25+ Reading Activities for Read Across America Day (Free Printable List)

Classroom or Family Read-Aloud Marathon

On Read Across America Day, set aside a block of time to read multiple books independently or aloud as a group. If you have unlimited time, set a timer to see how long you can sustain the group read-athon. Or, set a goal as group for how long you’ll read and do your best to meet or exceed it.

When the marathon reading session is over, have each student or family member partner with another to share what they read about and the book or passage they most enjoyed.

Buddy or Sibling Partner Reading

Pair older and younger students or family members to read a few books together. The books should be more geared toward the younger reader so they can try reading it aloud to the older child or family member, while getting help when needed.

Afterwards, reading buddies can discuss each story, what they liked about each one, and pick their favorite book.

Create a Mini Book

Have kids write and illustrate their own short stories by folding paper into a simple booklet. They can invent characters, draw pictures, and practice sequencing with a beginning, middle, and end.

Build the Setting

Using blocks, LEGO bricks, craft supplies, or  recycled materials, have kids recreate the setting from a book they’ve read. Whether it’s a house, a forest, or a city, building the setting is a fun way to encourage close reading and recalling story details, descriptions, and context.

Alternate Ending Challenge

After finishing a book, challenge kids to imagine what might happen if the story ended differently. They can write or dictate a new ending and share it with a classmate or family member. This activity helps to encourage creativity and storytelling and can demonstrate childs’ understanding of what they’ve read.

Word Hunt

Choose a theme such as kindness, nature, adventure, city life, animals, or emotions, and ask kids to look for related words while reading. They can highlight or list the words they find, then count them up at the end.

Family Reading Night

Host a family reading night at school or at home, where families read together and share favorite books. If hosting it at school, invite families to bring in their own books to read or locate the event in the school library. At home, have each family bring a book (or several) of their choice and read silently or aloud together.

Book Swap

Invite kids to bring a gently used book from home to exchange with a classmate or kids in the neighborhood. A book swap gives children access to new reading material while encouraging excitement around sharing stories and finding new favorites.

ABCmouse Story Time: Dan and Jan

Host a family reading night at school or at home, where families read together and share favorite books. If hosting it at school, invite families to bring in their own books to read or locate the event in the school library. At home, have each family bring a book (or several) of their choice and read silently or aloud together.

ABCmouse Story Time: The Tortoise and the Hare

Invite kids to bring a gently used book from home to exchange with a classmate or kids in the neighborhood. A book swap gives children access to new reading material while encouraging excitement around sharing stories and finding new favorites.

Word Pop: B is for Bed, Bib, and Bat

Kids can work on phonics, reading, and spelling skills as they see images of letter B words and use a letter grid to spell them out.

Unicorn Catcher High Frequency Words

Build early reading fluency skills with a rollerskating unicorn! Help guide the unicorn to catch the correct high frequency word falling from the sky!

Another Tale of Mike the Viking

Kids can work on phonics, reading, and spelling skills as they see images of letter B words and use a letter grid to spell them out.

Cat Catch Fever Letters A-E

Reading starts with learning the letters of the alphabet. In this game, young learners practice this skill with help from a playful cat.

Reading Logs & Reward Charts

Help kids of all ages stay motivated to read year round with monthly reading charts. You’ll also find fun reading challenges, printable book recommendation, and more!

Reading Comprehension Worksheets for First Graders

As kids build reading skills, it’s just as important to make sure they’re understanding what they read. These reading worksheets invite children to read short passages and then show what they know.

40 Effective Literacy (Pre-Reading) Activities for Preschoolers

Spark your preschooler’s love of reading with this wide variety of engaging literacy activities, featuring songs, games, hands-on learning, free printables, and more.

Best Rhyming Books for Kids

Words that rhyme help add a playful, silly element to reading. They can also help children spot word families and identify spelling and sound patterns. Use this list of rhyming book for toddlers through second graders to find a few favorites, then check out our other rhyming resources!