Digital Literacy Activities: 8 Powerful Reasons to Use Them Now

Inside: Eight reasons to give digital literacy activities a try

I love using hands on activities for small groups and centers. They are full of connections, conversations, and engagement.

But these activities don’t come without problems:

• Pieces get damaged or go missing.
• It takes time to laminate and cut.
• They can push my organization limits.

I can recall many nights where I was barely able to keep my eyes open, but I insisted on cutting out the “perfect small group activity”.

When digital activities first came out, I was amazed. After all, I started teaching in 1993 when sending an email felt like magic.

I jumped in right away, and today I am glad I did.

Digital literacy activities are interactive, screen-based tasks designed for whole group, small groups and individual goals. They can be Google Slides sorts, digital task cards, or self-checking forms, just to name a few.

When Hands-On is Best

Digital activities are a great supplement, but hands-on learning remains an essential part of the classroom, especially for our young learners who thrive on movement and tactile tasks.

When hands-on activities are best.

1. When students need movement – Hands-on activities allow for movement and collaborations
2. When you are introducing a new concept – Concrete examples and tactile manipulation can help build a solid foundation.
3. When part of the goal is fine motor practice or multisensory engagement – Cutting, gluing, writing, and sorting can help your kinesthetic learners.

Give Digital Literacy Activities a Try

There are many reasons to give digital literacy activities a try. They can be a huge help in the classroom by helping with:

• Simplifying Lesson Plans
• Student Engagement
• Maintaining Your Sanity

Try it: Make sure to read to the end where you can check out one of my favorite digital literacy activities!

1. Paperless Perfection

I’ve started many days with a table that made my heart sink.

• Lamination scraps
• Baggies to organize
• That one pile of papers that I’ll get to… eventually

Going digital does more than help your students, it helps your sanity.

The moment I spotted my actual desk surface, I knew I’d made the right choice.

The giant piles? They’re mostly gone.

The smaller piles? Let’s not talk about those.

Now I have materials stored neatly in Google Drive. And my desk? Well, it’s only partially buried. Progress, right?

2. Learning Doesn’t Stop

To be clear, I don’t send digital activities home every time someone is absent. However, I found digital literacy centers very helpful in some cases.

Digital Literacy Activities work well when:

• A student is out for an extended period, but still capable of completing work
• A parent would like practice, but there’s no way to pick up work/send home the center
• A student is frequently absent for minor illnesses

It’s all about having a simple way to communicate classwork without the headache of copies, staples, and long explanations.

4. Practically No Prep

You had me at no prep! We’ve all experienced nights where we just don’t have the energy to cut and laminate. Digital literacy centers can save you the morning panic when you need something quick for the class, a sub, or a small group.

Even though I may have to tweak directions or swap out a slide, it’s still way easier than printing, cutting, and stuffing baggies.

5. Modify With Ease

My heart pours out with sympathy every time a student comes in with a broken arm. Suddenly, every day tasks can become huge obstacles.

But when digital tools are already part of your classroom routine, it’s much easier to adapt. A quick tweak to the activity format, and your student can still participate with minimal stress.

These kinds of modifications aren’t just helpful for short-term injuries. They’re also game-changing for students with fine motor challenges or IEP accommodations.

6. You can’t lose it (and neither can they)

How many times have you sat down to grade papers only to find that one (or more) have gone missing?

You’re almost certain the paper is incomplete, crumpled, or both.

I’ve heard all the excuses in the book. However, the most popular one has to be “but I turned it in”. Inevitably, we find the “turned in” paper incomplete amidst a pile of papers in the desk.

Digital literacy activities put an end to the question, “Who lost the paper?“

7. Sub Plans in a Snap

We’ve all been there. It’s 10:00 at night, and we are working on sub plans. Then we realize all the copying we still need to get done!

Digital products can be a lifesaver for subs. Once students know how to use Google Classroom, you just need to send them the file, make a note to your sub, and you are set!

8. Present on Screen

Digital activities don’t have to be assignments. They work great for the demonstration or guided practice. When projected on the screen, digital activities provide an engaging mode for explicit instruction.

Ready to go Digital? Start here.

If you’d like to try out some of my digital (and print) activities, I am sharing one of my favorites below. You can check out all my available digital activities in my TPT story by clicking here.

I’m not breaking up with my cardstock, and I’m definitely hanging on to my laminator. But sometimes it’s nice to skip the prep and use that time for hanging out with my family.

Whether you’re prepping for a sub, sending work home, or just giving yourself a break, digital literacy activities are a welcome addition to your lesson plans.

No lost papers. No last-minute panic. Just click, assign, and go.