Read, Learn, Play: Lyle and the Birthday Party

Lyle and the Birthday Party by Bernard Waber is a classic picture book about a loveable crocodile named Lyle who lives with an American family.

This is a great book to read aloud to your little lambs. When you finish reading it, try out some of the hands-on learning fun suggestions in this blog and make some memories.

The story begins with Lyle helping the parents plan their sons party. Lyle helps decorate, blow up balloons, and hangs streamers. As the party goes on, his struggle with jealously over the son’s birthday party intensifies. Eventually his shame over his behavior comes across as sickness and it lands him in the hospital where he reaches out with kindness to the other patients. At the end of the book, he is surprised by a party in his honor. Lyle is a good example of overcoming jealousy by being kind and generous to others.

Your little children will love this book! They will want to hear this classic over and over again.

​Lyle experiences planning a party, going to the hospital, and being surprised by his own party. What fun!

Here are some activities you can do with your little lambs after reading the book aloud. 

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Blow up balloons together.

Decorate for a party with balloons and streamers.

Decorate a cake for a special occasion or just because.

Play musical chairs.

Play pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey.

Pretend you are sick. Take each other’s temperature. Tuck each other into bed.

Look for ways to help people like Lyle did in the hospital. Can you serve a friend, neighbor, or family member? What could you do?

Plan a surprise party for Daddy.

Go to the zoo and see some crocodiles.

Look at the illustrations of Lyle in the book. Look at photographs of real crocodiles. How are they the same? How are they different?

How does Lyle get around in the book? How do crocodiles get around in real life? Pretend you are a crocodile and move around. Be sure to make your arms really short. 

When you finish all your activities, your little ones will probably want to hear the story “one more time!”
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Happy reading, learning, and playing.
Warmly,
Meredith Curtis
 
 

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