Dear Parents and Guardians:
November brings change–cooler weather, different foods, and shorter days. Pages 26-31 of this month’s Ranger Rick Jr. tells us how these changes affect some animals.
While looking at pages 26-27 with your child, read about the wolf’s fur getting thicker for the cold days. Ask how your child protects himself or herself from the cold weather. We don’t get thicker fur like the wolf, but we do wear coats, gloves, and hats.
On pages 28-29 you and your child will learn that woodpeckers, chipmunks, and pikas collect stockpiles of food since food can be hard to find in winter months. Many people eat different food during the fall and winter months. Talk with your child about fall apples, pumpkin pies, and Thanksgiving turkeys with stuffing.
As winter approaches, the sun shines less each day until the winter solstice on December 22nd. Read with your child about how animals react to the shorter days and colder weather as described on pages 30-31. Ask your child what changes they notice as winter approaches. If your child needs help, talk about:
- darker mornings and evenings
- leaves turning color
- furnaces being used to warm homes
As you read Ranger Rick Jr. with your child, ask questions to increase his or her interest and understanding. Each month the pictures and stories in the magazine provide opportunities to spend 15 minutes reading together every day.
Mike Wilson, Founder
Prekindergarten Reading Encouragement Project
PREP – Helping childhood literacy one family at a time.