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Take Off! - a preschool learning outreach program

What activity helps level the academic playing field for all children?  Regardless of race, gender, class, working or single parents, or English as a second language? 

Answer: Reading aloud to children!

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Story time at a site.
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Story time at a site.
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Choosing a free book.
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Happy children with their new free book.
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If children are read to from the time they are born until they enter kindergarten they are set for success!

Research tells us that children immersed in "pleasurable language experiences" at a young age, enter school at a decided advantage. 

Our program supports childcare providers and preschool teachers in helping young children develop the language and early literacy skills they need in order to successfully begin kindergarten.

 

Available Services:

Access to books

We have rotating book boxes available for sites to borrow for one month at a time.  These boxes include:

  • Themes boxes  [click to view list]
  • Toddlers boxes filled with board or cloth books perfect for our littlest ones
  • Spanish book boxes​

We also provide:

  • Story time programs
    Upon request we can arrange a special story time that includes songs, music, fingerplays and rhymes.
  • Provider/Caregiver Trainings
    These programs assist you in implementing practices that encourage development of early literacy skills.  They are user friendly and actively engage participants.
  • Parent Presentations
    These offerings help inform and support parents in their role as their child's first and most important teacher.  Today's kindergarten readiness skills are defined and explained so that parents feel better prepared for their child's entrance into school.
  • Each child served receives a FREE children's book

Access to educational materials that make story time more fun

Monica with the car and some of the available materials
  • Puppets
  • Felt or Velcro storytelling kits for storyboards
  • Storytime kits
  • Puzzles

 

Some helpful sites (in no particular order): 

 

Social media links:

Facebook - www.facebook.com/takeoffprogram
Pinterest - www.pinterest.com/takeoffprogram
Instagram - www.instagram.com/takeoffandread/?hl=en
YouTube - www.youtube.com/channel/UCYeHid-iX0SeQjbn3z-cnqw

 

Current funders and contributors to the TAKE OFF! program include:

  • Oregon State Library Ready to Read Program
  • Umatilla County Special Library District

 

To sign up for services or for more information contact:

Monica Hoffman
Early Literacy Program Manager -- (541) 612-2052   ~or~   takeoff@ucsld.org

Storybear in Take Off! rocket with quote: If you can read, you can Take Off! to anywhere you choose. Share a book today.

The best time to start reading to a child is the day he/she is born. Growing up with books increases a child's vocabulary, builds his attention span, and improves his grammar. But even beyond this, a child discovers a story can touch the heart.