Reading Passages for Children: Stories to Practice Comprehension and Fluency

Where Can I Find Reading Passages for Children?

There are several places you can find reading passages for children of all ages and grade levels. To obtain reading passages appropriate for your child, ask his or her teacher or administrator for unused textbooks, state exams or practice tests. You can also search teacher supply stores and local bookstores for additional resources. Alternatively, there are a number of free reading passages for children online. You may choose them by grade level, topic and even type. Once you have selected reading passages for your child, you can create your own comprehension questions or print off any accompanying worksheets.

Two Reading Comprehension Passages

Winter Holiday Cards

Every December, families and friends get together to celebrate a variety of holidays. Although religions and traditions differ, everyone can participate in certain fun activities. One of those activities is creating winter holiday cards to send to relatives that live far away or even down the street. Jack's teacher helps him and his classmates make them during art class.

The first step, Jack's teacher says, is to make a list of who he wants to send a card to so that he can determine how many he should make. Once he's decided on his grandma, cousin and pen pal, his teacher assists him with cutting out colored construction paper and writing their names with a short message.

When Jack has the cards cut out and addressed, it's time for the fun part: decorating! The teacher provided buckets of markers, tubes of glitter glue in every color and winter-themed foam cutouts.

Jack decides to draw him and his brother, Bobby, having a snowball fight next to a snowman. He uses silver glitter for the snow and creates a purple foam snowman! Jack is proud of his winter holiday cards and can't wait to send them to his friends and family. After school, his mom helps him put them in envelopes and in the mailbox.

Sarah's Summer Vacation

Sarah is a typical second grader who can't wait for summer because she doesn't have to go to school and can play outside or go swimming every day. This year, though, her mom and dad are sending her to a summer camp instead of to her usual babysitter.

Sarah is excited to leave for camp but nervous because she doesn't know anyone else that's going. She knows she makes friends easily at school, but being the new kid can be scary! Sarah has also never been away from her parents for more than one night when she stayed at her grandma's house by the lake.

It's Saturday morning and time for Sarah to be dropped off at her summer camp cabin. Her mom helps her unpack and says goodbye, leaving her scared and sad. Soon after, Sarah's cabin roommates come in with ice cream and a rubber ball for playing catch. They say hello and pull her out to the field, laughing and talking like they've been friends for years. Sarah knows she will have fun this summer after all.