Abstract:
Caregivers have a significant impact on their children’s early language and literacy
development. One of the many ways caregivers can support the skills needed for their children to
become successful readers is through the use of literacy bags. Literacy bags contain an age appropriate children’s book along with fun and engaging activities that reinforce the literacy
concepts presented within the children’s book. Further, literacy bags include a variety of benefits
for children and adults. For children, literacy bags promote the acquisition of early language and
literacy skills (e.g., phonological awareness, vocabulary development, as well as print awareness
and motivation) and associate the feeling of enjoyment with the process of reading. For adults,
literacy bags expand a caregiver’s knowledge on the variety of age-appropriate children’s books
available and encourage caregivers to read aloud to and interact with their children.
Based on the various benefits associated with literacy bags, such as increasing children’s
early language and literacy skills and the level of parental involvement in children’s literacy
development, I carried out the following creative thesis project: Lit Kits for the Muncie
Community. The purpose of my project was to increase awareness of early language and literacy
skills needed for academic success, educate caregivers on how they can promote and implement
early language and literacy in their home, and encourage positive parent-child interactions within
the community. This project consisted of a partnership with The Family Alliance, a $500 literacy
grant from Heart of Indiana United Way, the development and creation of eight Lit Kits, the
implementation of the Lit Kits with The Family Alliance, and a culminating project presentation.
