Wednesday, March 2nd marks what would have been Theodor Geisel’s 107th birthday. Better known by his pen name, Dr. Seuss, his writings are well known by children of all ages. Some of his commonly recognized works include Cat in the Hat, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and Green Eggs and Ham. Dr. Seuss’ birthday is celebrated in many locations, including schools. Thanks to the efforts of the National Education Association, his birthday has become known as Read Across America Day.
However, rather than searching for a bookstore that is celebrating the day or waiting to see if your school participates, why not have your own celebration at home? Here are some easy ideas:
- Green eggs and ham- Why not start your child’s day with some scrambled eggs that are green? Just add some green food coloring to the eggs when whisking, and you have added a festive part to breakfast.
- Have a readathon- Depending on the age of your kids, you can do this in various ways. If your children are all of reading age, each person should choose their favorite Dr. Seuss book to read to the rest of the family. For non-readers, have each child choose a favorite and have an adult read the book.
- Make bookmarks- Give each person a narrow strip of white construction paper or poster board. Decorate the bookmark with your favorite Dr. Seuss character.
- Play a rhyming game- Have one family member share a one syllable word. Have another family member name a word that rhymes with the first word. Continue until all family members have named a rhyming word, if possible. If one member doesn’t know a rhyming word, he or she is out. The game continues until only one person is left. (If there are young children, work in teams, make pairs of older and younger family members.)
