NYC Public Schools launched NYC Reads to ensure that every student in our pre-kindergarten and elementary school classrooms is receiving effective, research-backed reading instruction using proven materials and methods. The resources and activities below are available for all families to use to continue that learning at home, and will help your child build important literacy skills necessary for educational, career, and lifetime success. Together, we can support students on their journey to becoming strong and confident readers!
FACE Family Reads: At-Home Activities
Support and strengthen your child's growing literacy and language skills outside of the classroom with music, bedtime stories, mock interviews, and more! See the flyer below for different ways your family can easily work fun language and literacy activities into your daily routine.
Starting Out with Letter Sounds: Printable Flashcards
Flashcards are a great way for students to practice letter sounds at home! Download printable flashcards with directions in 10 different languages for practicing vowels, consonants, digraphs, vowel teams, and welded sounds.
Starting Out with Letter Sounds: Interactive Flashcards
These PowerPoint files have interactive flashcards and include audio that allows students to hear the sounds and a connected keyword said aloud. Files are available for download with directions in 10 different languages for vowels, consonants, digraphs, vowel teams, and welded sounds. All students enrolled in NYCPS have access to Microsoft PowerPoint with their DOE account.
Early Word Skills
Practice word skills with these fun games that you can play with the whole family! These resources are available for download with directions in 10 different languages.
Multisyllabic Words
These activities allow families to practice building words with 2-4 syllables and words with prefixes and suffixes. Printable files are available for download with directions in 10 different languages.
Reading Discussion Bingo
Families that read together succeed together! Read together as a family, read on your own, and talk about what you're reading with each other. These printable reading discussion cards can help get the conversation started. Available for download with directions in 10 different languages.
Summer Reading and More
Keep Your Child Growing as a Reader Over School Breaks—At Home and In Your Community
Keep learning alive (and boredom at bay) during school breaks! Below, we provide some guidance on free ways to help your child keep growing as a reader during school vacations, both at home and out in your community.
Summer Reading Guide
Reading together is an important part of developing literacy skills and fostering year-long learning, and our summer reading suggestions are a great place to get started.
Recommended Reading Lists
If you’re not sure where to start, these lists feature some of our favorite titles for students of all ages:
Discover the Citywide Digital Library on SORA
Use your NYC Public School credentials to access the Citywide Digital Library on Sora.
The Citywide Digital Library provides the quickest and easiest way to read digital books. NYC students can log in using their school credentials and instantly access thousands of e-books and audiobooks on virtually any device in multiple languages. The Citywide Digital Library is available 24/7 - all you need to get started is an internet connection and your school login. Begin your next reading adventure with just a tap.
Once you’re set up with Sora, check out their Decoding and Phonics Collection, which has great titles for students who are developing their literacy skills.