Between the Lions

When I was a kid all I ever wanted to watch was Electric Company. Seeing past episodes of it now, I kind of laugh and think it is silly, but it served its purpose. The whole reason behind the show is to teach pre-reading skills. The best way for most children to learn initially when they are pre-school age is through repetition. The characters are lovable, children will attach easily to them, which will also help to increase pre-reading skills. In this day and age reading starts so much earlier in school systems it's nice to have a show that is trying to help specifically with this task. Sesame Street is up there too it just isn't focused solely on reading. Some of my favorite Muppet voices are in this show: Moakley from Fraggle Rock among them. I love this show and think that it is a must to have in the household and my children both love it. Including Cliffhanger. However, their favorite is Chicken Jane. It's a FUN show.

"Between the Lions" is a thoroughly engaging, well written, entertaining program that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend. My 3-year-old and I like to get up early and watch it together. The only character I could really do without is Arty Smartypants; the others are entirely likeable, even the curmudgeon Busterfield. My wife and I feel that "Between the Lions" is like "The Electric Company" reborn, except that the writing is superior, especially with the incorporation of puns and other wordplay that are meant for grown-ups to enjoy ("Click" the computer mouse, a dinosaur called a thesaurus, Clay and Walter Pigeon, Chicken Jane, the sidekick Russell Upsomegrub, the author Livingston Dangerously, Monkey C. Monkeydew, etc.). "The Electric Company" was fast-paced, musical, and educational, but it can't match the humor and thus the total value of "Between the Lions."

My kids are now 5 and 3 and they both just love this show. They stop whatever they are doing and pay attention to the show. They love Gawain's Word, Chicken Jane, and the musical skits. We always let our kids watch this entertaining and well-written program. Even my husband and I have found tips that we didn't realize before regarding English grammar.

This show is the about the best 30 minute reading lesson you can give your kids short of having a reading teacher give them a one-on-one lesson. It presents a sound or word in multiple ways to get children thinking about how our reading works.

It also uses contemporary children's books so if one show really works with your kids, you can take them to the library and see the same book they saw on the show. (Although they won't see talking lions)

The show focuses on teaching reading, not math or manners or anything else, which is where it differs from Sesame Street. It also doesn't try to make jokes for the parents who might be watching the show with their kids. So, if you're not a small child or the parent of one, you probably won't see much point in the show. There is a quite negative review of this show on this site and it's probably from someone for whom this show was not intended. Some kid's shows really are just for kids.

Let me start by saying that I have a child. I have read comments from several people either praising the show or hating it. And I fall in the category of liking it. The skits are childish but it's what helps keep child interested in the program. Since you may notice that children these days tend to have short attention spans or be more interested in video games instead of a book or informative programs. My only complaint these days is that there hasn't been very many shows like this out there. These days there are only repeats .Which sort of annoy my child.But it ends of giving us time to stop and read a book and bond. We only hope that PBS will have new programs that keep kids interested in reading.Not just the annoying bright colors and creatures and make odd noises...