Oh, the Places You’ll Go!

 dr. seuss

March is National Reading Month and kids around the country will kick off this fun time by celebrating the birthday of Dr. Seuss. The goal of National Reading Month and Read Across America is to motivate and encourage kids to read every day. Not only is reading fun, but research findings by the National Early Literacy Panel found that literacy skills begin to develop at birth which contributes to a child’s later success with reading and writing.

National Reading Day

Monday, March 2 is National Reading Day and it’s the perfect time to enjoy reading with your child(ren). The recommended book for this day is Oh, the Places You’ll Go by Dr. Seuss which is a childhood favorite for many. Make reading exciting for younger kids by presenting them with a certificate when they read on March 2. Click here for a downloadable certificate to use.

Reading Plus

Reading is just one way to celebrate National Reading Month. Check out these fun ways to engage young children who aren’t quite ready to read yet.

  1. Have pajama day. Kids love pajama day and they’ll be comfortable and cozy reading.
  2. Sing the alphabet song. This familiarizes young children with sounds and helps them learn the letters.
  3. Play I-Spy. Choose a letter and have children find the letter on pictures, posters, books, cereal boxes, billboards, or anywhere else.
  4. Play games. Magnetic letters, alphabet blocks, and puzzles are a great way to encourage literacy skills.
  5. Explore interactive games. The Starfall website is an excellent resource for young readers. It’s fun and educational. You will find activities that help children learn letter names and sounds with music and animation. There are dozens of animated games and resources on this site.
  6. Beat the clock. Open a book and have kids point to, and name, as many letters and numbers as they can in 30 seconds.

Engage older kids in reading too. National Reading Month is not just for younger children. Encourage reading and provide kids with rewards for reading. Take them to the library or visit a local bookstore and grab an age appropriate book to read. Make reading a family event.

Set an Example

Set a great example for your children by letting them see you read often. Set aside a time to read each day, even if it’s only for 10 minutes. Children of all ages learn by watching their parents. It’s an easy way to help them develop healthy literacy habits – and a great way for you to get some reading time too!

Celebrate March as National Reading Month and help create skills that will benefit your children for a lifetime. Leave a comment below to let us know how you’re celebrating. Our readers would love to know!

 

Read Across America Poem

You’re never too old, too wacky, too wild,
To pick up a book and read with a child.
You’re never too busy, too cool, or too hot,
To pick up a book and share what you’ve got.

In schools and communities,
Let’s gather around,
Let’s pick up a book,
Let’s pass it around.

There are kids all around you,
Kids who will need
Someone to hug,
Someone to read.

Come join us [March 2nd]
Your own special way
And make this America’s
Read to Kids Day.

©Anita Merina