Preschool Circle Activities for Green Eggs & Ham

Dr. Seuss challenges youngsters to think about unusual food in the children's classic, "Green Eggs and Ham." When reading the book to your preschool class, expect giggling, groaning and out-loud reciting of repeated phrases from the delighted children. Borrow elements from the silly tale to develop learning activities to enrich daily preschool circle time.

Practice rhyming in circle time. After reading the story, remind the children of the character Sam's frequent question about what to eat with Green Eggs and Ham. Point out rhyming examples in the text. Challenge your students to come up with their own rhyming questions about eating the food. Suggest, "Would you eat it in our class, would you eat it with some grass," or "Would you eat it while you play, would you eat it on a tray?" After each child's turn forming a rhyming question, encourage the rest of the class to say the reply a character gives in the story; "I would not like it, Sam I am."

Play a version of the familiar children's game, Hot Potato. Substitute a green plastic Easter egg for the potato. Check with your local librarian for a CD of Dr. Seuss music to use in the game. During circle time, give a child the egg. Instruct him to pass it to the child to his right when the music starts. Ask the children to pass the egg from child to child until the music stops. The child left holding the egg is out. Continue the game until only one child remains who has not been caught holding the egg.

Practice counting with a Green Eggs and Ham twist. Glue a pink, ham-slice shaped construction paper circle to a dinner-size paper plate for each child in the circle.Cut 12 egg shapes from green card stock and place the eggs in a zipper baggie. Prepare one zipper baggie per child. At circle time, give each child a plate and baggie of eggs. Choose one child to roll a pair of dice. Ask the children to place green eggs on the plate to match the number on the dice.

Lead your class in a circle time activity that features practice in logic and sequencing. Before class, write numbers on blank recipe cards. Starting with 1, write the numbers in order on the cards. Prepare one numbered card per child. Pass the cards in random order to the children in the circle. Ask the child with recipe card No. 1 to tell you the first step in a recipe for Green Eggs and Ham. Write her response on the chalk board or large piece of paper. Call on the children in order, according to the numbered cards, to describe a step in the recipe. Continue until all have had a turn. Read the silly recipe to the class when the activity is complete.