Fun Activities to Celebrate “Read Across America Day”

Every year at the beginning of March, children across the country kick-off “National Reading Month” by celebrating the birthday of the beloved Dr. Seuss and the many characters that have been immortalized in his children’s books across the globe. Here are some Read Across America activities to help get the celebration started.

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” -Dr. Seuss

“Read Across America Day” is an annual reading program that calls for every child in every community to celebrate reading on March 2^nd. From a child’s first time hearing a story on their parent’s lap to an adult’s escape into the pages of an intriguing novel, reading plays a major role in our lives. Motivating children to read is an important factor in student achievement and creating lifelong successful readers.

“You’re never too old, too wacky, too wild, to pick up a book and read with a child!”- Dr. Seuss

Check out these fun and simple ways to celebrate “Read Across America Day.”

Get Theatrical.

Have your child read to you or act out their favorite story. Have them dress up like their favorite character. Help them use expressive voices and sound effects to bring the characters to life.

Blonde boy sitting at a private section of a library reaching over to his right side while he flips page of a book.

Throw a Reading Party.

Share a love for reading by inviting friends over for a Dr. Seuss themed reading party. Ask the attendees to dress up as their favorite Dr. Seuss character. And then get comfy with Dr. Seuss books, enjoy some Dr. Seuss themed snacks and talk about the timeless classics.

Visit your Local Library.

One of the classic Read Across America activities is to go on an adventure to the local library and let your children explore books that peak you’re their interests, such as animal books if you’ve recently visited the zoo, or books about food if you have an adventurous diner. Many libraries host story hours and special events for children.

Cook up Some Reading Fun.

Have fun in the kitchen with your kids and serve up some green eggs and ham or make a tasty Cat in the Hat snack by providing kids with wooden skewers and red and white foods. Have the kids alternate the red and white foods as they put them on the skewer and let them enjoy the snack as you read aloud.

Daughter sitting on mother'slap while reading a book. Surrounded by wooden walls with a map in the background and a globe next to them.

Make a connection between reading and writing.

Encourage creativity and imagination by having your child write a story. The goal is to create a sense of wonder and passion for reading.

Oh, the Places You’ll Go.

In spirit of one of Dr. Seuss’ most popular books, map out all of the places you and your children have read or are reading about on a U.S. or world map. Inspire reading 365 days a year and keep the project going. Every time your child reads about a new location, he can mark it on the map.

The National Education Association (NEA) launched Read Across America in 1998 to motivate children of all ages to read. The Kumon Reading Program is designed to build the critical reading skills that will help your child develop a lifelong love of reading. Give your preschooler a head start in reading, or your teen advanced reading and critical thinking skills. Learn more about the Kumon Reading Program here.