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Early Literacy Programs

Born to Read

Born to Read teaches parents the importance of reading and sharing books with their babies. Parents are their child's first teacher and research shows that parents who read to their babies contribute to healthy brain development and lay the foundation for learning to read.

Recommended Links:
How to Raise a Reader
Zero to Three: Parents


Playgroups

This free weekly multi-sensory program helps parents teach early literacy skills to their babies and toddlers. The program is offered year round at select Houston Public Library Branches and no reservations are required. Playgroups are currently offered at the following locations: Henington-Alief, Carnegie, Collier, Johnson, Stanaker and Walter.

Recommended Links:
Zero to Three: Parents
Printable Crafts For Kids
Teaching Strategies


Houston Chronicle's Get Ready for Reading

This is a family oriented approach to addressing intergenerational literacy by focusing on reading aloud to children. This program also includes games and activities for young children, which emphasizes the development of motor skills. Programs are free and are conducted in select locations.

Recommended Links:
No Child Left Behind
National Institute for Literacy
Zero to Three: Parents


Para los niņos/For the Children

This program provides monolingual Spanish-speaking parents with increased access to resources and activities that will increase their ability to parent children, ages birth to seven. This program is a partnership between the Houston Public Library and The Children's Museum of Houston and is offered in several Houston Public Library locations. Call Angel Ramirez at 713-522-1138 x311 for more information. Para los niņos is funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the Powell Foundation and Fiesta.

Recommended Links:
Children's Museum of Houston
Early Connections

*Programs sponsored by the Houston Chronicle Book and Author Dinner.