struggle
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A 1998 study showed a startling 88% of children who have difficulty reading at the end of first grade at the end of fourth grade.
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A study at Yale University indicated that 75% of students who are poor readers in third grade remain poor readers in high school.
To sign up for the Books for Kids Program, fill out the form below.
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To qualify for the program you must:
Have a child between 2 months and 5 years old,
live within a 30-mile radius of Mankato,
OR work in Mankato/North Mankato.
The Books for Kids program is brought to you by Greater Mankato Area United Way, Coughlan Companies, Mankato Clinic Foundation, Immanuel St. Joseph’s – Mayo Health System, and Blue Earth County.
To download a printer-friendly pdf version of this page, click here
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