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According to Research Outreach, “Play provides more than entertainment for young children, with 80% of brain development completed at three years old, to 90% at five.” So, why not boost your kids’ early literacy skills with some fun reading activities and games?
From action-packed outdoor reading games to printable reading comprehension activities, you’re sure to find a fun reading activity for any age child or reading skill level.
Boost Early Literacy with Fun Reading Activities!
35 Fun Kids Reading Activities and Games for Kids
1. Read Around the Room Scavenger Hunt
All you need is some paper and a pen or pencil to write the clues for a fun scavenger hunt reading game for kids.
2. Paint Chip Reading Puzzle
Raid the hardware store for paint chips to make colorful reading puzzles for your Kindergarten child.
3. Printable Short Vowel Game
Download and print this reading game for a fun and quick way to practice short vowel words.
4. Dry Erase Blocks Reading Activity
Use a dry erase marker to turn your preschooler’s LEGO DUPLO bricks into a hands-on reading activity.
5. Printable Roll and Read Fluency Game
A free printable makes this ending digraph reading fluency game simple to set up and fun to play.
6. Sight Word Spray Activity
A common household spray bottle and some sidewalk chalk makes for a quick outdoor summer reading activity.
7. Swat the Sight Word Game
A fly swatter and some fake plastic flies make this reading game engaging and memorable for little ones.
8. Squirt the Sight Word Activity
Or use squirting bath toys and foam bath letters for some hands-on sight word practice in the bathtub.
9. Word Family Blackout Game
The free printable game cards make this fun word family reading game easy to set up and play.
10. Secret Messages Reading Activity
Preschool kids love revealing and reading the secret messages while doing this easy reading activity.
11. Muffin Tin Reading Game
Use an everyday muffin pan and some cupcake liners to set up this easy reading skills game for new readers.
12. Peek A Boo Blends Activity
This hands-on reading activity gets kids forming and reading blends by lifting paper flaps.
13. Beach Ball Sight Word Game
Use a permanent marker to write sight words on a beach ball for an action-packed reading game kids love.
14. Word Family Tic Tac Toe
Turn typical tic tac toe into a fun way for your preschooler to practice word families.
15. Fizzy Reading Sensory Activity
Seeing the excitement on your child’s face during this sensory-packed reading activity is worth all the prep.
16. Roll a Sight Word Game
For this simple printable reading game, preschoolers use dice to roll and read sight words.
17. Crayon Rubbing Sight Word Activity
Make sight words with foam letter stickers for kids to do crayon rubbings over.
18. Folded Fortune Teller Reading Game
Fold up a piece of paper into a classic fortune teller, then turn it into an interactive reading game for kids.
19. Railroad Word Crash Activity
Turn your child’s wooden toy train set into a play-based reading game they’ll play for hours.
20. Word Family Spoons Activity
This fun reading activity challenges children to sort different word spoons into word family cups.
21. Cup Crash! Reading Game
All it takes is a permanent marker and some red plastic cups to prep this action-packed reading game.
22. Pool Noodle Build-A-Word Tower Activity
This clever, hands-on word-building activity has little learners using pool noodle pieces as building blocks.
23. You’ve Got Mail Reading Activity
Your preschool child will love reading their “mail” during this simple yet fun reading activity.
24. Mitten & Snow Sight Word Game
Ping pong balls are used for pretend snowballs in this clever winter-themed reading game for kids.
25. Sweep Up the Rhyme Activity
Kids use a broom and dustpan to practice rhyming words for this reading activity inspired by The Cat in the Hat.
26. Oh Snap! High Frequency Words Game
Make this simple yet fun reading game by writing various sight words on some craft sticks.
27. Frog Hop Word Blending Activity
Your preschooler will love hopping their toy frog along the construction paper lily pads to practice blending words.
28. Build a Sentence Cups Activity
Use plain old paper cups to set up this simple interactive sentence building activity for kids.
29. Easy Letter Magnet Word Activity
Put letter magnets for different words in a divided storage box for a quick word-building activity for your Kindergartner.
30. Pirate Sight Word Secret Message Treasure Hunt
A pirate theme and secret message makes practicing sight words and reading fun for any kid.
31. Sight Word Turkey Game
Set up this cute sight word game for a fun Thanksgiving-themed reading lesson.
32. Printable Race Car Phonics Activity
These printable race tracks give young readers the opportunity to practice letter sounds and phonics with matchbox cars.
33. Roll and Retell Reading Comprehension Activity
Pair this printable reading comprehension skills activity and jumbo play dice with your child’s favorite book.
34. Magnet Block Reading Activity
Use a permanent marker to to turn typical magnet blocks into an instant play-based reading activity.
35. Cloud Dough Sight Word Activity
Invite preschoolers to spell vocabulary words using foam bath letters in a cloud dough sensory bin.
How do you help your kids learn and practice literacy skills? Share your favorite reading activities and games in the comments below!
Fun Reading Games and Toys on Amazon:
If you don’t want to set up the fun reading activities for kids above, check out these fun reading games and toys you can purchase right on Amazon…
ThinkFun Zingo BingoCoogam Wooden Reading Blocks SetSkillmatics Sight Words Flash CardsCoogam Wooden Magnetic Fishing Sight Words GameLearning Resources Alphabet Marks The Spot Floor MatLearning Resources Goodie Games ABC CookiesGamenote Fly Swatter Sight Words GameAlphabet Slap JackBoggle Junior GameSight Word Stomp! GameLeapFrog Storytime BuddyBasic Fun Speak & Spell Electronic Game
Plus, find all of our favorite picks for preschool learning in B-Inspired Mama’s Amazon Shop: Preschool Alphabet Learning Toys and Games
Like these Reading Activity Ideas? Save ‘Em & Share ‘Em!
Don’t forget to save these fun reading activity resources for your kids or classroom. And share it with friends! Simply use the buttons at the top or bottom of this post. Or, click here: Share on Facebook | Tweet It | Pin It | Email to a Friend
More Fun Preschool Activities from B-Inspired Mama
- 6 Engaging Summer Literacy Activities for Kids
- 17 Fun Early Literacy Activities for Kids
- A to Z — Letter of the Week Crafts for Preschoolers
Heather P. says
Krissy – Thanks for these great ideas. I have pinned a bunch of them for game ideas for my library Reading Buddies group. (Teen big buddies read with emerging reader little buddies, then we have some fun.)
Krissy of B-Inspired Mama says
Yay! That sounds amazing. Keep up the great work!
Vern says
Is there any reading games for grade 7 – 10?
Krissy @ B-Inspired Mama says
I’m sorry. I asked in a blogging group I’m in but didn’t come up with anything.
Heather P. says
Vern – Our reading buddies group had all-ages fun when we taped a wide variety of words to the sides of lego duplo blocks and had the kids try to make the silliest sentence they could. The older kids also enjoyed a scavenger hunt where they had to read the clues. Another one that all ages enjoyed was spelling practice where you had to bop a balloon for each letter and try to keep it in the air until the whole word is spelled.
Krissy of B-Inspired Mama says
Brilliant!