March 2 is the birthday of famed author Dr. Seuss and many elementary schools celebrate it as part of Read Across America week. How better to celebrate it than by making a hat like the one the Cat in the Hat

If you have young children or beginning readers, you know that Dr. Seuss books are a popular favorite. The books present clever stories that are enjoyable for adults to read to kids, intriguing for kids to listen to, and full of opportunities to develop skills in young readers. Babies and toddlers benefit from hearing the stories, which promotes brain development, speech skills, and bonding between parents and children. Some stories are available in durable board books.

What Kids Learn From Dr. Seuss

The books help new readers master phonics by helping children connect letters and sounds that make words and sentences. Because Dr. Seuss boundaries include repetitive sounds, a new reader comes away with the new skill after reading favorites like Cat in the or Hop on Pop. Even kids who do not like to read enjoy the entertaining rhymes of Dr. Seuss.

Beyond the kitschy rhymes, Dr. Seuss stories offer life lessons about responsibility, friendship, creativity, gratitude, and a whole lot more. It is no wonder that schools not only celebrate his birth and achievements every year but encourage kids to dress up for Dr. Seuss week.

The most popular costume for this week is the famous red and white hat worn by the Cat in the while there are many variations on this project, depending on the age of the child, but paper plates and construction paper can do the job. They are perfect for kids to wear while reading Dr. Seuss books in school and at home.

What You Need:

• Red and White construction paper
• Paper plates
• Scissors
• Glue
• Stapler

How To Do It

1. First, prepare to make the hats by cutting large sheets of red construction paper lengthwise into two-inch strips. Older kids can do the cutting themselves. You can also make white strips on a red construction paper background.
2. Cut out the middle circle of a paper plate.
3. Show kids how to spread the red strips parallel to each other on a large sheet of white construction paper. The result should be a red and white stripe effect. Once strips are in the right position, glue them to the white paper.
4. After the glue is dry, roll the hats into a cylinder and fit it inside the circle. Staple the cylinder in several places.
5. Cut 2 inch slits around the bottom of your paper cylinder and then bold and under the rim of the paper plate. Staple the ends to the plate. Fold them under the rim of the paper plate and staple them to secure each hate.
6. If the kids will be wearing the hats for a while, punch holes in each side of the plate and thread with yarn to make ties.

This project is manageable even by preschoolers, but with more adult help children can make more advanced versions, for example, here’s a version with pop up cats. You can also make the hat from felt.

How does your school celebrate Dr. Seuss week? Let us know in the comments below