1st Grade

Below are suggested summer activities in the areas of Reading, Writing, and Mathematics that will help keep your skills sharp. This is not mandatory summer work, but your teachers and schools know that doing a little bit each day is very helpful in making you the best 2nd-grader you can be at the start of next year! In addition to all of these activities, please make sure to check with the Technology Extension and Enrichment Activities webpage for additional resources. Please note that your child should be working in the grade they just completed. For those students who are new to our school, please join in using all of our free sites and resources.

When in doubt, here is a quick list of the most important activities.

Play! Have fun outside! Here's a fun neighborhood scavenger hunt!
Set a routine to read everyday. Find new and interesting books that are "just right" for you. Read for a good chunk of time!
Start a summer writing journal with various types of writing.
Keep your math skills fresh by practicing math facts!

See below for more detailed resources in each area...

Reading

Read independently for at least 20 minutes every day.
See the Millburn Library website for their summer offerings.
Here is the link to the Millburn Public Library’s Summer Reading Challenge
For access to ebooks during the summer:
1. See the Millburn Library page and click on "eBooks & Audiobooks" under Digital Resources.
2. Epic!- Free 30-day trial for parents that allows access to over 40,000 premium books.
3. Epic Free- If students have access to EPIC already, students will have 2 hours of free reading a week in a limited library from 7:00 am until 3:00 pm Monday through Friday.
Use the following responses to write or discuss your books when you are done.
Note: Students should NOT be reading text that is too difficult, and reading aloud to students at this age is still helpful.
Practice Language Arts skills on Starfall.com, ABCYA, or IXL.com (limited free access).

Writing

- Keep a summer journal. Each day record what you’ve done that day. A list of ideas is linked. Here is a link to lined paper if you choose to use it.
- Rising second graders can use words and sentences. Invented spelling is typical at this age and expected. Encourage a capital and end punctuation. Detailed drawings are also encouraged. It is important that students at this age, record their writing using a pencil or pen.

Math

Math Games and Activities

Below are a few resources your family can use to explore math together at home. These activities are developmentally appropriate and encourage mathematical reasoning, problem-solving, and curiosity.

SplashLearn, Starfall, and IXL: Engaging math games that build fluency and problem-solving (free and limited access versions).
Bedtime Math: Quick daily math stories to build number sense in fun, low-pressure ways.
Easy Math Games to Build Number Sense: Primary to Intermediate games the whole family can play!
Math Games with a Deck of Cards: Primary to Intermediate games the whole family can play!
Math Games with a Pair of Dice: Primary to Intermediate games the whole family can play!
K5 Learning Grade 1 Extra Practice: Free printables that provide additional practice with place value, addition and subtraction, measurement, telling time, counting money, geometry, and word problems for students who enjoy extra practice at home.

Simple Family Math Ideas

Practice counting forward and backward from different starting numbers.
Play addition and subtraction games using small objects, toys, or snacks.
Have your child help measure ingredients while cooking or baking and discuss whole and half amounts.
Compare collections of objects and discuss which group has more, less, or the same amount.
Practice skip counting by 2s, 5s, and 10s while walking, jumping, or playing outside.
Use coins to identify values, count groups of coins, and make simple amounts.
Look for two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes in everyday objects around your home and neighborhood.
Ask your child to estimate the number of items in a group, then count to check their estimate.
Read books that incorporate math concepts and discuss the numbers, patterns, or problem-solving situations you notice.

First grade math builds on foundational number sense while helping students develop fluency with addition and subtraction, understand place value, explore shapes, and solve real-world problems. More importantly, it is about encouraging children to think flexibly, explain their reasoning, and make meaningful connections between math and their everyday experiences.

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