Charity Builds Libraries in Low-Income, At-Risk Preschool Centers


Early child education

If you’re searching for childcare options for working parents, you have likely realized that there is no clear answer when it comes to determining how to choose a daycare center. For example, you likely want to find a daycare that is conveniently located to your job, creates a comfortable environment for your child, and features an excellent staff. However, early child education is also probably an important factor. Fortunately, childcare resources are increasingly focusing on including education in their programs. For example, one non-profit organization is working with preschools to build libraries inside childcare facilities, helping to encourage literacy at a pivotal age.

Studies show that low-income children are read aloud to less and exposed to fewer books at a young age, causing them to be 12 to 14 months behind their middle to upper-class peers by the time they enter kindergarten. This impact lingers as the children age, with 83% of low-income children reading below their current grade level. For this reason, a charity called Books for Kids is increasing children’s access to books by establishing small libraries in preschools. The organization often transforms old storage spaces and spare rooms into reading rooms filled with books, which children are allowed to take home and read with their families.

Since the organization was founded in 1986, Books for Kids has helped build more than 80 libraries across 15 states, and continues to seek out neighborhoods that need their services. One recent recipient was Goddard Riverside Daycare Center on the Upper West Side of New York City, a facility known for its inclusion of lower income and at-risk students. Preschool teachers at Goddard and other preschools say that these libraries ensure that their facilities have a wide variety of books, which encourages children with different literary tastes to pick out a new story and develop a love of reading. The program says a lot about how to choose a daycare center, and even how to manage childcare at work if you are trying to parent while juggling a busy schedule: make sure your chosen center and your home has plenty of books and reading time.

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