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The Legendary Family Learning Guide “Building Literacy Skills” is a combined storybook and family guide featuring four loveable characters who help families learn how to talk, read, play, and explore together to build literacy skills with children ages birth to kindergarten in everyday activities. This book is funded by the Comprehensive Literacy State Development grant funds and is available free throughout North Dakota.
Who is this book for?
This guide, for families with children aged birth to kindergarten, contains a story for children and a parent guide showcasing ways to include literacy skills in everyday activities.
How can I get the book?
- Families: Check with your local library or early childhood programs in your area to pick up your copy.
- Local Organizations: Contact dpiliteracy@nd.gov to receive information about obtaining copies to distribute in your area*.
*Please note that the NDDPI does not have the means to ship books. Books will need to either be picked up from the Capitol or from a distributing entity in your area.
The School Readiness for Legendary Learners Guide is designed to help communities come together to give young children and families a strong start to school. Created for early childhood programs, school districts, community partners, and service agencies, the guide offers practical strategies, planning tools, and resources to build strong connections, align supports, engage families, and create meaningful experiences that prepare children for kindergarten and beyond. Whether your community is just getting started or looking to strengthen existing efforts, this guide provides a place to begin and ideas to help every child become a Legendary Learner.
The Legendary Learners Activity Toolkit provides easy-to-use, play-based activities that help young children build foundational language and literacy skills through fun, meaningful interactions with the adults around them. Designed for community events, family nights, libraries, early learning programs, kindergarten classrooms, and everyday settings, the toolkit includes activities focused on letter and sound awareness, vocabulary, storytelling, print awareness, patterns, observation, and emergent writing.
How to use the toolkit: Choose an activity that matches the child’s developmental level, interests, and emerging skills. Activities can be used as individual learning experiences, incorporated into stations at a partner or family event, or adapted to fit the materials and setting you already have. Adults are encouraged to play alongside children, model language and thinking, ask questions, and build on children’s responses. As children develop new skills, move from beginner activities to the “next steps” and “ready for more” options to provide additional challenge.
The goal is simple: make learning part of play. By engaging children in these activities alongside caring adults, communities can create enjoyable opportunities to strengthen the foundational skills children need for success in kindergarten and beyond.