Our monthly reading guides help enhance your Ranger Rick Jr. subscription by recommending ways you can use the magazine to encourage a strong foundation for your child’s literacy development.
Young children like make-believe stories. Use Meet the Kids in this month’s magazine to create an imaginary conversation between the parent and child animals. On page 28, the flamingo chick could be saying, “Mom, I am still hungry,” and the mother could answer, “Please be patient, your dad is bringing more for you to eat.”
Ask your child to make up stories about the pictures on pages 26 to 31. You can pretend to be the adult animal, joining with your child to have a two-way conversation about these pictures:
The mountain goat NANNY and her KID.
Is the dolphin PUP happy swimming with his mother (called a COW)?
What do the pronghorn DOE and FAWN see? Is it another animal?
Name the three DUCKLINGS following the HEN and ask where they are going.
If you have a pet or see a bird outdoors, pretend that it can speak and have your child tell you what the animal may be saying. When animals make sounds, ask your child what it would be in our language. For instance, a dog barking could be saying, “Welcome home!” or “There’s somebody at the front door!” A bird song could be, “Hey, everybody, there’s good food in this backyard.”
On page 33, Ranger Rick Jr. has included drawings sent by children. While looking at this page, give your children crayons and paper to create their own animal pictures. Ask them to draw birds, lions, fish, or other animals. Then they can tell the family about their drawing. They can talk about the colors or tell what the animal is doing. Would your child like to mail her or his drawing to Ricky Raccoon? Look for the address on the page 33. Be sure to write the child’s name, address, and age on the back of the paper.
Children like animals. Please use Ranger Rick Jr. to engage your child, along with the entire family, in fun activities. Enjoy reading with your children!
Prepared by Mike Wilson
Prekindergarten Reading Encouragement Project (PREP) Founder
PREP – Helping childhood literacy one family at a time.