Janet and Ian’s current pilot project. We are taking this project for an NGO, So They Can, to Tanzania.

For details http://www.rangerread.com

Ranger Read is a phonics-based reading program that engages all the senses, enhancing memory retention and experiential learning. Unlike device-led methods, it incorporates touch, movement, sound, and play to support reading and spelling development.

Set in the Alphabet Wildlife Park, the program follows Ranger Read as he helps animals (consonants) and shopkeeper owls (vowels) prepare for a festival. Through fun, interactive activities, children build foundational literacy skills while enjoying an unfolding story.

For children under two, the experience includes meeting vowel puppets, playing hide and seek, matching games, and sensory activities like smelling and tasting food. Older children engage in storytelling, movement, and hands-on word-building exercises that foster a love for language.

Ranger Read also empowers parents, grandparents, and carers with “learning bites”—mini sensory activities that turn everyday moments into playful learning experiences. Literacy learning extends beyond dedicated lessons, sneaking into snack time, bath time, or even silly play—like pretending to be cows after mowing the lawn (“mmmm” like a mower, “moooo” like a cow).

By embedding phonics principles into engaging storytelling and imaginative play, Ranger Read makes learning joyful and memorable. Adults are encouraged to jump into their child’s world—roaring like lions, waddling like penguins, and acting out silly sounds—creating lifelong learning through shared adventures.