Spelling words are a fact of life with elementary school kids.
I remember them clearly from my years in school and we’ve had plenty of years of practice with my own two girls.
My struggle has always been making them interesting. We’ve got to practice them, right? So, how can we have fun?
Luckily, there are many fun ways to practice spelling words that you can try. Here are over 30 ideas that will keep your spelling work fun and interesting.
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How to Make Spelling Fun
For the longest time, the only ideas for practicing spelling words I could come up with were practice tests and writing them over and over and over again. Boring!
So, let’s think outside the box to come up with some ways to make spelling fun.
Here’s some things to consider:
Can we use something other than a pencil to write our words?
How can we take our work outside?
Is there a way to keep active kids moving?
What unique supplies can I find to help with our homework?
In addition to these questions, you also need to think about your child’s interests. Do they enjoy art? Do they love LEGOs? What are their favorite toys and activities? And, can you incorporate that into your spelling homework in order to make it more fun?
Also, make sure you have several ideas in your pocket. Try some of these spelling activities for ideas – there are over 30 activities listed. You’ve got to mix it up and provide some variety!
Fun Ways to Practice Spelling Words
In the following list you’ll find many different ways to learn. There are active ideas and artistic ideas. Some activities are fine motor and others are gross motor.
No matter what you child enjoys, you’ll find some great options to help make their spelling homework fun.
Fun Ways to Practice Spelling Words
Spelling practice doesn't have to be boring! Try these fun, hands-on ways to practice spelling words at home or in the classroom.
Spelling Word BINGO
Turn your spelling list into a fun BINGO game with this simple template.
Rainbow Writing Spelling Word Practice
Rainbow writing is a fun and colorful way to practice your spelling and learning your words with repetition.
Chalkboard Spelling Word Erase
Use a chalkboard for simple spelling practice when you write your words and then erase them.
LEGO Spelling Words Activity for Kids
Grab your LEGO bricks and build your spelling words.
Finger Painting Spelling Words
Grab your art supplies and write your words with your finger.
Secret Code Spelling Words
Turn your word list into a secret code with this fun activity that adds a little math to your spelling practice.
Salt Tray Spelling Words
A salt tray is a great sensory idea for any list of words.
Practice Spelling Words with Sticky Notes
If your kid's always trying to steal your Post-Its, they'll love this spelling activity!
Dot Marker Spelling Words
Dot markers aren't just for preschool. They're also a fun way to write words.
Practice Spelling with Letter Stamps and Play Dough
Use play dough as a canvas to stamp your words with letter stamps.
Write Spelling Words with Paint in a Bag
Paint in a bag is fun to play with and it's also a great way to practice your spelling words.
Watercolor Resist Spelling Words
Use watercolor resist to turn your word list into an art project.
Make Scrabble Tile Spelling Words
Borrow the tiles from your Scrabble game and use them to build your words.
Write Shaving Cream Spelling Words
Use a tray of shaving cream for a fun sensory spelling activity.
Practice Spelling with Pipe Cleaner Words
Grab a package of pipe cleaners and use them to build the letters in your words.
Practice at Home by Painting Spelling Words
Pencils aren't the only writing tool you can use. Try writing your words with a paint brush.
Sidewalk Chalk Spelling Words
Take your homework outside and write your spelling words on the driveway.
Make Spelling Words with Letter Stamps
Use your letter stamps to write out all your spelling words.
Write Spelling Words on the Window
Did you ever want to draw on the window? Here's a fun and easy-to-clean way to write all over the window.
Car Spelling Word Tracing
Get out the toy cars and let them zoom all around your words.
Create a Spelling Words Word Search
Find out how to make a fun word search with your own set of spelling words.
Pinprick Spelling Words
Pinprick spelling words are a fun fine-motor activity to help you practice at home.
Disappearing Spelling Words
Can you make your spelling words disappear? You can with this fun activity which is very popular at my house.
Spelling Outside with a Driveway Letter Grid
Spelling with a driveway letter grid is a great activity for kids who learn best by moving (or any kid with extra energy after school).
Create Play Dough Spelling Words
Use a batch of play dough to mold all the letters for your words.
Make Words with Alphabet Clothespins
Make a set of alphabet clothespins to use for spelling your word list.
Make Spelling Fun by Writing with Cotton Swabs
Toss the paint brush and use a cotton swab with paint to write your words.
Spelling Word Scramble
Learn how to turn your spelling word list into a fun word scramble activity.
Type Spelling Words on a Computer
Your kids can have a little screen time when they use a computer to type their spelling words.
Fun Spelling Practice with Dry Beans
Build your spelling words out of dry beans for a fun & hands-on practice.
Alphabet Bead Spelling Words
Invest in a set of alphabet beads to use to practice spelling words all year long.
How to Study Spelling Words
Now that you’ve got a ton of ideas, how do you use them to actually study and learn your words?
When you sit down with a new spelling list with your child. Go through the words with them. Specifically, look for any spelling rules that they need to keep in mind. Do the words have silent e’s? Are there any consonant groupings (such as ch or st) or vowel groupings (such as ea or ai)? You can refer to this list of spelling rules for help.
Another thing to keep in mind is repetition. Reading through your list multiple times won’t do the trick. You need to actually spell them and write them, sometimes over and over again.
Some words will be easy to learn (or your child already know how to spell them) and others will be harder. When practicing, you don’t need to give equal weight to each word. Some days you may only want to use the tricky words in your spelling activities or just focus on the one word that your child is stuck on. An activity like Pinprick Words is perfect for those times when you need to go over one or two specific words.
Ways to Practice Spelling Words At Home
While these activities are intended for both classroom at home, every one of them will work as after school practice.
Once you’ve tried out several ideas, decide which ones were favorites. These are the activities that we’ll want to prepare for by gathering (or purchasing) supplies and setting up a spelling homework station. This way, you don’t have to prep activities every single day.
Just because you prepare for certain activities doesn’t mean that you can’t do some of the other ideas!
You don’t need anything fancy to set up your supplies in a homework station. I’d suggest just a box or bin that could be easily put away and easy for your child to use. A small storage bin with a lid and handle would be perfect! Once you’ve found your bin, just fill it with the supplies you need.
If you don’t have a place to tuck away your bin, you can store your supplies in a cute, decorative bin. Here’s a pretty rustic wooden supply caddy that would look cute sitting out on a desk.
You can shop my list of spelling homework supplies here.
More Resources for After School Learning
Hundred Chart Activities to Make Math Fun
Fun Addition Fact Games for Kids
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