“We’ve told parents at these parties that there’s so many ways children learn,” Hughes said. “Even if you’re just talking about a bag of blocks, children can learn shapes, and learn to recognize different sizes. It’s even basic math skills and learning how to build something and make it stand up.”

Another Born Learning outreach — its “Blast Off to Kindergarten” programs — reached about 550 county children who will be entering school for the first time this fall.

At those events, parents of children received a poster listing skills that their children should have upon entering kindergarten — skills that an estimated 65 percent of children lack.

Mary Lee Ewald, executive director of Community Alliances to Promote Education, said that’s a statistic at the core of the Born Learning mission.

“If more than 60 percent of kids are coming in below the national average, they don’t have the skills they need to be on track to be ready and they’re going to be playing catch-up in school,” she said.

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Learn more

Born Learning Coalition: Offers Books for Babies, in which new parents can get books and a “Born Learning” baby outfit for free at Madison County libraries. Also offers basket parties, in which hosts receive a basket with baby books, educational toys and other goodies. Call 641-4028.

Anderson/Lapel public library: Summer reading programs continue through July. Call 641-2448.