Slater Sprouts:  An Early Literacy Program developed by the Slater Public Library for children ages birth to 24 months.

We are excited for your child to become one of our Slater Sprouts!  This early literacy program is designed to help you give your child their best start at fostering a love for learning and books.  The benefits for reading to infants are numerous, but three of the most important are:

  • Bonding with your child
  • Healthy brain development
  • Social and emotional development

 

HOW TO REGISTER

Registration can be done online and then you can stop by the library the following day to pick up your start-up packet which includes a board book to keep.

REGISTER HERE

 

HOW IT WORKS

We have set a reading goal for each of our Sprouts based on their age.  You can sign up at any time, and once your child ages to the next level, if you have completed the reading requirements, just fill out the REDEMPTION FORM and stop in the library to pick up another new book and fun prize for your child.

Here is the breakdown of the Sprout reading levels:

Level 1  (Birth – 6 Months)

  • Goal of 1 book per day. (183 books)
  • At 6 months old (if completed) your child will receive another board book and a Slater Sprout onesie.

Level 2  (6 Months – 12 Months)

  • Goal of 1 book per day. (183 books)
  • At 12 months old (if completed) your child will receive a book, bib, and applesauce packet.

Level 3  (12 Months – 18 Months)

  • Goal of 2 books per day. (365 books)
  • At 18 months old (if completed) your child will receive a book and snack.

Level 4  (18 Months – 24 Months)

  • Goal of 3 books per day. (548 books)
  • At 24 Months (2 years) (if completed) your child will graduate from the Slater Sprouts program to become a Slater Tot. They will receive a book and a Slater Tot t-shirt.
  • If every level has been completed at this point your child would have already read 1279 books!

 

IMPORTANT TIPS

Things to keep in mind when reading to your child:

  • Repetition at this age is good. Reading the same book 20 times is still 20 books.
  • Books can be read by anyone – parents, grandparents, caregivers, siblings, etc. However, we do not recommend audiobooks at this age.  Infants need the interaction of the story, facial expressions, tracking where you point on a page, bright images and more – not to mention the one on one time with lots of snuggles.
  • It’s OK at this age to not finish a book. The conversation and one-on-one time spent with your child is the most important.
  • If you are worried about how to remember to track your books, don’t be. Routines are important, so use reading as part of a quiet time, or bedtime routine to make it easier.  We have some reading charts to make it easy also, so keep track daily, weekly or monthly.  If it’s a part of your routine, it will be a snap.

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q.  What if my child is in the middle of the age level? Can they get started?

A.  Yes! If your child signs up mid-level, they can catch up to finish that level and then continue on to the next.  For example, if your child signs up when they are 9 months old, after they have turned 12 months and read 183 books they can claim the Level 2 prize.  Once claimed they can start reading for Level 3.

 

Q.  What’s next after age 2? Do you have something for my 3 year old?

A.  We plan to have the Slater Tot reading program, for ages 2-5 years, up and running fall of 2023.

 

RESOURCES

Article links with tips for reading to your Sprout:

Why Reading to Your Baby is Important by Sherri Gordon

Age-by-Age Guide to Reading to Your Baby by Melissa Balmain

Tips for Reading to Infants and Toddlers by the National Education Association

 

BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS

The library has an excellent board book collection for you to choose from.  Here are a just a few book recommendations for your Sprout:

  • “On the Night You Were Born” by Nancy Tillman
  • “Time for Bed” by Mem Fox
  • “Everywhere Babies” by Susan Meyers
  • “Look, Look!” by Peter Linenthal
  • “Where Is Baby’s Belly Button?” by Karen Katz
  • “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle
  • “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom” by Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault
  • “Llama Llama Red Pajama” by Anna Dewdney
  • “Giraffes Can’t Dance” by Giles Andreae
  • “Moo Baa La La La!” by Sandra Boynton
  • “Goodnight Moon” by Margaret Wise Brown
  • “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!” By Mo Willems
  • “Good Night, Gorilla” by Peggy Rathmann
  • “Little Blue Truck” by Alice Schertle and Jill McElmurry
  • “Baby Signs: A Baby-Sized Introduction to Speaking with Sign Language” by Joy Allen
  • “Guess How Much I Love You” by Sam McBratney
  • “Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site” by Sherri Duskey Rinker
  • “Brown Bear Brown Bear, What Do You See?” By Bill Martin
  • “Shake My Sillies Out” by Raffi
  • “Bath! Bath! Bath!” by Douglas Florian
  • “Peek-a-Bruce” by Ryan Higgins
  • “Go, Dog. Go!” by P.D. Eastman
  • “Is Your Mama a Llama?” by Deborah Guarino

 

SPONSORS

A special thanks to:

Pat and Larry Gilbert

Thrivent

BABY BOUNCE STORYTIME

Join us on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays at 10 a.m. for our Slater Sprouts baby bounce storytime!  For children up to 2 years, this interactive lap-sit program is for infants and young toddlers with their caregivers to enjoy a time of interaction through songs, bouncing and stories.  We will also have a time of play and exploration.