Early Literacy

First 5 Tehama Leads a Community Initiative to increase brain development, strengthen families, and increase early learning through one act TALK-READ-SING

Start here by learning more about your child’s early language literacy milestones. Knowing what language and literacy milestones your child is developing helps you know how to support them grow.

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The research is clear supporting families to Talk, Read, Sing and Play every day ensures children have the best start in school and life!

Early Reading Matters

The statistics speak for themselves

  • Early language predicts behavior and emotional regulation
  • The number of words children hear under the age of five predicts later reading success
  • Children showing strong reading practices and skills by third grade predict high school graduation

How families play, talk, read and listen with their children before kindergarten:

  • can predict their fourth grade oral comprehension ability.11
  • supports emotional regulation and lays the foundation for positive social emotional experiences as well as reading experiences in school. 22

Need Ideas to Support Reading?

Try these!

  • NO APP FOR LAP – unhook from the technology and get a book between you and your child. It’s that simple – just read to them.
  • PICTURE IT – a picture is worth a thousand words to our kids too. Offer up a photo, magazine ad, or illustration and ask your child to explain what’s happening in the image.
  • RHYME TIME – in the car, while making dinner or taking a bath, just come up with rhyming words all day long!

How children experience play can provide:

  • Develops their foundation for positive self-concept and emotional regulation skills into adulthood.
  • life-long resiliency for buffering stressful and even traumatic events.33
  1. David K. Dickinson and Michelle V. Porche, “Relation Between Language Experiences in Preschool Classrooms and Children’s Kindergarten and Fourth-Grade Language and Reading Abilities,” Child Development, May ⁄ June 2011, Volume 82, Number 3, Pages 870–886
  2. Ayoub et. al., 2011; Landry et al., 2002; Matte-Gange & Bernier, 2011)
  3. Harvard

Explore Tehama Early Literacy Opportunities

Imagination Library!

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a nation-wide book gifting and literacy promotion program that mails free, high-quality books to children from birth until age 5 year, no matter their family’s income.

Sign Up

Badges with Books

First 5 Tehama is proud to be a partner in Badges with Books. Great opportunity to foster relationships between our local law enforcement, families, and children. Don’t be surprised to see an officer handing out books to prospective parents or children throughout our community.

This homegrown program began with outreach from the Red Bluff and Corning Police Departments. As the program’s success began to root, Tehama County Probation, CalFire, and the K-9 Unit jumped in to also offer support. To learn more email abrinkman@first5tehama.com

Little Free Libraries

Little Free Libraries in Tehama County have been kindly sponsored by members within the Tehama County community and provide access to free books for all children and families. Bring one get one!

If you would like to sponsor a Little Free Library to be added to your neighborhood, please contact Karla Stroman at 530-528-7381.

View the map here. 

3 QUICK Tips to Support Early Reading

Interested in the Pregnancy to Preschool Partnership?

If you are a new parent in Tehama county, you can order a free Kit for New Parents. It contains useful information for new caregivers of children ages 0 to 5. Select “Request your free kit now” to learn more.