Post Alpha-Bits to donate 100,000 books to program in 2005
Tarrytown, NY (May 18, 2005) – Post Alpha-Bits cereal, which now contains zero grams of sugar per serving and excellent source of whole grain, is partnering with Reach Out and Read to help parents introduce letter recognition to their children. To demonstrate their commitment to helping children develop healthy bodies and minds, Alpha-Bits will donate 100,000 books to Reach Out and Read (ROR), which will be distributed by pediatricians at ROR programs throughout the country.
Founded in 1989, Reach Out and Read promotes early childhood literacy by bringing new books and advice about the importance of reading aloud into the pediatric exam room. Doctors and nurses give new books to children at each well-child visit from 6 months to 5 years old. The program is based on research that shows a connection between the frequency of sharing books with babies, toddlers and young children and enhanced language development.
"We're excited to work with Alpha-Bits to provide books to children at an early age because we know that children who are read to during the first years of life are more likely to read on schedule," said Dr. Perri Klass, Medical Director and President of Reach Out and Read, and a practicing pediatrician and associate professor of pediatrics, Boston University School of Medicine. "Lots of parents aren't sure how to enjoy books with a baby or a very young child. So the doctors and nurses in our program not only give away books, but also model the reading skills to parents and offer developmentally appropriate advice on how to prepare their children to become readers.”
In addition to the book distribution effort, Reach Out and Read and Alpha-Bits have created a series of age-appropriate activities for parents to introduce and continue letter recognition using the letter shapes of Alpha-Bits cereal. Parents will be equipped with an outline of developmental milestones, including motor and cognitive, that will help them track their child's progress toward early literacy and will also provide practical ways for them to turn everyday activities into learning opportunities. The tips will be available at www.alpha-bits.com.
"Small children develop early literacy skills when they grow up in print-rich environments," said Dr. Klass. "Parents can create a print-rich home environment by providing b ooks and magazines, alphabetic toys, such as magnets and blocks printed with letters, or alphabet foods, all of which offer even more opportunity for children to become familiar with letters ."
"Parents can also introduce their children to the letters of the alphabet with a variety of activities at breakfast or snack time, using Alpha-Bits cereal," said Theresa Choh-Lee, brand director of Alpha-Bits cereal. "Alpha-Bits cereal contains all 26 letters of the alphabet and contains zero grams of sugar per serving and an excellent source of whole grain, making it the perfect addition to a parent's repertoire of tools to introduce their children to letters."
One of the books donated by Alpha-Bits, a small chewable ABC board book by DK Publishing, will be distributed at 9-month-old well-child visits at Reach Out and Read locations beginning in September 2005. At that age, children enjoy looking at pictures, especially pictures of faces, and patting pictures as they vocalize sounds. When reading to children in this age group, parents should name items as they point at pictures. Children will enjoy learning the names of objects in their world and they will form a positive identification with books. And, to help them begin to understand letters and the sounds associated with them, parents can point to various Alpha-Bits letter pieces and name them.
Parents can continue to incorporate Alpha-Bits letter shapes in fun "eat-ertainment" learning activities as their children grow by turning breakfast, snack time or other parenting times into an opportunity for simple letter games and a fun learning experience.
For example:
- Serve letter-shaped cereal at snack time to toddlers while reading aloud an ABC book. As children get older, encourage them to match the ABCs in their books to the letter pieces of Alpha-Bits.
- Invite your child to play a matching game with the cereal. Pick out a letter and ask them to pick out a matching letter.
- Play "I Spy". Pick out a letter of the cereal and help them to name as many objects as they can see that start with that letter. Offer hints about objects to keep them excited about playing.
- When your child starts counting, challenge them to find a certain number of pieces of one letter. Or, ask them to count how many "A"s or "B"s, etc., they have in a handful of cereal.
- For older children, challenge them to a spelling game by giving them a handful of cereal pieces and encouraging them to spell as many words as they can. To make it seem even more like a game, give them a certain amount of time to spell the words.
Beginning in August 2005, Alpha-Bits cereal will be reformulated to contain zero grams of sugar per serving and will be an excellent source of whole grain. The cereal is made to dissolve easily in a child’s mouth, making it an ideal food for toddlers – whether at home or on the go. And just as it has for nearly 50 years, Alpha-Bits cereal will continue to contain all 26 letters of the alphabet, providing Moms with opportunities to bring letter recognition activities during breakfast and snack time.
About Reach Out and Read (ROR)
Since 1989, ROR pediatricians have been prescribing books and reading aloud for their young patients, with a special focus on children growing up in poverty. ROR trained doctors and nurses are currently promoting pediatric literacy at more than 2,300 hospitals, health centers and private pediatric practices. A national, non-profit literacy organization, Reach Out and Read is affiliated with the Department of Pediatrics, Boston Medical Center, Boston University School of Medicine. For further information please visit our website at www.reachoutandread.org.
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Contact:
Donetta Allen
Hunter Public Relations
212-679-6600, ext. 229
dallen@hunterpr.com
Abbe Serphos
Kraft Foods
914-425-3907
abbe.serphos@kraft.com