reading assignments for 3rd graders

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Third Grade Reading Comprehension Worksheets

Grade 3 stories and exercises.

Use these free, printable worksheets to practice and improve reading comprehension, vocabulary and writing. Included are fiction and non-fiction passages at a grade 3 level.  All worksheets are pdf files.

Leveled stories & reading worksheets

These leveled stories worksheets are from our series of leveled reading workbooks .  Each successive level provides greater reading challenge. Reading exercises follow each story.

Children's stories

Free children's stories for third grade . Each passages isfollowed by 6 questions. These fiction and non-fiction texts are 350-450 words long.

These historical passages and fables are followed by comprehension questions.  Exercises involve recalling information directly from the text as well as concepts such as prediction, inference and character traits.

Reading comprehension exercises for grade 3

These grade 3 reading worksheets focus on specific comprehension topics such distinguishing fact from opinion and sequencing events.

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3rd grade reading & vocabulary

Unit 1: pets, unit 2: homes, unit 3: extreme environments.

Reading Worksheets, Spelling, Grammar, Comprehension, Lesson Plans

3rd Grade Reading Comprehension Worksheets

The 3rd grade reading comprehension activities below are coordinated with the 3rd grade spelling words curriculum on a week-to-week basis, so both can be used together as part of a comprehensive program, or each part can be used separately. The worksheets include third grade appropriate reading passages and related questions. Each worksheet (as well as the spelling words ) also includes a cross-curricular focus on earth science, physical science, history, social sciences, mathematics and life sciences. This allows students to build their reading comprehension skills and reinforce knowledge in other subject areas. There are 36 weeks of third grade worksheets, following most standard school year calendars.

Please Note: Revised worksheets were recently posted (March 2012) after discovering a few errors. We’re sorry about the inconvenience. K12reader.com relies on teachers and parents to help improve the quality of worksheets. Please contact us here if you notice any inaccuracies. Thank you!

Click on the title of each worksheets to download the printable PDF. Students should read each passage and then answer related questions. They can also write answers on another page or back of the worksheet.

• Chess (Gr. 1-4)
• TV (Gr. 1-4)
• Metal Detectors (Gr. 2-6)
• Tetris (Gr. 2-6)
• Seat Belts (Gr. 2-6)
• The Coliseum (Gr. 2-6)
• The Pony Express (Gr. 2-6)
• Wintertime (Gr. 2-6)
• Reading (Gr. 3-7)
• Black Friday (Gr. 3-7)
• Hummingbirds (Gr. 3-7)
• Worst Game Ever? (Gr. 4-8)
• Carnivorous Plants (Gr. 4-8)
• Google (Gr. 4-8)
• Honey Badgers (Gr. 4-8)
• Hyperinflation (Gr. 4-8)
• Koko (Gr. 4-8)
• Mongooses (Gr. 5-9)
• Trampolines (Gr. 5-9)
• Garbage (Gr. 5-9)
• Maginot Line (Gr. 5-9)
• Asian Carp (Gr. 5-9)
• Tale of Two Countries (Gr. 6-10)
• Kevlar (Gr. 7-10)
• Tigers (Gr. 7-11)
• Statue of Liberty (Gr. 8-10)
• Submarines (Gr. 8-12)
• Castles (Gr. 9-13)
• Gutenberg (Gr. 9-13)
• Author's Purpose Practice 1
• Author's Purpose Practice 2
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• Fact and Opinion Practice 1
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• Idioms Practice Test 1
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• Figurative Language Practice 1
• Figurative Language Practice 2
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• Figurative Language Practice 9
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• Genre Practice 1
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• Genre Practice 3
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• Irony Practice 1
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• Making Inferences Practice 1
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• Main Idea Practice 1
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The school system seems to be demanding more and more of 3rd grade students. I guess we have to give them what they want. This page has some reading worksheets and activites to help prepare your 3rd graders. The worksheets on this page are written at the 3rd grade reading level. I used this fantastic tool to determine the readability scores of my worksheets, but you should read and approve each of them yourself for quality and appropriateness before giving them to a child. I encourage you to check out the worksheets written for the next two grade levels also. Reading scores vary greatly from one measure to the next. The readability scores on this page are a composite of those numbers. You'll get a better variety of appropriately leveled reading worksheets if you consider this idea of "reading bands." Click the button underneath this text to open up your band.

• Reading Comprehension Worksheets

Tetris | Nonfiction Reading Test - Tetris is the best-selling video game of all time. Learn more about this classic puzzler and answer Common Core aligned multiple-choice and extended-response questions. View my readibility scores . Tetris | Nonfiction Reading Test | RTF Tetris | Nonfiction Reading Test | PDF Tetris | Nonfiction Reading Test | Preview Tetris | Nonfiction Reading Test | Answers Tetris | Nonfiction Reading Test | Ereading Worksheet

The Coliseum | Nonfiction Reading Test - The Coliseum is a well-recognized site and a popular destination. Learn more about its history in this reading passage. Then answer multiple-choice and long-response questions covering a variety of reading skills. View my readibility scores . The Coliseum | Nonfiction Reading Test | RTF The Coliseum | Nonfiction Reading Test | PDF The Coliseum | Nonfiction Reading Test | Preview The Coliseum | Nonfiction Reading Test | Answers The Coliseum | Nonfiction Reading Test | Ereading Worksheet

The Pony Express | Nonfiction Reading Test - Despite its short time in operation, the Pony Express managed to make a significant impact on American culture. Learn more about the Pony Express and bulk up your reading skills with multiple-choice and long-response questions. These Common Core aligned questions cover a variety of reading skills. View my readibility scores . The Pony Express | Nonfiction Reading Test | RTF The Pony Express | Nonfiction Reading Test | PDF The Pony Express | Nonfiction Reading Test | Preview The Pony Express | Nonfiction Reading Test | Answers The Pony Express | Nonfiction Reading Test | Ereading Worksheet

Wintertime | Nonfiction Reading Test - It can get awfully cold during the winter in some places. Learn more about how creatures have adapted to survive in the harsh climates. There are ten multiple-choice and three long-response questions following the passage. View my readibility scores . Wintertime | Nonfiction Reading Test | RTF Wintertime | Nonfiction Reading Test | PDF Wintertime | Nonfiction Reading Test | Preview Wintertime | Nonfiction Reading Test | Answers Wintertime | Nonfiction Reading Test | Ereading Worksheet

Infer the Setting Worksheet 3 - This worksheet has five more passages to give your students practice with inferences and setting. Students read each passage and determine when and where it is taking place based on textual clues. Then they support their answers with evidence from the text. This is great practice. View my readibility scores . Infer the Setting Worksheet 3 | RTF Infer the Setting Worksheet 3 | PDF Infer the Setting Worksheet 3 | Preview Infer the Setting Worksheet 3 | Answers

Those were the worksheets that I have written at or around the 3rd grade reading level. I know that the list is currently a little short. I am actively trying to create new content to better serve third grade students and teachers, and this page will be updated as I do so. I appreciate all of your comments and feedback, which can be left below. Thanks for visiting!

Still looking for something? Search here.

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All Reading Worksheets and Activities Author's Purpose Worksheets and Activities Characterization Worksheets and Activities Character Types Worksheets and Lessons Context Clues Worksheets Conflict Types Worksheets Differentiated Reading Instruction Worksheets and Activities Fact and Opinion Worksheets and Activities Functional and Nonfiction Comprehension Worksheets Activities Genre Activities Genre Worksheets Inferences Worksheets and Activities Irony Worksheets and Activities Literature Units Main Idea Worksheets and Activities Making Predictions Worksheets Point of View Activities Point of View Worksheets Reading Comprehension Worksheets Summary Worksheets and Activities Story Structure Worksheets Story Structure Activities Text Structure Activities Text Structure Worksheets Theme Worksheets and Activities

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Chess | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 1-4) TV | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 1-4) Metal Detectors | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 2-6) Tetris | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 2-6) Seat Belts | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 2-6) The Coliseum | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 2-6) The Pony Express | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 2-6) Wintertime | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 2-6) Reading | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 3-7) Black Friday | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 3-7) Hummingbirds | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 3-7) Worst Game Ever? | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 4-8) Carnivorous Plants | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 4-8) Google | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 4-8) Honey Badgers | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 4-8) Hyperinflation | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 4-8) Koko | Nonfiction Reading Test Ereading Worksheet (Gr. 4-8) Mongooses | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 5-9) Trampolines | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 5-9) Garbage | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 5-9) Maginot Line | Nonfiction Reading Test Ereading Worksheet (Gr. 5-9) Asian Carp | Nonfiction Reading Test Ereading Worksheet (Gr. 5-9) A Tale of Two Countries | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 6-10) Kevlar | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 7-10) Tigers | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 7-11) Statue of Liberty | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 8-10) Submarines | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 8-12) Castles | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 9-13) Gutenberg | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 9-13) Author's Purpose Practice 1 Author's Purpose Practice 2 Author's Purpose Practice 3 Author's Purpose Practice 4 Author's Purpose Practice 5 Author's Purpose Practice 6 Fact and Opinion Practice 1 Fact and Opinion Practice 2 Fact and Opinion Practice 3 Idioms Practice Test 1 With Long Responses Idioms Practice Test 2 With Long Responses Figurative Language Practice 1 Figurative Language Practice 1 With Long Responses Figurative Language Practice 2 Figurative Language Practice 2 With Long Responses Figurative Language Practice 3 Figurative Language Practice 3 With Long Responses Figurative Language Practice 4 With Long Responses Figurative Language Practice 5 With Long Responses Figurative Language Practice 6 With Long Responses Figurative Language Practice 7 With Long Responses Figurative Language Practice 8 With Long Responses Figurative Language Practice 9 With Long Responses Figurative Language Practice | Edgar Allan Poe Figurative Language Practice | Edgar Allan Poe With Long Responses Figurative Language Practice | O. Henry Figurative Language Practice | O. Henry With Long Responses Figurative Language Practice | Shakespeare Genre and Subgenre Practice 1 Genre and Subgenre Practice 2 Genre and Subgenre Practice 3 Genre and Subgenre Practice 4 View More Genre and Subgenre Practice Tests Irony Practice 1 Irony Practice 2 Irony Practice 3 Making Inferences Practice 2 Main Idea Practice 1 Main Idea Practice 2 Point of View Practice 1 | Multiple Choice Only Point of View Practice 1 | With Long Responses Point of View Practice 2 | Multiple Choice Only Point of View Practice 2 | With Long Responses Text Structure Practice 1 Text Structure Practice 2 Text Structure Practice 3 Text Structure Practice 4 Text Structure Practice 5 Story Structure Practice 1

Examples of Alliteration Examples of Figurative Language Examples of Hyperbole Examples of Metaphor Examples of Onomatopoeia Examples of Personification Examples of Simile Figurative Language Activities Figurative Language Poems With Questions Figurative Language Worksheets Idiom Worksheets Onomatopoeia Worksheets and Activities Personification Worksheets Poetic Devices Activities Poetic Devices Worksheets

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Author's Purpose Figurative Language How to Identify Figurative Language Techniques Ideas for Projects List of Character Traits Literary Genres and Subgenres Poetic Devices Point of View Sentence Structure Story Structure Teaching Point of View Teaching Theme Text Structure Text Structure | Patterns of Organization Understanding Common Core State Standards Units and Lesson Plans Aligned With Common Core State Standards

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14 Comments

Lydia boutwell.

I love the ereading activities, since my school is virtually, and I would love to see more for 3rd grade. The only problem I have is when one is labeled grades 2-5 for example, then the reading is to difficult for a 2nd grader. I just wished it would be broken down more. Otherwise, what you are doing is great and I appreciate all the work people are doing.

A big thank you to everyone makes this website possible.

This is a fantastic platform to have for guiding students in grades 3-6 through specific skills. For the students the lessons are interesting, often captivating, and inspiring for those students who experience difficulties taking tests. Thank you! I appreciate your work. Be well.

I love this Site it always me and my kids to work one on one and it is very fast loading also

Thank you so much for this brilliant website!

Eric Harrison

I feel you are in need of more 3rd grade material.

I agree with you.

Thank you so much for your hard work. I really appreciate what you do for us teachers with this site. I have been a 3rd grade teacher for more than 10 years and its not like it use to be, there is a great demand for rigor in 3rd grade. I have used your work when I have had gifted classes and the students loved the texts. Your work helps me challenge my 3rd graders and prepare them for 4th & 5th. Thank you!

That’s awesome.

Be on the look out for a bunch of new content for grades 3-6. I’m currently developing these activities…

Thanks for visiting and taking the time to comment!

alishukoohy

I came across this invaluable site just today. I am certain that this will help me a lot as a teacher. I appreciate all your efforts dude. Thanks a zillion

Its a very nice site for children

Lovely site

We have been looking for FSA practice and are so happy to have come upon your site. Thank you so much for such great passages with Common Core Questioning!!

Onomataepia sounds like it is not a real word

I know, right? But look at this: https://www.google.com/search?q=define%3A%20onomatopoeia&rct=j

It is a real word.

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3rd Grade Reading Comprehension Worksheets From Scholastic Teachables

Scholastic Teachables (formerly Scholastic Printables) offers more than 1,300 third grade reading comprehension worksheets that that help kids master fundamental reading skills and put them on the path to success.

Engaging 3rd grade reading comprehension passages and 3rd grade reading worksheets feature reading response and close reading activities, texts and questions, graphic organizers, writing prompts, and more that build a variety of skills and strategies for understanding fiction and nonfiction texts. Topics include finding main ideas, sequencing, making inferences, comparing and contrasting, recognizing facts and opinions, using context clues, assessments, and many others!

Sign up today and get instant online access to third grade reading comprehension worksheets, lesson plans, practice pages, educational games, and activities to cover various skills. Plus, you’ll get access to more than 30,000 award-winning printables and leveled learning collections in reading and math to reach every learner at every level.

3rd Grade Reading Comprehension Worksheets Cover:

• Author's Purpose
• Cause and Effect
• Compare and Contrast
• Context Clues
• Drawing Conclusions
• Fact and Opinion
• Main Idea and Details
• Making Inferences
• Plot, Character, Setting
• Problem and Solution
• Story Elements
• Summarizing
• Using Text Evidence
• Visualizing

Sample 3rd Grade Reading Comprehension Worksheets

Scholastic Teachables has more than 1,300 3rd grade reading comprehension worksheets targeted for all your teaching needs. Here's a sample of third grade activities and worksheets for you to try in your class FREE with a 30-day trial or subscription.

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"The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool." Thanks a lot, Shakespeare! Poetry with purpose is one of our favorite topics covered at this stage of development.

Developing readers encounter new milestones in third grade, including the ability to comprehend a variety of literature and text types, make deeper connections while reading, and decode larger and more complex words. This is the final year for foundational reading standards in eSpark and most basic phonics work has been wrapped up at this point. Fluency is taking center stage, as students work with on-level text and continuously challenge themselves to grow. Language and grammar instruction expands to include more tenses, irregular words, abstract words, and complex sentences.

For a more comprehensive look at eSpark's standards-aligned third grade reading teaching resources, check out the breakdown of covered domains and the skills students will be working on here:

Some of the skills students will master in eSpark include:

Reading Literature

• Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for answers.
• Recount stories, including fables, folktales, and myths from diverse cultures; determine the central message, lesson, or moral and explain how it is conveyed.
• Describe characters in a story via traits, motivations, or feelings, and explain how their actions contribute to events.
• Determine the meaning of words and phrases, distinguishing literal from nonliteral language (metaphors, similies, analogies, etc...).
• Refer to parts of stories, dramas, and poems; e.g., chapter, scene, and stanza.
• Distinguish their own point of view from that of the narrator or characters.
• Explain how specific aspects of a text's illustrations contribute to what is conveyed by words.
• Compare and contrast themes, settings, and plots of stories written by the same author about the same or similar characters (series).
• Independently and proficiently read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poetry, at the high end of the grades 2-3 text complexity band.

Reading Informational

• Determine the main idea of a text; recount key details and explain how they support the main idea.
• Describe the relationship between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text, using language that pertains to time, sequence, and cause/effect.
• Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in a text relevant to a 3rd grade topic or subject.
• Use text features and search tools (key words, sidebars, hyperlinks, etc...) to efficiently locate information relevant to a given topic.
• Distinguish their own point of view from that of the author.
• Use information gained from illustrations and the words in the text to demonstrate understanding
• Describe the logical connection between particular sentences and paragraphs in a text.
• Compare and contrast the most important points and key details in two texts on the same topic.
• Independently and proficiently read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies, science, and technical texts, at the high end of the grades 2-3 text complexity band.

Reading Foundational

• Identify and know the meaning of the most common prefixes and derivational suffixes.
• Read 3rd grade sight words.
• Read 3rd grade text with purpose and understanding.

eSpark is truly unique in the world of online learning. Our holistic, student-centered approach blends the proven benefits of play-based learning with systematic, explicit, and direct instruction. It’s proof that learning can be fun, personalized, and effective, all at once!

eSpark meets the criteria for evidence-based interventions under ESSA guidelines, and has been proven in multiple studies to improve student performance in math and reading.

When you sign up for an eSpark account, your students experience these activities via adaptive, differentiated independent pathways and teacher-driven small group assignments. Teachers also have access to detailed usage and progress reports with valuable insights into standards mastery, student growth trends, and intervention opportunities.

With the addition of the game-changing Choice Texts for the 2023-2024 school year, eSpark has cemented its status as the most loved supplemental instruction option for students and teachers alike. Claim your free account today and see the difference for yourself!

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• Third Grade

Third Grade Reading Skills | Reading Comprehension

Connection to reading.

Comprehension is gaining meaning from what you read. This is a complex, higher-level thinking skill, but children from a very early age can begin thinking about what they have just read and tell you what a story is about. When children read, they must turn their “minds on” and actively think about what they are reading means.

The goal for 3rd graders is that they can understand the book they read and the books that are read to them. They can answer questions about the story and find evidence by flipping through the book’s pages to point out and prove their answer.  

The show their understanding by retelling about the characters, setting and important events from the story. If the book is nonfiction, they can describe the important 5 W’s (Who/What/When/Where/Why) from the book.

EOG – End of Grade Reading Assessment

At the end of the 3rd grade, your child will take their first official standardized test ( standardized meaning every test taker answers the same questions and is scored in the same way across the state). The Reading Comprehension test consists of about 50 multiple choice questions to test if your child can read proficiently on grade level. If they fail, they can be held back and not promoted to 4th grade. The results will be shared with parents.

To see sample test questions, click here .     

¿Qué es lectura activa? (The ABCs of Active Reading)

The abcs of active reading, understanding vocabulary: why it’s critical to your child’s reading, making connections when reading, the powerful strategy to help your child understand what they read, turning minds on while reading: why asking your child questions transforms comprehension, the magic of hearing a story read aloud: why older children benefit from this, how using a graphic organizer helps a child better understand a story.

HOME ACTIVITIES

Read at home everyday.

Reading at home independently or aloud for enjoyment is the single best daily routine to help strengthen your child’s understanding of stories. Asking simple questions about the characters and talking about best parts of a book gets your child thinking about the story and making connections to their own life.

Ask Open-ended Questions

Its easy to fall into the trap of always asking simple, straight forward questions that elicit one-word answers about your child’s reading. Of course you want to make sure they’re understanding what they read, so you ask questions such as “Who is the main character?”

Try asking a question that stretches your child’s thinking and allows them to explain their feelings. “Did you agree with what the character did? What would you have done?”

This taps right into higher level critical thinking skills, deepening their comprehension while giving you a window into their thoughts.

A K-W-L chart is a popular method for teachers to hook their students and get them thinking right away about a story they’re about to read. 

This is best used for nonfiction reading, or books about facts. You don’t have to write this all down, these questions can be used when talking with your child as they read. It’s quick and easy, but will get your child diving into the topic they’re learning. 

Keep it Light

Conversations about books should be fun. Quizzing a child for correct answers after reading their favorite book can suck the joy out of the reading experience. Instead, try to ask questions from a place of curiously and wanting to know what your child thinks. This makes them feel that their opinions and thoughts matter.

Use the Five Finger Strategy

After reading a story use your hand to help you remember the most important elements of the story. This technique can be used for people ages 4 to 94.

• Characters – Who was in the story?
• Setting –  Where did the story take place?
• Events – What happened in the story?
• End – How did the story end?
• Your Take – What was your favorite part?

CLICK HERE FOR THE FIVE FINGER RETELL PRINTABLE

Try the 5 W’s to Learn Summarizing

Second Graders learn the skill of “summarizing,” or retelling the main points of what they have read. Ask your child these questions to further help them remember what they have just read.

• Who – Who are the characters or people?
• What – What happened?
• Where – Where did it take place?
• When – When did it happen?
• Why – Why did the story end the way it did?

When reading with your child, a great technique is to pause after a few pages and check in to see if your child is truly grasping what they are reading. Asking open-ended questions allows them to explain their thinking. If what they tell you does not m atch the story, you can help redirect them back on track:

You: “Helen Keller’s teacher wrote the word “W-A-T-E-R” into the palm of her hand as water was flowing onto her when she was 7 years old. Why did she do this?”

Your child: “I don’t know….maybe it was to tickle her.”

You: “Helen could not see or hear. What do you think Helen was learning when her teacher did this?”  

3 Seconds of Wait Time

Allow your child enough undisturbed “think time” to process what is happening. If you ask them a question about the story, let them look at the pages and take a few moments to think, at least 3 seconds. We typically only wait one second before jumping in with the answer. Providing answers too quickly takes away a child’s “thinking time”, robbing them of the opportunity to fo rm conclusions on their own.  

Show Evidence

As your young reader matures, they can demonstrate their understanding in more sophisticated ways. When asking them questions from the story, ask them prove their answers by showing you the pages and words that describe the event.

Use Sticky Notes to Show Your Thinking

A great way for your child to remember and internalize what they read is by using sticky notes. Have your child write these symbols on a sticky note and place them next to a line in a book to show their thinking.

LOL = funny part

? = confusing part

= favorite part

* = important part

= a part that helps me predict what will happen next

Tame the Testing Beast

Your child will be required to take their first standardized reading test at the end of the school year. The test will contain 50 multiple choice questions.

It is helpful for parents to look through these questions and get a sense for how your child will be tested. Try practicing test questions with your child, but keep it short. Once a week read a sample passage with your child and have fun answering 2-3 questions together. Make it into a game for them to win prizes, like picking a movie for weekend. The purpose of these sessions is to (1) boost your child’s confidence, (2) help parents give their child tips for answering questions, and (3) to diffuse the anxiety from testing through short practice sessions.  

Different Ways to Read

Books are the best way to expose children to new vocabulary, stories and higher level thinking skills. But reading on their own is not the single way to access stories. Read alouds and audio books offer the same benefits and let children enjoy a great book. The NC Kids Digital Library offers hundreds of picture read alouds that let your child hear stories and build their reading skills.

It is helpful for parents to look through these questions and get a sense for how your child will be tested. Try practicing test questions with your child, but keep it short. Once a week read a sample passage with your child and have fun answering 2-3 questions together. Make it into a game for them to win prizes, like picking a movie for weekend. The purpose of these sessions is to (1) boost your child’s confidence, (2) help parents give their child tips for answering questions, and (3) to diffuse the anxiety from testing through short practice sessions.

Reading books online, interactively, feels just like playing a fun computer game and helps your child build their reading comprehension skills.

NC Kids Digital Library (Free, requires library card number)

NC Kids Digital Library offers e-books, audiobooks, streaming videos, and read alongs.  This collection was specifically designed for youth ages pre-K through 4 th grade and includes picture books, youth fiction, youth nonfiction, and more.  

Libby, by Overdrive App for iPhones and iPads, Google Play, or Windows Mobile

This app can be used on your phone or tablet to access the NC Kids Digital Library read along books for free.

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Home Reading Helper is a resource for parents to elevate children’s reading at home provided by Read Charlotte . 

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3rd Grade Reading Worksheets

• Kindergarten
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29 3rd Grade Reading Worksheets

Baby animals!

What's a baby cat called? In this language arts worksheet, your child does some basic research to find and write the names of baby animals, then uses a thesaurus to find adjectives that mean very small.

Compound words: all mixed up!

These compound words are mixed up — can you fix them? In this language arts worksheet, your child gets practice decoding erroneous compound words, correcting them, and writing accurate compound words.

Conjunctions

Conjunctions are words that join sentences. In this writing worksheet, your child gets practice combining two sentences into one using different conjunctions.

Some books have a glossary. In this reading worksheet, your child learns what a glossary is and gets practice using a glossary to answer questions.

Can you figure out the word? Homographs are words with multiple meanings. In this vocabulary-building worksheet, your child will write the word that matches all three definitions given.

Write or right? In this language arts worksheet, your child will look up sets of homophones to learn the definitions of the all the like-sounding (but differently spelled) words.

How to write a story

In this set of reading and writing worksheets, your children will first read two short stories for mechanics, then draw and label a diagram about those stories, answer prompts to create their own story, and finish by writing a complete story!

Poems: a mysterious story (meaning and mechanics)

Who is the Traveler? In this language arts worksheet, your child will read the poem aloud and then answer a series of reading comprehension questions about key details, overall meaning, and mechanics of the poem.

Poems: a mysterious story (pronouns)

The writer avoids pronouns by repeating the nouns. In this language arts worksheet, your child will get practice identifying nouns and pronouns by comparing and contrasting a section of a poem with pronouns replacing nouns.

Poems: haiku and cinquain

In this language arts worksheet, your child learns about two types of poems that need specific numbers of syllables in each line - haiku and cinquain - and then tries writing each type of poem.

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Reading Activities for 3rd Grade

Strengthen your child's reading skills with interactive educational resources for reading for 3rd graders online. These learning resources include fun games and worksheets with eye-catching visuals and characters. Get started to help your 3rd grader master this concept by engaging their critical thinking.

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Reading Skills

What's the cause? - Part 1 Game

Use your language skills to determine 'what's the cause' (Part 1).

What's the effect? - Part 1 Game

Determine the answer to 'What's the effect' (Part 1) by playing this game.

Find Cause and Effect with Pictures Worksheet

Enhance comprehension with our picture-based cause and effect worksheet. Explore the relationship between events through visual cues for improved understanding.

Identify the Cause and Effect Worksheet

Dive into cause and effect analysis with our engaging worksheet. Gain insights into interconnected events and improve comprehension. Explore our resources now!

All Reading Resources

What's the cause? - Part 2 Game

Use your language skills to determine 'what's the cause' (Part 2).

What's the effect? - Part 2 Game

Utilise your english language skils to determine the effect (Part 2).

Lets Link the Cause and Effect Worksheet

Understand the impact of events with our engaging cause and effect worksheet. Start learning today!

Pick Out the Cause Worksheet

Strengthen comprehension skills with our engaging worksheet. Explore cause and effect relationships for enhanced critical thinking and analytical abilities.

What's the cause? - Part 3 Game

Use your language skills to determine 'what's the cause' (Part 3).

What's the effect? - Part 3 Game

Play this game to determine 'what's the effect' (Part 3).

Can You Predict? Worksheet

In this interactive worksheet, predict outcomes based on the given information. Foster your critical thinking and prediction abilities today!

Lets Predict! Worksheet

Time to put your child's prediction power to work as they read and use picture clues to determine what happens next with this exciting prediction worksheet!

Decode the image! - Part 1 Game

Use your language skills to decode the image (Part 1).

Decode the image! - Part 2 Game

Use your language skills to decode the image (Part 2).

Making Predictions Worksheet

In this worksheet, budding readers predict what will happen next in the story. Students sharpen their prediction skills and enhance critical thinking.

Can You Find the Main Idea? Worksheet

Children will practice identifying the main idea and key details in this reading comprehension worksheet.

Decode the image! - Part 3 Game

Use your language skills to decode the image (Part 3).

What do you mean? - Part 1 Game

Play this game to find the answer to 'what do you mean' (Part 1).

Cracking the Main Idea Worksheet

Develop critical thinking abilities through our comprehensive key details and main idea worksheet. Perfect for building strong comprehension!

Decoding the Main Idea Worksheet

Enhance your reading skills with our comprehensive main idea and summary worksheet. Develop critical thinking abilities and easily identify key points!

What do you mean? - Part 2 Game

Play this game to find the answer to 'what do you mean' (Part 2).

What do you mean? - Part 3 Game

Play this game to find the answer to 'what do you mean' (Part 3).

Find the Main Idea Worksheet

In this fun worksheet, children will read an exciting story and practice identifying the main idea and key details.

Got Any Ideas?: Finding Main Ideas and Key Details Worksheet

Readers will practice identifying the main idea and supporting it with key details through a well-designed graphic organizer in this reading worksheet.

What's the main idea? - Part 1 Game

Tell 'what's the main idea?' (Part 1) to practice your english language skills.

What's the main idea? - Part 2 Game

Tell 'what's the main idea?' (Part 2) to practice your english language skills.

Mastering the Central Message Worksheet

Uncover the central message and theme with our interactive worksheet. Engage in captivating exercises that enhance comprehension skills. Perfect for young readers!

Summary and Main Idea Quest Worksheet

Enhance your child's reading comprehension skills and help them master the art of summarizing texts with our engaging worksheet.

What's the main idea? - Part 3 Game

Tell 'what's the main idea?' (Part 3) to practice your english language skills.

What's the main idea? - Part 4 Game

Tell 'what's the main idea?' (Part 4) to practice your english language skills.

Whats the Idea in The Snowshoeing Day? Worksheet

What's your favorite winter activity? Well, if you like snowshoeing, then you'll definitely enjoy this reading worksheet!

Drawing Inferences Worksheet

Sharpen your inference skills with our interactive worksheet. Learn to draw logical conclusions and make insightful deductions from the given information.

Pick out the theme! - Part 1 Game

Learn to pick out the theme (Part 1) to develop your english skills!

Pick out the theme! - Part 2 Game

Learn to pick out the theme (Part 2) to develop your english skills!

Image Inference: Enhance Critical Thinking Skills Worksheet

Enhance inferencing skills through engaging picture-based activities. Develop the ability to draw conclusions and make inferences based on visual clues.

Is it Inferred or Explicit? Worksheet

Deepen reading comprehension by identifying inferred and explicit information. Uncover hidden meanings with our thought-provoking worksheet.

Pick out the theme! - Part 3 Game

Learn to pick out the theme (Part 3) to develop your english skills!

Pick out the theme! - Part 4 Game

Learn to pick out the theme (Part 4) to develop your english skills!

Sort the Inferred and Explicit Information Worksheet

Uncover the hidden meaning with our thought-provoking worksheet. Enhance reading comprehension skills by identifying inferred and explicit information.

What Can You Infer? Worksheet

Enhance your critical thinking skills with our inference worksheet. Develop the ability to make informed judgments and draw logical inferences.

Let's choose the heading! - Part 1 Game

Choose the appropriate heading (Part 1) in order to enhance your skills.

Let's choose the heading! - Part 2 Game

Choose the appropriat heading (Part 2) in order to enhance your skills.

Can You Sequence It? Worksheet

Practice storytelling skills with our sequencing worksheet. Enhance comprehension, order events, and enhance narrative abilities. Get started now!

Its Time for a Surprise!: Practice Comprehension Skills Worksheet

Max is now a big brother, so it's time to throw a surprise party. Read all about it in this story and test your comprehension skills with the graphic organizer.

Let's choose the heading! - Part 3 Game

Choose the appropriate heading (Part 3) in order to enhance your skills.

Let's choose the heading! - Part 4 Game

Choose the appropriate heading (Part 4) in order to enhance your skills.

Lets Recall the Order! Worksheet

This well-curated worksheet consists of a fun short story along with a unique graphic organizer that helps children capture the order of events in the story.

Remember the Order Worksheet

In this worksheet, kids will read a poem and practice their reading skills by arranging the important events in the right order using a handy graphic organizer.

Your one stop solution for all grade learning needs.

11 Creative third-grade Reading Comprehension Activities

Third graders love to read. At this age, they start forming preferences for themes and genres. Also, your students will begin to express opinions about what they have read.

If you have some curious students, keep reading to learn 3rd-grade reading comprehension activities.

1. Nature Poem Writing Activity

Our first third-grade reading comprehension activity is writing nature poems. Poem writing lets your students express their creativity while practicing rhyming and alliteration. Take your students outside and have them choose something as inspiration. Then, let them write a poem about nature.

If your 3rd-grade students are ready, you can teach comprehension skills like similes and metaphors. In the end, everyone can present their poem in front of the class. You can help your students overcome stage fright while expressing themselves creatively.

2. Drawing Book Scenes

For this activity, you can choose some of these books for 3rd graders and assign a passage to each one. Test their reading comprehension skills by having them create sketches that depict a scene. Try to opt for a book without pictures, or instruct them to draw something different than the illustrations.

You can expand this project into multiple drawings by having them draw the main character and depict their character traits in the drawing. For instance, a character who likes apples could be drawn holding the fruit. This activity will help your 3rd-grade students identify key points and understand passages better.

3. Slime Activity

While you probably can’t do real cooking in the classroom, you can make some slime . Print out copies of a slime recipe and purchase the ingredients. Put your 3rd-grade students in groups and offer some supervision as they work through the instructions. They can use reading comprehension strategies to understand how to make this fun goo.

Once they have finished, reward them with a slime play session. You can compare slime between 3rd-grade groups to see who followed the instructions the best.

4. Reading Outline with Questions

Before you give your students a new book, create an outline for them to guide them through fiction stories.

Your 3rd-grade students can appreciate various details in a story that they may not have before. They will also know what to look for as they read.

Ask general questions like “Who is the main character?” or “Where does the story take place?”. Also, add more specific ones like “Where did Sally buy the shoes she gave to Laura?” Your students will develop inference skills on the more specific comprehension questions.

5. Influential Person Research

Get your third graders some kid-friendly biographies about influential people. The Who Was? Series can introduce your students to historical figures. Let them choose a figure to read about and write a report. Your students will learn to think critically about nonfiction stories.

Have them create a timeline of the person’s life to summarize the key events. You can ask them reading comprehension questions as well to guide their report.

6. Acting Activity

Combine acting with 3rd-grade reading comprehension activities by letting your child turn a funny part from a book into a script. If possible, you can get them to bring costumes and props to bring the story to life. Avoid plays for this project.

You don’t have to grade them on their acting abilities, but rather on how well they convey the story to the class. This fun activity will give them a greater appreciation of movies and show them some real-world applications of reading comprehension strategies.

7. Nonfiction Relay Race

You can host a nonfiction relay race where you divide your 3rd-grade students into teams and go outside. Set up a racecourse and have one student from each team run around the track.

Before the next student in the team can run, the first 3rd-grader must answer a question about the reading. Then, the next student runs and the cycle begins again. The first team to finish the course wins.

You can plan an event like this for the end of the school year. It can help you prepare your students for any final projects.

8. Pet Sitter How-To Guide

Teach your 3rd graders to create a comprehensive guide for the person who watches the family pet. Let your students provide detailed information about their pets’ needs, such as feeding times and quantities, when to take them out, and their washing schedule.

You could reserve this activity for the week before a school holiday, or just do it for fun. If one of your 3rd graders does not have a pet, you can have the class write a care guide for a fantasy animal. While they’re working, ask them guided comprehension questions about why they’re including a particular step or to elaborate further to include every responsibility.

9. Rock Painting Project

If your third graders like painting, they might love this reading comprehension activity. You could take your class outside to collect some rocks if the environment calls for it. Otherwise, buy a bunch of large, smooth rocks.

When your 3rd-grade students read a story, let them retell a scene through rock paintings. Once you have a bunch of beautifully painted rocks, go on a field trip with your class and leave the rocks around the schoolyard to be found by others later.

To test your third-grade class’s inference skills, read them a story out loud and have them paint what they visualized during the session.

10. Sticky Notes Project

Assign your students some 3rd-grade reading fluency passages . Once they finish reading them, grab a bunch of sticky notes and have them write character traits about people in the story. Set up a board with character names and mix up the sticky notes. Let your students match the traits to the character on the board.

Try not to let the student who wrote that sticky note match it with the character. Make sure everyone signs their name on the back so that everyone gets a new paper.

11. Reading Comprehension Bookmarks

Even if you’re not a member of an elite book club, you can make reading comprehension bookmarks that will make everyone feel included. Your 3rd-grade students can fill in the bookmarks with information about the:

As your third-grade students read through the book, they can add more details about the story.

There are countless 3rd-grade reading comprehension activities out there that you can integrate into your classroom. If you need any ideas for homework or classroom assignments, you can experiment with some of these options.

Feel free to modify any of these activities to suit your students more. You can start with simple activities like asking comprehension questions while reading to your students to help them develop these crucial skills.

Overall, reading should become enjoyable for your third-grader to encourage them to become lifetime readers.

Last Updated on May 9, 2022 by Emily

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Home » Blog Posts » Literacy Centers » 3rd Grade Literacy Center Ideas

3rd Grade Literacy Center Ideas

Switching literacy centers in and out every week is such a headache for teachers! This post shares 3rd grade literacy center ideas that work with any curriculum and last the entire school year!

PLUS–you can grab some free printables at the end of this post!

*This post contains affiliate links to Amazon for your convenience. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases, which do not cost any extra for you. Please see the  full disclosure here. *

What Are Literacy Centers?

I LOVE using literacy centers in my upper elementary classroom! When it comes to upper elementary, some people also call them literacy stations.

After years of being frustrated with the process of setting them up, I came across Debbie Diller’s book Literacy Work Stations: Making Centers Work.

She defines a literacy center as:

“…an area in the classroom where students work alone or interact with one another, using instructional materials to explore and expand their literacy.” -Debbie Diller

She goes on to mention that literacy centers should give students a chance to practice all of the ELA skills such as reading, writing, speaking, grammar, and working with words or letters.

Using Debbie’s definition, your centers can be in fixed locations around your classroom or they can be flexible.

I prefer flexible stations that allow students to work anywhere in the classroom. This impacts the type of center organization systems I use.

What Should Be Included in a Literacy Center?

With the above details in mind, I realized some important aspects about 3rd grade literacy centers:

• Students should have the option to work collaboratively or independently.
• The centers should allow literacy practice, but can be flexible enough to use with any curriculum.
• These practice centers will NOT be graded.
• Students need to have FUN!

In addition to these, Grade 3 literacy stations should include the ELA skills also mentioned above such as reading, writing, word work opportunities, and grammar.

That is how I came up with the literacy center ideas for third graders that are featured in this post.

Before I Introduce the 3rd Grade Literacy Center Ideas

Teachers are busy! You may not have time to read the full post.

If that’s the case, you can bookmark this post and come back to it later, which is fine. Or save it to your favorite Pinterest board.

But if so, remember that I have all these literacy activities available in my store.

Feel free to click the image shown above OR click HERE to see the full set.

That way you won’t miss out on the main reason you came here.

Now without further ado, let’s look at some fun ELA activities for our Grade 3 kiddos.

Reading Centers for 3rd Grade

The goal for reading centers in my classroom is to give students choice and keep them motivated to read.

To meet this goal, I offer lots of reading materials such as comic books, chapter books, audio books, and magazines.

Our Magazine Scavenger Hunt usually ranks at number one! I’ll be honest, I love it too! Here’s why:

• I never have to change this literacy center. I only change the magazines throughout the school year.
• Students get to practice reading all sorts of articles, which builds their non-fiction reading skills.
• They get to practice identifying non-fiction text features.
• It’s 100% student led!!

For all these reasons, magazine scavenger hunts rank #1 on my list of 3rd grade literacy center ideas.

It’s such an easy and fun way to get your kids reading more.

“I Spy” Look in a Book Reading Center

Another engaging 3rd grade reading center idea is the “I Spy” Look in a Book reading center.

Students can use ANY book of their choice !

As they read, they look for parts of speech that we’ve learned in class. Then they fill up the grammar chart while they continue reading their book.

To make it even more engaging, I give my students magnifying glasses from Dollar Tree or Amazon so that they feel like “word detectives” as they look for the different parts of speech.

Plus, this is another center that I do not have to switch out!

It is easy for students to learn and use without my help, and it works all year long in our classroom.

This activity evens works well with a sub because you do not have to leave lots of instructions for this. Students get to practice independent reading really well with this option.

How Do You Make Reading Centers Fun?

Since we’re on the topic of reading centers for your 3rd graders, let’s talk about FUN. 🤩

Let’s face it, if students are bored, they will not stay engaged during center rotations.

When choosing reading activities, I make sure to use stations that:

• Allow collaboration and teamwork. Use ideas that can be completed with a partner or trio for students who would rather read with a friend.
• Have a gaming aspect. Anytime you can turn a reading center into a game-style activity, it will promote more fun.
• Embrace a variety of reading materials. Another really easy way to make your 3rd grade reading centers fun is to incorporate lots of different materials such as magazines, comic books, chapter books, e-books , etc.
• Host a Read-A-Thon. Turn your classroom into a huge lounge with large pillows and plush blankets. Push the desks away. Serve simple refreshments and allow students to have a “read-a-thon.”
• Use reading challenges instead of reading logs . I use reading challenges for each season of the year that have up to 35 reading challenges. My students LOVE filling in their challenge bookmark to earn reading prizes.

These are just a few ways to get students pumped about completing reading centers in your classroom.

House Builder Words for Sight Word Practice

When it comes to word work and sight word practice, I love literacy centers that are portable. Instead of being in a fixed location in our classroom, I want my students to grab their center materials easily and go.

That’s one of the reasons I love our House Builder Words Literacy Center.

Students are very familiar with the game “hangman”, so I don’t have to spend a lot of time introducing this center since there are similarities.

We use a combination of high frequency sight words.

This allows my kids to practice this center throughout the school year with lots of different words.

Even though I don’t grade my centers, I do collect their completed activities to check for understanding.

To keep students focused, I have them write sentences using the words from their hangman game with a partner, which is what I collect.

Popular Game Boards for Word Work Practice

Popular game boards like Scrabble are super easy and one of my favorite engaging 3rd grade literacy center ideas!

Some of my top board grames are:

• Banan-o-grams

We use Scrabble, Boggle, and Banan-o-grams for spelling practice. I modify the Headbanz game to build students’ vocabulary word skills.

Instead of using the picture cards that come with the game, I type our vocabulary words on cards and students use the same game board rules and head gear to guess the vocabulary words.

When it comes to making centers fun, mixing game boards with your curriculum really amps up the engagement!

Anytime you can add in a game-style aspect to learning, you will notice more students who are eager to start and stay on task.

For a FREE, exclusive sample of my 3rd grade literacy centers, sign up here to join The Butterfly Teacher VIP Community! Your free printables will be sent directly to your email.

Of course, popular game boards like these don’t have to be expensive. I’ve used materials from The Dollar Tree to recreate these games as a way to save money.

If you can afford to buy the actual game board, it will save you time, but the main thing is that they really keep students engaged with your literacy centers.

Not only that, but each game gives students a chance for collaboration and fun.

Shape Spelling for 3rd Grade Literacy Centers

Shape Spelling evolved from my 4th grade literacy center Emoji Spelling . Spelling with emojis was such a huge hit with my kids, that I created a “spin-off” version for my 3rd grade literacy centers.

Using shape spelling involves almost no prep, except print and pass out to students. Your students will:

• Use any word or spelling list.
• Write their words using shapes from the master code list
• Switch with a partner to write the actual spelling words after they decipher them from the shapes

It baffles me that this never gets old with my kids! They always enjoy using shapes to practice their spelling words.

Goldfish Games for Homophones, Synonyms & Antonyms

Are you noticing a common theme with all these 3rd grade literacy center ideas? Yep, those important elements that I first mentioned above are woven into each idea.

Which is why I always use some version of the goldfish game in my literacy center rotation.

Most students understand how to play goldfish: turn all the cards upside down and keep turning them back over two-at-a-time until you find a match.

The partner with the most matches / pairs wins the game.

My students use goldfish games for homophone, synonym, and antonym practice.

But Don’t Your Students Get Tired of the Same Words?!

When it comes to “switching out centers,” the only thing about this word work station that needs to change is the word selection.

I realized that I was having to retype, print, and cut so many “goldfish” cards to keep this center going. But I found an easy way to prevent this much teacher work for myself!

Students create the new cards themselves as a bonus / extension activity! Once they complete the goldfish cards I already prepped, I give them blank templates to create their own set of cards.

This extension activity does come with guidelines to make sure students produce quality goldfish cards, but I’ve rarely had students who didn’t enjoy this part of the game.

I laminate and re-use the best cards to add into our future rotations with this literacy center.

They love seeing their OWN work displayed as a literacy center , and I love how simple it is to set up and keep going throughout the school year!

Using Technology with Literacy Centers

Our school is not one-to-one yet , but our school has two iPad carts, and teachers are required to use these in the classroom at least once a week.

Plus, I personally want more technology integration with our learning activities and centers.

I have been using the Google Apps a lot more with my literacy centers and so far, they have been very effective in helping my kids develop stronger literacy skills.

An example is this Context Clues reading activity on Google Slides. My kids get reading practice that builds up their inferencing and vocabulary in context skills.

Not only that, but it has a printable set of task cards also.

Having both versions allows me to be flexible with my centers.

Some kids will complete these on the computers, while others complete them at their seats.

Students quickly figure out how to drag-and-drop or type their answers without much help from me, which makes this technology center easy to keep established.

So I keep “Technology Time” as one of the center options, but I allow different activities and apps that students can access for literacy practice.

More 3rd Grade Literacy Center Ideas

Some of these ideas are featured in my 3rd Grade Literacy Centers Set that has 10 Hands-On centers with the following:

These literacy stations comes with these features:

• Pictured & detailed instructions for students
• Bonus & Extension Activities for most of the centers
• Lesson Planning Ideas to help teachers save time
• Center Labels & Teacher Binder Covers

How Long Should Centers Be for 3rd Graders?

Planning centers for upper elementary is impossible without considering time frames.

However, when it comes to how long Grade 3 centers  should  be, it depends on so many factors.

My sweet spot is around 90 minutes, which allows students to spend a minimum of 25 minutes at 3 different literacy stations.

25 x 3 = 75, which leaves you with 15 minutes for transitions, set-up, and clean-up time.

If you don’t have that much time to devote to your literacy block, don’t despair.

One year, all I had was one 45 minute block. Students completed two 15-minute literacy activities with a cushion of 10 minutes for transition and prep.

Planning Your ELA Stations–Things to Consider

As you plan out how long your centers should be for 3rd grade, keep these things in mind:

• Amount of total students you have
• How long your students need to transition (the more you model and prepare them for centers, the less transition time they need)
• Whether you’re going to use fixed groups or choice boards to manage your centers.

Not only will the answers to these areas help you map out the time-frame for your stations, but it will make center planning in general easier.

How Do You Set Up Literacy Stations?

There are so many details to keep in mind when launching literacy centers.

I wrote a quick guide with detailed answers to common questions about running centers.

This guide also has planning pages to help you set up centers in your classroom.

This guide walks you through setting up centers and details things like:

• How to choose “groups” for your centers?
• A breakdown of different time frames and what to do for your literacy block during those time frames.
• Details on the best ways to differentiate your centers.
• Knowing whether to switch out your centers each week or not.
• Options on how to help students choose a center OR setting up fixed student groups.

I know how overwhelming it can be to get centers going in the classroom when you have a million other things to consider and do as a teacher!

Hopefully these literacy center ideas for 3rd grade gave you some fresh ways to look at centers in your classroom.

I have several more posts that give details about literacy centers. If you still have questions after reading through those, be sure to subscribe to our Butterfly Teacher email community and I’ll be more than happy to help you along! 🤗

More helpful posts about literacy centers:

• 5 Mistakes You’re Making Making With Your Centers (and how to fix them!)
• How I Use Choice Boards for my Literacy Centers
• Why You Need Literacy Centers in Your Upper Elementary Classroom
• FREE Literacy Centers Apps

Happy Teaching 🙂

4 Responses

I am excited to get these started in the classroom!! They look like the students will really enjoy and get the most out of the time we have reading!

Kim, That is great to hear. 🙂

I cannot access using “For a FREE, exclusive sample of my 3rd grade literacy centers, sign up here to join The Butterfly Teacher VIP Community! Your free printables will be sent directly to your email.” Is there another link?

Hi Cassandra, Thank you for reaching out; I refreshed the links / post from my end to ensure that each link works. Please feel free to try again. If you still have trouble, send me your email address here: [email protected] and I’ll send your freebies directly. Thanks again! 🙂

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30 Brilliant Reading Activities That Make Learning Irresistible

Learning to read can be a blast!

Reading in the classroom can be so much fun. We all work hard to plan robust literacy instruction, but who said we couldn’t have a little fun with it? Check out these engaging and enriching reading activities, ranging from preschool to upper elementary and beyond. We guarantee both you and your students will appreciate these outside-the-box ideas and games to help readers practice and strengthen their literacy skills.

Reading Activities for Preschoolers

1. sing songs and nursery rhymes.

Rhyming is part of phonological awareness, which is one of the essential building blocks of early literacy . Nursery rhymes are entertaining to sing and learn, while they encourage students to listen closely to the sounds in words. English-language learners will also benefit from the extra vocabulary practice and repetition.

Learn more: 30 Popular English Nursery Rhymes for Kids in English at Bilingual Kidspot

2. Read Aloud

This tried and true activity never gets old, and it’s one of the most valuable activities we can do with kids. With so many wonderful picks for the preschool audience, you’ll make your students laugh and help them learn valuable lessons about the world and their lives.

3. Goldfish crackers alphabet tracing

Effective and delicious! These printables will get preschoolers excited about learning how to form their letters while they get ready for snack time too.

Learn more: Goldfish crackers alphabet tracing at Totschooling

4. Dot the syllables

Understanding that words are made up of syllables is an important concept for early readers to grasp. Preschoolers can have some fun practicing identifying and marking how many syllables there are in familiar words.

Learn more: Syllable worksheets – dot the syllables at This Reading Mama

5. Alphabet play dough

Play dough is an ever-popular activity for the younger set. Encourage letter recognition with this hands-on activity that will keep them endlessly entertained while they learn, a win-win!

Learn more: Alphabet playdough – alphabet for starters at No Time for Flash Cards

6. Name recognition soup

Building names is one of our favorite early reading activities, and the possibilities are endless ! This alphabet soup version will be a hit with your littlest learners who need a little extra practice.

Learn more: Name Recognition Soup at Play Teach Repeat

Reading Activities for Kindergartners

7. alphabet swat letter game.

Letter recognition is a very important skill for setting up early readers for success. Students will adore swatting letters to practice automaticity and identifying letter names at lightning speed.

Learn more: Alphabet SWAT! Tabletop Version at The Kindergarten Connection

8. Sight word fluency practice

With the right touch, sight words can be super fun . These printables make teaching them a breeze.

Learn more: Sight Word Fluency Practice at Natalie Lynn Kindergarten

9. Fish and build CVC words game

We love this creative way to practice CVC words. Mastering CVC word blending is an important kindergarten literacy skill and students will want to do this one again and again.

Learn more: Fish and Build CVC Word Game at Planning Playtime

10. Beginning sounds mail sort and song

Who doesn’t love sending and receiving mail? This beginning sound activity is perfect for practicing hearing initial sounds while pretending to be a mail delivery person. The rhyming song is a fun little bonus!

Learn more: Beginning Sounds Mail Sort and Song at Growing Book by Book

11. Picture sorts

This picture-sorting activity for hearing sounds can foster vocabulary development too, making it double the fun! With a little guidance, students can practice new and familiar words while working on distinguishing sounds in words, like beginning blends.

Learn more: 5 Simple Vocabulary Activities for Kindergarten at Sweet for Kindergarten

12. Snowflake phoneme segmentation

No matter the season, this hands-on activity that practices segmenting phonemes is sure to be a hit. Students drop a snowflake for every sound they hear in different words.

Learn more: Snowflake Segmentation Printable Mat at Fantastic Fun and Learning

Reading Activities for First Graders

13. find the fish.

This may be our favorite game for its versatility and ease of prep. Check out these suggestions from Susan Jones (the second half of the video focuses on literacy) for how to reinforce important literacy skills. Students search for a hidden fish behind words, letters, or picture cards. Great for practicing sight words, letter identification or sounds, decoding skills, and phoneme isolation.

Learn more: 10 Skills To Play With the Game Find the Fish at Susan Jones Teaching

14. Picture the Character

This comprehension activity is both fun and informative for first graders. Encouraging readers to use simple pictures and words to think about a character from a beloved book is a great way to boost comprehension skills. It’s always a good idea to get them started early thinking critically about books!

Learn more: Comprehension Activities for Your First Grader at Reading Rockets. Find the Picture the Character organizer on the list of student center activities at the Florida Center for Reading Research.

15. Magic E wand

Learning the magic E is a very important first-grade reading skill and takes some practice. We love this fun activity to reinforce the idea that the “e” at the end of a one-syllable word changes the vowel to its long sound. Students will love to use “magic” to change these sounds back and forth.

Learn more: Magic E Wand at Playdough to Plato

16. Watch a phonics music video

These videos from a talented husband-and-wife duo will make tricky phonics and spelling rules especially memorable. Students will request these super-catchy and fun tunes over and over again, and you might just find yourself singing along too.

Learn more: Mrs. Siravo’s YouTube Channel at YouTube

17. Echo reading

As students become more proficient in decoding, it’s also important to focus on their fluency skills. Echo reading, or repeating what someone else has read, is an effective strategy to increase fluency. Check out this video from Reading Rockets to see echo reading, as well as partner reading and repeated reading, in action. All great ways to boost fluency.

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

18. Decodable texts

Decodable texts help students put the pieces together and apply what they are learning. There are so many great resources out there these days , making it a highly effective activity you can differentiate for any student.

Learn more: Kindergarten and 1st-grade Reading Activities at Literacy With Aylin Claahsen

Reading Activities for Second Graders

19. reader’s theater.

If you’re looking for a fluency-boosting activity students will love, reader’s theater is a fabulous choice. With many repeated readings and plenty of opportunities for working on expression, reading a script is a high-value activity that will engage just about any reader. It can also be adapted based on the reading level and specific needs of your students.

Learn more: Reader’s Theater at Reading Rockets

20. Learn the six syllable types

Understanding the six different types of syllables is an important part of explicit phonics instruction and helps readers decode unknown words. By the end of second grade, students should be familiar with all six. These types of syllable sorts are fun, effective ways to review and informally assess whether students are grasping the concept.

Learn more: How and Why To Teach the Six Syllable Types at Mrs. Winter’s Bliss

21. Book Clubs

While the idea of a book club might sound daunting, they can be so valuable for newly independent readers. We love this how-to guide for making the most of book clubs for your students. Plus, check out our favorite chapter books for second graders for some extra inspiration!

Learn more: Getting Started With Book Clubs at Two Little Birds Teaching

22. Word hunt

Finding specific word patterns in books and passages is one of our favorite go-to activities. Connecting word work to real text is an effective way to reinforce new phonics concepts and make them more meaningful for students.

Learn more: How To Choose Word Work Activities That Are Actually Effective at Learning at the Primary Pod

23. Fact or opinion football

Read statements and decide if they are facts or opinions. Get it right and score a field goal!

Learn more: Fact or Opinion Football at Florida Center for Reading Research

24. Popper syllable division

Kids just can’t get enough of these poppers and they add so much value in the classroom. Practice syllable division, another important decoding and spelling skill, by pushing down one popper for each syllable you hear in the word. Then, write the word syllable by syllable.

Reading Activities for Third Graders and Up

25. book trailer.

Book trailers are one of our all-time favorite reading activities for older students. With instant buy-in and engagement, this fun assignment can also serve as a valuable tool for assessing comprehension.

Learn more: Book Trailer at Literacy Is Everything

26. Spin a suffix

Understanding morphology, or the study of the structure of words, becomes increasingly important as students read more advanced text. Use the suffix spinner to create new words by adding a suffix to the end of a word.

Learn more: Morphology Activities for Grades 4-5 at Teaching With Jennifer Findley

27. Newsela

Discover engaging nonfiction news articles with varying degrees of difficulty at Newsela. You can sign up for a free account for access to so much content and resources for assessing and getting the most out of the news stories.

Learn more: Newsela

28. Creative reading task cards

Boost comprehension and spark creativity by asking engaging and original questions about stories.

Learn more: Creative Reading Task Cards at The Secondary English Coffee Shop

29. Read aloud

Reading aloud, even to middle and high schoolers, is so important that we just had to include it on our list twice. Talking about books is essential at any age, and we guarantee that with the right books, your students will love listening to stories. Reading aloud can even help reduce anxiety .

Learn more: 8 of the Best Middle Grade Books to Read Aloud at Book Riot

30. Explore genres

Use a chalkboard to keep track of who in your classroom is reading what genre. Once students become more proficient and are reading more advanced material, the possibilities for exploring different types of genres increase tenfold .

Learn more: Teaching Reading Genres at Raise the Bar Reading

More Reading Activities

Fantastic Reading Fluency Activities for Young Readers

Fun Phonics Activities and Games for Early Readers

Unique Reading Comprehension Activities Your Students Will Love

Kinestic Reading Activities to Get Kids Up and Moving

What are some of your favorite reading activities? Come and share your ideas in our  We Are Teachers HELPLINE group  on Facebook.

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