Youth Services

The Raise a Reader program is a free service for home childcare providers who reside in the city of Loveland.  Story times are provided in the childcare home every two weeks.  The purpose of the Raise A Reader program is: (1) to inform childcare providers and families about the development of early literacy skills in children from infancy through preschool years, and (2) to model age –appropriate story times for providers and families and encourage these providers and families to read to their young children in the childcare and at home.

Story times include: interactive stories with puppets, songs, creative movement and crafts.  Educational information and early literacy-based activities are given to providers and families for use in story times in their homes.

Research in brain development of young children has proven that the first five years of life are a critical time period for development of language and literacy skills.  When young children experience pleasurable language activities, their brain develops the necessary neurological foundation for later reading and writing skills. These skills create the best building blocks for a child’s later interest in reading. Examples of early literacy skills include:

• listening to stories
• repetition of words and phrases found in picture books
• re-telling stories
• movement paired with singing or rhymes

To sign-up, call Cynthia Slosson at 962-2652 ext 1364 or email at slossc@ci.loveland.co.us