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We love Dr. Seuss books and have a large collection of Dr. Seuss books. One of the kids’ favorite is The Cat in the Hat .

Today we are sharing a Cat in the Hat Craft that can be done after you read the book or to celebrate Dr. Seuss’s birthday. The painting technique used on this craft is a favorite of mine.

Dr. Seuss’s birthday is March 2nd. Dr. Seuss would be 112 this year. He is no longer with us, but his legacy lives on in his books.

The Cat in the Hat is one of the most popular of Dr. Seuss’s books. A giant mischievous cat in a hat shows up, transforming the dull day into a magical adventure for Sally and Dick and almost wrecking the place in the process!

Supplies:

Cost: under $5

Paper Plate

The Cat in the Hat template for hat

White cardstock

Red construction paper or cardstock

Black paint

Fork

Glue stick

Black maker

Directions:

This craft project has a few steps and requires some assemsbly. My preschooler was able to do it with help from me. You can see her finished Cat in the Hat below.

1. Using a plastic fork paint the outside rim of the back of a paper plate black and allow to dry.

2. While the paint is drying, print the hat template on white card stock.

3. Cut 3 stripes of red paper and glue them to the hat, leaving space between each red stripe to make a red and white striped hat. Another option is to paint red strips on the hat, which is what my preschooler chose (see below).

4. Glue the hat to the top of the paper plate and use a black marker or crayon to draw a face on the cat.

Ideas for Learning & Development:

As a mom, I like to find ways to incorporate learning into every day activities. These times are especially helpful if you have child, who is resistant to sitting down and doing learning activities. Here are some preschool level things to talk about while doing this craft:

Colors (red, white, black)

Shapes (circle for face and rectangle stripes on the hat)

Math (count how many stripes are on the hat and look at the pattern the stripes make)

Phonics (rhyming words cat-hat)

Creating a craft and having a final product that they are proud of is a great self confidence builder for kids.

Here’s the Cat in the Hat craft completed by my preschooler that she proudly showed her siblings and daddy and then hung on the refrigerator.

What’s your favorite Dr. Seuss book?