Games and Activities
Looking for activities to show your child the fun side of learning? From science experiments and math games to writing projects and more, we've got you covered! Use the selector on the right to browse around, or narrow your search by grade and subject area.
Students usually study for spelling tests by looking over the words and spelling them out loud. Here's a spelling game that gets the whole family involved!
Want to build the biggest, thickest bubbles around? This recipe makes bubbles that not only blow up nice and big, but do tricks and experiments! How do you do it? It's not a secret, it's science!
More activities:
Dictionary Treasure Hunt
In first grade, vocabulary moves to center stage. But when a kid gets stumped--and we all feel that way sometimes, even as adults--it's time to turn to a lifetime resource: the dictionary. Want a fun way to help your child start making friends with this reference tool? Try this treasure hunt!
The Cause and Effect Card Game
Looking for an indoor game with a lot of learning? Here's a fun card game that quizzes your child on cause-and-effect relationships, with a pinch of creative thinking thrown in!
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!
Build Vocabulary with Prefixes and Suffixes
Learning prefixes and suffixes is a great way to boost vocabulary quickly. And these letter combos are best learned in the context of the words that they create. Here's an easy game to get your child thinking about these beginnings and endings, in between a lot of shouting and laughing.
Play Mood Charades!
Not only is this game a fun family activity, it also helps with identifying emotion – a very important skill when it comes to reading comprehension!
Get Some Punctuation Practice
Knowing when to use a period or a question mark is important in third grade reading. Here is a fun activity that will give your child some punctuation practice.
Take Notes to Win the Word Count War
If your child is still writing too much in his class notes, help him with this fun activity. Challenge your child to a word count war, and get in a screening of his favorite movie at the same time!
Play: Syllable I Spy!
At some point in your life, you've probably played the game "I Spy." It's perfect for boring waits at the grocery store, or long car rides. But with a little tweaking, the game can also help kids practice a key first grade concept...syllables. Here's how to play:
3 Ways to Practice Getting the Main Idea
Understanding the main idea of a paragraph is an important part of the third grade language arts curriculum, but if can be tough for beginning readers. Here's three exercises you can do at home to help your child to see the forest through the trees!
Explore Genetics by Finding Family Traits!
For a fun family activity to introduce your child to genetics, have your child go on a search for dominant and recessive family genes!