Mix and Match Outfits Activity and “The Cat in the Hat” Book Review

by Ashley Beecher

The Cat in the Hat, by Dr. Seuss, is a well-loved classic and we all know why. The catchy rhymes, funny story, and ridiculous situations steal children’s attention and have them laughing by the end. Every kid can relate with boredom and most kids have gotten themselves into trouble when they have nothing to do. Plus, the characters are so memorable they’ve become iconic. What’s not to love?

Thankfully, parents will love this book for all of the helpful reading strategies. Adults find rhyming simple, but children must learn and practice this skill to improve their reading ability. This book provides a lavish amount of rhymes for children to point out. The book is also longer than the average picture book, but still full of familiar words for new readers to build their attention span.

Beyond the text, the story offers lessons for children as well. Boredom provides children with an opportunity to be creative and use their imagination (although sometimes the results get chaotic for parents). Children can imagine new games, ways to work, or even think up their own stories. On top of everything else, the cat teaches kids to clean up the messes they make, when he returns to clean up the giant mess he left in the house. No parent will argue with that life lesson.

To buy this book on Amazon, click here.

With a selection of stuffed animals and clothing items, make as many combinations as you can and record them all. Get creative by finding new uses for the clothing items, instead of having your stuffed animal wear it the way you would.

Supplies:

Outfit Record Printout, two or three stuffed animals/dolls, two or three items of clothing (i.e. hats, socks, small shirts, scarves)

Directions:

1. Lay out your stuffed animals and clothing items.Label the first row on the chart with a picture of the stuffed animal or its name. Dress it in each item of clothing separately, then make combinations and record each one in the boxes provided.
2. Repeat the process in the second row with the second stuffed animal. Then the third row with the third stuffed animal.
3. Can you think of more combinations? Draw your own chart on the back of the page to come up with even more interesting outfits.
4. At the bottom of the page, record the number of combinations you were able to make.

Different Variations:

• For Younger Children: Use the simple chart and only make outfits with a single stuffed animal and single clothing item. Once finished, count all the combinations.