from and January 2012 TIP OF THE MONTH: Red Bag Return You know that parents who share books with their children help them develop early literacy skills as they strengthen their parent-child bonds. The RAR red bags are a wonderful delivery system to get high quality multi-cultural children’s books into the homes of the families you serve. Some families find it hard to remember to bring the bags back on time and others bring the bags back but are missing one or more books. Here are some tips to help you help families bring complete bags back on time: Remind children to put the RAR books back in the red bag after they read them. On the day before book-return day, make a point of telling that red bags are due. Some programs put a sticker on the child’s shirt – when parents ask the child about the sticker, the child can remind the parents about the book return. Post the “Red Bags are Due Tomorrow” sign next to the sign in sheet the day before to help remind parents. Then, post the “Today is Red Bag Check Out Day” on the day of check out, to help parents get in the habit of when red bags go out. Suggest that families hang the red bag on their front door knob, the night before the red bags are due back as a visual reminder. Plan a simple activity for the children on Check-In Day related to the return of the red bags. For example, choose a child’s returned red bag and ask the child to talk about their favorite book from that bag. A different child could have this special honor each week. Invite parents to participate too! Use the red bags that are not checked out at circle time, occasionally. This generates excitement to eventually get that bag. This also models that the teacher likes the red bags and books! Send home the note on the next page. This tip is created by First 5 Contra Costa Raising a Reader Program. For more information, contact Jeannie Peirce, First 5 Contra Costa RAR Training Consultant, 925-771-7340 or [email protected] Dear Parents, Enjoy the wonderful Raising a Reader books with your children. Read them again and again. Here are a few tips to help you remember to bring the bags back on check in day: Put the Raising a Reader books back in the red bags as you read them, so they are all together. Know which day is “Raising a Reader Check in Day” at your site, so your child can turn in their bag, and get a new bag. The night before the bags are due back, put the red bag on the front door knob, to help your child remember to bring it back as you leave in the morning. The children look forward to getting their new bag. Thank you for helping us get the bags back so other children and their families can enjoy them too! Estimados Padres, Disfrute los maravillosos libros de “Criando a un Lector” con sus niños. Léalos una y otra vez. A continuación se ofrecen algunos consejos para ayudarle a que devuelvan las bolsas a tiempo: Ponga los libros de “Criando a un Lector” en la bolsa roja una vez que los haya leído, de esta manera se mantienen todos juntos. Familiarícese con la fecha del “Día de Devolución de Libros de Criando a un Lector” en su sitio, de esta manera su niño puede devolver la bolsa roja y obtener una nueva. La noche anterior al día en que las bolsas rojas deben ser devueltas, cuelgue la bolsa roja en la perilla de la puerta del frente de la casa, para ayudar a que su niño recuerde llevar la bolsa cuando salgan en la mañana. Los niños esperan con entusiasmo conseguir su nueva bolsa roja. ¡Gracias por ayudarnos a colectar las bolsas de vuelta para que otros niños y sus familias también puedan disfrutar de ellas!