1,000 Books Before Kindergarten is an early literacy program that encourages families and caregivers to read at least 1,000 books with their young children to prepare them with the skills they need for kindergarten. Each 100 books read receives a progress badge. At 1,000 books, kids receive a free backpack, book, and certificate of completion. You can track your progress using the Beanstack app or website or you can use this printable logging sheet.

Reading aloud with a child helps them naturally build the foundational skills of literacy. It is also fun and teaches them to enjoy reading and stories for a lifetime. While 1,000 may seem like a large number, if you read just two stories a day at naptime and bedtime then you will read 730 books in a year. The 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten foundation has a recommended reading list if you are not sure what to read next.