Celebrating National Reading Awareness Month

Students and educators across the nation are celebrating the National Education Association’s National Reading Awareness Month in March. Kiddie Academy of Abingdon pre-school students have been studying various authors and sharing ways they celebrate their favorites leading up to this nationally recognized celebration. On March 2nd, led by teachers Amy Sauers and Brie Brown, the class kicked off the month hosting an inventive “Dress as Your Favorite Character Day.”

Kiddie Academy student learns through play at the sensory station.

“For eight weeks we’ve been studying different authors beginning with Mo Willems and ending with our current author, Dr. Seuss,” said Brown. “Our class was so excited to participate in Read Across America Day because it is also Dr. Seuss’s Birthday.” Brown and Sauers used inspiration from several Dr. Seuss classics they read with their class in “learn through play” activity stations set up throughout the classroom. Students brought in their favorite books and dressed up as their favorite characters.

According to the National Childcare Accreditation Council, children’s learning and development is enhanced when they make choices and guide their own experiences through their individual interests, personalities and skills. Children’s learning occurs through planned and spontaneous experiences, during their participation in daily routines and through their experience of positive modeling by adults and peers.

Kiddie Academy Pre-School teachers, Amy Sauers (left) and Brie Brown (right), dress up and pose with their favorite children’s book in celebration of Read Across America Day.

Kiddie Academy’s proprietary  Life Essentials curriculum provides children with countless opportunities for learning and growing. “Our students love learning through play and we always strive to incorporate hands-on learning,” said Sauers.  Brown and Sauers shared their personal favorite Seuss books and linked them to various activity stations for their students to enjoy.

As adults, there’s plenty we can do to help contribute to children, their play time and learning space. By providing a variety of play experiences, we are allowing children to try new things and fuel their creativity. Celebrate National Reading Awareness Month by trying these learning stations at home!

Math Station

Students read Dr. Seuss’s One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish  learning rudimentary math while counting fish in a entertaining mathematics worksheet.

Art Station 

In the spirit of “Wacky Wednesday” , this class demonstrated their extra wacky talents by turning the table over to make an “upside down” art station.

Writing Station 

Inspired by Dr. Seuss’s “The Cat in the Hat,” students customized their red and white striped hat by writing their names on the hat.

Dramatic Play Station 

After reading Dr. Seuss’s “If I Ran the Zoo”, imaginations ran wild as students shared their ideas how to run a zoo.

Science & Engineering Station

Students read Dr. Seuss’s “Hunches and Bunches”  then worked together designing and constructing a track with bunches of links.

Sensory Station 

Students dug into “slimy” fun after reading Dr. Seuss’s “Bartholomew and the Oobleck.”

Technology Station 

After reading “Dr. Seuss’s ABC’s”, students fished for letters with an interactive touchscreen game on the classroom’s smart board.

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