View, Do and Read

Between The Lions March comes in like a lion on WHYY TV12
By Jessica L. Taylor

The award-winning series Between the Lions is designed to promote literacy skills in its young viewers by encouraging a love for reading.

The show aims to provide children between the ages of 4 and 7 with the skills necessary to become successful readers. The four "mane" characters are Lionel, Leona, Cleo and Theo. Lionel and Leona are energetic lion cubs who are constantly on the lookout for fun and new reading experiences. Cleo and Theo are the cubs' parents and managers of a library.

Cleo and Theo always help their young cubs by reading to them, teaching them new words and introducing them to new books. In addition to the lions, there is an assorted cast of characters who play specific roles in reinforcing the program's literacy curriculum.

View
Join Lionel, Leona, Cleo and Theo on their journeys each weekday at 11:30 a.m. on WHYY TV12 and find out where reading takes them!

Do
The following are activities that you can do with your child to foster a love and appreciation for reading:

Get a Library Card Although this activity may seem simple, by allowing your child to get his or her own library card, your child will gain a sense of independence and develop an appreciation for books.

If you can, make going to the library with your child a weekly activity. Discuss with the librarian what books are age-appropriate and then allow your child to choose his or her favorites. Make it a point to spend some time each day with your child to enjoy these treasures.

My Favorite Scene Children have amazing imaginations. One way to encourage your child's imagination is by talking about a book that he or she read.

What You'll Need:

Construction paper
Finger paints
Glue
Markers
Crayons

Ask your child to draw a picture of his or her favorite scene from a particular book. Talk about this scene with your child and why it is his or her favorite. Helping your child develop his or her imagination through reading will pay off greatly in the future.

My Own Dictionary

What You'll Need:

Notebook (at least 26 pages)
Magazines
Safety scissors
Glue or tape
Markers
Scraps of cloth
Buttons

First, go through the notebook and help your child write one letter on every page. (Page one should have a letter A on it, page two a letter B and so on.) Next, help your child find and cut out magazine pictures that coordinate with each letter and glue a picture onto each page.

Continue cutting and pasting until the entire alphabet is complete! Finally, let your child decorate the front and back cover of his or her dictionary with all kinds of fun craft materials.

Check out the Web Between the Lions has an excellent Web site filled with all kinds of children's activities. There are printouts for coloring, games to play online and offline, arts-and-crafts projects, suggested reading material, episode guides and more.

There is even an area where your child can write to Leona and Lionel. Check it out at www.pbskids.org/lions.

Read

The Lion and the Mouse by Lauri Posner; illustrated by Phil Wilson Read Aesop's fable "The Lion and the Mouse" with Lionel and Leona and have fun deciding who you think will be the hero of the story. Recommended for preschool and school-aged children.

Red Hat! Green Hat! by Louise Gikow; illustrated by Joseph Mathieu Leona has a new hat and it is causing quite a commotion. See if you can figure out whether her hat is red or green in this great, easy reader. Recommended for preschool-aged children or younger.

Hopping Hens Here! by Louise Gikow; illustrated by Ken Edwards Help Leona and Lionel hang special signs in the library. But watch out! There is one very important word missing from the signs, and soon enough there are hopping hens and sliding monkeys! Recommended for preschool and school-aged children.