Edmonds Kind of Play: Ways to engage kids in reading and support school libraries

Jen Marx
Jen Marx

Whenever I get into a real parenting pinch, you know, the stuff no one told you to expect while expecting, I quote Dr. Seuss while trying to figure out what to do. My go-to’s are “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind” and “Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.”

The truth is, I botch them while trying to remember exactly what they say, always hoping I’m not mixing in quotes from “Hop on Pop” or “One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish.” Using Dr. Seuss in parenting isn’t new; this post on Imgur has been viewed 25 million times. The post from 2012 features a recent high school graduate who received a copy of Dr. Seuss’ “Oh, the Places You’ll Go” from her Dad. He told her “Every year, for the past 13 years, since the day you started kindergarten I’ve gotten every teacher, coach, and principal to write a little something about you inside this book.” I’d heard of this as a trend, a very Pinterest-y thing to do, but I didn’t know someone had started it so long ago!

My latest parenting pinch is having a reluctant reader, so I am always on the lookout for ways to get him willing to read. Thankfully, being in Edmonds, that hasn’t been hard and, this particular weekend, Dr. Seuss is again in my parenting bag of tricks! To commemorate his birthday, which is March 2, the National Education Association is sponsoring a Read Across America Day. Communities and schools across the country hold all kinds of reading events to “create a nation of readers,” and Edmonds is no different. Saturday, Feb. 28, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., “It’s a Fantastical, Seussational Reading Celebration!” Guest Readers, including local teachers and Superintendent Nick Brossoit, will be sharing stories at both Revelations Yogurt and The Edmonds Bookstore.

While at Revelations, you can get a “Cat Walk” Map to find the Cat in the Hat hidden at some downtown Edmonds businesses. During your “Cat Walk” you will find Thing 1 and Thing 2 at Hazel Miller Plaza, near Cheesemonger’s Table, and The Cat in the Hat will be at Coldwell Banker from 1 to 3 p.m.

Lynnwood Bowl & Skate is also getting in on the action. Every time you bowl between March 2-5, 50 percent of your bowling fee will go toward buying books for our school libraries! On Monday, March 2, if you come dressed as a Dr. Seuss character, all of your bowling fee will go to the school libraries. The classroom with the most bowlers will win a FREE Skate and Pizza Party.

Edmonds has another literacy program, one that we have been attending with the exact intended result. The Edmonds Library welcomes “Reading with Rover” on a regular basis, and while I’d written about it in the past, I had never taken advantage of it. My oldest was pretty excited about reading, and so I never felt motivated to make it even more interesting. That was until my youngest needed prodding, and frankly, some bribing to read now that it’s time. We’ve been taking him to Reading with Rover for a couple of months now; he’s earned his tote bag for attending five times, and it was a hit from the beginning. A kid who squirmed and pretended he knew less than he did sat confidently flipping the pages of his Bob book in front of the his new furry friends. Reading with Rover’s website explains, “ A child that may be hesitant to read aloud to his peers is typically less stressed when reading to a dog and the dog never judges the child’s reading ability.” They also quote a study showing “the presence of pets reduces blood pressure of children reading aloud.” I couldn’t have imagined that it would make the difference that it’s made, but now both kids love the event with my youngest actually excited to go and read. The next Reading with Rover is Saturday, March 7 at 11 a.m.

Quick side note: While you are in downtown Edmonds on Saturday for the Reading Celebration, the Edmonds Library is having its “4th Saturday Lego Slam.” From 2 to 3:30 p.m., kids ages 5 and up can attend this open session for Lego building. Last time I was at the library, I saw that they had the kids’ creations on display. Not only is it exciting for the kids to see their work on display, but considering my MO, it’s a great way to keep them coming back to the library.

– By Jen Marx

Jen Marx, an Edmonds Mom of two young boys, is a traffic reporter by dawn and writer and PBJ maker by day. She is always looking for a fun place to take the kids that makes them tired enough to go to bed on time. You can find her trying to make sense of begging kids to ” just eat the mac n cheese” at SnackMomSyndrome.com. If you have a kid-friendly event you’d like to share, email her at play@myedmondsnews.com.

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