1,000 BOOKS BEFORE KINDERGARTEN
Join in the reading fun with the 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten Challenge and help your child develop the early literacy skills they need to become independent readers who enjoy stories and learning.
One thousand books may seem like a lot, but it is a very attainable number. If you read just one book a day, you will fulfill the challenge in less than 3 years. If you read 3 books a day, you will complete the challenge in less than 1 year. Books read by a teacher, librarian, babysitter, and family member all count, as do Wonderbooks and audiobooks. Favorite books that your child yearns to hear every day also count each time you read that book.
Start by registering your child for the 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten Challenge in Beanstack using either the Beanstack app or the website www.beanstack.com. Search for Tipp City Public Library. Register yourself as the head of household and add your child (baby, toddler, or preschooler) as a reader. Then, stop in the library and pick up a folder if you would like to use a paper tracker.
You may track the books read in one of these ways
- Entirely through Beanstack by recording the number of books read
- Using the bookworm paper tracker in the folder and coloring/marking a circle for each book read
- Using the title tracker in the folder (This is not necessary unless you prefer to keep this type of detailed record.)
Once your child listens to 100 books, record the number of books in Beanstack or bring your completed paper tracker to the library, where a staff member will log the books for you in Beanstack. You will receive a sticker for your child’s folder for every 100 books read. When 1,000 books have been read, the stickers will form a bookworm on the folder’s cover.
At the 200, 400, 600, and 800 book levels, your child may select a prize. Once your child has listened to 1,000 books, they may choose a free book and will have their name displayed on a bookworm in the children’s area to celebrate their accomplishment.
UPCOMING ACTIVITIES
Family Pumpkin Decorating Contest:
Open to 20 families with children in grade 5 and under. Sign up before midnight on Saturday, October 3. Any family who wants the library to provide a pumpkin for them may indicate this on the registration form and pick up the pumpkin on Monday, October 5.
Pumpkins must be returned by October 19 for judging. This is a no-carve competition. Judging categories are best children’s book character, funniest, and most creative. If you choose to purchase your own pumpkin to decorate, you are not limited by size, color, shape, or texture. The family’s name should not be evident or incorporated into the pumpkin design. A carved pumpkin will be disqualified.
Three winners will receive a trophy and a $20 gift certificate to Topsy Turvy Toys. Patrons will judge the pumpkins from October 20-31.
Pumpkins must be picked up November 2-7. Those not picked up by Nov. 7 will be discarded.
Register HERE by midnight on Saturday, October 3.
Baby Cuddle Time (6-17 months with a caregiver)
Mondays in the Children’s Area from 10:30-11:00 AM
Fall Session #1: Monday, October 5
For babies and an adult (parent, grandparent, or caregiver). Cuddle close with your baby and enjoy songs, rhymes, bounces, and stories together. Learn easy activities you can do with your baby at home to develop early literacy skills. Registration is not required.
Toddler Tales (18-41 months with a caregiver)
Wednesdays in the Meeting Room from 9:30-10:15 or from 10:30-11:15 AM
Fall Session I: Wednesdays, September 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30; October 7
For toddlers and an adult (parent, grandparent, or caregiver). Now that your child is moving and active, join us for stories, singing, dancing, and activities that will help your toddler develop a love of books and reading. The first 15 minutes are for self-directed exploration, where toddlers can engage in developmentally appropriate math, writing, fine motor, and gross motor stations. Registration is required. Limit 16 toddlers in each session.
Both classes are FULL. The next registration will occur Monday, October 19, at 10 AM.
Preschool Story Hour (3 ½ years- 5 years with a caregiver)
Thursdays in the Meeting Room from 10:00-10:45 AM
Fall Session 1: Thursdays, September 3, 10, 17, & 24; October 1 & 8
Get your preschoolers ready to read by immersing them in wonderful stories that will engage them and get them excited about reading. This storytime offers opportunities for children to sing, play, talk, write, paint, and engage in a variety of creative learning activities. Registration is required. Limit 18 preschoolers.
This class is FULL. The next registration will occur Monday, October 19, at 10 AM.
Tuesdays, October 6 & 20, from 4:15-5:15 PM in the downstairs Meeting Room
The dogs are coming!!! That’s right–therapy dogs Rylee and Willow are on their way to give children in grades 1-5 an opportunity to practice reading aloud in a stress-free environment with a furry friend. Children may either come with a book of their own or select one of our books from a basket. Each reading slot is ten minutes long; each dog will see five readers. Registration is required. Call the library at 937-667-3826 to register your child.
Additional 2026 Dates: November 3 & 17 and December 1
Friday, October 9, from 1:30-3:00 PM in the downstairs Meeting Room
For homeschoolers in grades 3-5, this engaging program will examine an artist each month and teach an art technique to help you recreate one of the artist’s masterpieces with your own creative flair. This month, our featured artist will be Judith Scott, and students will create textile art. This class meets in the downstairs Meeting Room.
Registration is required, with a limit of 12 children in grades 3-5. Registration is FULL. Please email wtorrence@tippcitylibrary.org to be waitlisted. Include your child’s name, grade, and a phone number.
Saturday, October 10, from 11 AM-noon in the downstairs Meeting Room
What amazing LEGO creation can you build either by yourself or with a group of friends? We will display all of the themed creations in the children’s area for three weeks so that you can have bragging rights. For children in incoming grades K-5. Registration is NOT required.
Monday, October 12, from 6:30-8:00 PM
Come have a fantastically good time playing spooky carnival-style games, whacking a rat, crafting, and making s’mores. If you are brave of heart, dare to enter the spiders’ lair. The first 100 children will receive a treat bag filled with goodies and toys.
Games Include:
- Rat Splat
- Roach Reach
- Slimy Swamp Frog Fling
- Sticky Spiders
- Ghost Grab
- Zap the Zombie
- Punkin’ Heads
- And many more
Toddler Tales (18-41 months with a caregiver)
Wednesdays in the Meeting Room from 9:30-10:15 or from 10:30-11:15 AM
Fall Session #2: Wednesdays, October 28; November 4, 11, and 18; December 2 and 9
For toddlers and an adult (parent, grandparent, or caregiver). Now that your child is moving and active, join us for stories, singing, dancing, and activities that will help your toddler develop a love of books and reading. The first 15-20 minutes are for self-directed exploration, where toddlers can engage in developmentally appropriate math, writing, fine motor, and gross motor stations. Registration is required. Limit 16 toddlers in each session. Registration goes live at 10 AM on October 19. The links will be posted here.
Preschool Storytime (3 ½ years- 5 years with a caregiver)
Thursdays in the Meeting Room from 10:30-11:15 AM
Fall Session 1: Thursdays, October 29; November 5, 12, and 19; December 3 and 10
Get your preschoolers ready to read by immersing them in wonderful stories that will engage them and get them excited about reading. This storytime offers opportunities for children to sing, play, talk, write, paint, and engage in a variety of creative learning activities. Registration is required. Limit 18 preschoolers. Registration goes live at 10 AM on October 19. The link will be posted here.
Baby Cuddle Time (6-17 months with a caregiver)
Mondays in the Children’s Area from 10:30-11:00 AM
Fall Session #2: Mondays, October 26; November 2, 9, 16, and 30; December 7
For babies and an adult (parent, grandparent, or caregiver). Cuddle close with your baby and enjoy songs, rhymes, bounces, and stories together. Learn easy activities you can do with your baby at home to develop early literacy skills. Registration is not required.
Does your child love monster trucks? Would you like to get your child into the Monster Jam show held at the WSU Nutter Center on November 28-29 for free? If so, we have the vouchers available now!
- Pick up a Monster Jam Rev Up to Read voucher at the library front desk or by the children’s catalog computer.
- Children read 5 books independently or have 5 books read to them.
- Tell a staff member at the front desk how many books the child read or had read to them. The staff member will stamp the voucher accordingly.
- Once you get 5 stamps, fill out the information on the back of the voucher and redeem it for a free child’s Monster Jam ticket at the Nutter Center box office.
Don’t wait to get started reading. Monster Jam is November 28 & 29.
October 1-10: Creative Corner: Fun with Fall Leaves: Use your imagination and creativity to turn a leaf into a book mark, a rod puppet, or a leaf creature or person.
October 5-31: Clash of the Candies: In this bracket challenge, patrons will vote each week to determine Tipp City’s favorite Halloween candy.
October 12-31: I Spy: In the back lobby display case, find the items listed on the contest sheet. Find all of the items and collect a prize at the main circulation desk.
October 19-31: See-Saw Science: Finding Equilibrium: Weigh various fall items such as gourds, corn, and osage oranges to determine which one is heavier. Then combine fall items to try to balance the scales.
October 20-31: Pumpkin Judging: Feast your eyes on the pumpkins our families created. Vote for the most creative, the funniest, and best children’s book character.
AT-HOME ACTIVITIES
Elementary-aged children can explore animals, space, science, geography, and more plus play games and puzzles HERE.