Do you need some fresh activities for 1st graders to keep your young student engaged and learning? Look no further!
We’ve compiled a list of 48 fun and educational hands-on activities perfect for 1st graders. These activities cover the 6Cs of the Begin Approach to helping kids thrive in school and life.
Table of Contents
- Core Skills Activities for 1st Graders
- Creative Activities for 1st Graders
- Critical Thinking Activities for 1st Graders
- Curiosity-Boosting Activities for 1st Graders
- Character-Building Activities for 1st Graders
Core Skills Activities for 1st Graders
1) Paper Plate Clock
Have your child create a clock with a paper plate, a brass fastener, markers, and construction paper. Then take turns setting and telling the time.
2) Story Rocks
Give your child some painting supplies and a handful of clean rocks, and ask them to paint images and characters from their favorite story. They can use the stones to retell the story and practice reading comprehension.
3) Night Sky, Day Sky
Help your 1st grader draw a picture with the night sky on one half of the page and the day sky on the other.
4) The HOMER app by Begin
With the HOMER app by Begin, your 1st grader can practice skills like these:
- Reading
- Spelling
- Addition
- Subtraction
5) Bug Study
Equip your child with a magnifying glass, a notebook, and colored pencils. Then encourage them to find and observe an insect (one that doesn’t sting or bite, of course) before drawing it.
6) Community Helpers Collage
Ask your child to cut out pictures of community helpers from old magazines or newspapers to create a collage. Afterward, talk about the role each helper plays.
7) World Adventures
Give your child a World Adventures subscription from Little Passports by Begin. It will take them on a global journey of discovery.
8) Sight Word Scavenger Hunt
Write first-grade sight words on sticky notes and put them up around the house. Challenge your child to find them and read each word aloud.
9) Silly Stories
Ask your child to find a toy, a household item, and a picture of an animal. Have them write or tell a silly story incorporating all the items.
10) Shape Pictures
Cut several shapes from construction paper and encourage your child to make designs with them.
Creative Activities for 1st Graders
11) Block Stack
Give your child a set of blocks and challenge them to build:
- A building
- A vehicle
- A piece of furniture
12) Nature Name
Take a nature walk and collect small items such as leaves, flowers, twigs, and pebbles. When you return home, have your child spell their name using those items.
13) codeSpark
Give your child the tools to learn how to code and create a video game with codeSpark.
14) Making a Mosaic
Your child can create a beautiful mosaic with a bottle of glue and a pack of dry beans.
15) Building an Instrument
What type of musical instrument can your 1st grader make using only household items?
16) Self-Portrait
Turn your child loose with art supplies and encourage them to create a self-portrait.
17) Puffy Paint
Make homemade puffy paint using shaving cream, white glue, and food coloring. The directions for this and other creative art projects are here.
18) Flowers Pressing
Capture summer by pressing flowers. A Craft Discovery kit from Little Passports by Begin delivers everything your child needs to celebrate the magic of summer by delivering a flower pressing kit (and other creative projects) right to your door!
19) Play Dough and Kitchen Gadget Experiment
Let your child experiment with play dough and kitchen gadgets to see what fun shapes and textures they can create.
20) Thumbprint Pictures
Show your 1st grader how to use an ink pad (be sure the ink is nontoxic and washable) to make thumbprints on paper. Then encourage them to use markers or crayons to turn each print into an animal, person, or object.
Critical Thinking Activities for 1st Graders
21) Mystery Box
Place a few household items into a box and have your child reach inside without looking. Can they correctly identify everything by touch?
22) Memory Game
Have your child create a custom memory matching game from index cards and markers.
23) Simple Rube Goldberg Machine
Challenge your child to design and build a simple Rube Goldberg machine using household items like dominoes and marbles.
24) Chalk Maze
Use sidewalk chalk to create a critical thinking game (go to the maze game, which is #4 in the list) .
25) Charades
Play this classic game and take turns being the actor. Can your child guess what you’re acting out?
26) Board Games
Critical thinking is at the heart of many board games, including:
- Checkers
- Chess
- Catan™ Junior
- Clue® Junior
27) Where’d It Come From?
Work together to prepare a meal and ask your child where the ingredients came from—and explain that you don’t mean from the supermarket!
For example, if you’re using corn tortillas, ask where they think the corn grew. If they seem stumped, ask if they think it grew in a field, on a tree, or on a vine.
(Check out Kitchen Adventures from Little Passports by Begin for simple, kid-friendly recipes!)
28) Spaghetti and Marshmallow Builds
What can your young learner build with mini marshmallows and uncooked spaghetti noodles? Give them the necessary supplies and see what they create.
Curiosity-Boosting Activities for 1st Graders
29) Color Mixing Sensory Bags
Follow these directions to make color-mixing sensory bags.
30) Tell Me More
Your child is probably a subject matter expert on a topic they care deeply about. Ask them to tell you about it, and then ask follow-up questions to encourage them to tell you more.
31) Science Experiment
A Science Junior subscription from Little Passports can ignite your child’s scientific curiosity. They’ll get a new hands-on experiment each month.
32) Curiosity Cupboard
Give your child a small space to store odds and ends that they find interesting, such as unique leaves, sparkly rocks, or tiny buttons.
33) How Does That Work?
Encourage your child to ask questions when they encounter something new or interesting. Ask them how they think it works and guide them into discovering the answers together.
34) Nonfiction Books
Choose nonfiction books on topics that interest your child and read them aloud.
35) Seed Planting
This simple activity will get your child curious about nature. The directions and printable notes are here: Watch it Grow!
36) Open-Ended Projects
Set your child up with basic art supplies and a box, then step back to see what they do.
37) Outside Time
Nature is full of interesting things waiting to be discovered. Spend time in the great outdoors together.
38) Library Visits
Libraries are a treasure trove of knowledge and resources for children! Visit your local branch frequently.
Character-Building Activities for 1st Graders
39) Gratitude Jar
Have your child write down one thing they’re thankful for each day and slip the paper into a jar. At the end of the month, share some special time reading the notes together.
40) Acts of Kindness
Who in your neighborhood could use a little kindness? Encourage your child to brainstorm ways to help, whether it’s raking leaves for an elderly neighbor or baking cookies for a new mom.
41) Compliment Circle
Gather around the table as a family, and have everyone compliment the person sitting to their right. This social-emotional activity can boost self-esteem and help build positive relationships.
42) Meditation
Encourage mindfulness and self-awareness with a simple meditation routine.
43) Make-Believe Play
Make-believe play helps children practice empathy and other social skills. Supply your child with simple props or toys and encourage them to use their imagination.
44) Household Chores
Let your child feel like a valuable team member by assigning a few age-appropriate chores. They’ll feel capable and proud as they gather dishes after dinner or help sort laundry.
45) Gift for a Friend
Help your child show their friends how much they care with a simple handmade gift. They can string a bracelet, paint a picture, or make a card with a heartfelt message.
46) Emotion Collages
Explore different emotions with an emotion collage. Your child can either draw faces or cut them out of old magazines.
47) Feelings Journal
Give your child a notebook and encourage them to write or draw their feelings at the end of each day.
48) Safe Space
Work together to make a safe space for your child to calm themselves down. A familiar environment can help reduce stress as they work through big feelings.
Keep Your 1st Grader Learning with Begin!
There you have it — 48 engaging 1st grade activities to keep your child learning.
Support your child’s growth with Begin’s award-winning resources. From the HOMER app to a Little Passports subscription, you’re sure to find something to spark their interest!
