NATIONAL READ ACROSS AMERICA DAY (DR. SEUSS DAY)

Each year, National Read Across America Day is celebrated on March 2nd, the birthday of Dr. Seuss. The annual event is part of Read Across America, an initiative on reading creative by the National Education Association. Since the event is designed to encourage reading in children and is fostered through the schools, when March 2nd lands on a weekend, the day is observed on the closest school day.

This motivational and awareness day calls all children and youth in every community across the United States to celebrate reading. It encourages them to read where ever they are. Great ways to inspire reading in children include:

Keep books everywhere you spend time. Put them in the car, in every room of the house and tuck them in backpacks and purses. Make them easily accessible.

Visit the library often. Knowing how to use the library and learning the benefits of a library fosters a love of reading as well as a genuine respect for the services libraries provide.

Get caught reading. Children imitate what they see the adults around them do. Whether they see you read a magazine, newspaper or novel, let them know reading is the cool thing to do.

Read to your children. No matter their age, reading aloud strengthens their vocabulary and language skills. It also opens up opportunity for discussion.

Have your children read to you, too. You never know what you might learn!

HOW TO OBSERVE #ReadAcrossAmericaDay #DrSeussDay

Pick up an interesting book and read it. More importantly, read with a child. Use #ReadAcrossAmericaDay or #DrSeussDay to post on social media.

Parents and educators, visit the National Day Calendar® Classroom for ways to incorporate National Read Across America Day into your classroom.

For adults, here are a couple of recommendations for books:

NATIONAL READ ACROSS AMERICA DAY HISTORY

The first National Read Across America Day was held on March 2, 1998.

DATES

2020 March 2

2021 March 2

2022 March 2

2023 March 3

2024 March 1

2025 March 3

2026 March 2

2027 March 2

2028 March 2

2029 March 2