This week, we are gearing up for Read Across America and preparing Dr. Seuss activities for preschoolers. Teaching literacy enrichment classes across all preschool age levels is one of the most rewarding parts of my job. It’s incredible to see my research in action—watching key science-focused literacy activities come to life before my eyes.
Each lesson reinforces how children’s literacy development unfolds in phases, even within the same classroom. And as the year progresses, I get to witness their growth and this progression from one classroom to the next is truly fascinating.
As Read Across America Day approaches, I thought that I would share my favorite Dr. Seuss activities for preschoolers. Below, I’ve put together age-appropriate lesson plans for children in the 2’s, 3’s, and 4’s classrooms.
Share these with your staff or a teacher friend, and let’s celebrate rhyming, reading, and the magic of Dr. Seuss.
Dr. Seuss Activities for Preschoolers
2’s Lesson: The Foot Book – Exploring Opposites & Body Parts
Before Reading
Oral Language: What Number is This? Find Pairs!
Write number 2 on the board. What number is this?
Discuss our body parts - name and touch all the things that we can 2 of!
Discuss FEET! Wiggle your feet, tap them together, stop your feet!
Introduce story!
Song: Head, Shoulder, Knees and Toes by Super Simple Songs
During Reading:
Story: The Foot Book by Dr. Seuss
Discuss the different colors and sizes of the feet in the book.
Practice opposites with body motions as you read.
Allow children to chime in with the rhymes.
How many feet do we meet in our class? Count the total feet!
After Reading:
Song: Walking, Walking by Kiboomers
Place different colored construction paper feet around the room.
Have children walk and hop on the feet while singing walking in a circle during the song.
Activity: How Many Feet?
Spread stuffed animals around the room.
Find a stuffed animal to bring to circle.
Go around the circle and count your feet!
Art Alphabet Extension:
Ff is for FEET!
Show giant paper that says "Ff is for Feet!"
Practice letter sound and body motion, and show children’s names that begin with Ff.
Take a marker and trace each child's foot on the piece of paper.
Dr. Seuss Activities for Preschoolers
3’s Lesson: Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? – Sounds & Rhymes
Before Reading
Listening Skills: Guess the Sound!
Play the sounds on YouTube: https://youtu.be/VdTzAVSnY1w
All on children to guess what the object is.
Reveal the object!
Alphabetic Knowledge: Can You Guess the Letter Name?
Choose one letter in the Moving Little Minds Alphabet Motion Flashcards.
Make a letter sound and body motion.
Allow children to guess the letter name.
Reveal the flashcard and play again!
Alphabetic Knowledge: Who Letter the Letter’s Out? by Dr. Jean
Get wiggles out by singing song while doing whole body motions from A-Z.
During Reading:
Story: Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You? by Dr. Seuss
Discuss the rhymes in the story and ask the children to chime in.
Encourage children to mimic the sounds as you read!
After Reading:
Song Break: I Know a Chicken by Laurie Berkner
Pass out egg shakers for the song.
Practice phonological awareness skills by shaking to each word apart in the chorus.
Activity: Animal Sound Charades
Print THESE animal sound cards.
Children pull a sound animal card from the bag and act it out.
Everyone guesses the animal and play again!
Dr. Seuss Activities for Preschoolers
4’s Lesson: Hop on Pop – Rhyming & Alphabetic Knowledge
Before Reading
Background Knowledge/Language: Who is Dr. Seuss?
Show a collection of classic Dr. Seuss books.
Does anyone know these books? What makes them unique? RHYMES!
Phonological Awareness: Balloon Rhyming Words
Review - What is a rhyme? Words that sound the same at the end2
Gather children in a circle on the carpet.
Choose a rhyming word family, like PIG
Toss the balloon in the sky and say a rhyming word as you tap it up.
Don't let the balloon touch the ground, but keeping tapping and rhyming with the word family.
If the balloon touches the ground, begin again with a new word family!
Alphabetic Knowledge: Alphabet Headbands
Shuffle the Moving Little Minds Alphabet Motion Flashcards.
Place the flashcard on your forehead, without looking at it.
Ask the children to make the sound and motion.
Guess the letter that is on your forehead. Were you correct?
Allow children to come to the front to hold the flashcards.
Start with a new flashcard and play again!
Alphabetic Knowledge: Who Letter the Letter’s Out? by Dr. Jean
Get wiggles out by singing song while doing whole body motions from A-Z.
During Reading:
Story: Hop on Pop by Dr. Seuss
Encourage children to chime in with the crazy rhymes.
After the story, use THESE rhyme cards. Can you figure out the rhyming pair?
After Reading:
Song Break: The Rhyming Song by the Learning Station
Art and Phonological Awareness: Rhyming Wands
Give each child a popsicle stick with a circle glued on top.
Cut up small pieces of light blue tissue paper.
Crumble the tissue paper and glue it onto the circle to represent the hair of Dr. Seuss’s Thing 1 and 2.
When the circle is covered, your rhyming wand is ready!
Walk around the room, waving your wand to rhyme with objects
Join the Celebration and Share the Fun!
I hope that you have a great week of silly rhymes and reading with these Dr. Seuss activities for preschoolers. How do you celebrate Read Across America? Share your favorite Seuss-inspired activities in the comments.
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We believe that every child deserves a bright future, and this begins with a strong foundation in early literacy skills. At Moving Little Minds, we are dedicated to providing research-based literacy activities in fun and engaging ways! By merging instruction with play, we ensure that children are reaching their full potential and embark on their educational journey well-prepared for the
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