Following its Friday, June 26 launch event at Hart Memorial Central Library, the Early Learning Coalition of Osceola County and its community partners are expanding access to early literacy resources through Read to Rise, a new initiative offering free activity kits, educational videos, and family learning tools for children from birth to age 6.
Created in partnership with Experience Kissimmee, Wild Florida, Osceola Reads, and the Osceola Library System, the program aims to help families build foundational reading and language skills long before children enter kindergarten.
Research has consistently shown that children begin developing literacy skills long before they enter kindergarten. Reading together, talking throughout the day and engaging in play-based learning can all help build the language, vocabulary and comprehension skills that lay the foundation for future academic success.
To support those early learning experiences, Read to Rise offers eight literacy-themed activity kits focused on key foundational skills, including letter identification, beginning sounds, rhyming, vocabulary, sight words, word building, syllables and story retelling.
Each kit includes hands-on activities designed for families to complete together and is paired with instructional videos available in both English and Spanish, making the resources accessible to a wider range of households.
By completing activities and surveys, families can earn opportunities for prizes, including admission tickets to Wild Florida and other family-friendly rewards.
The initiative represents a collaborative effort among local organizations to expand access to early childhood education while helping parents become active participants in their children’s learning.
Summer can often present challenges for keeping young children engaged, particularly before they begin school. Programs like Read to Rise offer families a free, interactive way to encourage learning through play while helping children develop important literacy skills that will benefit them when they enter the classroom.
For families looking to add more educational activities to their summer routine, Read to Rise provides an easy way to make reading and language development part of everyday life whether it’s practicing letter sounds during story time, building vocabulary through conversation or retelling favorite books together.
Read to Rise activity kits are available to borrow through Hart Memorial Central Library, with additional educational resources and bilingual video content supporting each lesson.
