It’s Birthday Week at The Football House!
The FW’s Mama, Coach, AND…
Dr. Suess!
Every year, for the past twelve years, the National Education Association celebrates Read Across America Day on the day of Dr. Suess’s birth — March 2nd! That’s tomorrow! You still have time to head to the library and collect some great titles to read with your children!
At the Football House, there’s a lot of reading going on these days. Anytime that toddler of mine gets cranky, I just have to say, “Do you want to go read?” and she’s instantly a different kid. We grab a stack of board books and head to our comfy spot on the couch. Here’s a list of our favorites:
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Jamberry by Bruce Degen
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Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb by Al Perkins
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Counting Cockatoos by Stella Blackstone
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Bear on a Bike by Stella Blackstone
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Bear About Town by Stella Blackstone
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The Foot Book by Dr. Suess
Believe it or not, Babycakes would rather read than watch Elmo — shocking, huh? Sometimes, I’ll catch her sitting by herself with “Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb” and she’s totally reading it! “Dum, Dum, Dum, Dum… Monkey!” – she says it with the rhythm in which I read it. THAT is so gratifying to me as a parent!
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The teacher in me can’t help but add that reading with your children is an important factor in student achievement and creating successful readers! Not flash cards, not Baby Einstein movies — reading! Children who spend more time reading, do better in school.
What books do you read together as a family?
What are your favorites?
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
This post makes me happy. As a fellow (former) teacher, I think books are SO important. We’ve got baskets of Molly’s books all over the house and I can’t help myself from buying her new ones all the time. She loves to hold the books and look at the pictures and then eat them. Thank goodness for board books at this stage, right?
Some of our current favorites are:
Hug, Jez Alborough
anything by Olivier Dunrea
Sandra Boynton board books
Kiss Goodnight, Amy Hess
And Molly loves to look at the pictures in the Karen Katz books…she loves the round faces.
I could go on and on…happy reading to your family!
Yes…The Cat in the Hat is visiting my daughters first grade class today. She is so excited! I, too, miss Read Across America Day. I always made big, tall Dr. Seuss hats with my second graders. What fun to D.E.A.R.!! Our fave book: Oh the Places You’ll Go!!
We read all the time here. I think learn to love books starts early. Stopping from SITS!
Aaaah….glad you are encouraging reading at a young age. Check out http://melonbelly.blogspot.com/2010/02/lets-party.html for some ideas for Read Across America/Dr. Seuss bday!
Oh my goodness. Such a sweet picture of your sweet baby : )
We read every night. Even when it is late and I am tired : ) Now that he is in 4th grade I let him read half a chapter to me and then I finish. We love Joey Pigza : ) and we also love Ramona. We just read Little House on the Prarie. Reading is our favorite pastime : ) Awesome post. I am visiting from Jill’s Scary Mommy blog tonight. I saw your comment there and popped over to say hi : )
PS My son was SO super psyched to get Birthday cake today for Dr. Suess’s Birthday!
Awwwwwww- co cute
We agree- LOTS of reading around here- we like Eric Carle, Beverly Cleary, Dr Suess, Caroline Haywood (Betsy books)