As a mom I am always concerned about my son staying on his reading level if not above. I will admit there are days where it is a fight to get him to pick up a book, and I have been known to read to him.
As you know, the LeapFrog mission is to help children reach their full potential by providing the tools that help them learn through play. The foundation of that mission is rooted in their 20-year history of helping kids learn to read including my children.
In the continuing pursuit of making reading an activity that every child and family can enjoy, LeapFrog is hosting a “Reading Month Challenge” in honor of National Reading Month this March. The “Reading Month Challenge” encourages families to take a pledge to read for at least 20 minutes per day with their kids.
As we’re sure you are aware, an early introduction to reading is an important part of kids’ development. In fact, kids who are read to at home have a substantial academic advantage. These advantages last throughout a child’s academic career. Studies have shown that:
- Twenty-six percent of children who were read to three or four times in the last week by a family member recognized all letters of the alphabet. This is compared to 14 percent of children who were read to less frequently.
- According to NCES, only 53 percent of children ages three to five were read to daily by a family member. Children in families with incomes below the poverty line are less likely to be read to aloud every day than are children in families with incomes at or above poverty.
- The NCES also reported that children who were read to frequently are also more likely to:
- Count to 20 or higher than those who were not (60% vs. 44%)
- Write their own names (54% vs. 40%)
- Read or pretend to read (77% vs. 57%)
As a part of the March “Reading Month Challenge,” LeapFrog will be partnering with a great non-profit, Kristi Yamaguchi’s Always Dream Foundation, to donate 20 books to the foundation’s under-served classrooms for every pledge received. Through this program, they plan to donate over 350,000 books to children in need.
Please sign up to take the Challenge
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