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.
If your child is in the decimal doldrums, or suffering from acute fear of fractions, take heart. They're probably just struggling to understand how numbers on a page can relate to the "real world" outside the classroom.
Play this fun card game with your child and before long those annoying multiplication facts will be part of her mathematical skill set.
More activities:
Fill in the Blanks for Writing Fun
This fill-in-the-blanks game is a little like Mad Libs, but for emerging writers. Get ready for some silly sentences!
Trace Letters on Rice
Is your kindergartner eager to practice writing? Does he love to play with his food? Enjoy making designs in his mashed potatoes or carrot puree? Then he'll get a big kick out of working on his handwriting...using rice!
Make a Memory Game
Does your child love to play guessing games? Does she need help reading common words? Kill two birds with one stone, by making a family board game that's so fun, she won't even realize she's learning!
Be a Book Detective!
Even if your fourth grader can solve the mystery of the last missing cupcake, she probably still needs practice predicting story outcomes. This activity will teach her to use what she knows about a story in order to guess what's going to happen next!
Oatmeal Pancakes: Cooking with Fractions
Admit it. Sometimes you just don't feel like rolling out of bed in the morning. Well, with Mother's Day, Father's Day, and a host of other excuses (er, holidays) on the calendar, letting your kids make breakfast in bed every now and then seems only fair. Plus, it helps them practice fractions!
Crack the Code!: A Spelling Challenge
It's a rare kid that doesn't love a good spy game. Here's a way to have fun with mysterious codes while mastering an ordinary, necessary skill: first grade spelling.
Count by 5s Without Losing Your Marbles!
Back in kindergarten, your child probably spent lots of time counting things one by one. But now that first grade is here, he'll need to be able to count in groups, and especially by fives. This activity makes math fun, with treasure that comes in clusters!
Guess What? A Writing Game
This game will help your child write with more attention to detail.This game will help your child write with more attention to detail.
Play Popsicle Math
Now that it's first grade, "Math Facts" are here. This year, you can expect addition and some subtraction. Worried? Don't be. This is a time to explore lots of fun ways to develop new skills. Here's a hands-on activity that classroom teachers use to help kids get a feel for equations.
Write a Science Fiction Fantasy
Want to get your bookworm interested in science? Try science fiction! Here's how to get started on reading and writing about the ways that science affects society.