1st Grade Reading Activities
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 Nursery Rhyme Madlibs!
By the end of kindergarten, most kids can recite classic nursery rhymes like Jack and Jill, or London Bridge. They're fun, easy, and comfortably familiar. Here's a silly game to draw on that knowledge while introducing a concept that will be a big part of first grade reading and writing: ...
Play Contraction Concentration!
A contraction is an abbreviated form of two words. It contains an apostrophe which indicates that there are missing letters. Help your child figure out contractions and their original two words by playing this simple game.
Leprechaun Treasure Hunt!
This hunt for leprechaun gold is so much fun, kids won't even realize they're working their reading muscles at the same time.
Play with Characters...and Writing!
Who are the people young readers meet in their books? How do authors help us know what these characters are like? This reading and writing activity will help your first grader build important comprehension skills that she'll need in second and third grade, too.
Play Letter-Sound Hopscotch!
Hopscotch is classic fun for little kids. You probably remember playing it with numbers from one to ten, and that's great; but as your child prepares for first grade, try getting creative with letters, too. Here are two variations of letter-sound hopscotch that can build your child's phonics ...
Make a Nonsense Book!
Helping your child learn to read doesn’t only have to mean using books from the library or from the store. You can make a book of your own—a nonsense book!
Practice Reading over a Cup of Tea!
You will personalize "bags of tea" with jumbles of words that can be reconfigured to form a simple sentence. Make acquainting your child with sentence structure and improving her reading skills an entertaining challenge!
Take the Boredom Out of the Back Seat!
Thinking about taking a road trip? Here are some simple ways to pass the time that you and your child can do together.
Make an "I Feel" Meter
Help your first grader communicate his feelings with this "feeling meter" poster to hang on his bedroom door. Kids can practice reading and expressing what they feel, and hopefully further the harmony in your household!
Writer's Blocks: Play Sight Word Jenga
Help your first-grader improve his reading skills with this new twist on a classic game--let your first-grader create his own wooden word blocks and play sight word Jenga!
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