Families are being encouraged to take advantage of the Louisville’s 8th annual Kindergarten Countdown program this summer, which will include more ways the region’s youngest incoming students can prepare themselves for school.
Kindergarten Countdown is a way to get parents and students comfortable and thinking about school early. According to screeners, around one-third of Jefferson County Public Schools students are school-readywhen they enter kindergarten.And research shows the importance of teaching children skills such as reading at an early age.Now, entering kindergarten students who are registered at any of Louisville’s public librarieswill be eligible for a T-shirt that will get them and one parent into several free events this summer at different locations such as museums. Also, Kentucky Educational Television (KET) was awarded a grant to host a small media center during these several of the events. KET’s early childhood manager Amanda Wright says they’ll be showing off new technology and programs that can help students learn outside the classroom.“I think a lot of times parents think learning activities have to be very involved, but they don’t. It’s something they can do on the go with their children at any time," she says.KET's grant comes from PBS which offers a number of games and learning programs through its website."Parents can download the app to their phone and have ready-made ideas to use at the doctor’s office or the grocery store or the library," Wright says.The Kindergarten Countdown event ends with a program at 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 7 at Louisville Slugger Field. Students and one parent will receive admittance to the Louisville Bats game and there will be additional information on immunizations and health screenings.Here are the locations of the events happening over the next several weeks. Click the above image to see a full schedule.
Calypso Cove, Northeast YMCA
Walden Theatre
Kentucky Derby Museum
Kentucky Science Center
Stage One- Story Time!
Frazier History Museum
Louisville Free Public Library, Bon Air Branch
Louisville Zoo
Health Fair – Newburg Church of Christ, 4700 E. Indian Trail
