Celebrating Dr. Seuss & Read Across America Day

Yesterday was a very big day in our home! We celebrated Dr. Seuss' birthday and participated in Read Across America Day. Grace and Jack started off this great day by making their own Dr. Seuss inspired fun-in-a-box. In Dr. Seuss' book, The Cat in the Hat, the cat is famous for releasing Thing 1 and Thing 2 from his own "fun-in-a-box." Grace and Jack painted and decorated their own "fun-in-a-box" and later filled them with their own fun items!

Jack got right into making his "fun-in-a-box!" Way to go, Jack!

Here are Grace and Jack's finished boxes. Jack chose blue and green paint for his fun box and Grace chose purple paint for hers. Grace added lots of glitter to her paint and as a finishing touch added glitter hearts, birthday stickers, and poms.

I asked Grace and Jack if they were the Cat in the Hat, what would they keep in their "fun-in-a-box"? It was so much fun for me watching them fill their boxes with fun items. This project celebrated a wonderfully imaginative children's book and it was a great way to inspire Grace and Jack's imaginations too!

Here are Grace and Jack sharing their "fun-in-a-boxes" together. It was so sweet watching them share their items with each other. We later took the boxes outside, went on a nature walk and gathered natural items to put inside the boxes.
You couldn't possible celebrate Dr. Seuss' birthday without eating green eggs! I secretly added some spinach to Grace and Jack's eggs. They were both delighted by their Dr. Seuss breakfast surprise.

After breakfast Grace and Jack made Dr. Seuss shirts. Grace asked to have a Cat in the Hat shirt. Grace used red fabric paint to paint the bow tie and hat on the cat.

Here is Grace's finished shirt!

Jack chose green paint so I made him a Green Eggs and Ham shirt. Jack used the green paint to paint the ham and eggs!

...and I don't think there was any better way to honor Dr. Seuss and Read Across America Day than to sneak in a book (or two...or ten!) throughout the day.

Here is a poem that I read to Grace and Jack yesterday to affirm our strong dedication to reading:

I promise to read
Each day and each night.
I know it’s the key
To growing up right.

I’ll read to myself,
I’ll read to a crowd.
It makes no difference
If silent or loud.

I’ll read at my desk,
At home and at school,
On my bean bag or bed,
By the fire or pool.

Each book that I read
Puts smarts in my head,
‘Cause brains grow more thoughts
The more they are fed.

So I take this oath
To make reading my way
Of feeding my brain
What it needs every day.

Words by Debra Angstead