Fun Test Prep Ideas That Aren’t Worksheets + FREE Annotating Resource
Test Prep Doesn’t Have to be Boring
Test prep season doesn’t have to mean packets, drills, and bored students. If you’re looking for fun test prep ideas that keep engagement high without relying on worksheets, you’re in the right place. These interactive review activities help students practice essential reading and test-taking skills in a way that feels more like games and collaboration than traditional prep. And to make things even easier, I’m sharing a FREE annotating resource you can use right away to help your students build confidence and tackle passages with purpose.
Keep reading to learn more about these fun test prep ideas and get that freebie!
Or, click here to jump to the download section.
Test Prep Escape Room: Review Skills in a Way Students Love
If you want to instantly boost engagement during test prep, you have to try a reading test prep escape room. Instead of packets and passages, students work together to solve puzzles, crack codes, and answer reading questions to “escape” — and the buy-in is unreal.
In this particular escape room, students are trapped aboard an alien ship and must prove that humans are intelligent enough to be released. To do that, they’ll complete four skill-based levels that review key reading standards commonly assessed on state tests.
Each level targets an essential test prep skill:
Academic Vocabulary
Context Clues
Inferencing
Author’s Claim & Evidence
Students answer questions to earn puzzle pieces and solve a final challenge, making the review feel more like a game than a test. It’s perfect for small groups, stations, or whole-class test prep days when you need something rigorous and fun.
Even better — there’s a fully digital version included. Using the Google Form link, students can complete the escape room on their devices, which is great for paperless classrooms, technology days, or extra engagement leading up to testing season. (Just note that students will need a Google account to access the form.)
If you’re looking for a high-interest way to review multiple reading skills at once, escape rooms are a game-changer during test prep.
Glow Day: The Ultimate Test Prep Classroom Transformation
If you want a test prep day your students will never forget, Glow Day is the way to go. This classroom transformation turns reading and ELAR review into an immersive, neon-themed experience packed with skill practice, collaboration, and serious engagement.
Instead of traditional worksheets, students rotate through interactive stations designed to strengthen both reading comprehension and test-taking strategies in a fun, high-energy environment.
🔍 Skills Students Practice
As students rotate through the 6 stations, they review key ELAR skills like:
Annotating texts
Reading comprehension strategies
Analyzing text evidence
Test-taking strategies
Critical thinking & discussion
Annotation checklists for fiction, nonfiction, and poetry are included to guide students before they begin.
🪩 What’s Included in the Transformation
Everything you need to create a glowing classroom experience:
Projectable screen slides
6 station direction cards
Student scorecards
Glow Day tickets & wristbands
Annotation checklists
Flip-books with writing prompts
Goal-setting bookmarks
Word search & early finisher activities
🌟 Decor & Transformation Elements
Take the engagement to the next level with:
“Glow Day” banners
Lightbulb banners & wall decor
Arrow decor & posters
Crowns & spiral ceiling decorations
Bulletin board letters & banners
Themed characters (disco balls, lava lamps, stars, etc.)
Coloring pages & printable accessories
With multiple updates added over time — including bulletin board kits, flip-books, posters, and bookmarks — you’ll have everything you need to make your Glow Day visually unforgettable.
Click here to read my blog post about this resource! I’ve updated it to add more fun things to it since writing this blog, however, so I would definitely check out my TPT listing of this for a more detailed overview of what’s included.
Carnival Day: A High-Engagement Test Prep Transformation
If you’re looking for a way to make test prep feel like a celebration instead of a chore, a Carnival classroom transformation is a total game-changer. Students rotate through skill-based “game booths,” practicing reading comprehension and test-taking strategies while earning tickets and prizes along the way.
It’s the perfect mix of rigorous review and hands-on fun — especially during those high-stress weeks leading up to testing.
🎟️ Why Teachers Love Carnival Test Prep
Turns review day into a full classroom transformation
Uses carnival-style games to practice academic skills
Keeps engagement high during testing season
Works with any passage you choose
Editable slides let you add your own questions
Easy to align with state test standards
(You provide the passage and questions — making it flexible for any curriculum or grade level.)
By the end of the day, your students won’t just feel more confident about their reading skills — they’ll feel excited about the progress they’ve made. Carnival Day blends meaningful test prep with hands-on fun, helping you review key standards in a way that feels memorable instead of stressful. It’s the perfect way to keep engagement high, ease testing nerves, and turn review season into something your students actually look forward to.
Basketball Madness Transformation
Bring the energy of game day into your classroom with a March Basketball Madness test prep transformation! This basketball-themed review experience turns reading practice into a competitive, high-engagement event where students rotate through skill-based stations designed to strengthen comprehension and test-taking strategies.
Instead of traditional worksheets, students participate in interactive “games” that make reviewing reading skills feel exciting and team-driven.
🎯 Why Teachers Love Basketball Madness
Combines test prep + classroom transformation
Basketball theme keeps engagement high
Editable activities make it easy to add your own questions
Works with any reading passage
Reusable across grade levels and texts
Great for pre-test review days or skill spirals
🏀 Game-Style Stations Include
Dice Question Stems
Tic-Tac-Toe Connections
Vocabulary Matching & Flipping
Worst/Distractor/Correct Basketball Roll
Making Inferences Ring Toss
Comprehension Strategies Basketball
All stations include direction cards and companion worksheets, many of which are editable so you can customize the rigor and content.
🏟️ Transformation & Team Elements
Students fully buy into the competition with:
“You’ve Been Drafted” invitations
Team scorecards
Editable prize guide
Team logo design pages
Pennant & jersey design worksheets
Basketball shoe design activities
Teams include Tigers, Eagles, Lions, Sharks, Panthers, and Alligators — making it easy to build classroom community while you review.
By the end of the transformation, your students won’t just feel more prepared for their reading test — they’ll feel confident, motivated, and proud of the skills they’ve practiced. Basketball Madness blends meaningful review with friendly competition, helping you cover essential standards in a way that feels energizing instead of overwhelming. It’s the perfect way to build excitement, strengthen comprehension, and turn test prep into a championship-worthy experience your students will always remember.
Theme Park Day Transformation
Turn your classroom into the ultimate learning adventure with a Theme Park Day test prep transformation! This high-engagement experience brings the excitement of rides, attractions, and park fun into your reading review while students rotate through skill-based stations designed to strengthen comprehension and test-taking strategies.
Instead of traditional test prep, students “enter the park,” scan their wristbands, and complete academic attractions — making review feel immersive, memorable, and exciting.
🎡 Station & Experience Elements
Students fully “enter the park” with interactive details like:
Theme park tickets
Editable wristbands with animal logos
VIP passes
Animal ear headbands
Push-button light covers to “scan in”
Seven station games include direction cards, worksheets, and editable question pages so you can customize content to your passage.
🎠 Transformation Decor & Extras
With 60+ pages of decorations, you’ll have everything needed to create an immersive theme park environment:
“Welcome” & “Theme Park” banners
Station signs & attraction labels
Balloon decor (regular + animal shapes)
Hanging spiral decorations
Roller coaster, Ferris wheel, and castle decor
Ice cream, churro, and pretzel cutouts
Coloring pages & display slides
Inspirational theme park posters
By the end of Theme Park Day, your students won’t just feel more prepared for their reading test — they’ll feel energized and confident from the experience. This transformation blends meaningful skill practice with imaginative play, helping you review key standards in a way that feels joyful instead of stressful. It’s the perfect way to build excitement, strengthen comprehension, and turn test prep into a day your students will never want to leave.
Test Question Slapdown
If you’re looking for a quick, low-prep way to review test questions in any subject, Test Question Slap Down is a classroom favorite. This fast-paced review game gets students up, engaged, and excited to answer questions — making it perfect for breaking up traditional test prep routines while still reinforcing key skills.
Instead of creating your own game slides from scratch, this resource gives you everything ready to go so you can focus on the questions and content that matter most.
🎯 Why Teachers Love Slap Down
Works with any subject or test
Perfect for reading, math, science, or social studies review
Gets students actively involved
Simple directions make it easy to implement
Great for whole-group review or test prep days
🛠️ Easy to Customize
The resource is fully editable, so you can tailor it to your needs:
Add your own questions
Adjust directions or wording
Insert passage screenshots
Modify slides for different grade levels
📂 What’s Included
Editable Google Drive download
22 total slides
Giant list of Google Fonts to use
“Materials Needed” slide
“To Get Started” slide
Pre-made Directions slide + blank editable version
Passage display slide
15 question slides in various styles
With multiple layout options, you can keep the game visually fresh while reviewing different skills or standards.
By turning question review into an interactive game, Slap Down helps students stay focused, competitive, and excited about practicing their skills. It’s an easy way to add movement, collaboration, and energy to your test prep routine — all while reinforcing the content students need most before assessment day.
Annotation Relay
If annotating passages tends to feel slow or disengaging for your students, this Annotating Race game completely changes the energy. Instead of quietly marking text, students work in teams to race through a passage — stopping to annotate each section before moving on.
It turns a foundational reading strategy into an interactive, competitive experience that keeps all students involved and accountable.
🎯 Why Teachers Love the Annotating Race
Makes annotating feel fast-paced and fun
Encourages teamwork and discussion
Builds strong close reading habits
Keeps every student accountable for annotations
Works with any passage or article
🛠️ Easy Setup, Fully Editable
You don’t have to create directions or slides yourself — everything is ready to go, with editable options if you want to customize:
Adjust directions or rules
Add team names
Modify slides for different grade levels
Use with fiction or nonfiction passages
📂 What’s Included
Google Drive download
11 total slides
Giant list of Google Fonts
Materials slide
“Getting Started” slide
Directions slide (pre-made + editable)
Rules slide (pre-made + editable)
3 team display slides
🏁 How the Game Works
Students work in teams with a shared passage
They read one section at a time
After each section, they stop to annotate together
The teacher checks annotations for completion/accuracy
If approved → the team earns a chance to score
If not → they revise before moving on
Play continues until all sections are annotated
Team with the most points wins
This structure keeps students focused on quality annotations while adding movement, collaboration, and motivation.
By turning annotating into a team challenge, this game helps students build deeper comprehension skills without the usual groans that come with close reading. It’s engaging, structured, and easy to implement — making it a powerful way to strengthen annotation habits while keeping test prep interactive and fun.
To get your free annotating resource, simply enter your email into the orange box and the download will open in a new window!
But Did I Tell You About the Free Daily Slides?
Soooo I know some people may prefer purchasing resource on Teachers Pay Teachers which is TOTALLY FINE. TPT and I are besties.
But if you’re grabbing resources anyway, why not snag them straight from my website? 😉 When you download here, you’re not just getting teacher-tested, classroom-friendly resources—you’re also supporting a real small business run by a real educator (hi, that’s me 👋). Every purchase helps me keep creating fresh, meaningful tools for both classroom and homeschool teachers—and as a thank-you, you’ll unlock access to a full year of daily classroom slides. It’s a win-win: you get done-for-you support, and I get to keep doing what I love. Let’s make teaching a little easier—together ✨
Until Next Time!
I can’t wait to see how you transform your classroom or homeschool space for a fun day of learning! I would LOVE to see pictures of the resource in action! Tag me on TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest, or Facebook! My handle is @teachandachieve on all platforms.
If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, drop a comment below, or fill out a form on the FAQ Page. I’ll get back to you as quickly as possible.
Until next time!
-Aimee ♡
