1st Grade Activities

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First grade is a year of firsts: your child's first full day of school, the first time she'll write a small story herself, and the first time she'll read a complete book cover to cover. We've got dozens of wacky reading and math activities, cool science experiments, and indoor and outdoor games to keep the learning fun.

Play Story Ball: A Reading Comprehension Game

Take a regular old beach ball, a sharpie marker, and a first grader. What do you get? An outdoor activity that works on reading comprehension, in the midst of a game of catch!

First Grade | Reading | Outdoor

Make Paper Snowflakes

Snowflakes offer endless delight for curious little kids. If you live in Maine or Wyoming, your first grader can step outside in December to collect the real thing; but if you live in warmer climes, no worries! You can make your own.

First Grade | Arts and Crafts

Play Traveling ABC's! A Spelling Game

When it comes to spelling, using a hands-on activity can help children remember each word better than just reading the word on a page. Want to give your kid some spelling practice, without making her groan? Take her spelling list on the road!

First Grade | Writing

Make Your Own Wrapping Paper

When it comes to wrapping paper, nothing beats homemade. Not only is it pretty, but it's good for kids, because by experimenting with paint and crayons and other decorative tools, they are also doing science, art, and small-motor muscle building that all lead to success at school.

First Grade | Arts and Crafts

String Story Necklaces

Tell your kid you're going to spend the afternoon working on comprehension and you're sure to get a yawn. This activity delivers the goods with a fun art project that will also teach kids to look for a story's beginning, middle, and end.

First Grade | Reading | Writing | Arts and Crafts

Bounce that Ball: Learn Math While Doing Sports

With warm weather finally here, who wants to sit inside to practice graphing? Head out to the driveway, ball in hand, for a bouncing challenge. Then use those results to make a colorful graph that lets your child compare her results to those of the challenger (you!)

First Grade | Math | Outdoor