March 2 was Dr. Seuss’ birthday which has been adopted as the annual date for National Read Across America Day, an initiative on reading created by the National Education Association.
March 2, I came to visit my Connecticut grandchildren and drove them to school as a special treat. It was Dr. Seuss day in first grade and everyone was in costume, even the teachers. I was so excited. I love Dr. Seuss books and almost forty years later can repeat many of the books from memory. I found them wonderful to teach a two year old to “read”. Repeating them over and over again the child memorized the book and reads.
Consider giving Dr. Seuss books and a beginning library as a baby shower gift. Consider beginning a Dr. Seuss library with your grandchild. Start with board books. One of this Grandma’s favorites is “hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb”. Yes, this is one I know forty years later! As it involves parts of a hand, you can hold fingers up, wiggle fingers, tap with fingers “on a drum.” You can start with this book as soon as a baby can sit.
Another early favorite is a counting book, “Ten Apples Up on Top”. Click here for the book. Ten Apples Up on Top!
For $14.97 you can get three beginning Dr. Seuss favorites. The Shape of Me and Other Stuff / The Foot Book / Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb (Bright and Early Board Books, Pack D)
You can buy a second set to bring as a visit gift for $13.57: The Little Blue Box of Bright and Early Board Books by Dr. Seuss (Bright & Early Board Books(TM))
Then you can go to more complicated books, cheaper to buy in collections, one and two. Dr. Seuss’s Beginner Book Collection (Cat in the Hat, One Fish Two Fish, Green Eggs and Ham, Hop on Pop, Fox in Socks)
Grandma’s favorite resource, the Oppenheimer Toy Awards, at www.toyportfolio.com recommends four Dr. Seuss items:
1. 2011 Gold Award to Dr. Seuss Wood Alphabet Puzzle. “Lift the gaily-painted wooden letters to uncover a surprise object that begins with the sound of each letter. Under the A is an airplane. Under the B a ball, etc. Favorite Dr. Suess characters are painted on the wooden frame, as well. Best of all, the raised letters are chunky enough for little hands to lift out and hold with ease. 3 & up. Age: Preschool, Early School Years.” $25 by clicking here
2. 2010 Platinum Award to a game called Dr. Seuss What’s in the Cat’s Hat? “Pull the big red and white hat out of the box and get ready for a fun time guessing game. Player One hides a household object inside the Cat’s Hat. Now Player Two draws a card that tells what question he can ask or what action he can take to discover what’s in the hat. Although this is a preschool game, there will need to be an adult who can read the cards – at least until they get familiar with the graphics. The cards do have good illustrations that show what the action or the question should be. But, an adult will sometimes be needed. The younger the players, the more the adult will need to do. Cards tell a player to use the peeking hole on the side of the hat, or smell the hat, touch it with their elbows, or ask what room the object comes from, what letter it starts with, or is it round, can you float it in the bathtub, etc. This is a jolly game that involves problem solving skills, communication skills, reasoning, and sensory awareness. A good choice for 2 or more players. It will be fun for mixed ages, but probably best for beginning readers. 3 & up. Age: Preschool, Early School Years.” $17.55. Click here:
3. 2009 Platinum Award to a game called Dr. Seuss Super Stretchy ABC Game. “Twirl the “tornado” and letters to play magically appear on the small board. These are the letters kids need to touch with a hand, foot or ear displayed next to the letter. It’s a lot like your old game of Twister, but this is for those flexible little kids who are learning their letters. The giant size play mat is ideal for play dates, parties and family gathering where active play can have some extra learning power built in. For 2-4 players, ages 3 and up. This game will be ideal for early school years kids, although many preschoolers will like it as well. Age: Preschool, Early School Years.” $18.64. You can click here
4. 2004 Gold Award to puppets: Dr. Seuss Hand Puppets. “The Cat in the Hat, The Grinch, Max, and even Horton are some of the favorite Seuss characters that you can bring to life with these easy-to-use hand-puppets. New for , the Lorax. Also fun, Scufflies puppets ($10 each) done in wacky purple, blue, or red fabric—easy to operate for small puppeteers. 3 & up. Age: Preschool,Early School Years.” $20. You can click here:
A previous game winner that is this Grandma’s personal favorite is Dr. Seuss, Cat in the Hat, I Can Do That Game. The description on www.amazon.com is: “The Cat In the Hat I Can Do That! Game gets your kids up and moving in with imaginative, fun-filled and funny activities.
As well as providing energizing fun, this innovative game will help foster a sense of confidence in your children. It has won several awards, including the Parents’ Choice Gold Award, the National Parenting Center Seal of Approval, and the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Best Toy Award. It has also been listed as one of the Dr. Toy 10 Best Creative Products. I Can Do That! Is for kids ages four through eight and is designed for two to four players, making this an ideal family game. This is not your traditional board game. I Can Do That! comes with imaginative props inspired by the classic children’s book The Cat In the Hat by Dr. Seuss, as well as a deck of color-coded cards that provide funny, challenging activities. To start, a player picks one of each of the three color cards. Taken together, the cards create a fun and funny activity the player is challenged to do. For example, Card 1 could read “Take Four Giant Steps,” Card 2 “With the Cake,” and Card 3 “On your head!”
Each card also has one, two, or three stars on it for score keeping purposes. If the player wants to take the challenge, he says “I can do that!” and proceeds. If he succeeds, he keeps the cards in his own scoring pile. If he doesn’t think he can do the activity, he can re-draw until he gets an activity that he can do. But watch out: if he draws a “Stop!” card, he must give up his cards and end his turn. The player with the most stars in the scoring pile wins the game.” $17.44 at Cat in the Hat I Can Do That! Game
Grandma can go to YouTube and “watch” the books in video form to pass six to thirty minutes with a grandchild. See “Green Eggs and Ham,” as an example, which has links to other Dr. Seuss books and videos. Click here for movie.
Grandma can continue to great Dr. Seuss movies, all available for about $15 each, and spend relaxing time with grandchildren. You can view the Dr. Seuss moview by clicking here.
Then Grandma can party and dress grandchildren in Dr. Seuss tee shirts for babies to adults. I loved seeing a family of four children at an event wearing Thing 1, Thing 2, Thing 3 and Thing 4 tee shirts. You can combine some books with a Dr. Seuss onesie for a shower gift too! Dr. Seuss fun clothing – click here
A Dr. Seuss party would not be special if you did not make at least one Dr. Seuss inspired recipe! You can click here.
Never enough Dr. Seuss! For everything under the sun Dr. Seuss try clicking here.
Joy,
Mema
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