Libraries are more than books. Some kids need a little direction to get the creative juices flowing. I gleaned the following from PUBYAC contributors. If you're a member, check out the archives for 1-2-2009; 1-3-2009; 2-15-2008; 1-15-2007; 3-19-2012 (Lorax Program). Please add YOUR comments. Your colleagues would appreciate hearing what works, and what didn't!

see also: http://www.seussville.com/, There's lots of information on various web sites

For more offerings, see: Programs-Theodor Seuss Geisel

Theodor Seuss Geisel, (Dr. Seuss)

b. March 2, 1904 in Springville, Massachusetts

d. September 24, 1991

He wrote 44 books for children.

If you've read about Yertle, and Green Eggs and Ham,

And the Cat in the Hat, and the cute Sam-I-Am,

If you've heard about Horton and Gerald McGrew,

And the Grinch and the Lorax and Cindy-Lou Who,

Then listen up now, there is no excuse,

Let's see what you know about Dr. Seuss.

--Seussville website

INVITATIONS:

March 2, Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss
Suggested for 6-11 yrs.

DRESS:

Crazy Hair Salon: Get a volunteer(s) to do crazy hairdos with feathers, pipe cleaners and little colored rubber bands.

REFRESHMENTS:

Cake--If you're celebrating his birthday!
Goldfish crackers
Apple juice
Cat-in-the-Hat Hat (see below)

DECORATIONS:

5-6 tables for crafts, use colorful plastic tablecloths
Birthday banner, if celebrating his birthday.

FAVORS/CRAFTS:

Make-Your-Own Seuss Hat: Print out templates of Cat and the Hat hat, Horton Elephant ears, and a Daisy--for Daisy-Head Mayzie, on card-stock. The kids color, and cut out. The pieces are then stapled on a card-stock headband.
Seuss Door Hanger Craft--Color and add stickers & jewels.
Put out green play-doh, for the kids to design their own Green Eggs and Ham.
Use pictures from the various web sites for the kids to color.
Seuss pencil to take home, along with a copy of a word search.
Sneetches Wands: Use straws, die-cut stars, and ribbon.
For older kids we've done "design what you'd catch in McElligot's Pool- just get lots of fish shapes from Oriental Trading, crayons, markers, sequins, foam pieces, wacky things like feathers, fabric scraps, etc.
Make your own Gertrude McFuzz--provide a basic bird shape and have the children add all the color, eyes (nothing like googly eyes even for 5th graders!), and a HUGE assortment of feathers.
Using red, white, and blue pipe cleaners, children make their own “thing.” This can be as simple or complex as the kids want to get. Let them decorate using pompoms, wiggle eyes, etc. The kids enjoyed using their imagination on this one....
Read On Beyond Zebra, then challenge the children to come up with their own letter and animal to go with it, then illustrate it. You just need basic drawing/writing supplies, but their imaginations can take them farther with it - some may write whole stories about their animals. If teachers want, they can get into habitats, food, etc. for their animals.

GAMES:

One Fish, Two Fish/McElligot's Pool Fishing: Attach paper clips to colored cardstock fish, and kids use dowels with magnets on the end to fish.
Cat in the Hat Balancing Act: The kids walk back and forth, balancing as many bean bags on their heads as they can.
Hop & Pop: Cut up sheets of big bubble wrap for the kids to pop/jump on.
Help Cat in the Hat Clean Up: The kids throw balls of newspaper into a Cat in the Hat hat.
Rhyming:

The kids have to match pictures that rhyme. The pictures should be laminated. There could be five sets of three pictures that rhyme.
Place individual words in a hat/box. Give several children the chance to pick one word from the hat. Post the word, and have the children see how many rhyming words they can think of--write the words on a blackboard or flip chart.
Have the group write a couple of poems.

A hat hunt: Print small hats on colored construction paper. Hide them in the area where your program is. At the end of the program, kids cash in their hats for stickers. Each color is worth a different amount. You may want to laminate the hats to use them over again.
Snatch the Hat: Place a small chair with the back to a wall. A hat is placed under the chair. The child sitting on the chair is blindfolded. Another child tries to snatch the hat without the child in the chair "touching" them. Once the player snatches the hat successfully, they become the next protector of the hat. (Give several children a chance to participate.)
The Cat in the Hat Says "Who Said That?"
Pin the

hat on the Cat in the Hat;
items on Thidwick's antlers;
star on the Sneetch

PROGRAM:

5 Activity Stations usually is the most that you'd want
Explain a little about Dr. Seuss
Sing a song as a group: "Put your red fish in, put your red fish out, you do the Dr. Seussy and you turn yourself about..."
Discuss which is your favorite Dr. Seuss book? Why?

SPECIAL SCULPTURE:

Create a paper sculpture where all ages can get involved. Use light cardboard or card stock for a base and put out a big selection of paper scraps - especially strips. You may want to do an example ahead of time - make a 3D sculpture by bending the strips in loops, stair steps, or whatever strikes your fancy. Create several interconnected strips and then add things like strips rolled around a pencil to make a curl that can be moved along a narrow strip, "flags", accordion fold strips, etc. It's best to have both tape and glue sticks available as it's easiest to tape the ends of the paper to the base.

For a special event you could also put out stickers, pom-poms, pipe cleaners, etc. to add to the sculpture. Save the scraps from the paper cutter in a stationery box and when you have enough do the craft. (Ask your coworkers!)

EDIBLE CRAFT: White icing, base cookie (can be any kind, so long as it isn't too soft), red lifesavers. Alternate white icing between red lifesavers.

More offerings--Dr. Seuss

Seuss Program