Strong Start to Reading

When children dive into stories they love, it can boost their confidence, help them manage stress, and give them a safe space to explore their feelings.
Swipe to learn the benefits of reading for fun! 📚 These moments of joy and imagination support their confidence and overall well-being.

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Voting is open! 💛

Strong Start has been nominated in the 2026 Waterloo Region Readers’ Choice Awards in the Best Non-Profit/Foundation category, and we would be so grateful for your vote. For 25 years, Strong Start has worked alongside educators and community partners to support children as they build confidence and early literacy skills.

To our program partners, volunteers, families, donors, employees, and community members who help make it possible — thank you.
Your vote helps celebrate the community behind every strong start. 📚✨

Happy August long weekend! ☀️
Whether you are heading outdoors, spending time with family or enjoying a few days at home, we hope your weekend is filled with simple moments of connection, play and, of course, a good story or two.
Wishing you all a safe and happy long weekend!

Reading is not automatic.

Children are naturally wired to develop spoken language, but learning to read requires explicit, intentional instruction and repeated practice.

That is why the Science of Reading matters. It helps identify the foundational skills children need to become readers, including phonological awareness, letter-sound knowledge, blending, decoding, fluency, and comprehension.

Our Letters, Sounds and Words program is grounded in research and designed to work alongside educators. Through trained volunteers and carefully designed games and activities, children receive targeted one-on-one practice during the instructional day.
This is community-powered literacy in action: practical, research-aligned, and focused on helping children build the skills and confidence to become lifelong readers.

Strong readers are supported by strong communities. 💙📚

Thank you to United Way Waterloo Region for helping Strong Start provide children in our community with the literacy support, encouragement and confidence they need to grow.

We’re grateful for your continued investment in young readers and the brighter futures that begin with a strong start.

Looking for a screen-free way to support reading at home? 📚✨

Strong Start’s At-Home Resources are full of simple, playful activities that turn everyday moments into early literacy practice—from rhyming games and letter hunts to reading together in fun new ways.

No apps. No worksheets. Just small moments that help children build confidence with sounds, words, and stories.

Explore the At-Home Resources at the link in our bio.💙

Building reading skills doesn’t have to mean sitting still. Try making it silly.

At dinner tonight, pretend a favourite stuffed animal or “dinner monster” can only speak sound by sound. Maybe it asks for the “m-i-l-k” or a “s-p-oo-n,” and your child gets to blend the sounds back into the full word.

It’s a quick, fun way to practise listening for sounds—and bring a little laughter to the table.
Everyday moments like this can help support early literacy at home. Explore more playful ideas with our At-Home Resources, available at the link in our bio.

A small weekly commitment can make a meaningful difference.

Strong Start volunteers work alongside educators to help children practise early literacy skills, build confidence, and experience the joy of learning.

No formal teaching experience is needed. We provide the training, resources, and support to help you feel prepared every step of the way. Volunteers may help children grow but, many say they gain just as much from the experience.
Interested in volunteering? Learn more at the link in our bio.

Congratulations to the children who completed the Get Ready for School™ program!

Throughout their time together, children developed foundational early literacy and self-regulation skills—practising classroom routines, participating in hands-on literacy activities, and building the confidence they need for a successful start in Junior Kindergarten.

Thank you to the families, instructors, donors, volunteers, supporters and community partners who helped create such a welcoming and supportive experience. These children are ready for school!