Read Across America Day Kids’ Activities
March 2nd is Read Across America Day! This day celebrates all things books, as well as the famous Dr. Seuss’s birthday. Founded in 1997, Read Across America Day helps to spread the word that reading is important. What can you do to mark this day? Check out these book-based ideas.
Hold a Book Drive
Not every child has access to (or the ability to buy) books. Set up a book drive at your local library, school or community center. Ask families to bring in their gently used books. Box up the donations and bring them to a women and children’s center, local day care or Head Start center or partner with a community charity organization (they will take care of finding homes for the book donations).
Stage a Community Book Reading
Invite an author to your school or community center to read. If you can’t find a suitable children’s author, pick a book (or a theme and several books) and have a librarian, teacher or local actor play the role of reader.
Have a Read-A-Thon
How many books can the kids in your neighborhood, or at your school, read in an hour? An afternoon? A day? Hold a group read-a-thon and tally up the totals. You can turn this into a charity event, asking the readers to find donors. Each donor donates a specific amount of money (whatever they want to) per book read. Donate the funds to a local charity that supports literacy-based activities or education.
