BE W

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ek N T h
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presents PB S
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Get Wild about

Reading!

An Activity Booklet
B ETWEEN THE LIONS is a TV show created
to help your children learn to read. A family
of lions—Theo, Cleo, Lionel, and Leona—read
books aloud, tell stories, talk about words,
and sing songs. It’s fun, funny, and educational!

You can watch B ETWEEN THE LIONS with

your children, weekdays on your local PBS
station. You can also check out the exciting
B ETWEEN THE LIONS Web site at pbskids.org/lions.

1
How to Use the Activity Booklet
Have fun with your child or children by trying the games and activities in
the booklet, at home or on the go. You can use the booklet on its own
or with the spotlighted songs, rhymes, games, and video clips from the
BETWEEN THE LIONS Web site.

The booklet is organized into four sections. Each section includes

connections to the Web site to help children learn beginning reading
skills. At the end of this booklet, you’ll find more links to the site,
organized into the same four sections.

As you enjoy these selections from the Web site with children, you can
sing and dance along. And if children want to watch a story, play a game,
or sing a song over and over again, that’s ok! This helps children learn.

Here are the sections of the booklet:

page 3 The Sounds of Letters

Introduce your child to the alphabet and the sound each
letter makes.

page 7 Rhymes and Word Play

Listening to and singing along with fun poems and rhyming
stories helps children learn about language.

page 10 The Sounds in Words

Hearing the beginning and ending sounds in words helps
children understand how words are made.

page 14 Let’s Read Together

Encourage a love of reading by enjoying these stories together!

2
 A B C D
Z
The Sounds of Letters
Here are some fun and easy ways to help your children
recognize the letters of the alphabet and the sound each

Y
letter makes.

• How did you learn the alphabet? Probably by singing

the Alphabet Song! Help your children point to the
letters on this page and the next as you sing the song
together. Sing it slow and sing it fast…whisper it or shout
it out loud.

• What’s the first letter of your child’s name? Have your

X child point to it. What sound does the letter make? Point
to and say the first letter of your name, too. What other
letters can your child name?

• Talk about the shapes of certain letters: I think the letter

S looks like a sna ke. M looks like two mounta ins. T looks
like a telephone pole.

W • Use your fingers, arms, or whole body to make letter

shapes. Ask your child to make the letters T, L, and O.
Together, can you make the letters H and A?

• If you have alphabet magnets on your refrigerator, your

child may enjoy matching the magnetic letters to the
letters on these pages.

V
U T S R 3
 E F G H
I
:
W e b Si te

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Lo o k f e ospuz r s of you n am e s
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M
Q P O N 4
 a b c d
z Your Child’s Name
Your child’s first name is a very important word. In fact, it’s
the perfect word to help your child learn about letters and the
sounds they make.

y • Write your child’s name on lunch bags, in the sandbox, on

foggy windows and mirrors. Say the letters aloud as you
write. Invite your child to write, too!

• Together, make the letters of your child’s name from objects

like twigs and pipe cleaners or from clay or cookie dough.
Do a name cheer, as you and your child form the letters of
your child’s name with your hands or bodies:

x I-V-Y! Yay, Ivy!

• Search for things that begin with the same sound as your
child’s name. Make up a song together, with lots of verses.

Wha t begins with T? Wha t begins with T?

Ta nya a nd ta ble both begin with T.

• Look for the first letter of your child’s name on signs, food

w packages, and magazine covers. Look for other favorite

letters, too.

• Read alphabet books together…then make your own!

For each letter, think of a family name or favorite thing.
Together with your child, draw a picture (or attach a photo)
and write a word or sentence.

v
u t s r 5
e f g h
i
Some Good Alphabet Books
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
by Bill Martin Jr.

Alphabet Under Construction

by Denise Fleming

K Is for Kissing a Cool Kangaroo

j
by Giles Andreae

m
q p o n 6
 Rhymes and Word Play
When children begin to read, they need to “sound out” words. Playing
with rhymes (words that end with the same sounds) and poems helps
children understand how words are made of sounds and how changing
the first sound can make a new word: book, look, cook.

Some of these games use nonsense words. Don’t be afraid to get silly!
As children play with words, they become more aware of the sounds
of our language and the ways those sounds can be put together.

• Make up rhymes using your child’s name: Jenna , Benna , Fenna.

• Teach your children fingerplays and hand-clapping rhymes,
like “Patty-Cake.”

• Sing songs together. If you want, chose your favorite Word Families
song at pbskids.org/lions/videos/ifyoucan.html to learn. Sing it in
the car or while waiting in line.

e b Sit e:
V is it t he W y
s a n d Word Pla
R hy m e cket-
song “Ro
he
s in g alo ng with t /
Watch an
d
s .o r g /lio ns /videos
skid ild :
oo” at pb h your ch
Doodle - D the re f ra in w it
e first
e td o o .h tml. Sing . T h e n c h a n g e th
rock - do o s
c k , r o c k et- doodle n e w s illy phrase
Ro ck , r o ke up
t h e w o rds to ma o c ket-bood
le-
u n d s in o c k , p
so P o ck , p
n t to g e th e r : -loo.
to c h a
c k , s o c k et-loodle
, so
b o o. S o c k

7
• Play a rhyming game. Pause to let your child fill in a rhyming word.
You and your child can make up lots of new verses!

To market, to market to buy a fat pig.

Home again, home again, jiggety jig.

To market, to market to buy a fat cow.

Home again, home again, jiggety …( jow).

To market, to market to buy a fat hippo.

Home again, home again, jiggety …( jippo).

• In this rhyming game, use the names of people your child knows.
Willowbee, wallowbee, wee
An elephant sat on me.

Willowbee, wallowbee, Whomas

An elephant sat on …(Thomas).

Willowbee, wallowbee, Wampa

An elephant sat on …(Grandpa).

Some Good Rhyming Books

Green Eggs and Ham
by Dr. Seuss

Kevin and His Dad

by Irene Smalls

One Duck Stuck

by Phyllis Root

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Write a Good Night Poem
Now you can make up your own rhyming poem. Ask your child to look
out the window and around the room. What two things would your
child like to say good night to? Read the poem below. Have your child
draw those two favorite things in the spaces provided. Invite your child
to finish the drawing of the child at the bottom of the page.

At bedtime, you and your child can read your special Good Night
Poem together!

Good night
to the

tree
Good night to the

Good night
to the

Good night to me

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The Sounds in Words
Look at the Picture Cards on page 12 and the Word Cards on page 13.
Read the words with your child. They all rhyme! Ask your child, How a re
a ll these words the sa me? (They end with the “at” sound.)

Cut out the 12 cards and use them to play the games below. Choose the
game that best suits your child’s skill level. In Game 1, your child will
match the word on the Picture Card to the word on the Word Card. In
Game 2, your child will “read” the words on the Word Cards by blending
the sound of the first letter with the “at” sound at the end. (You can
help by reminding your child of the sound made by the first letter.)

Game 1: Matching Pairs

Put the six Picture Cards in a pile. Place the pile face down. Spread the
Word Cards face up on the table. Let your child pick up the first Picture
Card, say or read the word, and find the matching Word Card. Ask:
Wha t’s the first letter in (ca t)? Wha t sound does the c ma ke? Together,
make the sound that c makes. Repeat with the remaining five cards.

:
is it t h e We b Sit e
V
m il ie s
Wo r d F a belong
to
ga m e a ll
this card sing
o r d s in l a y , w a tch and
The w you p ‘at ’.” Go
f a m il y. Before a n R e a d
t he “at” If You C
,“ tml.
w it h t he s o n g s / if youcan.h
a lo n g ns / v id e o
p b s k id s.org / lio
to

10
Game 2: Concentration
Shuffle all twelve cards and place them face down on the table. Make
three rows of four cards each. Take turns turning over two cards, one at a
time, saying the words. (Feel free to help your child sound out any word
cards.) The goal is to find a matching Picture and Word Card.

If the chosen cards are a matching pair,

the player gets to keep them. If the cards
do not match, the player turns them over
again, face down. Either way, it is now the
other player’s turn. Both players try
to remember which cards are where!

More Games!
If your children enjoy these card games, you
can make other similar card sets together by writing out and drawing
pictures of the words.

bug hug jug mug rug tug

Visit the Web Site:

Putting It All Together
With your child, watch Fred from BETWEEN
THE LIONS put sounds together to make words.
Go to pbskids.org/lions/videos/fredsays.html.
Then choose a simple word, like ba ll, and ask your
child to sound out the beginning and ending sounds
(b-all). Bring the two sounds together to make
the word! Your child can then make up a
sentence using the word: I like to
bounce the ba ll.

11
 ca t

ha t ma t

sa t ra t

ba t

12
 ca t ha t ma t

ba t sa t ra t

13
Let’s Read Together
One of the most important things you can do to help your child is to read
aloud every day. You don’t have to read only books. You can read store
signs, menus, cereal boxes— anything you see around you. Bring along
something to read on errands and in waiting rooms. End each day by
cuddling and reading bedtime stories. It may become your child’s favorite
time of day!

Try to read with your child every day. Here are some tips for making
reading aloud especially fun and educational.

Before You Read

• Choose books together. If you can go to the public library, ask the
children’s librarian to suggest books about things that interest your
child. You can also find books at tag sales and discount stores.
Check out the recommended books on the
BETWEEN THE LIONS Web site at
:
pbskids.org/lions/parentsteachers/ h e W e b Si te
Visit t r
activities/recommended_books.html d To get he i th
Let ’s R
e a
to w atch w
es ter
r e a t stori o ri es /. Af
• Ta lk a bout the picture on the find g
.org / li
ons / s t
Y o u c an s k i d s s t or y
did
book cover. Ask your child, Wha t t p b h i c h
hild a ie s , a s
k, W about
do you think this book is a bout? your c s t o r u lik e
g th e at did
yo
w atchin ? W h
When children talk about what e bes t in!
you lik a tc h i t a ga
they already know and what they ww
it? No
think will happen in a book, their
interest and understanding grow.

14
 While You Read
• Have fun! Use a different voice for each character. Add sound effects,
like a knock on the door.

• Pause to look at the pictures together or ask, What do you think will
ha ppen next?

• Point to the words as you read. Your child will learn that the story is
in those printed words.

it t h e W e b Sit e:
V is
R e d H e n”
“ The L it t le e stor y
th
L io n f a mily read /
Watch th
e
n” a t p b skids.org
He
it tle Red
of “The L le redhen.ht
ml.
ie s /lit t
lions /stor

15
After You Read
• Talk about the story. Ask, What pa rt did you like best? What would
you do if tha t ha ppened to you?

• Help your child relate the story to his or her life. Do you remember
when you went to a birthda y pa rty?

• Does your child want to hear a favorite story over and over?
That’s fine! Read it again. It may be just the right story for your child
at this time.

Some Good Story Books

Book! Book! Book!
by Deborah Bruss

Lola at the Library

by Anna McQuinn

Wild About Books

by Judy
y Sierra

16
Read this story with your child. Pause to let your child say the picture
words and the quacks! Read it again. This time pause to let your child
say the highlighted rhyming words (a wa y, ba ck). Your child will love
joining in to tell the story!

Three Little Ducks

3 little
went out to play

Over the and far away .

Mother said,
“Quack, quack, quack, quack!”

Just 2 little came

running back .

17
2 little
went out to play

Over the and far away .

Mother said,
“Quack, quack, quack, quack!”

1
Just little came
running back .

18
1 little went out to play

Over the and far away .

Mother said,
“Quack, quack, quack, quack!”

But no little
came running back .

19
 So Mother said,
“Quack, quack, quack, quack, quack!”

And 3 little came

running back .

20
I Got a Reason to Read
I got a reason,
I got a reason,
Got a good reason to read!

When I feel like a story

I can just open a book!
When I want mama’s biscuits, her recipe’s great to cook!
We followed your directions to find our way to the show!
And reading tells me facts that I been dying to know!

Chorus
I got a reason,
I got a reason, V is it t he W
e b Sit e:
“I Got a R
Got a good reason to read! eason to
Sing alon Read ”
g with th
joys of re is song a
<Repea t chorus> ading at p
b o u t th e
bskids.or
videos /re g /lions /
asonread
I read my sister’s postcard. .html.
She wrote, “I miss you all
a lot!”
I sometimes read the words
when there’s a song I forgot.
I wrote myself a message,
I got it here in my coat.
And it’s so swell that I know
how to READ what I wrote!

Chorus

<Repea t chorus three times>

© 2006 BTL Music (ASCAP) / Roaring Dog Music (ASCAP) /

King Dog Music (ASCAP) / Jive Durkee Music (ASCAP)

21
Credits
This booklet wa s produced by the Educa tional This Get Wild About Reading Activity Booklet
Outre a ch dep artment of WGBH. was originally developed with funding from
the National Center for Rural Early Childhood
Director, Educa tional Outre a ch
Learning Initiatives, part of the Early Childhood
Karen Barss
Institute at Mississippi State University, under
M ana ger, Editorial Content Grant #P116Z05-0056 by the U.S. Department
Sonja La timore of Education, with additional support from
the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. This document
Outre a ch M ana ger was developed in part under a cooperative
M ary H a ggery agreement between the U.S. Department
Editorial Project Director of Education, The Corporation for Public
Cyrisse J affee Broadcasting, and the Public Broadcasting
Service for the Ready To Learn Initiative, PR#s
Associa te Editor U295A050003 and U295B050003. However,
Claudette D a wes these contents do not necessarily represent the
Writer policy of the Department of Education and you
Elly Schottm an should not assume endorsement by the Federal
Government.
Designer
Tyler Kemp-Benedict

Between the Lions

Brigid Sullivan, Executive-in-Charge BETWEEN THE LIONS is produced by WGBH Boston,
Sirius Thinking, Ltd., and Mississippi Public
Judith Stoia , Executive Producer Broadcasting.
Christopher Cerf, Executive Producer
for Sirius Thinking, Ltd.

Norm an Stiles, Executive Producer

for Sirius Thinking, Ltd.
BETWEEN THE LIONS is funded in part by
Beth Kirsch, Series Producer The Corporation for Public Broadcasting,
a cooperative agreement from the U.S.
Department of Education’s Ready To Learn grant,
Photo, page 15: Lisa Tanner. BTL photos John E. Barrett/©WGBH/
Sirius Thinking, except pages 1, 11, 15: Chrystie Sherman/©WGBH/
and by the Barksdale Reading Institute.
Sirius Thinking. Full-color illustrations by Steven Mach.
0912066

Barksdale Reading Institute

National corporate
funding is provided by:

©2007, 2009 WGBH Educational Foundation and

Sirius Thinking, Ltd. All rights reserved. BETWEEN
THE L IONS , Get Wild About Reading, and the BTL
characters and related indicia are trademarks
or registered trademarks of WGBH Educational
Foundation. All third party trademarks are the
property of their respective owners. Used with
permission.

22
 presents
Get Wild about Reading!
From the Web Site
These games, songs, video clips and stories from the BETWEEN THE LIONS Web site will
help your child get ready to read. Have fun checking them out at pbskids.org/lions/.

The Sounds of Letters

Introducing the Alphabet More Vowel Sounds
Game: Sky Writing Song: Double e, ee
pbskids.org/lions/games/skyriding.html pbskids.org/lions/videos/doublee.html

Game: Theo’s Puzzles Song: Grubby Pup

pbskids.org/lions/games/theospuzzles. pbskids.org/lions/videos/grubbypup.html
html
Song: The a-r Song
Game: ABCD Watermelon pbskids.org/lions/videos/arsong.html
pbskids.org/lions/games/abcd.html
Song: Double o, oo
Song: Library A to Z pbskids.org/lions/videos/doubleo.html
pbskids.org/lions/videos/libraryaz.html

L ions-to- g
More Consonant Sounds Go to pb o!
skids.org
Song: The Two Sounds Made by “c” parentste /lions /
achers /lio
pbskids.org/lions/videos/twosounds.html
to downlo nstogo
ad some
Song: The Two Sounds Made by “g” songs for of these
pbskids.org/lions/videos/twosoundsg.html your por t
able
media pla
Song: Hung Up on “h” yer.
pbskids.org/lions/videos/hungup.html

Song: W Trouble
pbskids.org/lions/videos/wtrouble.html

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Rhymes and Word Play
Rhyming Poems and Songs Word Families
Video Clip: Poems Song: If You Can Read “at”
pbskids.org/lions/videos/poems.html pbskids.org/lions/videos/ifyoucan.html

Song: Dance in Smarty Pants Song: If You Can Read “en”

pbskids.org/lions/videos/dancepants.html pbskids.org/lions/videos/ifyoucan.html

Song: Sloppy Pop Song: If You Can Read “op”

pbskids.org/lions/videos/sloppypop.html pbskids.org/lions/videos/ifyoucan.html

Alliteration
Songs: The Dixie Chimps
pbskids.org/lions/videos/dixiechimps.html

Song: Rocket-Doodle-Doo
pbskids.org/lions/videos/rocketdoo.html

The Sounds in Words

Beginning Sounds Beginnings and Endings
Song: Shush Game: Blending Bowl
pbskids.org/lions/videos/shush.html pbskids.org/lions/games/blending.html

Songs: The Dixie Chimps

pbskids.org/lions/videos/dixiechimps.html Putting It All Together
Video Clips: Fred Says
Song: We Choose to Cha Cha Cha pbskids.org/lions/videos/fredsays.html
pbskids.org/lions/videos/chachacha.html
zipper shake
rock/truck hot

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Let’s Read Together
Song: Got a Good Reason to Read
pbskids.org/lions/videos/reasonread.html

Story: The Little Red Hen

pbskids.org/lions/stories/littleredhen.html

Story: A Shower of Stars

pbskids.org/lions/stories/showerstars.html

Story: Oh, Yes, It Can!

pbskids.org/lions/stories/ohyesitcan.html

Story: Owen and Mzee

pbskids.org/lions/stories/owenmzee.html

Story: Bee-bim Bop!

pbskids.org/lions/stories/beebimbop.html

Story: Chicks and Salsa

pbskids.org/lions/stories/chickssalsa.html

Story: Spicy Hot Colors

pbskids.org/lions/stories/spicyhot.html

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