fun assignments reading

13 Fun Reading Activities for Any Book

Whether you walk into a classroom in Asia, North America or Europe, you will almost certainly see teachers and students building their understanding of the world through a dedicated daily reading session full of great reading activities.

Books allow students an opportunity to be informed, entertained or escape as they comprehend fiction and non-fiction texts against their understanding of the world, their personal insights, and opinions and finally compare those texts to others.

Whilst you may have a wealth of books in your school library, developing fresh and engaging ways to study literature can often be challenging.  So today, we will explore 25 proven activities that can be applied to any book and at any age level.

These reading activities to improve reading comprehension are easy to follow and suitable for most age groups within an elementary/junior high school level.

125 Text Response ACTIVITIES, Games, Projects for ANY BOOK

This massive collection of ☀️ READING ACTIVITIES☀️ covers all essential reading skills for elementary/primary students. NO PREP REQUIRED! Works with all text and media types.

Thousands of teachers have adopted this as a GO-TO RESOURCE for independent and group tasks.

A COLLECTION OF FUN READING ACTIVITIES

A lifetime tale in pictures reading task.

Draw the main character from a book you have recently read.  Show them as a baby, middle-aged and an older person.

Underneath each picture, write what you think they might be doing at that point in their life, and explain why they may be doing so.

For example, if you drew Harry Potter as a baby, he might cast spells on his mum to feed him lots of yummy food.

Post-reading activities like this are accessible for all age groups to adapt their skill level and text style.

If you want to learn more about characters, read our complete guide here.

TEXT TO SELF-READING TASK

Based upon a book you have just read, share a  story about yourself related to an event or character in the book.

It is probably best done in the form of a written recount. Link your experience to no more than four situations that occurred within the text.

Text to self is an excellent opportunity for students to become introspective about the content they read and compare it to their own life experiences. 

This activity is appealing to teenagers more so than juniors .

IT’S IN THE INSTRUCTIONS READING TASK

From a book you have just read, select either a critical object or creature and create a user manual or a guide explaining how to care for it.

Ensure you use any vital information learnt from the book and any other information you consider essential.

If you are writing a user manual for an object, remember to focus on using it correctly and taking care of it.

If you are writing a user guide for an animal or creature, focus on keeping it alive and healthy as well as information that explains how to keep it happy and under control if necessary.

Dear Diary, READING TASK

Place yourself in the shoes of one of the characters you have just read about and write a diary entry of a critical moment from the story.

Try to choose a moment in the story where the character has plenty of interaction and emotion to share in a diary entry.

Your diary entry should be around a page long and contain information you learned from the book when the character was in that specific place and time.

Remember, when writing a diary entry, you are writing it from a first-person perspective. It is usually but not always written in the present tense.

Diary writing has been a very popular activity throughout time, but social media tools such as Facebook and blogging have in some ways changed this.

Mapping it all out, READING TASK

How do you make reading lessons fun? This reading activity answers that question confidently.

Have a go at drawing a map of one of the places from the text you have just read. See how much detail you can include, and be sure to discuss your map with another reader so you can compare and add more if necessary.

Take some time and effort to ensure your map appeals to the same audience the book aims at.

All good maps should contain the following BOLTS elements.

B – Bolts

O – Orientation

L – Legend

S – Scale

Express Yourself READING TASK

Using an iPad or a digital camera, make faces of the emotions the main characters would have gone through in your book and take photos of them. 

Put them together in a document on your computer or device and explain the emotion below the image and when the character would have felt this way.

This is an excellent opportunity to use some creative direction for this task.

Be sure to play around with the images, filters and graphical styling available.

Travel Agent READING TASK

Think of yourselves as a group of travel assistants whose job is to promote a  city of your choice from the text you have been reading.

As a group, you need to develop a concept map of all the exciting things that happen in your city and then present it to the class.

Don’t forget all of the exciting things such as theatres, restaurants, sports, adventure activities, entertainment and much more…

If you are a little short on details of the location of your story, do some research if it was an actual location or just get creative and make up some locations and tourist attractions based on what you read.

You’re Hired READING TASK

Select a character from a book and consider what might be an excellent job for them. You can choose something entirely suitable such as a security guard job for Superman or a more oddball approach, such as a pastry chef.

Either way, you will have to write a letter from this character’s perspective and apply for a position.

Be sure to explain why your character would be a great employee and what special skills they would possess to make them ideal for the role. Sell your character by explaining all the great attributes they possess.

What’s the Status? READING TASK

Create a Facebook page for your character with some status updates about what they have been up to.

Include some pictures and ensure your status updates are relevant to the character and the story.

Around 3 – 4 status updates with mages should give an overall picture of the character.

Use your status updates to explore what your character does for a job, leisure time, places they might go on vacation and the like.

Bubbles and Clouds READING TASK

Using speech bubbles and pictures of the characters, draw a conversation between two characters from the story you have read.

Remember, thought is drawn as a cloud, and a spoken statement is drawn as a  bubble.

Be sure to look at some comics or graphic novels for inspiration and insights.

This activity is usually best done on pen and paper, but numerous digital apps and tools will allow you to make this a reality through technology.

Amazing Artifacts READING TASK

An artifact is an object that has some significance or meaning behind it. Sometimes, an artefact might even have a very important story behind it.  I am sure you have a favorite toy, or your parents have a particular item in the house that they would consider an important artifact.

For today’s task, you will select five artifacts from the text you have been reading and explain what makes them significant or essential.

They don’t all have to be super important to the story, but I am sure that at least a couple played a significant role.

Be sure to draw a picture of the artifact and if necessary, label it.

FREE READING ACTIVITIES RESOURCE TO DOWNLOAD

Thinking Differently READING TASK

Choose three important events from the text and explain how you would have handled them differently from the characters in the story.

Explain how it may have changed the story’s outcome in either a minor or significant way.

Be insightful here and think of the cause and effect.  Sometimes your smallest action can have a significant impact on others.

Popplet Mind Mapping Task

Popplet is a mind mapping tool that allows you to connect ideas together using images, text and drawings.

From a text, you have recently read, create a family tree or network diagram that explains the relationship the characters have with each other.

Some may be father and son, husband and wife or even arch enemies.

Try and lay it out so it is easy to follow.

You Have Three Wishes READING TASK

A genie lands at the midpoint of the story you have just read and grants the two main characters three wishes.

What do they wish for and why?

Finally, would their wishes have changed anything about the story?  How so?

Again think about the cause and effect relationship and how this may have altered the path of the book you have been reading.

A COMPLETE DIGITAL READING UNIT FOR STUDENTS

Over 30 engaging activities for students to complete BEFORE, DURING and AFTER reading ANY BOOK

• Compatible with all devices and digital platforms, including GOOGLE CLASSROOM.
• Fun, Engaging, Open-Ended INDEPENDENT tasks.
• 20+ 5-Star Ratings ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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How to teach Guided Reading: Teaching Strategies and Activities

Identifying the main idea of the story: A Guide for Students and Teachers

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Top 7 Tips for Teaching Guided Reading in Large Classes

5 Reasons You Need a Digital Reading Diary In 2023

27 Fun Reading Activities To Try At Home or In The Classroom

Written by Ashley Crowe

Teachers and parents

Prodigy English is ready to explore! Get kids playing — and learning — today.

• Prodigy English

Fun reading activities for the classroom

Reading activities for parents & children, activities to try after reading, other educational activities to help kids learn.

Learning to read is a huge milestone in a child’s life. We all know how important a love of reading is for future learning. When children love to read, they can learn anything. 

Make sure your children keep the joy of reading alive by using fun reading activities along with traditional reading strategies .

These fun daily moments can improve reading skills and help reluctant readers find joy in the written word. We’ll be covering reading activities by grade level both for the classroom and at home, as well as some activities to improve reading comprehension after your students are reading independently. 

Though many children begin the basics of reading at home, most solidify their skills and become accomplished readers in the classroom. These activities keep early readers engaged and improving while helping reluctant readers master the basics. Here are our favorite ways to keep reading fun!

1. Find the secret word

Great for: Kindergarten to 2nd grade

Turn a reading lesson into a scavenger hunt! Give each student or pair of students a piece of text, then speak the first secret word. Once they find it, have them circle it in a specific color, or circle and number, then report back to you for word #2. 

Keep this word search up for as long as you like — we recommend choosing about 8 to 10 words for students to find. It’s one part competition, one part scavenger hunt! Choose a prize for each team to receive when they complete the activity. Or celebrate everyone reaching the end with a classroom dance party! It’s a great way to keep your kids moving and learning.

2. Read aloud as a class

Great for: All grades

Kids are never too old to hear a story read aloud. Reading aloud as a class is a great way to keep kids engrossed in a story. Since you are most familiar with the text, you can keep the flow going during the dramatic moments. Then hand it off to your students to take their turns.

Want to add a new element to your classroom read-aloud? Pass around a ball or stuffed animal to indicate the next reader. It’s a variation of popcorn reading to help minimize reading anxiety, and it gives kids the power to pass it on after spending a short time reading. 

3. Partner reading

Great for: 1st to 3rd grade

Sometimes trying to get the whole class to read together is just too much. To encourage more reading time, pair up your students for partner reading. 

During partner reading, each child will get more time to practice their skills. And being corrected privately by one friend may be better for a struggling reader’s confidence. Try to pair a confident but patient reader with those who need some extra help and watch them both learn to succeed.

4. Find the synonym

Great for: 2nd to 5th grade

Once your readers are feeling more confident, take our scavenger hunt game mentioned above and add a new twist. 

Instead of searching for the exact spoken words on your list, give students the challenge to find the word’s synonym in the text. It’s a great way to keep the game challenging for older students.

5. Word searches

For younger students, a word search is a challenging way to encourage early reading. You can do this much like our scavenger hunt-style games, but instead of saying the words aloud, provide a list. 

They can search for one word at a time, with you providing the next word to the team once the first is found. Or provide a full list from the beginning and let them work individually. Add in some color matching (marking the word in the same color as printed on the list) to keep this game fun and engaging.

6. Keyword bingo

Looking for a calmer alternative to the secret word game? Have each child work individually in a game of reading bingo. Choose a grade-level text and compile a list of words found in the passage. 

Read each word aloud, giving about 15 seconds before moving on to the next. It’s a race against your clock to find the words, or they can try to remember them while looking for the others. When they find the words, they can mark them out. Once the list is done, allow 20 more seconds to wrap up any remaining words, then pencils down and count. Whoever finds the most words, wins!

7. Decoding games

Decoding games focus on letter sounds and phonemic awareness. A favorite game for pre-readers is to say a letter and have students find an object that starts with that letter. As they bring the object back, reinforce the sound that letter makes.

Other decoding games can focus on the mechanics of reading — such as reading a word or sentence from left to right. This is a great time to utilize finger puppets, following along with a finger as you sound the words out together.

8. Thumbs up, thumbs down

Great for: Kindergarten to 5th grade

Thumbs up, thumbs down (or the higher energy variation — stand up, sit down) is a great game to keep your students engaged. 

Check reading comprehension when you ask students to give a thumbs up if a statement about a recently read story is true, or a thumbs down if it’s false. Help them grasp grammar concepts by having them stand up when you say an adjective word or sit down if you say a noun. 

It’s a fun way to keep their bodies and brains working. 

9. Discover the missing letter

When you’re teaching letter sounds, it’s fun to get creative. In this game, you’ll call your students to the front of the class by their names — minus the first letter. For example, Stacy becomes tacy and Roland becomes oland. Let the kids guess who you’re calling up, then have them decode the missing letter. 

You can do the same thing for objects, or drop middle letters for older children. Just be sure to prepare your words ahead of time to avoid any slip-ups!  

10. Guided reading ball game

Great for: 2nd to 7th grade

Grab a few beach balls from your local dollar store and get your classroom moving. Take a sharpie and write a discussion prompt on each colorful section of the ball. What is the setting? Who is the main character? What happened after…? 

Toss or roll the balls around. Students answer whichever question their thumb lands on when the ball heads their way. This is an exciting way to mix things up, practice reading comprehension and get kids thinking outside of their seats.

Not all reading happens in the classroom! Parents can play an active role in helping their children learn to read. Here are a few activities to try with your kids.

1. Reading together

Great for: All grades and ages

There’s something special about listening to a book being read out loud. It can capture your attention in a unique way. Whether your child is a baby or fully grown, it’s always a good time to read together.

Take turns reading chapters from a favorite story, or just read to your child. Enjoying good stories is a huge motivator in learning to read.  

2. Silly voices reading

Great for: Kindergarten to 4th grade

Kids love to laugh and joke, so play into this with a crazy story and silly voices. Get really high-pitched, speed it up like a chipmunk, and then pitch your voice low. 

Your kids will love seeing these stories come to life with your words, and you’ll all share a good laugh. To get them involved in the fun, ask them to do their own silly voice!

3. Dialogic reading

The word dialogic means to have a dialogue, and that’s exactly what this activity is designed to do. Instead of reading to your child while they passively listen, invite them into the story. Ask them what they think may happen next, or at the close of the book invite them to create a completely different ending. This is a great way to stretch your little storyteller’s imagination.

4. Reading outside

Kids thrive outdoors. They can run, climb, and dig in the dirt. Outside is also a great place to practice reading and letter writing. Invite your child to help you create words in a sandbox or take a stick and dig a letter into the dirt. 

Older kids can simply take their reading outside. It’s amazing how refreshing a change of setting can be. 

5. What word starts with…

Great for: Kindergarten to 1st grade

Letter sounds are an essential early reading tool. With this game, ask your child to think of words that start with “B” (or any other letter).

 Give an example, like b-b-butterfly, then think of more “B” words together. Choose your child’s favorite things to keep the game fun and exciting. Early readers especially love to talk about the letters in their names.

6. Try nonfiction

Great for: All ages

You never know what a child may love to read. Though many kids enjoy a good princess or dragon story, others will prefer non-fiction books. 

If your attempts at fiction are met with indifference, try a book about their favorite animal (sharks, dinosaurs, or lemurs are popular here), learn about space or strange weather events. Whatever your child is into, and whatever their reading level, there’s a book for them.

7. Create a “book nook”

A cozy spot dedicated to reading can add joy to the activity. Load up a corner or top bunk space with comfy pillows and blankets, make sure it has good lighting, and include some sticky notes and a dictionary. All your child needs to bring is their favorite book! Even better, snuggle in together and discover a new favorite with your child.

8. Who’s coming over?

This game can be played in a couple of different ways, and both are great for reading comprehension. First, try giving clues so your child can guess their favorite characters. These favorites can be from books or TV. You can mention physical characteristics, some of their best friends, or things that happen to them. Keep giving clues until they guess correctly.

The second way to play is to invite a favorite character over and then discuss what you’ll need for their visit. A special kind of bed, their favorite foods, or a place for their pet to stay are all things to consider. This is a fun way to create your own story around your child’s favorite characters.

9. Take turns reading

As your child begins to read you can invite them to read to you. Don’t push if they don’t want to, but as their confidence builds they’ll be excited to share their new skill with you. 

This may look like you both taking turns reading a new chapter book, or they may want to share all the creature descriptions from their favorite new computer game. No matter the topic, do your best to listen intently and congratulate them on their reading skills.  

10. What happens next?

Keep reading fun and active when you step outside the book and asking your child what happens next:

• What do they think will happen?
• What would you like to see happen? 
• What’s something funny that could happen?

Any question that gets them thinking through the story on their own is both fun and helpful for reading comprehension. 

11. Talk about the pictures

Pictures are a great way for kids to follow along with a story. When your child is beginning to read, have them look at the pictures and ask what they think is going on. As they unravel the story, point out the words they are discovering in the text. Or just let them enjoy creating their own unique version of the story based on the pictures. 

12. Try new reading apps and websites

There are some amazing reading apps for both reading instruction and digital reading libraries. If your child enjoys spending time on their tablet, give some of our favorite reading apps a try and watch them learn while they play.

After your child is reading on their own, there’s still plenty to learn. Reading isn’t effective if they’re struggling to understand the words on the page, or how they all fit together to create the story. Here are a few activities for children to practice reading comprehension.

1. Summarize the text

Once a child is done reading a text or section of a book, have them revisit the main ideas by highlighting or taking notes on the text’s biggest themes. Once students identify the main themes, ask them to break them down further and quickly summarize the story.

2. Book reports

Great for: 2nd to 12th grade

Book reports are a classic reading activity. Have the child analyze the book, highlighting the most important themes. Older children can present arguments pertaining to the story, and provide passages to support their theories. 

Keep book reports even more engaging when you invite kids to give a presentation, complete with dress-up and drama. 

3. Review the book

Ask children to rate their most recent reading. They can assign it a number of stars, but then they must also explain why. Was it too scary? Not funny? What were their favorite parts? What would they do differently?

Not only does this help students think critically about what they’ve just read, but it can also help parents and teacher identify what they might like reading next.

4. Extend the story

Great for: Kindergarten to 12th grade

“And they lived happily ever after…”

Maybe so, but what happened next? Ask your child to keep the story going. Where do they go next? Who do they meet? Favorite characters can continue adventuring when your child takes over the story. This is a great writing prompt , or just a fun dinner conversation!

5. How could it have been better?

Everyone has an opinion, so ask your child for theirs. How could this book or story have been better? Would a different ending be more fun? Or maybe they just think the main character should be named after them. 

No matter their critique, listen and discuss. Then encourage them to create their own tale.

How reading activities help kids embrace learning

Reading keeps kids learning for the rest of their lives. When a child can read, they can take more control over their education. And that’s a wonderful thing!

Fun activities are the best way to keep a child interested in the world of books. Learning to read can be a frustrating journey for some. Others may simply find it boring (especially if they’re being made to read about topics they care little about). These activities are designed to get kids moving and thinking beyond the page. Because when reading is fun, learning happens naturally.

When teaching starts to feel like a drag, or the kids are fighting their instruction, revisit this article. Mix in some fun activities and keep the learning going. Getting up, moving around, or enjoying a laugh together can help stimulate everyone’s mind. 

Looking for even more great learning activities to engage your kids? Here are some of our favorite activity posts for reading, math, and more!

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• 20 Exciting Math Games
• 30 Virtual School Activities
• 36 Fun Word Game for Kids
• 15 Free Multiplication Games
• 37 Quick Brain Breaks for Kids
• 27 Best Educational Games for Kids
• 25 Social-Emotional Learning Activities  

Get more ways to help kids love learning with Prodigy English , a brand-new learning adventure! Whether you're a parent or a teacher, create a free Prodigy account to access tools that help you support reading and language learning in the classroom or at home.

THELITERACYMAMA.COM

• Mar 23, 2023

Cool Reading Games and Activities to Improve Comprehension

Updated: Mar 25, 2023

Do you want to ensure that your students or children get the most out of their reading? Reading is an essential part of life and vital for educational success. However, learning can become dull and tedious if not done in a way that engages readers.

Fortunately, plenty of enjoyable games and activities will help reinforce learning and make it fun! In this blog post, we'll explore some cool reading games and activities to boost comprehension skills creatively!

Make a Story Map

Creating a story map is an engaging way to help children develop their reading comprehension skills. Start by drawing a map of the book's setting, which could be an imaginary land or a familiar location like their school or neighborhood. Next, encourage the young readers to fill in the various characters that live in this world, as well as the plot and other significant elements of the story.

This interactive and creative activity allows children to visualize the story more vividly while fostering a deeper understanding of how the different aspects of the story connect. Moreover, this hands-on learning approach enhances children's comprehension and makes reading a fun and memorable experience for them. So, grab some pencils and paper, gather the kids, and embark on a thrilling journey through their favorite stories with the help of story maps!

Click here for a free story map printable!

Host a Book Club

Starting a Book Club with your child can be a fun and rewarding experience for both of you, as it not only encourages reading as a shared hobby but also helps to improve reading comprehension. To get started, invite your little one to choose a book or series that piques their interest; this will catalyze future conversations.

Set aside time each week for a relaxed and friendly discussion about the characters, plot, and what aspects of the story your child liked and didn't like. You can also explore the lessons and themes the book may offer.

By fostering a safe and engaging environment where they can freely express their thoughts and ideas, you'll strengthen your bond with your child and empower them with essential comprehension skills they can carry with them throughout their lives.

Create a Story Detective Game

Imagine an exciting new way to boost your child's reading comprehension skills – introducing the Story Detective Game! This innovative and engaging game combines intriguing mysteries with captivating stories, creating an interactive learning experience. We make clues from the story that the children must use to solve a mystery. As they embark on their literary detective journey, kids will be encouraged to pay close attention to the details, analyze them, and make connections.

The friendly nature of the game fosters a love for reading while sharpening their problem-solving skills. Watch as your little detectives grow into avid readers, eager to uncover the hidden secrets waiting for them between the pages of every book!

Act Out Characters

Encourage your child's creativity and imagination while supporting their reading comprehension skills with a fun and engaging activity: acting out their favorite book characters! Choose a favorite story, grab some cozy blankets or simple costumes to bring the characters to life, and watch your little one transform into their favorite heroes, villains, or magical creatures.

As you read the story together, let your child re-enact key scenes, allowing them to delve deeper into the plot and empathize with the characters. This playful activity can be a planned skit, complete with funny dialogue, or simply an impromptu game of charades.

By bringing the magic of storytelling into their world, your child will strengthen their reading comprehension and enjoy a memorable bonding experience with you!

Reading Relay

Imagine the excitement of combining a relay race with reading comprehension! The Reading Relay game is a fantastic way to engage learners and make reading fun. Simply divide your group into two teams, and have them take turns reading passages aloud from a chosen text.

As each participant finishes their portion of the reading, they pass the book on to the next person on their team, much like a relay race. This exciting method of teaching reading comprehension builds teamwork and a sense of friendly competition.

The thrill of racing towards the finish line keeps participants actively involved and motivated to understand and read the passages quickly and accurately. So, gather your group, and let the Reading Relay race begin!

Board Games

Isn't it wonderful how we can have so much fun while learning and improving our skills at the same time? That's precisely what you'll experience when you explore the world of board games that support literacy and reading comprehension. Fan favorites like Scrabble and Bananagrams offer an exciting challenge for players to flex their minds and create words using a limited selection of letters.

But did you know there are story-based games like Stuffed Fables and Tall Tales Story Telling Board Game that take you on a thrilling journey? Not only do these games engage your child's creative skills, but they also help you enhance your reading comprehension abilities. So, let's dive into this exciting realm and discover how these engaging board games can bring joy and learning together in a delightfully entertaining way!

Show Your Kids that Reading is Fun!

Teaching your child the skills to be a proficient reader does not have to be complicated or tedious. By choosing fun, interactive activities such as making a story map, hosting a book club, creating a story detective game, having your child act out characters, playing a reading relay game, and using board games that support literacy and reading comprehension, you can make it enjoyable while still effectively teaching the fundamentals of reading.

Through these activities, you will foster a developing love for literature in your children, laying the foundation for an appreciation of books later in life. Furthermore, these techniques offer methods for reinforcing already learned fundamentals as well as learning an overall understanding of the content, which aids in future writing endeavors.

Reading does not just happen on its own; your involvement is essential if you want your child to benefit from all the educational opportunities that come with it.

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8 Fun Reading Activities for Middle School Students

Gia R. is from Phoenix, Arizona. She graduated with two business degrees. While studying, her short nonfiction story was published in 2018 in Write On, Downtown, an ASU journal. Since then, she taught preschool students abroad. Now back in AZ, you’ll find her writing, reading, and adoring digital art.

View All posts by Gia R.

In my experience as an educator, I’ve found that there are many students who already love to read and others who don’t show any interest. This could be for a variety reasons. Some don’t have the skills to read books appropriate to their grade level. Others haven’t been given the chance to explore new books and try new genres. With those reasons aside, many students don’t engage in reading because they haven’t learned how fun it can be. These fun reading activities for middle school students can help.

It may sound simple, but it often just takes one book to transform a child’s indifference into love. That’s how it started for me. When I was younger, I did my summer reading challenges, but I was frequently bored with the books I selected. I wanted to like them more, heck, I wanted to pick better books, but I wasn’t finding much in the sections marked for children. I remember pushing through books just to get the little prizes offered by my local library. For the record, those free chocolate Frosties at Wendy’s were totally worth it. My feelings about reading changed in 7th grade when I read some books that challenged me, but also inspired me. These books weren’t my favorite by any means, but they made me hunger for more. They made me want to find more books where I could discover hidden truths.

Sometimes it takes one book..and a little help. My mentors and teachers were essential in this reading journey. As educators, parents, librarians, we can’t always find that one book that will ignite that excitement, BUT we can create interest in the whole reading experience.

How does one do that? By taking advantage of the learning environment. Consider what we can we utilize in this setting, including other students in class, group activities, opportunities to use creativity, educational resources, and the teacher’s knowledge.

When reading a book with students, it’s important to employ multiple activities that can engage different kinds of students and readers. That means incorporating multisensory activities and group work. It also involves making adjustments to the content based on the books you’re reading and the student you’re teaching.

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For the sake of this article, I’m focusing on activities for middle school, but some of these can be modified for older and younger students.

Fun Reading Activities for Middle School Students

Challenge middle schoolers to draw a map of the assigned book. This could be a map of the world or of a bedroom, restaurant, or other location. Students could do this individually or in small groups. Better yet, assign places or parts of a world to different groups and come together as a class at the end with all your parts.

This will help students imagine the plot and engage their creativity! It can also spur on a discussion of the importance of the setting to the plot, themes, character development, etc. This is a good activity to prepare students for more complex discussions!

2. Write a Letter To the Main Character

Pick a critical point in the story for your students and have them write a letter to the main character. This helps students practice summarizing and expressing their thoughts on certain characters. It also provides some insight into each student’s ideas about the book. What plot points do they consider important? What do they want the main character to know right now? What would your students write to Jameela in More to the Story , a writer whose sister is gravely ill? What would they tell her to do?

3. Utilize the Five Senses

Create experiences that engage the five senses. For taste, see if you can bring a significant treat from the book for your students to try. I’m sure I’m not the only one who NEEDED to try Turkish delight from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe . What about touch? Bring fabrics or other garments that characters would wear from King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table for your students to touch. Bonus points if you can find something that’s close to armor! There’s a lot of options for sight. You can find videos or pictures that help students visualize a place, character, season, etc.

For hearing, try playing certain sounds while reading aloud. Pretend there’s a storm in your classroom by letting students listen to thunder and other storm sounds. This would be perfect for books with characters embarking on dangerous journeys. Listen to the sound of crashing waves and stormy seas as you imagine a brave girl leaving her home in Lalani of the Distant Sea . You could also play music that gets students in the mood to read based on the genre. To this day, I often listen to intense movie or video game soundtracks when reading fun adventures of pirates or time travelers. For books like Holes , it’d be interesting to have students listen to the sound of digging to help them imagine the circumstances that many of the characters are in. Lastly, utilizing smell can be an exceptional tool when significant to the book. Mimicking the smells from a forest or field can help transport a reader to the world written on pages.

4. Imagine a Different Ending

This could be done as a class, in groups, or individually. After finishing a book, it’s worth discussing alternative endings. Prompt readers with a question. Do you agree with the ending? Why or why not? How would you change it? This would be especially helpful for books that leave some readers dissatisfied, disinterested, or confused. For example, consider the ending of Tuck Everlasting . Ask your readers what they think about Winnie’s choice. If they could change the ending, would they and how? They could write their response, discuss it with a partner, or participate in a class discussion.

5. Assemble the Sequence of Events

This is a helpful activity to do at the midpoint of the book or end, depending on the length and amount of events that occur. Have readers get into groups to put major plot points in order. Depending on the level of the book and the reader’s skill level, you could provide the plot points or ask the students to compile a list themselves. Ask them to write down the five most important events in this book. Watch as they justify which events are more important than others! This is a great way to gauge overall understanding and allow readers to practice summarizing.

This activity would be more or less fruitful for engagement depending on the book. Consider the sequence of events in books like Clean Getaway and The Giver . What events take place early on in Scoob’s road trip with his grandma? What information does Jonas learn first from the giver and which are the most significant? What do both characters learn about others and the world during this time? It can just include the main points or several details like the one below.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Juliana | Nature learning (@the_crafty_kiwi_teacher)

6. Create a Monologue From a Side Character’s POV

Provide a set of options for characters and plot events. Put the options in separate hats and have students choose one of each. In this way, students will choose a character and something that the character is concerned about or involved in. You don’t have to create too many options because several students can have the same characters and plot events while generating different monologues. This would be enjoyable in groups or individually. Make sure to make time for students to present their finished work to the class. Additionally, they’d need a demonstration to get those pencils moving. Time to brush up on your acting skills. To really get them thinking, consider a warm up activity where they imagine and draw what the character would see via a keyhole in that scene.

7. Interview a Hero or Villain

Have your readers write a list of questions they’d ask some of the main characters in the current book you’re reading. They could be silly or serious. Ideally, both. Then, students can go around sharing their questions with their peers. If you want to take this a step further, assemble a small group of students who could try to answer the questions as that character. They could use the book and their own reasoning to provide some textual evidence for their answers.

8. Plan a Celebration

Okay, I know that any sort of celebration can take a lot of planning and work, but hear me out. Imagine a day at the end of a quarter, where students show what they’ve learned in an exciting environment. At the beginning of a unit, you can present this as a final project that students display on a special celebration day. Readers get the option to perform a specific scene, make a diorama of a setting, or further develop the backstory of a particular character. Since the event will happen at the end of a unit, they can choose from an assortment of books read during that time. Require a sign up for each option so you know what the celebration will look like. You can even have students vote on their favorite performance, diorama, etc. I’d definitely be interested in dioramas of the Calivista Hotel in Front Desk . I wonder what details students would put in their little motel. The goal for this final event is to help them engage with the current material. As you read each book, encourage the students to think about what they’d like to do and why. It gives them another reason to participate!

Don’t have a class full of students? Plan to throw a little party after reading a book or two. Let your reader decide what to work on (acting out a scene, diorama, character backstory). In both cases, it is a celebration so food should be involved. Choose a few notable treats from your books and include some book appropriate music!

I hope these activities can get your middle schoolers more engaged and ready to read! Want your middle schoolers to read more? Find books and other activities by reading these posts:

8 Contemporary Middle Grade Books To Look Out For In 2022

25 Of The Best Middle School Books for Today’s Readers

15+ Great Activity Books For Kids to Inspire Indoor Fun (And Learning)

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Middle School Reading Activities: 20 Lesson Ideas And Learning Resources

March 15, 2024 //  by  Rachel White

If you’re a parent or teacher of a middle schooler, you may have heard the phrase, “I just don’t like reading”. Maybe you are on the opposite end and you have an advanced reader who you want to encourage. The average student attention span is 10-15 minutes so it’s important that we as parents or teachers fight against this and look for ways to continue engaging our students. Check out this list of twenty reading activities for middle school readers.

1. Pre-reading Activities

Pre-reading activities such as pictures, videos, and discussions prepare the students for the text. You can use these to get the student excited about the reading. I’ve implemented discussions before readings in my advanced classes and I’ve found it very helpful for the students.

Learn More: Elf Magazine

2. Teach Reading Strategies 

If we’re going to focus on reading in the classroom, we have to teach middle school reading strategies such as inferring, visualizing, and connecting.

HuddleTeach has some great post e r s you can use for classroom decor.

Learn More: Teachers Pay Teachers

3. Figurative Language

Don’t underestimate the value of teaching figurative language in relation to reading. The students need to be able to grasp these terms in order to grasp the true concepts of the reading.

This teacher uses Pixar Films in her classroom in conjunction with a worksheet for the students.

Learn More: English, Oh My!

4. Book Trailers

A book trailer is a video that gives a “preview” of a book. The students can work in small groups to create trailers similar to this one .

Check out this book trailer list to give the students fresh ideas.

Learn More: Film 14

5. Mock Trials

A mock trial is one of my favorite activities for students. After a reading, split the class into two sides; one side is the defendant and the other is the prosecutor. Each side must prove the case assigned by using textual evidence. My students would get dressed up for the trial and they truly loved it!

Here’s a lesson plan for “The Tell-Tale Heart”.

Learn More: PDF Slide

6. Digital Story Boards 

One of my favorite teaching activities after a reading assignment is storyboards. A storyboard is a sequence of pictures the students create to summarize a reading. This is a fun independent reading project that really tests their understanding of a text.

Use StoryboardThat for templates and fun images.

Learn More: What is Storyboard That and How Does It Work: Best Tips and Tricks

7. Progressive Reading Stations

Set up progressive reading stations and choose texts. Students write down discussion questions and notes at each station and then compare the texts.

Check out this lesson plan for a “Progressive Dinner”.

8. Graphic novels

Graphic novels are a great way to engage your reluctant readers. The students feel they are simply reading a comic book while they’re actually getting some solid independent reading time.

Find a full and diverse list of graphic novels here.

Learn More: Reading Middle Grade

9. Socratic Soccer

Building Book Love wrote discussion questions on a soccer ball and uses them to give the students a movement break when reading longer texts. You can have the students toss or kick the ball, and then they ask any question that’s within their vision.

Sign up here for question stems for your Socratic soccer ball.

Learn More: Building Book Love

10. Choice Reading 

While there’s definitely value in reading fiction and non-fiction texts as a class, teachers are seeing the value in choice reading books. Give the students independent reading time to read books they actually want to read within boundaries.

Read this article to learn more about the value of choice reading.

Learn More: Teacher Scholastic

11. Book Tastings

@middleschoolforever shared a Starbucks Book Tasting Day she set up using decor from It’s Just Adam on Teachers Pay Teachers. The students get to “taste” books at each table, take notes, and hopefully find a new book they will enjoy in your classroom library.

Find fun ideas for your tasting here .

Learn More: Middle School Forever

12. Reading Sprints

Reading Sprints are a great way to make independent reading time fun and effective for the students. Give the students a set amount of time to read as much as they can but give them a concept to check during this time.

Here’s a great blog post on how to use these sprints.

Learn More: Reading and Writing Haven

13. Reading Graffiti Wall 

Let the students contribute to the classroom decor with a wall of their favorite quotes.

Molly Maloy shares her e how she uses this wall to create a positive reading culture in her classroom.

Learn More: Molly Maloy Lessons with Laughter

14. Literature Circles

Another way to promote positive reading culture is by allowing the students to discuss texts in guided literature circles. This is a great way for the students to practice their critical reading skills.

Read this article for a full overview of literature circles.

Learn More: Twinkl

15. Reading Response Journal

A response journal can be a fun physical or digital reading activity. These journals give the students a space to process what they’re reading and use textual evidence to support their thoughts.

Reading and Writing Haven on Teachers Pay Teachers has many downloadable resources for both physical and digital journals.

16. Authentic Reading Practice

A great way to have your students practice their reading skills is with authentic reading practice. You can give an assignment to students using travel brochures, menus, or even e-commerce sites.

Find ideas for sources here.

Learn More: Busy Teacher

17.  Articles

Non-fiction can be tough for struggling readers. I like to find a fun non-fiction article for my students to read. Find an article based on your students’ likes such as sports, music, or even true crime. You can use this time to promote a healthy discussion.

Discover some great articles here.

Learn More: Dogo News

18. Word Wall

A middle school reading strategy I’ve seen used often is a word wall. This wall is used to collect vocabulary words from the students’ reading.

Check out how this teacher uses her word wall on a daily basis.

Learn More: GaDOE ELA

19. Plot Diagram

Plot diagrams are an excellent practice for the students to recognize the events in a story. There are different styles and templates you can use but look for one that traces the five main sections of the story – the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.

Find an excellent lesson plan here.

Learn More: Read, Write, Think

When teaching reading, we can’t neglect poetry. Poetry teaches different literary techniques than fiction and non-fiction texts and students can grow personally through reading poetry.

The Hungry Teacher Blog created an entire poetry unit complete with a book tasting event and figurative language lessons.

Learn More: The Hungry Teacher Blog

Summer Reading Assignments: How to Make Them Fun and Engaging

• May 14, 2023

Bid farewell to boring summer reading assignments! This post offers practical activities for making reading assignments fun and engaging for all students, even middle schoolers!

Allow Students Choice

Whether students are choosing a topic to write about or a book to read, you’ll notice that choice fosters buy-in, ownership, and motivation, so let them choose their summer reading titles.

Over the years, as both a student and a teacher, I’ve been required to read specific titles (too many to count). Except for once. 

I was attending a professional development session on literature circles, and we were directed to choose one book from a list of five. Imagine my delight! I felt motivated, so motivated that I read the book in a day. (The book was The Help , not a psychological thriller as I would normally choose, but definitely an anxiety-producing read.)  

This is one way to allow choice. Give students a list of titles to choose from.

But it’s not my favorite way. I prefer to let them choose any school-appropriate title they want to read. 

When doing this, students will need guidance because you have both readers and nonreaders in your classrooms. To solve this problem, view and discuss book trailers or review annotated reading lists with them. As you do, ask them to note three titles they are interested in reading on an index card. They’ll have a title chosen by the end of the period! (For details on this lesson with a list of recommended books, visit “Blog Post #20: Great Summer Reading Lists for Teens to Plunge into Today.” )

A Quick Summer Reading Assignment to See Who Read a Book

Alphabet reading check.

Even when summer reading is an assignment for the highest-performing students, not all will read during the summer. This can be a problem, especially when this assignment is the first major grade you’re taking for a new school year. To nip this in the bud, try this activity. It’s quick and challenging, and it will let you know who read during the summer. This, in turn, will give you the opportunity to conference with students and contact parents as needed before major summer reading assignments are due. 

• Each student will need one index card with a letter from the alphabet on it. (Use all letters, except for X and Z . You can write them on the cards, stick letters on them, or purchase and print my handouts.) Walk around the room and have each student draw a card without seeing the letter. 
• After each student has a card, have them write their names and book information (title and author) on the back of the card. On the front of the card, ask them to think of a word that begins with their assigned letter and connects to the novel. They will then write a paragraph that explains that connection. 
• Before they start writing, model the process with a novel you read. 
• If any students are stumped and can’t think of a word, then allow them to draw another card once more. This will help them (unless they haven’t read their summer reading book.) You will also find it helpful to allow a few volunteers to share their ideas for this assignment.

Of course, summer reading should be completed during the summer, and I don’t want to lower standards. However, I suggest making the assignments due a couple of weeks after school begins. This will help every student find success and allow new students time to complete the reading and assignments. 

Summer Reading Assignments

Summer reading choice boards.

Choice boards are a great way to differentiate, increase student engagement, and appeal to different learning styles. As a fan of giving students choice, these are my favorite of the summer reading assignments I’ve offered over the years. Here are two I’ve used.

A Writing Summer Reading Choice Board

At the end of one school year, our ELA team decided to shorten the summer reading assignment because we didn’t feel like we had enough class time to thoroughly cover the curriculum. (Our hour-and-a-half blocks had been cut to forty-five minutes to teach reading and writing and to prepare students for two state tests.) 

For this reason, we created one choice board for fiction and another for nonfiction. Both choice boards required students to choose and complete one writing assignment. 

The advantage to this is it’s short and sweet. You’ll spend one day on summer reading assignments rather than five days. The disadvantage is that it doesn’t appeal to a variety of learning styles. 

• At the top of the page, type a title, a space for a due date, and directions.
• Insert a table with nine cells onto a document or slide and stretch the table to fit the page.
• Type one writing assignment of equal difficulty (e.g., journal entries from the main character’s point of view, newspaper articles about significant events, a slideshow presentation that discusses themes, etc.) into each cell. 

A Choice Board that Appeals to Various Learning Styles

This choice board asks students to choose and complete three assignments. Students come up with some remarkable products, and it appeals to different learning styles. Plus, if you are short on time, you can modify the number of assignments you expect students to complete. 

• For this choice board, create a menu with points that add up to one hundred.
• Begin with three choices of easier assignments worth twenty points each (e.g., a bumper sticker with a theme, a social media profile for a character, etc.). 
• Move to more difficult assignments, again offering three choices (e.g., a book jacket, a movie poster, etc.) worth thirty points each. 
• Finally, end with the most difficult assignments at fifty points each (e.g., a scrapbook, trading cards, etc.). 
• Students choose and complete one assignment from each section.

Summer Reading One-Pagers

A summer reading one-pager allows students to use their creativity and critical thinking skills to showcase their understanding of a book. Plus, students like them because they only require one page! 

• Demonstrate what you expect students to accomplish by showing them examples of one-pagers. ( Chomping at the Lit offers some beautiful samples. After you complete the activity with one class, you can use your students’ work for examples.) 
• Instruct students to include images (e.g., symbols that represent the book) and words (e.g., themes, summaries, character traits, plot details, supporting quotes, etc.)
• Allow them to work with a template or a blank sheet of paper (their choice).
• If you want to hit a particular objective with the one-pager assignment, you can do that too. Take theme for an example. Students can include images and information that relate to a theme (or multiple themes) in their novel: topics, the theme itself, explanations of how themes are developed, and text-to-self, text, or world connections. Just make sure to review theme with them before you try this.

Bookmarks for Summer Reading

Another practical summer reading assignment is to have students create their own bookmarks with trifolds or eight-page books. 

• For the front of the bookmark, they can redesign the book’s cover. For the remaining pages, ask them to include whatever you want to assess (e.g., themes, summaries, literary devices, character traits, supporting quotes, sentences with specific phrases or clauses, etc.). 

How To Create a Trifold

• To create a trifold, fold a sheet of paper into thirds as you would a letter.

How To Create an Eight-Page Book

• Fold the paper in half three times hamburger style, 
• return to the first fold, 
• cut in the center on the folded side up to the crease, 
• return to an unfolded sheet, 
• fold the paper hotdog style, push the two ends together, and fold it into a book shape. 

Whichever you choose, model the book-folding process for students. 

Techie Summer Reading Assignments

Although 2020 caused many teachers to move away from technology use in the classroom, it has its advantages: student engagement, real-world learning, using it for instructional purposes, etc. 

With this in mind, if you have computers for every student, consider a technology choice board for summer reading assignments. Here are a few my students have had success with. 

• Novel-related infographics and collages with Canva . (Age restrictions apply for students under thirteen, but they can sign up for an account with parental permission.)
• Virtual museums with Slidesmania .
• Games on Kahoot . (In the U.S., there are age restrictions for students under 13. Also, it’s free for students and $3.99 a month for teachers.) 

Sharing Summer Reading Assignments

When their hard work is finished, many students will be excited to share it. One way I like to do this is with a line share. It doesn’t take much time, and it allows students to share their projects with multiple peers. 

• Have your students choose one part of their summer reading assignments to present to others.
• Ask them to form two lines with one line facing the other.
• Give them around five minutes to share their projects with their partners.
• When the allotted time has ended, have one line move one spot up with the person at the front of that line moving to the back.
• Allow them five minutes to share with their new partner.
• Repeat the last two steps a few times. 

Related Articles for Summer Reading Assignments

If you’d like a little help motivating students to read during the summer, visit “Blog Post #20: Great Summer Reading Lists for Teens to Plunge into Today.” Along with recommended middle school titles it includes links to Amazon, book trailers, and library associations.

If you’re interested in summer reading choice boards, slides with directions and graphic organizers for students, visit “Summer Reading Choice Boards” in my store.

Summer Reading Assignments in a Nutshell

• Allow students to choose their summer reading books. 
• Recommend titles by introducing them with book trailers.
• Do a quick reading check before major assignments are due to avoid future problems (e.g., failing grades).
• Give students class time to complete their summer reading assignments.
• Offer choice board, one-pager, bookmark, or techie summer reading assignments (whichever works best for you and your students). 

Thank you so much for reading! Please drop me a line in the comment section below to let me know what your students think of these summer reading assignments!

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16 Best Reading Activities for Kids: Raising Young Readers

1. Reading Through Art

2. audio storytelling, 3. book-inspired cooking, 4. reading olympics, 5. traveling book club, 6. literary garden, 7. story in a bottle, 8. book character day, 9. time travel reading, 10. reading under the stars.

Did you know that kids who read for just 20 minutes a day are exposed to 1.8 million words a year? That’s like having a world of adventures at your fingertips! Let’s look at how words can become magic, and stories come to life. In this blog, we’ll explore some of the best reading activities.

SplashLearn: Most Comprehensive Learning Program for PreK-5

SplashLearn inspires lifelong curiosity with its game-based PreK-5 learning program loved by over 40 million children. With over 4,000 fun games and activities, it’s the perfect balance of learning and play for your little one.

But why is it so important to nurture this love for reading in our little ones? Because reading isn’t just about words on paper; it’s about opening doors to imagination and building essential life skills. So, hop on board as we uncover the wonders of fun reading activities for kids!

4 Reasons Why Reading Activities is Important for Early Learners

Imagine the first day of school . Little Timmy walks in, wide-eyed and curious. His journey begins not just into the world of education, but into the world of words. Early literacy, the ability to read and understand words, is like a superpower for kids, and here’s why it’s so crucial:

1. Building strong foundations: Early literacy is like the strong foundation of a house. It’s the starting point for everything a child will learn. 

2. Vocabulary boost: Think of words as building blocks. The more words a child knows, the bigger their vocabulary becomes.

3. Comprehension magic: Reading isn’t just about knowing words; it’s about understanding the story. Reading activities teach kids how to make sense of sentences and paragraphs, which is like solving puzzles in a favorite game.

4. Cognitive gymnastics: Reading is a workout for the brain. When kids read, they’re like little mental gymnasts, stretching their thinking muscles.

16 Playful Ways to Cultivate Reading Skills in Kids

“Mark Twain once said, ‘A person who won’t read has no advantage over one who can’t read.’ These words encapsulate the profound importance of reading in our lives. Now, as we delve into the our list of reading activities, we understand that it’s not just about the ability to read; it’s about the magic that unfolds when we embrace reading as an adventure.

Encourage your child to express their understanding of a book through art. This activity allows them to visually represent the story’s themes, characters, or settings.

What you need: Art supplies like paper, paint, markers, or clay.

How to do it: Provide your child with art materials and ask them to create artwork inspired by their favorite book. This can be a painting , drawing , or sculpture that reflects what they loved about the story.

Transform your child into a storyteller. By recording themselves reading a book , they not only improve their reading skills but also add a personal touch to the story.

What you need: A recording device (smartphone or digital recorder).

How to do it: Have your child pick a book they enjoy, read it aloud , and record their reading using a digital device. Encourage them to use different voices for characters and add sound effects to make it engaging.

Combine culinary skills with reading. This activity brings stories to life through the senses as children cook recipes inspired by books.

What you need: A cookbook or a recipe related to a book’s theme.

How to do it: Choose a recipe mentioned in a book or one that matches its theme. Cook it together, discussing how it connects to the story.

Turn reading into an exciting competition. The Reading Olympics motivates children to explore a variety of books and sets reading goals .

What you need: A reading list and a chart to track progress.

How to do it: Create a list of books or reading challenges. As your child completes each book or challenge, mark it off on the chart. Offer rewards or recognition for reaching reading milestones.

Take your child on a literary journey around the world. Explore books set in different countries and learn about their cultures.

What you need: Books set in different countries and resources about those countries.

How to do it: Select books with settings in various countries. As you read each book, delve into the culture, food, and traditions of the featured location. You can also cook a meal or create crafts inspired by each country.

Combine reading with gardening by creating a garden inspired by a book. This hands-on activity fosters a deeper connection to the story.

What you need: Seeds or plants mentioned in a book, gardening tools.

How to do it: Choose a book that mentions specific plants or flowers. Plant them together in a garden or pots, discussing their significance in the story.

Add a touch of mystery to reading by creating a message in a bottle. This activity ignites curiosity and adventure.

What you need: A bottle, paper, and a marker.

How to do it: Write a short story or a message on a piece of paper. Place it in a bottle and seal it. “Bury” the bottle in your yard or a nearby park, and then create a treasure map for your child to find the hidden story.

Celebrate your child’s favorite book characters by letting them dress up as those characters and share their love for them.

What you need: Costumes related to book characters.

How to do it: Set aside a day each month for your child to choose a book character they love. Let them dress up as that character and encourage them to share why they admire them. It’s a day of literary appreciation and creativity.

Explore history with books that transport you to different time periods. Then, enhance the experience by exploring the historical context.

What you need: Historical fiction books and resources for historical context.

How to do it: Select historical fiction books and read them together. Afterward, delve into the historical period by visiting a museum, watching documentaries, or doing online research. Discuss the differences between the book’s portrayal and historical reality.

Make reading a magical nighttime adventure by setting up a cozy outdoor reading nook.

What you need: Blankets, pillows, and a flashlight.

How to do it: Create a comfortable reading nook outdoors with blankets and pillows. Use a flashlight to read stories under the starry sky. The combination of fresh air and imagination makes reading an unforgettable experience.

11. Author for a Day

Give your child a taste of the author’s life. This activity encourages them to write their own story or create book-related content.

What you need: Writing materials like paper and pens.

How to do it: Let your child step into the shoes of their favorite author. They can write a short story, compose a poem , design a book cover, or even “autograph” their work. This activity fosters creativity and appreciation for the writing process.

12. Bookish Science Experiments

Combine reading with hands-on science experiments based on themes from books.

What you need: Science experiment materials and books with scientific themes.

How to do it: Choose books with scientific elements and perform experiments related to the story. For example, if you read about a volcanic eruption, conduct a simple volcano experiment. Discuss the science behind it to deepen understanding.

13. Literary Map

Create a visual representation of a fictional world from a book. This reading activity helps children visualize and connect with the story’s setting.

What you need: Paper, markers, or digital tools for drawing.

How to do it: After reading a book with a detailed setting, work together to draw a map of that world. Include key locations and landmarks mentioned in the story. Discuss the significance of each place.

14. Secret Reading Hideout

Build a hidden reading space where your child can escape into the world of books.

What you need: Blankets, pillows, and a small space like a closet or fort.

How to do it: Create a cozy, secret reading hideout in a closet, under a table, or in a fort made of blankets and pillows. Fill it with books, and encourage your child to retreat there for uninterrupted reading adventures.

15. Storytelling with Shadows

Engage your child’s imagination by using shadows to tell stories. This activity adds an element of mystery to storytelling .

What you need: A flashlight or a lamp.

How to do it: Turn off the lights and use a flashlight or lamp to cast shadows on a wall. Encourage your child to create characters.

16. Interactive Reading Apps and Games

Bring reading into the digital age with interactive reading apps and games . These engaging platforms can make learning to read a fun and educational experience . 

What you need: A tablet, smartphone, or computer with internet access.

How to do it: Explore a variety of reading apps and games suitable for your child’s age and reading level . Many of these apps, including SplashLearn , offer a range of activities that can help kids develop essential reading skills such as phonics , comprehension, and vocabulary . These apps often use gamification techniques to keep children motivated and eager to learn. By engaging with these apps, your child can improve their reading while having loads of fun. Plus, the interactive nature of these tools makes learning feel like play, which is ideal for early learners.

In the world of children’s literacy, making reading fun is the key to unlocking the wonders of storytelling and imagination. These reading activities for kids provide a treasure trove of unique experiences that transform reading into an adventure, a game, and a journey of self-discovery. By engaging in these activities, young readers not only enhance their literacy skills but also cultivate a lifelong love for books. So, pick an activity, open a book, and watch as your child’s world expands through the magic of reading.

As we wrap up this reading adventure, remember that reading is like a best friend, always there to take you on exciting journeys. These activities aren’t just games; they’re keys to a treasure chest of knowledge and imagination.

By sharing these activities with your child, you’re not only helping them learn and grow but also creating special moments together. The joy of reading is a gift that keeps giving, helping them become smart, creative, and kind superheroes of their own stories.

So, keep turning those pages, exploring new worlds, and making memories through reading. It’s a superpower that lasts a lifetime, and it all starts with a good book and a little imagination. Happy reading!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can these activities be adapted for children with special needs or learning differences.

Absolutely! Many of the suggested reading exercises can be adapted to accommodate children with special needs or learning differences. For example, audio storytelling can be particularly beneficial for children with visual impairments, and sensory-friendly reading hideouts can provide a comfortable space for kids with sensory sensitivities. Tailoring the activities to meet individual needs can make reading even more enjoyable and accessible for all children.

How can I encourage reluctant readers to participate in these activities?

Encouraging reluctant readers can be a challenge, but these activities can help. One approach is to let them choose the books they want to read or the activities they find most interesting. Incorporating their hobbies or interests into reading, such as cooking or art, can also pique their curiosity. Additionally, participating in activities as a family can create a supportive and enjoyable reading environment that encourages reluctant readers to join in.

What are some effective small group reading activities for students in a classroom setting?

Some effective reading group activities include guided reading sessions, where a teacher works closely with a small group of students at their reading level to improve their skills. Another option is literature circles, where students read the same book and engage in discussions, encouraging critical thinking and peer interaction. Additionally, consider book-themed debates, where small groups debate various aspects of a book, enhancing their analytical skills while having fun in a group setting.

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These 13 Reading Comprehension Activities for Middle School Will Help Your Students Succeed

I know how challenging it can be working with middle schoolers who are struggling to comprehend what they have read. You can feel like you’re hitting a brick wall and that everything you’re trying isn’t working.Don’t despair! I’m here to help share my experiences and research regarding reading comprehension strategies and activities to help your students understand what they read.

13 Reading Comprehension Activities for Middle School

1. head’s up.

Description

2. Wanted Poster

4. wordless picture books for inferencing, 5. anticipation guide.

You’ll Need

You can use an anticipation guide as part of your pre-reading activities before beginning a new book. The anticipation guide should list statements (some true, some false) about the book, and students will need to mark whether they agree with each statement. Using an anticipation guide is a good way to have students practice the reading comprehension strategy of predicting.

11. Reading Comprehension – Middle School Super Bundle

12. guided reading beach ball, 13. make a timeline, how to prepare middle school students for reading, 4 reading comprehension strategies.

Not sure if this will be of use to anyone but I made a bank of reading comprehension teaching strategies for my staff. Each reading VIPER has ideas for teaching activities. I’ve added it to my Dropbox – https://t.co/aKUbz4XcJ5 @edshed #reading @_Reading_Rocks_ Help yourself! pic.twitter.com/ocijxCstTO — Emma Stanley (@MissStanleyYr6) September 14, 2020

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Easy and Fun Reading Activities: Quick Lessons for the Win!

April 27, 2020 by Katelyn Hildebrand

These easy and fun reading activities are great to have on hand when teaching kids how to read. Having no prep reading activities ready to go will save you time and sanity!

These easy and fun reading activities are great ideas to have on hand.

No Prep Reading Activities

We’ve all had those crazy weeks when a perfect trio of chaos aligns (i.e. parent-teacher conferences, report card deadlines, and a full moon that makes the kiddos bounce off the wall). We’ve also had those weeks when willing yourself to walk through those doors and make it to school is just about all you can muster the energy up for.

Whether you face a perfect storm of chaos, or exhaustion from burning the candle at both ends– you NEED to have some no-prep activities in your back pocket to get you through those days.

Let’s ease that stress!

After you implement the key to stress-free reading intervention , you can use this list of no-prep reading activities to give yourself a little break. 🫶

I do already have an Ultimate List of Reading Intervention Activities that includes some no-prep ideas as well, but I wanted to make a list specifically devoted to quick activities that don’t require a ton of extra work.

Also, be sure to grab my Reading Intervention Cheat Sheet to help you decide which of these activities your students need!

Intervention in reading doesn’t have to be overwhelming with this free cheat sheet .

These reading activities truly require no prep and are easy to pull out at a moment’s notice. Some of the activities require simple things, like writing words on a piece of paper, but it is easy enough to do right there in the moment on the spot. (Perfect “winging-it” material!)

**Below are 9 ZERO prep activities + 3 bonus “low” prep activities that require minimal initial prep but can be reused over and over again.

Reading activities can be simple and still be effective!

Keep a few of these in your teaching arsenal for those moments when you need a quick activity but have no time to prep it!

Reading games like “Guess my Word” can be played at any time.

1. Guess My Word (no-prep)

This is a FANTASTIC way to build phonemic awareness (which is essential to reading success )! You start by giving the “clues” as the sounds in the word, and then the student tries to guess what word it is. For example:

• “My word has the sounds /b/ /u/ /g/. Can you guess what word it is?”
• Students guess the word “bug”

When students get good at this, you can switch roles and have them choose a word and give you the sounds for you to guess! Great for practicing blending AND segmenting!

**Here are 7 more super EASY phonemic awareness activities to try! 

I love fun activities in reading that use sticky notes!

2. Sticky Note Word Families (no-prep)

Ahhh, sticky notes. One of my favorite reading tools! So interactive, bright, and sensory. This little activity is a great hands-on way to get students practicing word families.

• Start out with a word ending, like -op, -at, -un, etc.
• Write that word ending on a sticky note.
• Write several different consonants that would make a word with that ending on a different color of sticky notes.
• Have students place a consonant in front of the word ending to make a word and read it.
• Let them change out the consonant to make different words.

As I talk about in this blog post on the best way to teach cvc words , word families are a great way to learn and practice cvc words!

Fun reading activities should always focus on essential skills, like vowel sounds.

3. Vowel Hold-Up (no-prep)

Learning vowel sounds can be tricky because they each sound very similar, plus each vowel has a long and a short sound. It’s important to get direct, targeted practice differentiating vowel sounds.

• Write each vowel on a sticky note in one color, and draw the short vowel symbol (◡) over them.
• Write each vowel again on a different color of sticky note and draw the long vowel symbol ( ￣ ) over them.
• Say a long or short vowel sound
• Have students point to or hold up the vowel that makes that sound, and say whether it is long or short.

I talk more about the importance of vowels along with some other key phonics skills in this post: 13 Phonics Strategies You Need to Try!

(Here’s a video that shows “Secret Word Pass” in action!☝️)

4. Secret Word Pass (no-prep)

This activity works great with a small group. Students get to practice writing one specific word, and reading new words.

• Assign each student a “secret word”. You can have all of the words be in the same word family, use your spelling words, or use sight words.
• Give each student an index card.
• Have students write their word at the top of their index card and “whisper read” it quietly.
• On your signal, have them pass their card to the right.
• Students then “whisper read” the word on their new card, then write their original “secret word” on that card.
• Pass the cards again.
• Students read the words on their new card, and write their secret word on this new card.
• Continue passing, reading, and writing until students get their original card back, and they can see all of the secret words on it.

Reading intervention lessons are more engaging with interactive activities.

5. Walk Out Words (no-prep)

Sometimes students just need a little movement to get engaged and for skills to stick. Try out this super kinesthetic phonemic awareness activity! It’s a great way to activate multiple senses– and multisensory learning is proven to be the most effective type of learning!

• Say a word.
• Take one step for each sound you hear in the word.
• Say the word again at the end, and jump!

Magnetic letters make great interactive phonics activities.

6. Build a Word (no-prep)

If you have letter tiles or letter magnets easily accessible, this activity is a breeze to prep! It’s one of my go-to activities that is super effective.

• Students count the sounds they hear in the word on their fingers.
• Have them set out letter tiles for each sound.
• Students read the word they made.
• They write the word on a piece of paper as they say the letters out loud.
• Challenge: Clear the letters and cover the word–see if students can build the word again from memory!

Here are 6 more Simple + Fun Phonics Activities to Make Your Students Excited to Read !

This fun reading game gets kiddos excited about spelling words.

7. Word Race (no-prep)

This reading activity is similar to an anagram scramble. Make it a competition, and students will be so engaged! (This game is similar to my CVC boggle games , which are super fun!)

• Make sure there are a couple of vowels in there.
• Have students come up with as many different words as they can just using those letters.
• Whoever comes up with the most words wins!

If you need reading teacher ideas, this rhyme war is so easy, fun, and effective!

8. Rhyme War (no-prep)

I know I’ve shared this in my Phonemic Awareness Strategies post, but it is such a fun one I needed to include it here. It’s a great way to get students listening to and analyzing the sounds they hear in words.

• Have one person say the starting word.
• The next person says a word that rhymes with that word.
• Take turns going back and forth until someone can’t think of a new rhyme.
• The last person to think of a rhyme wins!

Teaching reading activities can be super simple, but still be super effective.

9. Word Sorts (no-prep)

Word sorts are great for getting students to analyze and compare words. This higher level thinking helps the words stick in their memories.

• Write 6-8 words on separate notecards.
• You can give students categories, or let them come up with their own.
• Let students sort and group words into like patterns, sounds, meanings, etc.

Low-Prep Reading Activities

Now these ideas do require some initial prep, but once the prep is done, they are great to use over and over again! It’s a small investment of your time to put these together, but the reward is so great to have them to pull out for a quick activity.

Teaching reading can be a lot easier when you prep activities like these intervention binders beforehand.

10. Reading Intervention Binders (low prep)

These have been a lifesaver for me! I put together these  Print-&-Teach Intervention Binders and they are packed with reading activities that target different skills (plus progress monitoring pages). All I need to do is pull out the binder and we’re ready to get practicing. You can put together your own binders too, or get these that are already made for you to save even more prep!

• Buy or make activities that practice the skills you want to target.
• Print out the activities.
• Put them in a binder.
• Pull out the binder whenever you need to practice those skills!

Link: Reading Intervention Binders MEGA Bundle

Fun reading games are great to prep and then pull out again and again.

11. Reading Games (low prep)

Games are super engaging reading activities, plus you can usually use them again and again without kids getting tired of them! Just be sure to laminate the pieces so they hold up. Here are a few games that I’ve used:

• FREE Reading Intervention Games
• FREE Root Words Card Game
• FREE Phonics Bingo
• CVC Halloween Card Game
• St. Patrick’s Day Phonics Game Pack

Some more reading ideas are to use flashcards for letters, phonics patterns, and sight words.

12. Flashcards (low prep)

You can buy a set of letter , phonics , or sight word flashcards, download these FREE printable phonics flashcards , or make your own set according to your needs.

• Just grab a stack of index cards and write the words/letters/phonics patterns you want students to practice.
• Quiz students by holding them up and having them read.
• You can go one time slow, stopping and talking about the words, and then another time faster.

Well, there you have it! Some of my favorite easy and fun reading activities to pull out spur of the moment when you don’t have time to prep a ton of materials.

These reading activities are all simple, super engaging, and any one of them will help you in teaching struggling readers how to read.

Happy teaching and reading!

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21 Reading Strategies And Activities All Teachers Should Know

One of the most popular topics here on Top Notch Teaching is that of teaching children to read. It’s also an area that I’m passionate about.

We’ve published plenty of posts on the topic over the years but to help you find them we’ve pulled together 21 of the most popular reading strategies and activities  and listed them below.

Free fluency activities

I’ve also put together a free reading fluency eBook for you. Many of the students you work with probably have difficulty with accurate and fluent reading. This free reading fluency eBook discusses what reading fluency is, why it’s important and provides some fluency teaching strategies that you can implement immediately. Fill in the form below so that I can email this to you.

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Reading strategies, skills and planning

1. How To Teach Children To Read – This was the beginning of a fascinating journey for me and helped me to reassess my whole approach to teaching children to read.

2.  Essential Reading Intervention For A Student With Dyslexia – Did you know that students with a learning difficulty, such as dyslexia, benefit most from a structured, explicit, systematic and multi-sensory intervention? Students with dyslexia will also not respond to standard reading instruction. This post is a practical example of an intervention approach I have used with a student.

3. A Little Known Way To Help Children Learn To Read Sooner – When I was in the classroom teaching I regularly found myself questioning my ability to be able to teach kids how to read, spell and write, especially students that had a particular learning need. Seems silly right? But you know what…..I don’t feel like that anymore, I really feel like I can help a child learn to read and improve his/her spelling and writing. Let me tell you a bit more about why.

5.  Teaching Through Errors – A practical example of how I teach through a student reading error.

6.  Planning Structure – Here you’ll find a planning structure that will help to organise your reading session.

7.  Reading Success – In this article I explain how to achieve reading success with a beginning reader.

8.  6 Practical Ideas To Help Students Improve the Skills Needed for Reading – I share with you some of the strategies that I use to improve the essential reading skills of segmenting and blending. These ideas are great for parents as well as teachers. Some of them are appropriate for younger children who are just learning about the sounds in language, while the other techniques are good for students who may be experiencing difficulties or who have missed being taught the skills needed for reading and spelling.

Reading resources, activities and games

Game: What sound next?

9.  Long Vowel Sounds: Activities & Games – Are you teaching your kids about long vowel sounds? Do you need some new and fresh ideas to help you teach the long vowel sounds? Here you will find ideas for teaching the long vowel sounds.

10.  Hands-On Reading and Spelling Ideas – Fun, hands-on reading and spelling ideas that can be used with decodable reading books.

12.  Reading Fluency – Pick up some great ideas about how you can help your students to read more fluently.

13.  Phonics Resources – This article shares ideas for storing phonics resources and a fun way to encourage accurate and fluent reading.

14.  Free Phonics Printable – Here I’ve put together a printable that you can use with your students, that focuses on the letters: a, i, m, s and t. The printable gets your students to find, say, circle and trace the individual letters as well as find, say and trace words that use the target sounds.

15.  Interactive Whiteboard Software and the iPad – In this article I discuss how I use the Sounds-Write interactive whiteboard software on my iPad.

16.  Free Play Dough Mats – In this post you’ll find how you can use play dough to review words and download some free play dough mats.

18.  See How Easy It Is To Conduct A Print Walk – Here you’ll find ideas for some of the types of print you can have in your class as well as some mini tasks you could use as part of the print walk.

Reading books

These books are for beginning readers.

19.  How To End The Reading Book Struggle (And Engage Your Students In Reading Again) Part One – Do you need some new ideas for books you can use to engage your students in reading? Then this post is just for you. Learn about an exciting range of phonics reading books.

20.  How To End The Reading Book Struggle (And Engage Your Students In Reading Again) Part Two – This is the follow up post to the previous one. I delve a bit further into the books and show you some of the different series available as well as the workbooks and how I use them with my students.

21.  Phonics Books – Here are some more books that are fantastic to use with your beginning readers as well as your older students who may be struggling with reading.

More reading resources

If you’re looking for a complete set of resources to help you with your teaching of reading and spelling then you might like to check out  The Complete Phonics Kit . These resources provide you with games, ideas and activities to help you plan and implement your reading and spelling lessons.

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12 Fun ESL Reading Comprehension Activities for All Levels!

Krzl light nuñes.

• May 30, 2023

Reading is essential to boost your English learners’ skills, so ESL reading comprehension activities are vital to your students’ success. Some students may not be fond of reading or are daunted by the thought of running into unfamiliar words or phrases, but fret not! We’ve got ESL reading comprehension activities that make reading fun and engaging for different types of English students. So without further ado, let’s dive in to some ESL reading comprehension exercises and activities!

Are you a teacher of young learners? Learn about the power of storytelling for young learners in the ESL classroom.

Table of Contents

How do you make your reading comprehension fun in ESL classes?

When it comes to practicing reading comprehension in English classes, it’s not uncommon for some students to think that this activity only involves reading long texts, learning new words, and answering a couple of questions. While they do help your students practice skimming, scanning, inferring information, and many other skills, ESL reading comprehension activities don’t have to be boring at all! Here are some tips on how you can turn your reading comprehension activity from mundane to fun and engaging.

Make your reading comprehension time more engaging by turning it into games or activities that will have learners compete (in a friendly way). Instead of sticking to the usual handouts and ESL reading comprehension worksheets, you can come up with races, challenges, and many other interactive activities that will make your class more memorable and worthwhile.

Even adult learners of Business English love a good game. Learn more with 10 Fun & Easy Games for Teaching Business English to Adults.

Choose activities that will build important skills.

There’s more to reading comprehension than just answering questions – it also trains students to develop reading skills, such as summarizing, sequencing, drawing conclusions, and solving problems. As you develop your reading comprehension activities, you can vary them based on the skills you’d like your students to work on. For instance, you can choose a game wherein students have to order events or create the correct sequence of a story they’ve just read. Over time, students learn to move into higher-order thinking skills related to critical thinking .

In addition, a lot of these reading skills also serve as strategies when your learners are preparing for English proficiency tests such as the PTE , IELTS , and TOEFL . The reading sections of these exams typically involve long texts and various types of questions, such as finding the main idea and identifying key information, so you’ll definitely want to prepare your students for these tasks!

Use realia and visual aids.

Bring your reading comprehension activities to life with realia and visual aids such as pictures, props, diagrams, timelines, and other tools – they not only make your class activities more colorful and engaging but also help your learners comprehend what they’ve read more easily, especially if they are visual learners. Also, instead of you writing or illustrating on the board (or virtual whiteboard) all the time, you can have students do these tasks for a more interactive experience.

What activities help with reading comprehension?

As long as your students are able to learn and understand your reading activity and there is a lot of interaction involved in the class, you can create your own reading comprehension tasks. Here are some activity ideas you can get inspiration from and tweak depending on the kind of learners you have:

• Pre-reading vocabulary games (search for the synonym, word hunt, word pairs)
• True/false type of activities (guessing games, races)
• Sequencing activities (drawing, picture story, puzzles)
• Retelling activities (role-plays, summarizing a story)
• Making predictions (guessing games, charts)

Do you have students who struggle with new vocabulary? Learn some top methods for introducing new ESL vocabulary words.

ESL reading comprehension activities for beginners

Here are some ESL reading comprehension activities and exercises your beginner learners will enjoy.

True or False Race

What you’ll need: four cards, two with “true” written on them and the other two with “false”

How to do it: In this game, the students compete to win as many points as possible. After the class reads the text, divide the class into two groups. Give each group a pair of “true” and “false” cards. Then, tell them that you will read out a statement based on the text they’ve read and they have to raise the correct card. The first person who raises the correct card wins a point.

Online variation: You can create your own true or false games on free, game-based learning platforms like Kahoot!

Fun Story Elements

What you’ll need: a whiteboard, small cards to draw on

How to do it: On the cards, draw different symbols or shapes (e.g., a heart, a circle, a smiley, etc.). Then, assign a story element to each one (e.g., heart=setting; circle=main characters). After reading the story, have each student pick a card from the pile. Then, they have to identify the story element based on the card they’ve gotten.

Online variation: You can use the virtual whiteboard on Zoom or Skype or make use of Google Jamboard . You can also create online cards using digital flashcard maker platforms .

Draw the Character

What you’ll need: a sheet of paper, pencils and/or coloring materials

How to do it: This activity can usually be done after reading a story, but you can also use it for other types of texts such as news articles and biographies. After having the class read the text, tell the students that they’ll have to draw their version of the character in the story. Give them some minutes to create their drawings, which they’ll have to present to the class afterward.

Vocabulary Bingo

What you’ll need: a whiteboard, Bingo cards (4 x 4)

How to do it: For this pre-reading vocabulary activity, you’ll have to choose 16 words from the text and find a synonym for each. Write the synonyms on the board and have the students write the words in the boxes of their Bingo cards. Next, read out a word from the text. The students then have to look for the synonym of the word you’ve read and cross it out on their Bingo cards. The first student who completes a straight vertical, horizontal, or diagonal line with four boxes should shout “Bingo” to win.

ESL reading comprehension activities for intermediate learners

Here are some ESL reading comprehension exercises and activities that will engage your intermediate learners.

What you’ll need: a whiteboard, paper strips or small cards to write on

How to do it: You can do this activity after reading a story, a news report, or any type of narrative text. On the board, create a timeline – you can write the dates or days in the story to guide the students. Then, on the strips of paper, write down the events described in the text.

After reading the story, have the students pick a strip of paper and place it on the correct date on the timeline. For bigger groups, you can create two copies of the paper strips, and then divide the students into two groups. Afterward, tell the groups that they have to construct the timeline of the story as a group, and the first one to complete it wins!

Online variation: You can create the timeline on a virtual whiteboard and have students take turns filling in the events correctly as you read them aloud.

Text Scavenger Hunt

What you’ll need: a whiteboard

How to do it: Prepare challenges or questions that will have students “hunt” for key information in an article or text. These can be challenges related to vocabulary (e.g., “Look for the synonym of ‘pretty’ in the first paragraph”) or finding key information (e.g., “Where did Joe go on Friday night?”).

After reading the text, tell the students that you will read out the question or challenge and they’ll have to write their answers in their notebook or on a sheet of paper. Then, announce the correct answer, and the students will confirm whether they’ve found the right information. Correct answers will earn a point, and you can keep track of the students’ points by writing them on the board.

Roll & Recall

What you’ll need: a dice

How to do it: Create six comprehension check questions about the text the students are going to read. Assign each question to a number (one to six) After reading, ask a student to roll the dice. Match the question with the number that the dice lands on. The student will then answer the question.

Online variation: For games like this that require dice, you can use virtual dice .

Summary Sentence Puzzles

What you’ll need : small strips of paper

How to do it: For this game, make sure to divide the text into small paragraphs. Then, write the summary of each paragraph on a strip of paper, and cut it out in between the words so that it becomes a sort of puzzle (don’t forget to keep the puzzle groups separated). Then, after reading the text, give the students a puzzle group and have them rearrange the words so that they create a complete sentence. Finally, the students have to match the sentence with the right paragraph it summarizes.

Online variation: You can use a virtual whiteboard and move words around to form sentences as a whole class.

Get more fun ESL games and activities for kids and teens.

ESL reading comprehension activities for advanced learners

Lastly, here are some reading comprehension exercises and activities to engage your advanced learners.

Predictions

How to do it: This activity is best done for reading involving long stories or other types of sequential texts. Divide the text that you’ll read in class into three or four parts (make sure the students can see only one part at a time). Then, read the first part of the text. Afterward, ask the students for their predictions for the second part. Write their predictions on the board. Then, continue reading the next part of the story. Check the predictions of each student. The predictions that are close to what is written in the text win a point.

20 Questions

What you’ll need: This activity doesn’t require any special materials or props, but students need to have a notebook or a sheet of paper to write their questions on.

How to do it: This activity can be applied to any type of text. After reading the text, students take turns asking their classmates questions related to the text. In turn, the other student has to answer the question. The teacher can write the questions on the board until the class has created a total of 20 questions.

Detective for a Day

What you’ll need: printed or digital handouts containing the mystery questions

How to do it: This activity can be done using any text, as its goal is to build your students’ skills in identifying key information and making inferences. Divide the text into three or four sections, and then tell the students that they’ll be solving different mysteries as you they go along the story.

Before the reading activity, prepare “mysteries” that the students have to solve. Create questions that will have students identify key characters, solve problems, or order the events in the text. Once the students have answered all the questions correctly, you can write (or stamp, if possible) “Case Closed” on the paper and give them the green light to go to the next round.

What you’ll need: This won’t require special materials either, but students can use any props they see fit!

How to do it: You can do this activity with a group of students using any type of narrative text. After reading, the students have to create a role-play of their own or a dialogue based on the story they’ve just read. Then, they’ll have to act it out (or read the dialogue) in front of the class.

No matter how challenging reading comprehension activities may seem, there’s always a way to make them more manageable and enjoyable. By trying out the activities above or creating your own reading comprehension activities, your students will see reading comprehension in a different light and will surely look forward to the next assignment!

It’s all fun and games! Earn certification in Games and Activities for the Online Classroom with Bridge’s 10-hour Micro-credentials!

Back in her hometown in the Philippines, Krzl worked as a writer at a TV station before moving to Chile. After she completed her TESOL certification, she worked for language institutes and then decided to become an independent English teacher to business professionals. When she’s not giving classes, she’s either surfing along Chile’s long stretch of coastline, traveling, or practicing photography by the beach.

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Reading worksheets.

Ereading Worksheets has the best reading worksheets on the internet, and they're all free. These worksheets are skill focused and aligned to Common Core State Standards. You are free to save, edit, and print these worksheets for personal or classroom use. Many of these assignments can now be completed online. You're going to like this.

This page features a sampling of the reading worksheets on this website, organized by skills. You can find more activity by browsing the pages that are dedicated to each reading skill.

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104 Comments

great website! it made my work easier.. love it. thank you

This is one of the best websites I ever came across! It’s just simply the best website for English, apart from the web dictionaries 😉

I’ve been using this website for getting great grades (alliteration is one of those things that your games inspired me to do; not that yours are bad though) at my examinations for atleast 2 years.

I will be forever grateful to Mr. Morton for his wonderful website!

Maybe-Your-Most-Favourite-Viewer

Thank you for visiting and the kind words!

English is my second language.

It is with great pleasure that I found your web site. Over the summer 2020, I printed almost all your reading comprehension materials for my grade 7 and 9 kids to read. I myself read each of them too and answered each of the questions. Your web sites rekindled my interest in reading as an adult.

I am bit selfish to hope there are more reading comprehension materials for my kids and myself.

Thank you for your great work! The world becomes more beautiful because of your altruistic contribution.

Thank you for taking the time to comment. I am always trying to create more content as well as improve the existing content. Best wishes, friend!

Tina Torres

This will help my child alot with her homework,i like this app

Laura Stapel

Hi, Thanks so much for these reading worksheets. They are original and unique and perfect for my tuition of gifted and talented sudents. Just wondering if you have an answer key for the following sheets:

The Authors Purpose 3 Figurative Language Worksheet 3 Non Fiction Reading Test Garbage

Thanks so much and well done on an excellent resource!

its good but i think u should add more games

this is great.

Zainab Ali Asghar

Hello Mr Morton, WOW!! these worksheets, games and activities are simply outstanding!! I am a teacher from Pakistan and these worksheets have helped me immensely in my learning as well as in the school when I share them with my students!! Thank you SOOOO much! I came across figurative language activities which was just the thing I was looking for but I would really appreciate if you could put up activities related to other grammar content; for example, characterization, inferential, fact and opinion, and all other content which we can integrate in our classroom activities.

Forever grateful, Zainab

That’s awesome. I actually have all of that content posted already. I’ve got to figure out some way to make the content more visible. Thanks for visiting!

it helped me in my exams

Hello Mr. Morton,

Thank you for using this great website for my daughter and me. It helps me and my daughter a lot. Do you have answers below***** those tests? If you have can I have it?

***** Jacob the Great Comprehension Test Nutrition Facts Comprehension Worksheet Pain Reliever Comprehension Worksheet

Here are those keys.

https://www.ereadingworksheets.com/reading-comprehension-worksheets/jacob-the-great-answers.html

https://www.ereadingworksheets.com/reading-comprehension-worksheets/medicine-comprehension-worksheet-answers.html

https://www.ereadingworksheets.com/reading-comprehension-worksheets/nutrition-facts-comprehension-activity-answers.htm

Thanks for using the website!

well,these storys are…AWSOME

Michael Holson

Would I be able to post your Power points and worksheets on my webpage? I’ll leave all of them the same and i’ll also put your name on them.

I’m ok with that. Links back to my website as attribution are appreciated.

Samira El-Sabban

Such an outstanding work; i do appreciate the effort and i find it quite useful thanks a million Samira El-Sabban Head of English Department Rajac Schools Egypt

Sarah Madden

Thank you THank you!!!! This site is amazing! I cannot be more happy with it!

hello great passages but is there answers to these passages.

Answers are posted where available, typically under a link that says “View Answers.”

great website!!!!!! I am using your materials for my home school kids

steward Pheirim

This is brilliant, Thank you so much. Absolutely a treasure!!!

My tutor absolutely LOVES this website(so do I) but I was just wondering where the answer key for Jacob the Great? Awesome stories too. I love how detailed they are!

You make teaching easier! Thank you!

Just amazing thanks a lot really

very helpful, exercises are enriching.

I’ve read three of the passages you have here.

The first one was about metal detectors, was amusing, I like it and it’s good to know some of this facts.

The second one was a persuasive text about seat belts, how them keep us safe and the author keeps telling us to use them.

And the third one, my favourite, was about the pony express and how they carry the mail and how hard was and the complications, it’s interesting because they had a problem and they sorted it out in a clever way.

I like your website, thank you very much.

I’m so happy that you do. Best wishes!

hello my name is gabby i like this app it is really fun

It was very good and it is also enriching

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Trending Post : 12 Powerful Discussion Strategies to Engage Students

15 Fun Ways to Freshen Up Your Independent Reading Activities

Inside: Is your choice reading program feeling stale? Are the independent reading activities falling flat? We can engage students and keep book love fresh by weaving in new ideas from time to time!   

Independent reading programs can be the life of your English Language Arts classroom party. Books truly can be magical for students and teachers to share together and to read independently. When inspiring stories are ubiquitous in our classrooms, vibrant discussions help to strengthen the overall community and culture.

Whether you’re just dipping your toes into independent reading or looking for ways to freshen up your existing approach, you’ll find lots of ideas here! If you’ve been around my blog or my Instagram account for long, you probably already know my strong distaste for reading logs and accelerated reader. Compliance-driven accountability tools create a negative space between students, books, and teachers.

In this post, you won’t find unnecessary strategies that frustrate or bore readers. Instead, you’ll find over a dozen fresh ideas for bringing healthy discussion and community to your independent reading program.

Previously, I’ve written about assignments we can use to assess students’ progress with reading literature standards when it comes to their independent reading books. But, beyond standards assessment, I find little to no value in layers of accountability that feel like work just so we can “make sure” students are reading.

If we establish a positive reading culture , students will read. Let’s check out the activities. Keep in mind, you won’t find predictable, structured bell-ringer type approaches here. I like to keep it fresh because that’s my style. Also, variety drives away boredom and unleashes creativity.

For the purpose of clarification, independent reading refers to when students are reading a book of their own choosing . They may be using an audiobook or even sharing the book with parents, but students are reading the book either in class or at home because it’s a book they have chosen to read. Typically, this work is a meaningful extension of additional required classroom texts.

1:  ENTRANCE QUESTIONS

Entrance questions can be a fun way to open up thinking. We can pose these questions when students walk into class or after independent reading time. The purpose of an entrance question is to get students talking about their books, which contributes to a social reading environment. Indirectly, students will be getting ideas of books they may want to read in the future, and those who are answering the questions will be reflecting on what they are currently reading.

Consider these possible examples:

• Find the most important word from the last 2 pages you read. Why is it important to the story?
• What is the setting of your book? Does the protagonist enjoy living in this setting? How do you know? How does the setting cause limitations or provide freedom for the characters?

Entrance questions provide a thin layer of accountability. Students who are not reading their books will have a difficult time coming up with authentic answers to the prompts.

You can find more entrance prompts like this here .

2:  SKILL APPLICATION

One of the best ways we can bridge the gap between whole class texts and independent reading activities is to ask students to apply the skills we are teaching in a whole-group setting to their choice reading books.

For example, if you teach students a five sentence summary strategy using a short whole-class text, ask them to apply their summarizing skills to their independent reading book. Analyzing figurative language as a class? Why not extend that practice to independent reading? Making inferences about characters? Same thing.

I like to use scaffolding tools like graphic organizers and bookmarks to make a seamless connection between whole-class texts and independent reading books. I recommend modeling with the same tools students will be using on their own.

Reluctant readers will be more likely to invest in their independent reading books if they feel the books are an important part of their learning process.

3:  READING CONFERENCES

Reading conferences are opportunities to get to know readers. During a true reading conference, the teacher sits with each student to have quick conversations about how students are approaching their independent reading books. We can ask students summary questions, inference questions, analysis questions, and more.

Reading conferences are another opportunity to bridge the lessons and skills we are working on as a whole class with the books students are reading on their own. Many secondary teachers stray away from reading conferences because we have so many students and a short amount of time to meet with them.

I’ve used five-minute reading conferences during independent reading time. This means I am able to conference with two students each day, and it takes me two to three weeks to make it through the whole student roster. That’s okay! Meeting with students one-on-one allows us to differentiate the reading skills and strategies we want them to work on, and it helps to build relationships with them.

Plus, if we can tell they aren’t really engaging with their book, we can use this time to help them find a book they will enjoy more.

If you aren’t ready to embrace the one-on-one reading conferences approach, give small group conferences a try! Meet with three to four students at a time to discuss a reading strategy (predicting, inferring, visualizing). We can talk about how dialogue impacts pace or how the author uses figurative language to engage readers.

4: BOOK CHECK-INS

In Reading in the Wild, Donalyn Miller recommends a status of the class, which is where we touch base with each student to inquire about their reading progress. When I say your name, share out what page you’re on and something interesting about your reading! We can do this while conferring one-on-one, when taking attendance, as we circulate the room during independent reading, or in small group format when sharing about our reading.

However, Pernille Ripp recommends a second option for reading checks, which is asking students to sign in at the beginning of each class by updating the current page number of their independent reading book. We can streamline this process with a digital or print whole class book check-in sheet that can later be analyzed for trends (pictured below).

At the end of a week or month, we can ask students to total the number of pages they have read and submit that number via a Google Form. This is data we can use to reflect on as a class.

5: CASUAL BOOK TALKS

What are people typically really excited to do after reading something super good? Tell others, of course! That’s why informal book talks are an engaging way to open up authentic social reading situations.

After independent reading time, ask for volunteers to share something exciting, moving, or humorous from what they’ve read, a favorite line or passage, or an impressive example of author’s style. I consider these informal book talks, but I don’t recommend titling them as such to students because it increases the formality.

Just ask who wants to share, and let a few voices shine. To make sure everyone has an opportunity to participate, keep track of who has already shared. When you run out of volunteers and still have students who haven’t shared, ask them questions about their book.

“Jaclyn, I see you are reading ___. What happened in your reading today?” 

“Nathan, what’s your favorite part of the book you are currently reading?”

The expectation to share our reading is a gentle reminder to students:  You need to be reading. It will be your turn soon.  This layer of accountability is one I’m comfortable with because sharing good books is an authentic reading practice.

6:  READING SPRINTS

Here’s another after-independent reading activity, and this one engages the whole class! Reading sprints are when students answer a standards-aligned question about their book directly following reading time. They jot their thoughts on a sticky note and then share it on the board.

As a teacher, there are multiple ways we can lead short or long on-the-spot discussions about literature skills using these sticky note collections. Students’ responses to questions will give us insights as to what skills we need to hone.

Reading sprints keep the spirit of community reading alive in our class and allow us to tie independent reading to whole-class reading lessons seamlessly!

7:  READING RATE GOALS

In 180 Days , Kelly Gallagher and Penny Kittle recommend having students set their own reading goals based on their reading rates. To do this, have students read for ten minutes. They should record the page they begin on and the page they end on. With that number, they will multiply by 6 to find the number of pages they can read per hour. Then, students should set a goal for the number of pages they want to read in a week.

Gallagher and Kittle suggest teachers could grade students upon whether or not they meet their self-determined goal, but my own preference is to avoid grading with independent reading as much as possible. There have been plenty of times I haven’t met my own goals for finishing a book or reading as much as I should have in a month, and I’ve needed to give myself some grace.

Of course, text complexity plays a role in students’ reading rates, and they need to be taught to set goals that are appropriate for the text they are reading. Students can also set goals for engagement, environment, stamina, and variety of reading.

8:  FIRST PAGE SNEAK PEAKS

Hooking students on good books is the first step toward a thriving independent reading program. Over the years, I’ve noticed the most engaging books often have high-interest first pages.

So…let’s take advantage of some sneak peaks! Either with physical books or digitally, have students read the first page, record their thoughts, share their thinking with a small group.

This activity is not necessarily an alternative to a reading log, but it is excellent for building our “to read” lists and promoting a positive reading culture.

9:  VIEWING PARTIES

Viewing parties have recently become popular because they enable groups of people to watch videos together even when they’re apart. When it comes to independent reading, why not host trailer viewing parties? Students can enjoy the trailers as they sit in our classrooms, or they can watch remotely.

Viewing parties are yet another way to share amazing book recommendations with others. Students can recommend book trailers they think their peers would enjoy, and teachers can generate book trailer lists based on weekly or monthly themes.

Why not host monthly viewing parties as a way to recap First Chapter Friday books (here’s a list from a friend !) you have previewed or other excerpts you’ve shared? They’re a friendly reminder that those books are still available for the reading!

Get new books on students’ radar by finding authors who are reading excerpts from their own books. Or, invite authors on Twitter like Jennifer Nielson to host a virtual book reading or Q and A with your class.

10:  GENRE EXPOSURE

I first began introducing literary genres slowly throughout the year when I read The Book Whisperer years ago. Over time, I saw the value of this approach. While older students generally already have a specific taste for certain genres, exposing them to a variety of them throughout the year helped students to expand their palettes.

Some specific ideas…

Introduce new genres with a brief set of notes. ( You can find mine here .) Discuss common characteristics of that genre. Read excerpts from those genres…first pages, first chapters, high-interest passages, and back covers. You can also hold a genre sorting activity to get more books in students’ hands.

11:  COLLECTIVE READING WALLS

After students finish a book, have them fill out a book spine and add it to your classroom decor! This simple activity gives both teachers and students a visual for community reading volume. The trickiest part of using the book spine strategy is remembering to have students fill them out! So, I recommend building in a regular space for this to happen.

Choose a day of the week, and write it into your lesson plans for that day! On a bi-weekly or monthly basis, give students 5 to 10 minutes to complete their book spines in class and add them to the wall if you desire.

12:  READING LADDERS

Reading ladders are my absolute favorite alternative to the reading log! They still allow space for students to record what they’ve read. But they feel less intrusive. Plus, reading ladders are convenient for discussing book diet, reading volume, and reading identity.

With a reading ladder, you start with a bookshelf. Then, choose how you want to label each shelf. I often choose to label shelves with words like “just right,” “entertaining,” “challenging,” “easy,” and “frustrating.” This labeling system helps readers to identify the complexity of books they are reading. We always discuss how it’s okay to read a picture book that is easy. And, it’s okay to read a classic that is challenging! The key is to know what you are reading and why.

Here are my my print and digital reading ladders.

13:  READING DISPLAYS

Another way we can make reading a visible part of our classrooms is through bookish displays. It’s hard for students to forget about reading when they are surrounded by high-interest novels! Reading displays are a non-invasive way to track collective reading.

Display novels you want to draw attention to at the front of your classroom or face-out on your library shelves. Consider having students contribute to a class bulletin board. Here are some bookish bulletin board ideas I’ve created using social media concepts.

14:  READING CHALLENGES

Engage readers with challenges to get them reading more often! Try challenges with unexpected twists. Read under a homemade fort, in a hammock, or on vacation. Expand your genre diet by dipping your toes into something new. Recommend books to a friend or read something recommended by a coach!

Format reading challenges into a tic-tac-toe choice board or BINGO board and have them submit their titles whenever they finish a certain number of novels.

You can also work with students to create individual or whole-class challenges to read a certain number of pages each week or month. Students can fill out a simple Google Form at the end of the time period to indicate how many pages they read.

15:  READING JOURNALS

After reading, we can ask students to write about what they’ve read. Connecting reading and writing is a healthy habit that encourages reflection and creativity. When students see literature from an author’s point of view or when they approach their own writing to apply the literature techniques they’ve analyzed, students are empowered!

Reading journals (whether recorded digitally or in a reader’s notebook) are one way to build in standards-aligned accountability. We can hit both reading and writing standards! Here are two sets of writing journals you can use to get started with journaling about reading:  Set 1 and Set 2 .

Want to prioritize the questions but cut the writing? Readers naturally discuss what they are reading with others! Promote a book club type culture ( even when students are all reading different books! ) by keeping high-interest discussion prompts or more basic comprehension-style questions handy.

The KEY:   Every good idea is only good in moderation.

As with reading logs, any and all of these tools could be used in a way that negatively impacts our readers…including using them too often or treating them as “I gotchas.” It’s ongoing work and reflection to identify whether what we are asking of students is drawing them closer to reading and further on their reading journeys or whether it is doing the opposite.

If we really want to know whether our students are reading, all we need it do is watch them. Are they devouring books? Sharing their favorite parts? Carrying books with them? Flipping pages with eyes tracking during independent reading time? These are authentic indications of reading. Best of all, they don’t add anything to our plates, and they won’t turn our readers away from books.

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If You’re Always Bored, Here Are 26 Random Things That Are Totally Fun

Scroll down for fun games, activities, crafts, and more.

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1. A flying orb  that floats and hovers like it came straight off of the pages of  Harry Potter . It has flashing lights and will boomerang right back to you when you toss it. 

Promising review: " Fun toy! I bought this for a 7-year-old boy for his birthday! He absolutely loved it. This was his favorite gift and it wasn't put in the bottom of the toy box!" — Michelle B Rawlins

Get it from Amazon for $32  (available in seven colors).

2. A mess-free  microwave s'mores maker  so you can make delicious, gooey s'mores in seconds! What's better than chocolate, marshmallows, and graham crackers? I can't think of a better trio.

Promising review : "This is a very cute gadget. I saw this on a TikTok and fell for it lol. I'm glad I did. My kids and I have so much fun making instant s'mores. They're done in about 30–40 seconds with literally no clean up. The marshmallow doesn't melt over so you basically can just run hot water over it to remove a few crumbs from crackers and be done." — Penelope

Get it from Amazon for $14.50 .

3. An origami puzzle game with challenges that you can do alone when you're spending a solo night in but you've already caught up on all your fave shows. You'll have to figure out how to fold each puzzle to make an image appear. You don't need any previous origami experience — this set includes 100 puzzles in five difficulty levels.

Promising review: "These are a great time filler when waiting for appointments, when sitting in boring meetings, when watching a movie and finding your hands need something to do. I keep it with me for any time my hands are free and needing to be filled. Definitely a worthwhile purchase." — Jonna

Get it from Amazon for $13.99 .

4. Or, a  shape-shifting puzzle cube  that will keep you captivated while you manipulate it into over 70 different shapes. It's like origami, but with magnets. 

You can also collect all 12 puzzle box designs to connect several magnetic cubes to build even larger structures and sculptures.

Promising review: "I was hesitant about spending $25 for this toy and even more concerned when it showed up and I saw the size, but this got the award for favorite Christmas gift. Both my 9-year-old and 12-year-old play with it constantly! " — Blair001

Get it from Amazon for $24.99+ (available in 19 designs and in packs of two and four).

5. A beginner-friendly diamond painting coaster set  so you can have a creative activity that'll also help you make something stylish and practical. There's even a glittery cat version that's purr-fect for cat lovers.

Promising review: "The designs and colors are the same as shown on Amazon. Finished coasters sparkle, and the vibrant colors create eight very cute cats. There were plenty of beads to complete the project and adhesion was excellent. Letters and numbers were sharp and easy to follow. I am delighted with these coasters." — PackLeaderJ

Get it from Amazon for $9.99 (available in five styles). 

6. A hilarious Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza card game  — it isn't as complicated as its name, I promise. Not only is it easy to play but it's also fun for the whole fam. Reviewers warn that you may laugh uncontrollably .

Pass out all the cards to the players and keep all the stacks face down. Everyone takes a turn putting a card down in the middle, while saying "taco," "cat," "goat," "cheese," and "pizza," in that order. If the picture on your card matches the word that's said, everyone races against each other to slap their hand on the central pile of cards. Whoever is last must take the pile of cards and add them to their stack, and the person who runs out of cards first wins!

Promising review: "The title says it all! You must buy this game if you’re looking to get your kids off their butts, computers, phones, or TV! My children sat for hours, five to be exact, just playing this and laughing. It was a lot of fun for my husband and I to hear them not fighting and doing something together. Loads of fun!! We even loved playing with them!! 🥰🤘" — Melinda Haiden

Get it from Amazon for $9.84 .

7. A Pictionary Air Harry Potter drawing game  if you're a family of wizards  who are ready to live out their dream of attending Hogwarts. Players will be able to choose a Hogwarts house and draw images in the air (that'll appear onscreen) using a wand for their teammates to guess. 

How it works: Download the free Pictionary Air app, and the active player will appear, along with their sketch, on the screen of your smart device. Players can cast gameplay onto their TV with compatible streaming devices.

Promising review: "I bought this as a gift for my 9-year-old nephew. We played it immediately. The kids were able to get the app and figure out how to play within a few minutes. We played with ages ranging from 9–50, and we all enjoyed trying to guess what was being drawn. We loved the wand. As one other review mentioned, the cards seem to be very easy or very difficult. We all thought it was lots of fun, and I may have to get one for myself now!" — JC

Get it from Amazon for $13.87 .

8. A Lego succulents set  so you can create some gorgeous greenery for your home without needing a green thumb. Not only will this set keep boredom at bay, you'll also have a fun display for your desk or coffee table when you're done.

Promising review: "I LOVED playing with Legos as a kid and have recently been having a blast trying out some of their offerings for adults. This set was super fun to put together and looks so pretty! Everything is so well done from the gorgeous instruction manual to the amazing unique Lego pieces for this set. If you're looking for a peaceful and entertaining way to kill some time this is a great choice!" — Lena

Get it from Amazon for $39.99 .

9. A Kids Against Maturity card game  to create an unforgettable and hilarious family game night experience. This includes 600 question-and-answer cards filled with "age-appropriate toilet humor and funny innuendoes" that'll have everyone laughing out loud. The player with the funniest answer is the winner — it's time for the family comedian to shine!

Promising review: "OMGoodness, this is a hilarious game! It's very easy to play, much the same format as Apples to Apples , if you're familiar with that game. No boring rules to learn; just open the box and play. We played this with various ages and had a great time. I am 53, my son is 23, and my niece and her husband are 30 with a 10-year-old son. The innuendos went over the 10-year-old's head (perfect!) but there was enough fart and poop humor to keep him, and us, giggling. If you're uptight, this is probably not the game for you. If you don't like wind-breaking humor, you might want to 'pass' on this game. But if you want to laugh your butt off with the family, this is a must-have addition to your game night rotation. Laughter is a great stress reliever." — chattyone2

Get it from Amazon for $24.99 .

10. The Unofficial Disney Parks Cookbook  for anyone who wishes they could live at Disney World and feast on all of the food and treats on a regular basis. It's filled with Disney-inspired recipes for Dole Whip, Mickey Pretzels, caramel popcorn, and more.

Promising review: "Beautiful hardcover cookbook with so many yummy Disney recipes from the parks! There is lots of Disney foodie history in it, plus recipes that look easy to follow with high quality ingredients. There are fun maps of each of the parks inside where the food is located from, which makes it fun. As an avid Disney fan I have never seen a cookbook like this." — Nicole

Get it from Amazon for  $6+  (available in paperback and spiral-bound versions).

11. A 500-piece  cozy retreat jigsaw puzzle so you'll have an activity to keep you busy when you feel like hibernating indoors with the AC cranked up during those brutally hot summer days.

BTW: Add a puzzle mat to your cart so you can save your progress and complete your puzzle at your own pace without having to take up space on a table or losing pieces. It allows you to roll up your puzzle while keeping the pieces together and intact.

Promising review: " This puzzle was everything I imagined for a nice night indoors . Made some tea, put on a Christmas movie, and got to work. The pieces are larger than you think so work on the ground or a larger table. Worked on it for two days, and it was so calming after a busy week ." — Victoria

Get it from Amazon for $20.83 . 

12. A splurge-worthy rechargeable laser tag set  because it's a fun game the whole gang can play. It'll turn your basement or yard into a fun battle zone. 

The set includes four rechargeable guns, four rechargeable vests, and one charging station. You can play approximately eight games per charge. The cool LCD screens on the vest keep count of how many lives you have and the vest vibrates when you get shot, aka tagged. Play with up to four teams and eliminate your enemies to win the game. Recommended for ages 8+.

Promising review: " Super fun!! This was my kids' (and their dad's and uncle's!!) favorite Christmas gift this year. They loved it and had so much fun playing laser tag. Glad I got this slightly upgraded version with all the bells and whistles. It was easy to set up, easy to use (even for my younger guys at ages 5 and 6) and so much fun. Great way to get outside and get some exercise, or you can turn off the sound and still use it inside without getting on mom’s nerves too much as well ;) battery life is awesome. Love it!! Great gift!!!!" — EJ NZ

Get it from Amazon for $199.99  (don't forget to clip the coupon for $50 off!).

13. A beginner's sushi-making kit  if your idea of fun is mastering a new skill in the kitchen. This kit will teach you the basics you'll need to know to whip up homemade sushi like the pros.

Each kit comes with two sushi rolling mats, five pairs of chopsticks, a paddle, a spreader, and a PDF of instructions , including recipes for six popular rolls.

Promising review: "The entire Bamboo Sushi Kit is absolutely well-made, easy to use, easy to clean, high-end restaurant quality, and durable.  it was very nicely packaged, and the instructions were clear, in-depth, and very easy to follow. My daughter did an awesome job utilizing these products to make 'FISH-FREE SUSHI' with picked ginger on top. It was delectable! Finally, I highly recommend this set. It comes at a small cost but don't let that deter you — the quality and overall aforementioned features is undoubtedly above and beyond excellent , thus (IMO), it is the perfect product! Loooooove it!" — Liza

Get it from Amazon for $8.98 .

14. Betrayal at the House on the Hill  so you and your friends can explore a haunted house and work together to survive a nightmare. But beware — the game can turn players against each other. This game features 50 scenarios, for endless stories that can unfold each time you play.

Promising review:  "Fun family game! We love this game. It’s not the quickest game to learn, but it is tons of fun. It’s set up so that every time you play this game, it’s different. Different characters, items, omens, bad guys, etc. That’s one reason we love it: It’s not the type of game you play a couple of times and then get tired of it. Every time is different. We love taking it to friends’ houses for game nights." — Taylor

Get it from Amazon for $26.99 .

15. A "F*ck I'm Bored!" activity book for adults that's filled with coloring pages, word searches, puzzles, games, and more to keep you entertained. It's small enough to carry with you anywhere so you'll have something to do when you battery is low or you don't have Wi-Fi and you're in need of fun distraction.

Promising review: "Hysterical and incredibly entertaining! This is a GREAT activity book for passing time — the fact that it's designed for adults is great because it does stimulate your brain while the raunchiness makes it hysterical. Best purchase I've made in a long time! Definitely recommend!" — Heidi

Get it from Amazon for $8.49+ (available in a paperback or spiral-bound version).

16. Classic Jenga  because it's a game that never goes out of style for a reason. This strategic stacking game will provide hours of entertainment. Plus, reviewers say it's easy to learn and fun for the whole family. 

Promising review:  "We spend so much time playing this game. So much fun for the whole family." — Eric C

Get it from Amazon for $15.97 .

17. An all-in-one box dive bar murder mystery game  that'll allow you and your team of detectives to work together to figure out the suspicious death of a bar's owner. Together, you'll have to solve puzzles, decode secret messages, and find evidence to figure out the mystery.

Promising review:  "So much fun! The whole family played, even the 8-year-old. It took us about an hour to solve. I was a little worried about the appropriateness for the little one, but it was not graphic. It made for a great family fun night." — Kindle Customer

18. A  set of magnetic board games so you will be able to play classic games anywhere without the pieces sliding off. It's perfect to take with you during a flight, a road trip, while camping, and more so you'll never be bored no matter where you are.

This set includes 12 games: Checkers, Chess, Chinese Checkers, Tic-Tac-Toe, Backgammon, Snakes and Ladders, Solitaire, Nine Men’s Morris, Auto Racing, Ludo, Space Venture, and Racing.

Promising reviews: "I loved this product while traveling on the road. With three kids, we needed something to keep them occupied and this did the job well!" — Animal lover

"Got these for the grandsons for a 12-hour drive. They're 14 and 7, and both enjoyed them." — hazel h

Get them from Amazon for $24.99 .

19. Pretty Simple Lettering , a step-by-step guide to calligraphy that's ideal for beginners. It'll help you learn to master seven lettering styles from cursive to block lettering and different ink types. Reviewers say it's both fun and relaxing , perfect for a cozy night in.

Promising review: "I’ve tried several instructional books on hand lettering. This book is the best by far . I won’t say the names of the other books but suffice it to say they are all at the top of the list when you search for hand lettering. It is the only book that gives practice for the base strokes and also discusses posture and how to hold the pen and at what angle to the paper. It is also a lovely book to work with; nice art work/illustrations. I recommend this book to other beginners out there!" — Karen Rorick

Get it from Amazon for $19.99 .

20. The Reverse Coloring Book  because it's like a classic coloring book, but with a twist. Instead of coloring in the lines, you actually get to add lines to colorful images instead. 

Each book includes 50 pages of watercolor art for you to add lines, along with suggestions for what to add if you want a jumping off point. Bonus: the pages are perforated so you can easily tear them out and frame them! 

Promising review: "Changed my life. So I get anxious doing the adult coloring books. This was so much fun and made me really think outside of the box. I'm not the best at drawing but I felt like I was when I was a kid doodling in my textbooks in school." — Carley C. 

Get it from Amazon for $9.90 . 

(Psst — check out these cult-fave black fine point pens for $8.99 on Amazon for a good doodling option!) 

21. Otrio , a twist on the classic Tic-Tac-Toe that will become your family's new favorite game to play together. Family game night just got an upgrade.

To win, players must get three circular pieces of their color in a row in either ascending or descending order; get the same-sized pieces in a row; or get three concentric pieces in the same space, but beware of other players attempting to block you! 

Promising review: "Perfect game for all ages. My 8-year-old daughter, 12-year-old son, and 70-year-old mother enjoyed playing together for hours. " — A. Rosen

Get it from Amazon for $47.98 . 

22. Small Batch Bakes , a book filled with recipes for cakes, buns, cookies, and more that are the perfect portion for anyone who lives alone so you won't end up with a too much leftovers. It helps you make delicious desserts and snacks for one to six people using minimal equipment so you won't have a ton of dishes to do afterwards.

BTW: This book measures in grams *and* tablespoons, so you can bake however you prefer. 

Promising review: "Great recipes that turn out right every time. This is now one of my most used cookbooks; can’t say enough good things about it."  — Lisa Jarvis

Get it from Amazon for $16.59 .

23. A string art kit  if you've seen string art all over your feed lately and you're ready to give it a try. Reviewers love that it comes with everything you'll need and it's easy to do — because  you shouldn't trade boredom for frustration. Plus, when you're done, you'll have a work of art to display that you can be proud of.

The kit comes with a crafting board, small hammer, a holder, nails, glue, screws, cotton string, a frame, a pattern, and a detailed instruction manual, so there's no need to buy other supplies.

Promising review: "These instructions are easy to follow — I finished it in two hours. This was so much fun and I love my finished results! It looks so beautiful. It was a gift for my friend. I would buy it again and recommend it to others." — Nicole

Get it from Amazon for $29.99  (available in ten styles).

24. Or a  starter's weaving kit  that'll help you create stunning tapestries for your wall or to give as gifts. If you feel intimidated, don't worry, reviewers confirm that it's great for beginners and includes clear instructions.

Wool Couture Company is a UK-based Etsy shop established in 2014 that specializes in knitting, crochet, weaving, and macrame craft kits.

You can get one of three kinds of kits: a Basic Kit , which comes with a loom and instructions; a Starter Kit , which comes with a loom, two weaving needles, instructions, a mounting bar for hanging, and a cotton ball of warp to hold your work; and a Quintessential Kit , which comes with everything in the Starter Kit, plus the merino wool for weaving.

Promising review: "It’s simple to use, the wool I received in the set is of a high quality and the service was smooth and communicative. Can not recommend this highly enough from a first-time weaver." — DivineDerbyshire

Get it from Wool Couture Company on Etsy for $39.75+  (available in various styles and with or without yarn).

25. A  DIY cheese kit  because it comes with everything you'll need to learn how to make four batches of cheese in just a half hour. I mean...what better way to fight boredom than to make a delicious snack? 

Urban Cheesecraft is an Oregon-based Etsy shop established in 2009 that specializes in make-your-own cheese kits in a variety of cheeses, including vegan options. Each kit comes with a cheesecloth, citric acid, flake salt, instructions, and "email support for life" — all you need is milk.

Promising review: "These kits are great gifts for the cheese lover and the person 'who's already got it all.' The packaging looks nice and gift-worthy and it's a perfect price range. I love that the recipient gets an experience as well as a tangible product and I can personally attest that the actual process is easy." — amyleannbohner

Get it from Urban Cheesecraft on Etsy for $15 . 

26. A flower press kit  that'll help you preserve flowers from your garden or ones you've collected during your last nature walk. You can use the dried flowers for scrapbooking, card making, decorating, and more.

Promising review: "This is my first time flower press and I am very happy and satisfied with this item. I love the logo design at the front and how it’s the right size for any beginner or expert. The wood and tweezers are high quality for the price. Highly recommended!" — Krissy H. 

Get it from Amazon for $29.99 . 

You, trying to get your whole family on board to solve a murder mystery game:

Reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity.

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Children’s Books

Hoot, Howl and Sneeze: 6 Picture Books for Maximum Read-Aloud Joy

From silly rhymes to lively sound effects to stealthily-building suspense, these old standbys and new classics have something for everyone.

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By Elisabeth Egan

Elisabeth Egan is a writer and editor at the Book Review. She has worked in the world of publishing for 30 years.

There are two kinds of story time: the one where listeners’ heads drop sleepily onto your shoulders and the one that feels, refreshingly, like a table read for the theater of the absurd. The former is sweet and cozy. The latter sparks audience participation and requests for an encore. If you’re going for this vibe and in the mood to strut your stuff as a raconteur, start here.

The Gruffalo, by Julia Donaldson; illustrated by Axel Scheffler

Donaldson’s trusty dynamo is like a scoop of fine vanilla ice cream: enjoyable on its own, but dial up the extras and you have a hot fudge sundae (of sorts). Indeed, “The Gruffalo” boasts a buffet of crowd-pleasing features, including an uncomplicated rhyme scheme (wood/good, mouse/house), repeating lines (the better to inspire group participation) and a wide range of voices (mouse, fox, owl, snake and, yes, gruffalo). Suspense is just an added bonus from the team who brought us “Room on the Broom.”

Hear Imelda Staunton Read It

Looking for a jumbie, by tracey baptiste; illustrated by amber ren.

What are jumbies? you might wonder. They’re creatures from Caribbean stories, akin to fairies or trolls, Baptiste tells us in her introduction. “Some live in the forest,” she writes. “Some live in the water. Some soar up into the sky.” In this fantastical story, a little girl named Naya sets out to meet some jumbies for herself. Conveniently for the person turning the pages, she crosses paths with a bevy of creatures, each with the potential for a different voice — high and squeaky, deep and growly, it’s your call. My personal favorite is a jumbie of the douen variety, known for its small stature, backward feet and big mouth. Imagine Dobby, of “Harry Potter” fame.

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Kate's 5 fun things to do in and around Waterloo region: Canada Day weekend edition

Enjoy local music at one of several celebrations to mark canada day.

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The long weekend is here and while it won't be a hot summer weekend, it's still going to be quite lovely outside, which will make going out to enjoy local events an easy choice.

The Kitchener Panthers are in Brantford on Friday night, then head down the highway to Guelph on Saturday evening.

The Guelph Royals have a very full long weekend of baseball. They're in London Friday night, host Kitchener Saturday evening, in Hamilton Sunday afternoon then host a Canada Day afternoon game against the Brantford Red Sox.

Indigenous Art Market

11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday

Gaukel Block, downtown Kitchener

This outdoor market will include more than 60 Indigenous vendors with a mix of beadwork, jewelry, prints, paintings, apparel, books, candles, stickers and more.

• Facebook event page

Riverside Reading Festival

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday

Walter Williams Amphitheatre, Lions Park, 60 Laurel Street, Paris

There will be several authors at this event reading from their books on stage. There's a children's stage and exhibition area, too.

• Riverside Reading Festival website

Sunset Sessions

7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday

Vogelsang Green, downtown Kitchener

These small park concerts will take place each week in the summer. The artists remain a surprise until the concert begins. There are also after sunset celebrations in local restaurants (this week it's Abe Erb).

Fourth Friday: Layla Staats

5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday

Guelph Civic Museum

Every fourth Friday, there's a concert at the museum. This month it's Layla Staats, a Mohawk water protector, film maker, and musician.

During the evening, she will perform traditional songs that were part of her reclamation journey, personal stories behind her new upcoming album, and live performance of her brand new solo debut.

Canada Day events

Sunday/Monday

Various locations

There are a number of Canada Day events in and around Waterloo region. Guelph, however, will not have their usual Canada Day celebrations this year and no fireworks.

On Sunday, there's a free event at Bingemans with Tragically Hip cover band The Almost Hip and fireworks after dusk.

Here's what's on tap on Monday:

• Cambridge Canada Day celebrations include a parade, fishing derby, food trucks, children's area, Portraits of Honour will be on display and live entertainment. 
• Canada Day in DTK includes food trucks and live performances throughout the afternoon. Fireworks are set to take place just after 10 p.m.
• Waterloo's community picnic will see local artists, food trucks and giant games in Waterloo park near the bandshell. There's also an art market, community organization fair and entertainment as well as an LED drone show at 10 p.m.
• The North Dumfries Community Celebration will include lawn games, an obstacle course, electronic hockey, a selfie station, children's entertainer Rumple & Friends and a concert by The Boys & I. Fireworks will take place at dusk.
• Wilmot Canada Day will begin with a sunrise ceremony led by an elder from Crow Shield Lodge. The official opening will be at 11 a.m. and will include cake then there will be live entertainment throughout the day. Fireworks are expected to take place around 9:30 p.m.
• Woolwich Celebrates Canada Day includes free public swims in the morning, then an afternoon of events including an antique car show, live entertainment, Robin In The Hood demonstrations, storytime, crafts, magic and juggling lessons and a magic show.
• Teas 'n' Tales is a storytelling event in the Guelph Enabling Garden in Riverside Park. This special edition of the storytelling event will include James Gordon, Robert Munsch, Larry Gibbs and Brian Holstein, with entertainment by violinist Bridget Walsh. The event is free but donations are welcome.
• A Canada Day Carillon Concert will take place at 12 p.m. at St. George's Anglican Church in Guelph. It will feature carillonneur Deborah Hennig performing a 30-minute concert using the 36-bell concert instrument located inside the church.
• In baseball action, the Guelph Royals will host the Brantford Red Sox and wear their special red jerseys. First pitch is at 1 p.m.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Content producer

Kate has been covering issues in southern Ontario for more than 20 years. She is currently the content producer for CBC Kitchener-Waterloo. Email: [email protected]

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• Kate's 5 fun things to do in and around Waterloo region: June 21 to 23
• Kate's 5 fun things to do in and around Waterloo region: June 14 to 16
• Ways to celebrate Canada Day in Waterloo region, Guelph on Monday
• Kate's 5 fun things to do in and around Waterloo region: June 7 to 9
• Things to do in Hamilton this Canada Day weekend

• Grades 6-12
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25 Fantastic Reading Fluency Activities To Build Literacy in Young Readers

Fluency brings the words to life!

Learning to read starts kids on a lifelong learning journey, but literacy is more than just understanding the words on a page. Reading fluency  involves comprehension, speed, accuracy, and prosody (reading with expression). There are many ways to help kids develop reading fluency, both in and out of the classroom. Here are some of our favorite reading fluency activities.

1. Start with a reading fluency anchor chart

Introduce the basics of reading fluency with an anchor chart you can hang in the classroom. It’s a good reference for kids throughout the year. Here are more fluency anchor charts to try.

Learn more: Oral Reading Fluency/Teaching With a Mountain View

2. Model fluency with read-alouds

Reading aloud to kids is important for so many reasons, but one of the best is that it teaches kids what fluency sounds like. Adults can model expression, phrasing, pace, and so much more when they read to kids. Try some of our favorite read-alouds , or check out this list of the best read-alouds on YouTube  as part of your reading center activities.

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3. Hang reading fluency posters

Post these in your classroom reading center to remind kids what reading fluency really means. They’re simple but effective. Get your free set of reading fluency posters here.

4. Try sentence trees

Sentence trees are terrific reading activities that build fluency in younger students. They allow kids to focus on each word, improving accuracy and speed along the way.

Learn more: Sentence Trees/Fun in First

5. Put together poems and nursery rhymes

Kids often memorize nursery rhymes long before they learn to read. By breaking those rhymes apart into individual words and putting them back together again, kids see how words build into sentences and stories in a natural flow.

Learn more: Fluency To Improve Comprehension/Mrs. Winter’s Bliss

6. Use line tracking and word pointers

For some kids, focus is a challenge. Their eyes wander around the page, and they have trouble developing the speed needed for fluency. Use another piece of paper to help them focus on the line they’re reading, or try pointing to the words one by one.

Learn more: Reading With Fluency/Katelyn’s Learning Studio

7. Read and reread … and reread

Fluency involves lots and lots of reading and rereading. When kids read a passage over and over again, they build up their speed and accuracy automatically. One fun way to work on expression is to try rereading with different voices.

Learn more: Improve Reading Comprehension/Teach123

8. Add a timer to rereading

Combine repeated reading with a timer. Students read a passage for 1 minute, working to increase the number of words they read correctly each time. This is a nice tool for working on speed and accuracy.

Learn more: Build Reading Fluency/1st Grade Pandamania

9. Track student progress

While you don’t want to overemphasize numbers, tracking a student’s fluency is helpful to both you and them. Parents can help with this one at home too.

10. Work on those sight words

One of reasons elementary readers focus so much on sight words is that they help to build reading fluency. Find a roundup of all our favorite sight word activities here.

11. Look to punctuation for expression cues

Punctuation makes passages easier to read, but it also gives a reader cues on proper expression. Help your kids recognize what each punctuation mark sounds like when reading fluently.

Learn more: Teaching Expression in Fluency/The Owl Teacher

12. Answer the fluency phone

These are such a fun tool for helping kids really hear themselves read! They’re great for busy classrooms and reading centers. Kids talk softly into the phone, and the sound is amplified in their ear. You can buy fluency phones or make them yourself from PVC pipe .

Learn more: Fluency To Improve Reading Comprehension/Mrs. Winter’s Bliss

13. Read with partners

Whether kids are reading together or you pair an adult helper with a student, taking turns reading is a terrific way to get more fluent. When one reader is stronger, have them read the passage first and have the other reader echo it back.

Learn more: Ways To Improve Reading Fluency/The Measured Mom

14. Get a reading buddy

Shy kids will especially appreciate the chance to practice reading out loud to a stuffed animal pal. Encourage them to read as if their fuzzy friend can hear everything they’re saying.

Learn more: Ways To Use Stuffed Animals in the Classroom/Stories by Storie

15. Give kids a reading fluency rubric

Use this free printable rubric when evaluating students’ reading fluency, or send it home for parents. Kids can even use it to self-evaluate!

Learn more: Reading Fluency Is Not Just About Speed/Teacher Thrive

16. Use a fluency bookmark

A handy bookmark keeps fluency strategies front and center when kids read. We love this idea for kids who are ready for chapter books.

Learn more: Focusing on Fluency/Upper Elementary Snapshots

17. Introduce the concept of scooping phrases

Pointing to words is good for building speed and accuracy, but scooping phrases takes things to the next level. This practice is a great help for developing expression and comprehension.

Learn more: Reading Fluency Phrasing/This Reading Mama

18. Hold a school-wide fluency challenge

Make literacy and reading fluency something the whole school focuses on. Have PE teachers post sight words for kids to read out when they run past. Invite cafeteria workers to join you for story time. Track fluency and celebrate milestones with individual and whole-school rewards! Learn more about holding a school-wide fluency challenge here.

19. Set up buddy reading

Pair older students with younger students to practice and model reading fluency. Older students can read picture books, which have longer sentences and higher vocabulary that challenge older students but are still out of reach for younger students. The older students will get practice with fluency, and younger students will benefit from hearing picture books read aloud.

20. Use highlighter strips

Highlighter strips, bright tape-like strips that students can use to follow along as they read longer books, can help upper elementary students keep their place. And keeping their place helps them read fluently.

Buy it: Highlighter Strips at Amazon

21. Teach robot vs. non-robot reading

Help students understand the prosody or expression part of fluency with a lesson on robot reading vs. fluent reading. Have students practice (silly) robot reading and then fluent reading to hear (and feel) the difference.

Learn more: Arlene Neubarth/Pinterest

22. Put on a play

Readers theater , with a script or a favorite book, is one way to practice fluent reading. Choose a book with lots of dialogue and encourage students to really feel the story.

23. Use the BEST strategy for multisyllabic word reading

When students get to multisyllabic words, they may struggle to get past longer words like “momentarily” and “topography.” Teach them a strategy to sound out longer words:

• Break the word apart into syllables.
• Examine each part.
• Say each part.
• Try the whole word.

24. Host a poetry jam

Poetry is a great way to practice fluent reading, and it can be used at any grade level. For younger kids, work with simple poems and rhymes. For older children, use poems from Shel Silverstein or Jack Pruletsky. Have each child choose a poem and practice reading it with flare, then host a poetry jam where students read the poems they’ve practiced.

Learn more: Poetry Cafe/School and the City

25. Record students’ reading

Recording audiobooks for your classroom library is one way for students to see how fluent reading benefits everyone. Have students record reading a book on an audio recording app, and save it for other teachers to use with their students.

Learn more: Fluency Activities for Your First Grader/Reading Rockets

If you liked these reading fluency activities, check out Awesome Free or Low-Cost Websites for Practicing Reading .

Plus, check out these 25 incredible reading apps for kids ..

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These Fluency Posters Will Help Students Understand What Goes Into Reading

What do we mean by terms like accuracy, phrasing, and rate? Continue Reading

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50 Fun Craft Ideas That'll Spark Any Adult's Creativity

These DIY projects range from quick and easy to truly unusual.

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.

While we've included some projects that require a bit more time (like a DIY side table), most of these projects can be completed within an hour. Find tutorials and step-by-step instructions for a range of fashion accessories, self-care essentials and gorgeous DIY home decor . Think hand-painted bangles, rose petal bath salts and a butterfly frame, just to name a few standout ideas. Scroll this list to find simple projects for beginners, as well as more challenging options (like crocheting a pillow) to put your skills to the test.

If you're hunting for a seasonal craft idea, there's no shortage of inspiration — explore our roundups of summer crafts , easy fall projects and DIY Christmas decorations . Keep in mind, these relaxing craft ideas are intended for adults, but we've got plenty of craft ideas for kids too.

Leaf Imprint Jewelry Dish

Collect a few cuttings from your favorite houseplants or neighborhood trees, then use them to create beautiful jewelry dishes. The hardest part is rolling the imprint onto air dry clay using a rolling pin.

Get the tutorial at Sprouting Wild Ones »

Floral Stencil Tote Bag

Turn a solid tote bag into a one-of-a-kind accessory with a few floral stencils and acrylic craft paint. You can also invest in alphabet stencils to spell out an inspirational message or name of a loved one, like "Mom."

Get the tutorial at Sarah Hearts »

Rose Petal Bath Salts

Turn your bathroom into a luxurious spa by making your own bath salts. Not to mention, this recipe will give your dying rose bouquet a second purpose!

Get the tutorial at Paper & Stitch »

Rainbow Doormat

Every time guests step through your charming entryway , you can point out your handcrafted doormat. All you need is a natural coir mat and a few outdoor acrylic paints, plus paint brushes to draw on the design!

Get the tutorial at Make and Takes »

Colorful Jenga Game

Give this classic wood game a colorful upgrade! Using small foam paintbrushes and acrylic paints, simply paint the sides of each Jenga block. It shouldn't take longer than 30 minutes.

Get the tutorial at Lovely Indeed »

Paper Flower Gift Topper

Whether it's for a birthday or special holiday, these striking paper flower toppers make any present feel more personal. Once you nail it, you'll use this easy paper folding technique all of the time!

Get the tutorial at The House That Lars Built »

Mid-Century Modern Side Table

Most mid-century modern side tables cost at least $100 — but this DIY option is way less. There's even a round cake pan, which can be painted any color of your choice, that provides hidden storage.

Get the tutorial at Sugar & Cloth »

Rainbow Bangles

Let your imagination run while as you paint and stencil your favorite patterns onto wood bangles . They're so fun to wear knowing you've made them yourself, but you can also paint one for a friend.

Pressed Flower Lanterns

Decorate your home with these gorgeous flower lanterns — or make them in bulk for an upcoming party. You can definitely press your own flowers, but save yourself time by picking up a pack online.

Get the tutorial at First Day of Home »

SHOP DRIED FLOWERS

Cubby Cabinet

Inspired by vintage apothecary cabinets, this farmhouse wall shelf costs less than $15 to recreate. Dress it up with everything from seasonal decor and office supplies to vintage trinkets.

Get the tutorial at A Piece of Rainbow »

Bumble Bee Bookmark

Bookworms will adore marking pages with this smiling bumble bee bookmark. Plus, this tiny craft is a great way to use up any felt scraps you have lying around from previous projects.

Get the tutorial at The Craft Train »

Colorblock Vase

With a bit of spray paint and painter's tape, this homemade decor project is a breeze! The hardest part will be deciding what color to paint your flower vase .

Get the tutorial at Lolly Jane »

RELATED: DIY Home Decor Ideas for Instant Personality

Floral Candles

Decorate taper candles to make your home more inviting, especially if you're hosting a party. For this craft, we used paint markers (acrylic paint works too) for the floral designs.

Follow these steps:

• Use a clean cloth to wipe the candles with rubbing alcohol. This will remove lint and debris for a smooth surface.
• Use paint markers or craft paint to draw a series of dots, flowers and patterns.
• Work on one side and let it dry completely before moving to another side.

SHOP TAPER CANDLES

Easy Landscape Painting

Love painting, but you're not a painter? Follow this step-by-step video to make a masterpiece with ease. Display the final result in a thrifted picture frame, and you've got yourself a truly one-of-a-kind creation.

Get the tutorial at Bless'er House »

DIY Lavender Soap

Give yourself permission to use the fancy soap… by making it yourself. You’ll need just a few supplies: goat's milk melt and pour base, dried lavender, lavender oil and silicone soap molds.

Get the tutorial at It All Started With Paint »

Tassel Earrings

Here's an adorable craft idea that'll take less than five minutes. You'll need a few supplies, including silk tassels, gold end caps and earring hooks to create these unique earrings.

Get the tutorial at Tell Love and Party »

Decorative Pinboard

Create a personalized or seasonal display by hanging photos, greeting cards and your favorite artwork from an old window frame. Add small bulldog clips with a hot glue gun to complete the vintage-inspired look.

Accordion Paper Flowers

Green thumb or not, you can still grow an everlasting garden. Download these templates and follow the steps below to make paper flowers in various shapes, sizes and colors.

• Cut out four pieces of yellow or white paper (depending on what color daffodil you would like) using the first template.
• Fold the paper in half both vertically and horizontally and open again. Fold the bottom up about ¼" and crease it down.
• Flip the paper over and fold all the way to the top until you create an accordion.
• Fold the accordion-folded paper in half and attach the two middle pieces together with double-sided tape.
• Repeat steps 2-4 with the remaining three pieces of paper.
• Connect all four together with a strip of double stick tape to create a flower shape.
• Cut out a rectangle of orange paper about 2" x 1.5" and cut little points on one of the long edges.
• Roll the rectangle loosely to make a tube shape and connect with a small piece of double-sided tape, folding the bottom edge down to create a flat bottom. Glue the little cup you made into the center of the flower to finish your daffodil.

Colorful Coupe Cocktail Glasses

Make these eye-catching cocktail glasses with just a bit of scrap adhesive vinyl and cheap glasses from Ikea or the dollar store. This project is super easy, but will create a dazzling result your cocktail party guests will be sure to admire.

Get the tutorial at A Kailo Chic Life »

Woven Coasters

Burlap coasters add a layer of texture and warmth to a display, all while keeping your table protected from spills and water marks. Give plain burlap squares a more finished look by stitching a colored border or pulling at the thread along the edges to create a fringe detail.

Alyssa Gautieri (she/her) is the associate lifestyle editor for Good Housekeeping , where she covers all things home and interior design. Prior to joining GH in 2022, she wrote for publications including ELLE Decor , Chairish , BobVila.com , Unique Homes Magazine and LODGING Magazine , in addition to crafting product copy for home brands like BrylaneHome and VIGO Industries.

Mariah Thomas (she/her) is an assistant editor for Good Housekeeping , where she covers home and lifestyle content. Mariah has more than four years of editorial experience, having written for TLC, Apartment Therapy, Women's Health and Avocado Magazine . She received her master's degree in journalism at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism and published her first book, Heart and Soul: Poems of Thoughts and Emotions , in 2019. She's also the founder of RTF Community , a platform for creatives of color to connect, learn and showcase their work. 

@media(max-width: 64rem){.css-o9j0dn:before{margin-bottom:0.5rem;margin-right:0.625rem;color:#ffffff;width:1.25rem;bottom:-0.2rem;height:1.25rem;content:'_';display:inline-block;position:relative;line-height:1;background-repeat:no-repeat;}.loaded .css-o9j0dn:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/goodhousekeeping/static/images/Clover.5c7a1a0.svg);}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.loaded .css-o9j0dn:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/goodhousekeeping/static/images/Clover.5c7a1a0.svg);}} Crafts & DIY Projects

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Join in a summer of fun at Leicester Libraries

• Museum event will showcase pupils’ healthy mealbarrows
• Enjoy Heritage Sundays with a guided tour of Leicester landmarks
• Free taster sessions on offer for adult learners
• New exhibition showcases creativity of refugees

Published on Friday, June 28, 2024

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LEICESTER Libraries are getting ready to launch their annual reading challenge, with free fun activities on offer over the long summer holidays.

This year’s summer reading challenge – which encourages children to read for pleasure – takes the theme of ‘Marvellous Makers’ and officially kicks off on Saturday 29 June.

It’s free and easy to take part – simply visit your local library three times between 29 June and 15 September 2024 and borrow and read at least six books to complete the challenge. You can also borrow books online from Leicester Libraries’ ebook or eAudiobook collections.

Once signed up to the challenge, children will receive ‘Marvellous Makers’ themed collectibles on all of their visits – including a poster and sticker packs.

There are also lots of exciting activities to get involved in. Visit a library in the first week of the summer holidays (15-19 July) and make a character, creature, object, plant or other feature to add to an amazing summer street scene picture for each library.

Free family fun will take place across the city from 22 July to 15 August, when each library will host an afternoon of creative activities. Ask at your library for details - and don't forget to borrow a book!

Children also get the chance to design their own trophy and pick up a certificate when they complete the challenge.

Very young children can join in at libraries’ weekly Toddler Time sessions. You can also borrow books and collect stickers from children’s centres, and the Children’s BookBus will be in Town Hall Square on Wednesday mornings from 17 July to 14 August.

Adults can be a role model by reading six books too - borrow and read six books from Leicester libraries in July and August for a chance to win £30 worth of books.

City council head of neighbourhood services Lee Warner said: “There’s plenty for children to do at their local Leicester library during the summer holidays. All of our libraries are taking part, and as well as borrowing books you can get involved in free activities to help keep children entertained and engaged right through the summer.”

The 2024 summer reading challenge is produced by The Reading Agency and delivered in partnership with libraries and Create, a leading charity igniting change through creativity.

For more information, see leicester.gov.uk/libraries

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AI Success Depends on Tackling “Process Debt”

• Paul Leinwand,
• Sundar Subramanian,
• Mohib Yousufani

It’s time to clean up the antiquated, functionally isolated, and customer-disconnected ways of doing work.

Typically, organizations in the midst of transformation efforts spend significant time and resources trying to correct massive amounts of “technical debt” — the price of years of short-term decisions and prioritizations that result in an overly complex technological infrastructure. But equally challenging is managing organizations’ often undiscussed “process debt” — the build-up of often antiquated, functionally isolated, and customer-disconnected ways of doing work. Without tackling process debt, companies won’t be able to realize the massive potential of technologies like AI. Remapping and reprioritizing how your organization does work can lead to startling results and focus your organization on the activities it’s better equipped to deliver.

Much like the many digitization efforts that have come before, AI brings tremendous potential to help transform how work is done, and even access work that we didn’t think was possible. Consider that ER doctors hit an average of 4,000 keystrokes in a 10-hour shift — imagine all the good that could be accomplished from repurposing that effort, time, and mental energy by not just replacing some of this work, but also augmenting intelligence to help improve effectiveness and speed.

• Paul Leinwand is a principal at PwC U.S., a global managing director at Strategy&, and an adjunct professor at Northwestern’s Kellogg School. He is a coauthor, with Mahadeva Matt Mani, of Beyond Digital: How Great Leaders Transform Their Organizations and Shape the Future (HBR Press, 2022).
• Sundar Subramanian is a principal at PwC U.S., and leads Strategy&, PwC’s strategy consulting business. He also heads its enterprise strategy, value, and digital transformation practice.
• Mohib Yousufani is a principal at PwC U.S. He is a senior global leader in digital transformation, and advises institutions across industries on achieving superior growth and performance.

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