Dear Parents and Guardians:
Many children have vivid imaginations when it comes to the mammals that live in the world’s oceans. These kids can easily see how much fun it would be to frolic with the dolphins on this month’s Ranger Rick Jr. cover.
As you read the story about dolphins (found on pages 6-11) ask your child to compare a dolphin’s life to his or her own life.
- Dolphins flap their tails to swim. What do humans use to move?
- Dolphins live in groups called pods. Who is in your extended family?
- A dolphin breathes air through a blowhole on the top of its head. How does your child breathe?
- The dolphin on page 10 is playing with a leaf. What are your child’s favorite toys?
- Dolphins eat fish and other animals. Does your child like fish, vegetables, and fruits?
- Every dolphin has its own special sound. Can your child recognize people by their voices?
Turn to page 12 and ask your child to find the six “dolphin” words (BLOWHOLE, DOLPHIN, FLIPPER, POD, SEA and SWIM) in the Word Search box. Encourage him or her to locate the first letter of each word–B, D, F, P, and S–and see if it is the beginning of the word. Tell the child to look both horizontally and vertically to find the words. This activity provides good practice for letter recognition and will help the child learn the alphabet.
Visit the library to find more stories about dolphins and other animals that live in the ocean. Two suggested books are:
National Geographic Readers: Dolphins by Melissa Stewart
I Love Animals: Whales and Dolphins by Steve Parker
Introduce your child to the reference desk librarian and the computer book catalog to find other titles available at your local library.
Enjoy the summer,
Mike Wilson, Founder
Prekindergarten Reading Encouragement Project
PREP – Helping childhood literacy one family at a time.