Building Hours:Each year, the National Education Association holds “Read Across America” week in connection with Dr. Seuss’s birthday. From March 2nd to March 6th, students across America focus on the joy of reading. Here at the JCC, we spent the week celebrating our love of books and reading with art activities, games, and even a visit from the Cat in the Hat!
Literacy skills are often an area where parents feel some trepidation as their children move from early childhood to primary school. Do they know their letters? Can they sound out small words? What sight words should they already know? These questions can bring up feelings of fear and anxiety about whether or not they have done enough to prepare their children for this next step.
At the JCC, we prioritize developmentally appropriate experiences that instill a lifelong love of reading. Books are always a positive choice for children and never something that they are forced to use. We use books as tools to learn about our world, we share stories with each other, and in many classrooms, we make our own books to share with our friends!
A great at-home activity to boost your child’s interest in reading is to help them create a book of their own. This can be as simple as encouraging your children to take pictures of their favorite landmarks along a familiar route. Once those pictures are printed out, have your child write something about each picture (or you can write their observations for them if they are too young to write on their own). Finally, laminate each sheet and bind together with string. With book in hand, your child can share this homemade book with friends and family!
If you are looking for a childcare program that prioritizes developmentally appropriate exploration and play-based learning, the JCC’s Star 4 program is currently accepting registrations for the 2026-2027 school year. Please reach out to Jen Moyer, our Early Childhood Director, or visit lehighvalleypreschool.org for more information!
