Waiting Rooms

Creating Literacy-Rich Environments

After training providers, and providing new books at checkups, the third part of the Reach Out and Read program is what ROR calls literacy-rich waiting rooms. At times an afterthought as programs are first getting started, this often becomes a very fun part of the program!  The goal is to make literacy promotion a visible and fun part of the whole practice, starting with the waiting room. Office staff frequently enjoy this project. Patients and community groups can provide ideas, materials, and the labor to help make a waiting room come to life with a literacy-related focus.  Ideas include:

• Creating a book corner that encourages reading
• Displaying new and gently used books for families to read in the office
• Having posters on the wall or bulletin boards which encourage reading
• Providing information about local libraries, and their activities for children

Reach Out and Read Washington State Resources

ROR Washington State develops partnerships and resources which make it easier for programs to create literacy-rich waiting rooms.  Over time we plan to support programs by

• Making posters and other materials easier to access: See Washington Reads to order free posters from the Washington State Library
• Sharing ideas between programs: Contact us to tell us about your successes, or send pictures
• Facilitating partnerships which support local programs: Go to the partnerships tab above, and then libraries, for a great example. Please contact us if you have partnership ideas

 Reach Out and Read National Resources

The ROR National Center continually develops new materials to help create literacy-rich environments, and programs across the nation post ideas on the discussion forum. Log in to myROR to learn more.