How to Make Spelling Fun
Spelling -- didn't you dread it in school: the pages and pages full of your words written "ten times each," cramming for a test each Thursday night, and the deadly dull Spelling Bee each year?
It doesn't have to be boring! Make spelling fun with games and hands-on activities. The ideas here can be used with whatever spelling curriculum or approach you use.
The Key to Spelling Fun
The main way to keep your spelling fun is to use VARIETY.
Any one of the methods on this page will be fun the first time you use it. But if you use it too often, it becomes boring. So keep rotating your spelling activities! Keep your children in suspense, never knowing what today's spelling lesson will include.
Print the Spelling Activities list linked below and keep it in your homeschool planner so that you'll always have ideas right at your fingertips.
Spelling Ideas with Crayons and Paper
Want to get started right away -- maybe today -- with some fun spelling activities? Do you have paper and crayons on hand? Sure you do!
Here is a super easy spelling idea! Have your child completely cover a half sheet of paper with crayon. Use a variety of bright colors in any pattern at all.
Then you can do a couple of things with the waxy page. Your child can scrape the spellings into the wax with his fingernail or the end of pen cap.
Another idea is to place the waxy side face down on a clean piece of paper. Write the spelling words onto the backside of the colored page, pressing down hard. The wax will press onto the clean sheet, making rainbow letters.
Another idea that requires only the most basic of materials is to make visual images of the spellings. This may require a bit of help from the adult if the child is struggling with ideas. Here are some examples my daughter (age 8) and I came up with for some spelling words.
First, she was having trouble with the difference between of and off. Off has two f's as shown in this image; the f's make the filament of the lightbulb.
This example shows the power of simply visualizing how one difficult to spell word is like another, easy to spell word. Colors are used to emphasize the spelling.
For the last example, the spelling word was nice. I pointed out to my daughter that the word ice is inside nice. She came up with this image. A caption would be "Ice is nice on a hot day."
Another crayon spelling idea is to write words on white paper with a white crayon. The words will be almost invisible. But when you paint the paper with a thin tempera paint, the words will appear like magic!
More Spelling Activities
Here are some images from our homeschool -- ways I try to keep spelling a fun task rather than drudgery. Click on the image for a larger view. These ideas may require some supplies such as the ones linked below.
Creative Spelling Supplies
Writing spelling words with unique tools can make a boring task fun. Try dotters, alphabet stickers, alphabet stamps, sidewalk chalk, oil pastels, or paints. Even a wet paintbrush on an outside wall or sidewalk can be fun!
Or allow your child to write spelling words on a chalkboard, a whiteboard, a mirror or sliding glass door, large sheets of paper taped to the wall, sandpaper, even the shower stall! Use an eraser to erase the letters from a page of an old magazine. Use Vis-a-Vis pens on transparency sheets (or clear plastic report covers).
Look through your craft cabinet and get creative.
More Spelling Inspiration
Visit these weblinks for even more ideas.
- Wikki Words
- Fabulous ideas for more spelling fun.
- Clothespins for Learning
- What a brilliant idea! Use clothespins to spell out words!
- Five Guidelines for Learning to Spell and Six Ways to Practice Spelling
- A great article for how to teach spelling. Why? because it gives practical how-tos with photos.
- How to Study Your Spelling Words
- A step by step list of things to do with each word to help you remember it. Examples include writing it, saying it, circling problem parts, visualizing it, etc.
Spelling Without Pencil and Paper
You don't have to write or mark at all to spell. Consider using tangible things to form letters. Be sure to have a large working surface. Maybe the living room floor would be best!Here are some ideas.
- string, twine, or yarn
- ribbon
- pipe cleaners
- toothpicks or craft sticks
- packing peanuts
Spelling Tiles
LETTER TILES UPPER & LOWER 176/PK
Amazon Price: $17.47 (as of 07/12/2009)
Used Price:
Plastic tiles just for playing! This is a lot better than robbing the Scrabble box.
Get Physical
Jump spelling is a way to engage the entire body in the spelling process! If you're outside, write all the letters you need to spell your particular words on the pavement. If you're inside, use letters written on pages of paper, scattered around the floor. Call out a word. The child has to jump out the spelling, moving from letter to letter.
Use sign language to sign the spelling.
Using the computer is ususally a motivator for children! Spell the words by typing them in a word processor or pretend on a cardboard keyboard.
Tracing and Shaping
Letters can be spelled out in various textures. These, although messy, are sure to engage your children in the day's spelling lesson. Consider taking it outside or to the bathroom for less mess.
* shaving cream
* sand
* jello or pudding
* finger paint
* rice (put it on a dark or bright background)
* birdseed
* playdough or clay
Spelling Curricula
My daughter is not a strong speller, so I have chosen to use Spelling Power to help develop her skills. I think it's a great program! Although it's expensive, it will last you for years and years and can be used by a learner at any level of spelling ability. So the initial investment will pay off.
Spelling Power, Fourth Edition by Beverly L Adams-Gordon
This famous, award-winning spelling program by Bev more...1 point
Building Spelling Skills: Grade 3
Here's your comprehensive resource for helping stu more...0 points
I Love Spelling! (Win/Mac)
This fun and animated adventure teaches and tests more...0 points
Teach Spelling So It Sticks! Quick and Clever Ways That Work for Grades 4-8 by Jane Bell Kiester
Fast, fun, and fuss-free! Teach Spelling So It Sti more...0 points
Tunes That Teach Spelling Bk/cd Set: 12 Lively Tunes and Hands-On Activities That Teach Spelling Rules, Patterns, and Tricky Words by Marcia Miller, Martin Lee
Help make spelling stick with these engaging, orig more...0 points
Blog Posts from Google
- All About Spelling Level 5 Just Released
- All About Spelling is an excellent choice for Homeschool Families looking for a Spelling Program that will work with virtually every learning style: Tactile (Hands on Learning), Auditory (Listening to Learn), Visual (Looking to Learn). ...
- Why Homeschoolers Win Spelling Bees - Smart Girl Nation
- Why Homeschoolers Win Spelling Bees. Jun 30th, 2009 | By TexasHolly | Category: Entertainment. By Texasholly. We are into week 42 of summer in my head. In real life it is closer to week 5. Rhett reaching into a pond ...
- TOS Homeschool Crew Review – SpellQuizzer « Katie's Homeschool Cottage
- TOS Homeschool Crew Review ? SpellQuizzer. Posted on July 8, 2009 by kamrg. Spelling? I have one child that was born spelling out words with no problem; it was an instinct. I have another child who needs the review and extra time spent. ...
- Back to School - Camian Academy - Our homeschool life
- She took a spelling test and got all the words correct. She wrote a descriptive paragraph about me and another about Spartan culture. She did a dictation passage. She finished lesson 25 and did pages 26A-B of Math-U-See Delta. School ...
How Do You Spell Bargains? -- E B A Y
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
Games to Make Spelling Fun
Here's my favorite link:
Reader Feedback
One way to spell thanks --
C - O - M - M - E - N - T- S.
Feel free to leave a comment, especially if this page was helpful to you.
Rachel NC wrote
Thanks Jimmie- I love this lens! We will be officially starting Spelling-as an official subject- in August, and I want to learn as much as I can beforehand to help my dd succeed and enjoy it. Spelling was one of my best subjects but I just wasn't sure I could teach it, especially in a way that would cause my little one to love it. This lens has definitely given me some great ideas- ones I know my dd will love!
Thanks again!!!
Posted May 04, 2009
Margo_Arrowsmith wrote...
Wow! Thanks so much for this. This is definately 5*. I have found that the squidoo spell check has improved my terrible spelling. When a word shows up in red I play with it until the red goes away. I am really getting better!
Posted December 25, 2008
Treasures-By-Brenda wrote...
Great lens, my boys would have loved some of these ideas to help them with their spelling.
Brenda
Posted December 09, 2008
MisterJeremy wrote...
Thanks Jimmie. We homeschool our children and are always looking for ways to improve. I'll implement some of your spelling ideas right away, especially for my daughter who is a hands-on learner.
Posted November 23, 2008
juditht
These ideas are great especially for a right brained thinker like my daughter. Also the best way to teach children is to teach them without them realizing they are being taught.
Posted August 21, 2008
CLB wrote...
Great idea, great and fun lens. Spelling isn't really done over here in France in the way it is done in many other -even francophone- country. We rely on dictation solely and it doesn't work for everyone. Spelling out loud is something just as valuable as spelling on paper, but that simple truth doesn't seem to have reached us yet... lol
Keep it up!!
Posted May 14, 2008
HarmonyArtMom wrote...
Great lens Jimmie! Here are some ideas we have used over the years.
1. Dry erase on a window or mirror
2. colored pencils on graph paper, crossword style
3. Spell words into a tape recorder (they loved this)
4. Labelmaker
I used Spelling Power all the way through and it was the easiest most pain free spelling program I ever tried.
Thanks for sharing,
Barb-Harmony Art Mom
Posted May 13, 2008
serendipityrose wrote...
Hi Jimmie, I saw the link to your lens on the hscreatively list. I love your ideas! I'd like to add a link to your lens from my website www.thefuninlearning.com if you don't mind. I will be launching the site in a couple of weeks. Please visit my lenses!
Posted May 13, 2008
by Jimmie
Hello! I am a homeschooling mom who loves to teach and learn. I love the flexibility of Squidoo lenses for showing off our homeschool projects. Bloggi...
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