4 Ways to Use Digital Centers in Your First-Grade Classroom

Digital centers are a fantastic way to introduce and reinforce essential literacy and math skills in first grade. Whether you’re working on CVC words, sight words, addition, or telling time, these interactive activities provide an effective way for students to practice independently or in small groups.

If you’re looking for practical ways to incorporate digital centers into your daily routine, here are four effective strategies to get started.

4 Ways to Use Digital Centers in Your First Grade Classroom

1. Assign Individually in Google Slides

While assigning activities individually in Google Slides may not be the most commonly used method—especially in schools with limited access to technology or younger students who need more guidance—it can still be a valuable option for independent practice. This approach allows students to work at their own pace, focusing on essential literacy and math skills such as:

CVC words and long vowels
Sight word recognition
Reading comprehension
Addition and subtraction
Telling time and measurement

The colorful slides and fun activities give kids a chance to practice important skills on their own while building confidence.

Pro Tip: Assign different slides based on each student’s progress to provide targeted practice and differentiation in both literacy and math.

2. Set Up on Laptops, Computers, or Smart Board

Since both Google Slides and PowerPoint versions are included, digital centers can be easily set up on classroom devices such as laptops, desktops, or smart boards. During literacy and math stations, a small group of students can work together on the same activity, taking turns and discussing their answers as they build important skills.

Working together at a shared device encourages:

Collaboration and teamwork
Peer learning and problem-solving
Engagement through interactive, hands-on tasks

Whether students are blending sounds, identifying sight words, solving math problems, or working on time-telling activities, digital centers provide an easy way to incorporate meaningful practice while fostering cooperative learning.

Pro Tip: Assign roles within the group, such as “reader,” “clicker,” or “checker,” to keep students involved and on task.

2. Set Up on Laptops, Computers, or Smart Boards

Working together at a shared device encourages:

Collaboration and teamwork
Peer learning and problem-solving
Engagement through interactive, hands-on tasks

Pro Tip: Assign roles within the group, such as “reader,” “clicker,” or “checker,” to keep students involved and on task.

3. Use for Whole-Class Assessments

Digital centers aren’t just for practice—they can also serve as an effective assessment tool. Teachers can project the activities onto a smart board while students sit at their desks or on the carpet, recording their answers on response sheets.

This approach allows teachers to assess important literacy and math skills in a quick and effective manner. By observing students’ participation and reviewing their response sheets, teachers can quickly gauge understanding, identify areas for improvement, and adjust instruction as needed. It’s an easy way to assess the whole class at once without the pressure of formal testing.

Pro Tip: Use digital centers for quick, low-pressure assessments during morning meetings or as a literacy or math block wrap-up.

4. Turn Digital Slides into Physical Task Cards

Digital centers can easily be printed and turned into physical task cards, providing students with a hands-on way to practice literacy and math skills. Whether you’re using them for small-group instruction, independent work, or early finishers, printed task cards are a versatile option that can be used year after year.

How to Print Digital Slides as Task Cards:

Save the PowerPoint file as a PDF.
Click on Print.
Under Print Size and Handling, select “Multiple.”
Choose 4 pages per sheet to create task card-sized prints.
Ensure the Orientation is set to Landscape for the best layout.

The printed cards fit perfectly into 4×6 photo boxes, making organization simple and keeping your literacy and math centers neat and accessible. Laminating the cards can also extend their durability for repeated use.

Pro Tip: Store task cards by month, with each set of 12 ELA and 12 Math centers neatly organized in a labeled 4×6 photo box. This makes it easy to grab the right activities for each month without the hassle of sorting through different skills.

Monthly Themes to Keep Students Engaged All Year

One of the best parts about using digital centers is the variety of fun, seasonal themes that keep students excited and engaged throughout the year. Each month introduces new themes that align with seasonal events and holidays, such as:

🎃 October: Pumpkins, bats, and Halloween fun
🦃 November: Turkeys, fall leaves, and Thanksgiving themes
🎅 December: Santa, reindeer, and winter holiday cheer
❄️ January: Snowflakes, mittens, and winter fun
💖 February: Hearts, friendship, and Valentine’s Day activities
☘️ March: Leprechauns, rainbows, and St. Patrick’s Day surprises
🌷 April: Flowers, rain showers, and springtime themes
🌞 May: Sunshine, bees, and summer readiness

These engaging seasonal themes make learning feel fresh and exciting, helping students stay motivated while reinforcing essential literacy skills.

Skills Covered in First-Grade Digital Centers

These digital centers provide comprehensive coverage of key literacy and math skills, giving students meaningful opportunities to practice and reinforce essential concepts throughout the school year.

ELA Skills:

CVC Words: Blending and decoding short vowel words
Long Vowels: Identifying and reading vowel teams
Consonant Blends: Practicing blends and digraphs
Sight Words: Building recognition of high-frequency words
Reading Comprehension: Answering questions and making connections
Grammar: Sentence structure, punctuation, and parts of speech
And so much more!

Math Skills:

Addition and Subtraction: Building fluency within 20
Measurement: Comparing length, weight, and capacity
Graphing: Interpreting and creating simple graphs
Shapes: Identifying 2D and 3D shapes
Telling Time: Reading analog and digital clocks
And more seasonal math fun!

With a wide range of engaging activities, these centers make it easy to reinforce critical skills while keeping students motivated and on track all year long.

Ready to Get Started?

If you’re looking for a fun and effective way to incorporate digital centers into your kindergarten classroom, check out my full collection of seasonal first grade centers for both ELA and Math! Each set includes 12 engaging activities designed to support essential skills while keeping students excited to learn.

Browse All Seasonal First Grade ELA Centers HERE

Check Out Seasonal First Grade Math Centers HERE

Did you know that all of my digital centers are included in the Early Elementary Resources All Access Membership?

Want to try it out first? Download two FREE First Grade Digital Centers (one ELA and one Math) and see how easy it is to bring interactive learning to your classroom!

First Grade ELA Digital Center FREEBIE

First Grade MATH Digital Center FREEBIE

With digital centers that cover key skills all year long, you’ll have everything you need to keep your students learning and having fun—whether in the classroom or at home.