Story highlights Thursday marks "National Read Across America Day"

Last week, Trump executed her first major social event at the White House

(CNN) First lady Melania Trump made a surprise visit to New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center Thursday, meeting and reading to children in the pediatrics unit playroom.

Thursday marks "National Read Across America Day," as well as Dr. Seuss' birthday (he would be 113 this year).

"Do you know what is today? It's reading day. So it's reading day and I came here to encourage everyone to read, and to just think about books and what you want to achieve in life and just extend your horizon and think very, very outside of the box," she said in the brightly colored playroom filled with toys and activities.

After visiting with the children, the first lady read "Oh! The Places You'll Go!" which is her and son Barron's favorite book, per a statement from the first lady's office. An aide to the first lady delivered a box filled with an assortment of Dr. Seuss classics.

Trump isn't the only first lady to celebrate the rhyming children's book author: Michelle Obama hosted a Cat in the Hat, two "Things" and 36 elementary school students clad in red and white hats in the East Room of the White House in January 2015 for a reading of "Oh! The Things You Can Do That Are Good For You," as part of her Let's Move initiative.

@MichelleObama, 36 eight year-olds, two Things, and a Cat in a Hat A post shared by Betsy Klein (@betsyklein) on Jan 21, 2015 at 12:05pm PST

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