Happy Read Across America Day!!! And an early Happy Birthday to Dr. Seuss!
We have been celebrating reading and Dr. Seuss in our family since my oldest was just a toddler. When I was a teacher some of my favorite and most meaningful experiences occurred on or in preparation of Dr. Seuss’ birthday and I wanted to continue the excitement and love for reading with my own children.
We have been busy playing, reading, and learning with Dr. Seuss books at our house over the last few weeks. One of our favorites was the preschool math activities we did with The Cat in the Hat .
We read the story and then got out our Cat in the Hat hats. The kids used them to measure how many hats tall different objects were.
Non-standard measurement is a great way for kids to practice counting, learn to estimate, and introduce children to the concepts of length, width and height.
And lots of hands-on fun!
After we were done measuring, we took a good look at the hats and discovered that the stripes had a pattern! My 7 year old explained to the others that the stripes are an ABAB pattern. The kids practiced saying ABAB as they touched the red and white stripes and then we were ready to go on a Hat Pattern Hunt!
We went around the house and looked for things that also had an ABAB or, as we liked to call it, the Cat in the Hat pattern. The kids had lots of fun finding patterns and every time they found one we would check the hat cut out to verify that it was an ABAB pattern. Since doing this they have found Cat in the Hat patterns everywhere we go!
Join in the fun with Read Across America!
I love that Dr. Seuss has inspired so many to read and am so thankful that I have had the opportunity to experience it first hand. I had never really loved his book, There’s a Wocket in My Pocket!
This big, cool high schooler spent days practicing and totally rocked his performance! That day not only fostered a love of reading in the little kids who were attending, it made him and the other kids in my class love and value reading as well. Needless to say There’s a Wocket in My Pocket! now has a very special place in my heart!
More Cat in the Hat Activities:
- Cat in the Hat Math Activities
- Cat in the Hat Play Dough Mat
- Cat in the Hat Word Families
- Dr. Seuss Activities Pinterest Board
Great ideas! I love the measurement activity. I have never seen that Cat in the Hat activity! Fun.
Thanks Jackie! I’ve had those hats for a year and only thought to do it last week! Although now I’m sure we’ll do it many more times over the nest year. 🙂