Dr. Seuss's Birthday
Ranked #6,979 in Holidays & Celebrations, #117,657 overall | Donates to Room to Read
Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!
The first week of March is always a big celebration at our school. That is the time we enjoy all of the festivities surrounding the birthday of one of our favorite authors: Dr. Seuss! Dr. Seuss's Birthday is one of our favorite school traditions!
The Kentucky School for the Blind is a special place. All of the students are visually impaired and many have other disabilities as well. For this reason, all of our activities are mutli-sensory.
Our class sizes are small and the student:staff ratio is very small. This gives us the ability to do a lot of hands-on activities that require individualized attention. The activities I will share with you on this page are all easily adaptable to a typical classroom, public library, daycare or homeschool setting.
Celebrate Dr. Suess' Birthday on March 2 for a special treat, or expand the festivities to the first week or even the entire month of March. The important thing of this celebration is not when you observe it. The important thing is that the children see their school giving honor to a writer, a recognition normally reserved for sports figures and rock stars. Children are exposed to literature in a fun way. Reading is associated with fun, and literacy is promoted.
Photo credit
The Kentucky School for the Blind is a special place. All of the students are visually impaired and many have other disabilities as well. For this reason, all of our activities are mutli-sensory.
Our class sizes are small and the student:staff ratio is very small. This gives us the ability to do a lot of hands-on activities that require individualized attention. The activities I will share with you on this page are all easily adaptable to a typical classroom, public library, daycare or homeschool setting.
Celebrate Dr. Suess' Birthday on March 2 for a special treat, or expand the festivities to the first week or even the entire month of March. The important thing of this celebration is not when you observe it. The important thing is that the children see their school giving honor to a writer, a recognition normally reserved for sports figures and rock stars. Children are exposed to literature in a fun way. Reading is associated with fun, and literacy is promoted.
Photo credit
Contents at a Glance
Dr. Seuss Birthday Poll I
Loading poll. Please Wait...
Using Dr. Seuss's Birthday to Promote Reading
Our school librarian has used Dr. Seuss's Birthday to promote reading throughout our school.
- 1Select a period of time to hold your reading campaign. You could hold your campaign during the month of February and use Dr. Seuss's birthday to give out prizes at the end, or you could use the birthday celebration to kick off the reading event. Whatever you decide to do is fine. There are no hard and fast rules.
- 2Provide cut outs of Dr. Seuss hats. Each time a student reads a book he gets a hat to write down the title and author of the book.
- 3Post the Dr. Seuss hats in a special and prominent place in the school. If you want to have a competition, these could be posted outside classrooms or on opposite sides of the hallway.
- 4Keep the excitement going by announcing the number of books the school has read with the morning announcements, once or twice a week. Set a goal for the school, with a surprise at the end if the school meets its goal.
- 5Have plenty of Dr. Seuss books on display in the library for Dr. Seuss' Birthday and encourage students to read them.
- 6Reward participating students with incentives throughout the campaign.
- 7Decorate the classroom, library or entire school to promote your reading campaign and create excitement about reading.
Hats for Dr. Seuss' Birthday
Be sure to have several of these fun hats on hand for Dr. Seuss' birthday. The teacher or librarian in charge should definitely wear one!
These hats stimulate interest and create visual appeal during activities. Be sure to wear them while reading to students and wear them at random times throughout the campaign to create excitement.
These hats stimulate interest and create visual appeal during activities. Be sure to wear them while reading to students and wear them at random times throughout the campaign to create excitement.
Dr. Seuss Hat
Amazon Price: $8.99 (as of 05/31/2012)
Have a few of these on hand during your Dr. Seuss campaign. Add to your collection each year. These hats are available in a variety of sizes from toddler to adult.
Decorate for Dr. Seuss' Birthday
Great Ideas for Library or Classroom
Create excitement by decorating your library, classroom or school lobby with a Dr. Seuss theme. Be sure to set up some Dr. Seuss book displays in prominent places where students can access them.
Create a Dr. Seuss bulletin board or decorate your door with Cat in the Hat materials. With so many decorations available, it is easy to create this theme in your room.
Carry your theme out to the common areas of the school. It is hard to go overboard in the hallways with Dr. Seuss themed materials to keep students focused on their literacy goals during this fun celebration of reading!
Create a Dr. Seuss bulletin board or decorate your door with Cat in the Hat materials. With so many decorations available, it is easy to create this theme in your room.
Carry your theme out to the common areas of the school. It is hard to go overboard in the hallways with Dr. Seuss themed materials to keep students focused on their literacy goals during this fun celebration of reading!
Dr Seuss Classic Book Characters Party Centerpiece
Amazon Price: $5.99 (as of 05/31/2012)
An eye-catching centerpiece for your Dr. Seuss book display. Looks great on top of a bookcase or as part of a tabletop display.
Library Display for Dr. Seuss's Birthday
Happy Birthday to You, Dr. Seuss!
No celebration of Dr. Seuss' Birthday would be complete without reading this book!
Have some birthday hats and party favors on hand.
The reading of this book can be accompanied by a discussion of birthdays. For younger children, find out if each child knows his or her birthday. If not, this is a good opportunity to help them learn their birth date.
Share a Dr. Seuss birthday cake to top off the celebration!
Have some birthday hats and party favors on hand.
The reading of this book can be accompanied by a discussion of birthdays. For younger children, find out if each child knows his or her birthday. If not, this is a good opportunity to help them learn their birth date.
Share a Dr. Seuss birthday cake to top off the celebration!
Happy Birthday to You!
Amazon Price: $7.00 (as of 05/31/2012)
Dr. Seuss Birthday Party Decorations
On the big day, throw a birthday party for Dr. Seuss! Make sure the Cat in the Hat comes! Write a press release and invite your city newspaper or tv news crew to come cover your event as a human interest piece.
Have a special guest read Happy Birthday to You to your assembled guests. Announce your kick off or the winners of your reading contest. If you have a small group you could play some birthday party games (pin the tail on the Lorax?).
Have a big birthday cake to share with everyone!
Have a special guest read Happy Birthday to You to your assembled guests. Announce your kick off or the winners of your reading contest. If you have a small group you could play some birthday party games (pin the tail on the Lorax?).
Have a big birthday cake to share with everyone!
Dr. Seuss Plastic Tablecover Party Supplies
Amazon Price: $4.19 (as of 05/31/2012)
Plastic table cloth decorated with Dr. Seuss characters is perfect for the serving table at your Dr. Seuss Birthday Party!
What to Wear on Dr. Seuss's Birthday
Our librarian has quite a collection of special clothing to wear for Dr. Seuss's birthday. I think she has a different Dr. Seuss clothing item for each day of the week now. This makes it fun for the children to come to the library and see what she has on. Many of the outfits can be tied into the story of the day to create more interest and excitement around that day's theme.
Dr. Seuss Oversized Cat in the Hat Turquoise Blue Juniors T-shirt Tee
Amazon Price: (as of 05/31/2012)
Spotlight your favorite Dr. Seuss character on a stylish t-shirt. A variety of designs and characters are available. Wear a different one each day of your reading campaign!
A Visit from the Cat in the Hat
Dr. Seuss Birthday
Dr. Seuss' Birthday would not be complete with some visits from the Cat in the Hat. A few years ago, one of our high school students agreed to dress up in a Cat in the Hat costume and accompany the librarian when she read to the primary students. Before long the Cat was doing the reading in addition to his mischievous antics.These visits became not only a big hit, but a tradition! That student has graduated now, but returns to play his beloved role.
I love this video showing how one high school celebrated Dr. Seuss's birthday by reading to elementary students in their community.
curated content from YouTube
Cat in the Hat Costume
Dr. Seuss' Birthday
Your students will squeal with delight and excitement when the Cat in the Hat appears in their classroom to read them a story!
Could not locate item B005M9OEQ0. Please try again.Sorry, there are no results available from Amazon.
Bartholomew and the Oobleck
Dr. Seuss's Birthday
Every morning during Dr. Seuss's Birthday celebration, our elementary students gather together to read one of the Dr. Seuss books and participate in an activity related to the story. One of their favorites is reading Bartholomew and the Oobleck and then making some oobleck with the science teacher.When making oobleck with visually impaired students, I recommend using a table cover that contrasts with the color of the oobleck to maximize visibility.
At the end of the activity, put the oobleck into ziplock bags for the students to take home.
Bartholomew and the Oobleck: (Caldecott Honor Book) (Classic Seuss)
Amazon Price: $7.22 (as of 05/31/2012)
How to Make Oobleck for Dr. Seuss's Birthday
This young man gives a good demonstration of the fun kids can have with oobleck. The video gives an oobleck recipe and you can see it is very easy to make.
There are several ways you can do this.1) An adult can measure the cornstarch and water into the mixing container, then some helpers can stir. 2) Give each child a bowl and measure a small amount of cornstarch and water into each child's bowl, letting the child stir with a popsicle stick. 3) Let the children work in groups, with students measuring, mixing, making observations, then having a classroom discussion following the experiments.
There are several ways you can do this.1) An adult can measure the cornstarch and water into the mixing container, then some helpers can stir. 2) Give each child a bowl and measure a small amount of cornstarch and water into each child's bowl, letting the child stir with a popsicle stick. 3) Let the children work in groups, with students measuring, mixing, making observations, then having a classroom discussion following the experiments.
curated content from YouTube
Green Eggs and Ham
Dr. Seuss's Birthday
What kind of celebration of Dr. Seuss's Birthday would it be without some green eggs and ham?This is easier to do than it sounds. Just make sure you have some extra adult assistance!
Our teachers have everything set up and bring the students into the conference room the beginning of first period to read Green Eggs and Ham.
Before reading the story, ask the children if they have ever been afraid to try something new. Tell them you are reading a story about a child who did not want to try something new.
After reading the story, have a short discussion with the students about trying new things. Ask them if they ever felt afraid to try something new, but after they tried it they found out they liked it.
After the story, breakfast is served: a small plate of scrambled eggs with some green food coloring and a slice of ham. It does not need to be fancy, just enough to break the routine and make the students feel like they are doing something special.
Dr. Seuss - Sam Ham Circle Hoodie
Amazon Price: (as of 05/31/2012)
The perfect hoodie to wear for Green Eggs and Ham day!
Green Eggs and Ham (I Can Read It All by Myself Beginner Books)
Amazon Price: $4.50 (as of 05/31/2012)
More Great Ideas for Green Eggs & Ham
Dr. Seuss's Birthday
My friend, ChrissL, is a children's librarian with lots of terrific ideas for sharing Green Eggs and Ham with your students!
One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish
Dr. Seuss's Birthday
This book lends itself to a variety of activities for students from kindergarten through the intermediate grades. Younger students can focus on counting and colors. Older students could undertake a study of fish biology, which could include ecosystems, habitats and/or habitat preservation.
Storytime activities could include making fish out of paper plates. Give each child a paper plate. Cut out a triangle to form the fish's mouth. Attach the triangle to the rear of the fish to form a tail. Allow children to decorate their fish using whatever materials you have available. One suggestion is to glue on tissue paper squares to represent the fish's scales. Display the fish or send home to show parents.
Eat goldfish crackers for a storytime snack on this day.
Storytime activities could include making fish out of paper plates. Give each child a paper plate. Cut out a triangle to form the fish's mouth. Attach the triangle to the rear of the fish to form a tail. Allow children to decorate their fish using whatever materials you have available. One suggestion is to glue on tissue paper squares to represent the fish's scales. Display the fish or send home to show parents.
Eat goldfish crackers for a storytime snack on this day.
One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish Book & CD (Book and CD)
Amazon Price: $4.99 (as of 05/31/2012)
Following along while listening to the story on a CD helps emerging readers become fluent readers.
Dr. Seuss Fish Book One Fish Two Fish Turquoise Adult T-shirt Tee
Amazon Price: (as of 05/31/2012)
A One Fish, Two Fish T-shirt to wear with the pajama pants or a pair of jeans. Dr. Seuss clothing stimulates excitement about literacy at your school.
More Dr. Seuss Birthday Ideas on Squidoo
Rewards for Dr. Seuss's Birthday
Motivate your students to participate in your reading campaign with fun Dr. Seuss prizes and favors.
Raymond Geddes Dr. Seuss, Bookmarks, 50 per Bag, Assorted (66869)
Amazon Price: $9.99 (as of 05/31/2012)
Fun Dr. Seuss bookmarks are an inexpensive reward for reading or visiting the library to check out a Dr. Seuss book.
Dr. Seuss Birthday Poll II
Loading poll. Please Wait...
Dr. Seuss's Birthday Photos
Countdown to Dr. Seuss's Birthday
Dr. Seuss's Birthday: March 2, 2012
Thumbs Up if You Love Dr. Seuss!
This module only appears with actual data when viewed on a live lens. The favorite and lensroll options will appear on a live lens if the viewer is a member of Squidoo and logged in.
Read to a Child on Dr. Seuss's Birthday!
What is your favorite way to celebrate Dr. Seuss's Birthday?
What is your favorite Dr. Seuss book?
-
-
top_10
Mar 8, 2012 @ 11:59 am | delete
- I love Dr. Seuss! My favorite is probably The Lorax/Yurtle the Turtle.
-
-
-
grannysage Mar 7, 2012 @ 1:23 pm | delete
- I'm shocked. I didn't know what oobleck was. I need to go back to school.
-
-
-
billsolano
Mar 1, 2012 @ 1:40 pm | delete
- We love these books, reading with your child is a great way to celebrate...
-
-
-
gottaloveit
Feb 29, 2012 @ 3:34 pm | delete
- Very creative ideas. I love Dr. Seuss! You should put a poll on here about our favorite Seuss books (mine is "Are you my mother")...Blessed!
-
-
-
Comfortdoc Feb 25, 2012 @ 10:47 am | delete
- Great ideas to celebrate Dr. Seuss
-
-
-
gonzalezdenise
Feb 22, 2012 @ 11:12 am | delete
- You are very creative and your lens is wonderful. Very well designed.
-
-
-
vallain Feb 8, 2012 @ 12:00 am | delete
- Librarians and teachers will thank you for these ideas for Dr. Seuss' birthday. Well done.
-
-
-
JoshK47
Feb 2, 2012 @ 10:23 am | delete
- I love this! I'm a *huge* Dr. Seuss fan - my favorite book is probably either "You're Only Old Once" or "Oh, the Places You'll Go" Blessed by a SquidAngel!
-
-
-
OhMe Jan 25, 2012 @ 11:18 pm | delete
- Love your ideas for celebrating Dr. Seuss's Birthday! Fun!
-
-
-
nancycarol
Jan 25, 2012 @ 11:00 pm | delete
- I love 'em all...this man was so talented. Being able to keep a little kids interest, make them laugh and learn at the same time is a priceless ability. We are so fortunate that he came into the world. Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!
-
- Load More
by Frischy
Frischy is a writer and mom in Louisville, Kentucky.
- 136 featured lenses
- Winner of 35 trophies!
- Top lens » Tooth Fairy Ideas
Feeling creative?
Create a Lens!
Explore related pages
- Homemade Playdough Recipes and More Homemade Playdough Recipes and More
- Free Braille Books for Children Free Braille Books for Children
- Newbery Medal Winners, 1960-1969 Newbery Medal Winners, 1960-1969
- Newbery Medal Winners, 1970-1979 Newbery Medal Winners, 1970-1979
- Saint George and the Dragon Picture Book Study Saint George and the Dragon Picture Book Study
- Good Books For Children Good Books For Children
