2nd Grade Reading Activities: Hands-On Ideas for Active Second Graders

Standards for 2nd Grade Reading

Children in 2nd grade are typically making the transition to independent reading, improving in both fluency and comprehension. Most students show understanding of a text by answering and asking questions. They make connections between ideas, procedures, concepts and events within a text. Second graders also begin to understand theme and character development. To help your child work on these skills, you can try the suggested hands-on reading activities.

What Reading Activities Can I Do With My 2nd Grader?

Act Out a Story with Puppets

Your child can use her favorite story, or you can choose Mother Goose stories or fairy tales. Ask her to pick specific scenes to be performed and discuss the setting in each of those scenes. Using a variety of craft supplies, help her create puppets for each of the characters. She can even create backdrops to represent the scenery. Encourage her to perform her puppet show for family and friends.

Reconstruct a Story or Poem

Pick part of a fiction or nonfiction book from your child's collection and copy it in large letters onto a sheet of paper; you can also use poetry. Cut out each sentence or line individually and spread out the strips in random order on a table. After reading the story or poem with your child, challenge him to reconstruct it by putting the paper strips back together in the proper order. Ask him to read it aloud when he's finished to ensure that it makes sense.

Hunt for Information Using the Table of Contents

Go through an age-appropriate book that contains a table of contents and write down questions you want your child to answer. Make sure the answer can be found by using the table of contents. You could use a book about frogs, for example, to ask her to name the world's smallest poisonous frog. She must use the table of contents to locate the chapter on poisonous frogs so she can answer your question.

Make a Coffee Can Character

Ask your child to choose his favorite character from any story. Give him an empty coffee can or similar container and some craft supplies, which he can use to make the character. After he finishes, he can write information about the character on the back. He can also find small objects to place inside of the can that he feels represent this character. Encourage him to show it off and explain all of the elements.