How to Celebrate Read Across America Day With Your Kids

Read Across America Day is celebrated each year on the first Monday in March. It is timed to coincide with the birthday (March 2) of Theodore Geisel (Dr. Seuss). It's an opportunity to embrace special book-related events and celebrate the joy of reading. Use the unofficial holiday as an excuse to read with your kids and create activities for the whole week.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Books
• Activities
• Dedicated time
• Lots of smiles and hugs!

1. Announce the festivities so the kids can get excited about the special status of the week.
2. Cruise your shelves, then the book stores (online and off) for Dr. Seuss Books and other favorite titles (see link in Resources below for complete list of available titles). Grab Dr. Seuss hats for everyone to wear during the reading (see Resources below).
3. Order book plates for your kids so they can label and loan their favorites just like the libraries do. Google keywords "children's bookplates" for a million ideas.
4. Inspire the kids to each decorate a door in the house like a book. Have craft supplies on hand to create the works--think craft paper, animals, pipe cleaners, markers, colored construction paper..the works!
5. There's more than just books to read. Print out copies of the hilarious Reader's Theater plays offered on Aaron Shepard's Reader's Theater website (see Resources below). Assign parts to family members, including pets (the kids can take turns being the family pets).
6. Pass it on! As kids get older they outgrow books. Help them collect the titles they think they are ready to part with and donate them to a hospital or children's charity.
7. Dinnertime is the perfect forum for discussions. Ask the kids to bring something to the table to read and discuss. It can be anything: the newspaper, a catalog, a CD jacket. They just have to be ready to start a discussion with the material. You'll be surprised at how creative they can be.
8. Download printable crafts and activity sheets to include during the week (see Resources below).
9. Whip up a Dr. Seuss menu one night for dinner. Green eggs and ham anyone?
10. Finish the week with a Dr. Seuss movie viewing. Google keywords "Dr. Seuss Movies" for resources. The kids could create custom popcorn buckets and write down their favorite part of your "Read Across America Week."

Tips & Warnings

• It doesn't have to be Read Across America Day to do these things with your kids--any day is a good day to read with them!
• Don't specifically ban TV for the week, but see if you can inspire the kids to to participate in the activities instead of hours of TV. Every little bit of reading helps!