Dear Zoo: questions to ask and activities to try
"I wrote to the zoo to send me a pet..." Dear Zoo is the classic lift-the-flap book, full of animals, catchy repeated words, and a perfect pet at the end.
What age is it for? Dear Zoo is best from birth to age 4. Good for: First words, animals and lifting the flaps.
Let your child lift each flap and name the animal. After a few reads, pause and let them say “so they sent me a...”. Little ones love knowing what comes next.
What it helps with
- First animal names and sounds
- Joining in with repeated words
- Guessing what comes next
- Describing words like big, tall and fierce
Comprehension and discussion questions
Pick two or three, not all of them. “I don’t know” is a fine answer, and you can always come back to it another day.
- “What did the zoo send first?”
- “Why wasn’t the elephant right?”
- “Which animal was too naughty?”
- “What did they send in the end?”
- “Which animal would you choose?”
- “What sound does each animal make?”
5-minute activities to try together
Dear zoo letter
Write or draw a letter to the zoo asking for your perfect pet. Say what it needs to be like.
Crate guess
Hide a toy animal in a box. Give clues like “it's big and grey” until your child guesses.
Free printables: Dear Zoo worksheet and activity pack
This book’s one-page worksheet with the questions and activities above, plus our activity pack: printable scenario cards, three 5-minute activities and a “What could I try?” page for practising everyday skills together. Enter your email and download them straight away.
Free. We’ll only email you if you tick the box.
If your child liked this, try
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? (Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle)
- Best for
- Colours, animals and joining in with repeated words
- Age
- 0-4
A Bit Lost (Chris Haughton)
- Best for
- Getting lost, and asking for help
- Age
- 2-5
Goodnight Moon (Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd)
- Best for
- Winding down at bedtime, and settling to sleep
- Age
- 0-4
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By the Growing Wise team · Last reviewed: 10 October 2026
Growing Wise offers educational ideas for parents and carers. It is not a substitute for professional medical, developmental or mental-health advice. As an Amazon Associate, Growing Wise earns from qualifying purchases.