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45 Ways to Practice Spelling Words

Looking to add some fun to your homeschool day?
Spelling is the perfect chance to do that. With the boring routines of math, social studies and science pushed aside, you can add some jazz to the words on your spelling list, making it more fun for the whole family.
Long gone are the days of writing your spelling words 10 times each, with your boring notebook and pencil. We don’t have to be boring, so why should we? Swap that Number 2 pencil for a squirt gun and practice your spelling words in style.

Adding some fun hands-on activities to practice spelling words will make your little ones look forward to spelling time.

Quick note: if your child is struggling with reading or math, we recommend you check out Mastery Genius. Mastery Genius offers practice for the specific topics that your child is struggling with to help them catch up and get ahead.

Ohhh! Great ideas for when we're in a rut and need to practice our spelling words. THIS MIGHT JUST BE THE ANSWER TO END OUR TEARS!

We’ve gathered 45 fun ideas to have your kids begging to practice spelling words!

Q-tip Painting:

Use a cotton swab and paint to write your spelling words. Bonus points: you likely already have the supplies on-hand.

Salt Writing:

Dump a large container of salt into a small lidded container and use your finger to practice your words. Older kids will enjoy this same activity using chopsticks instead of their finger.

Play-doh:

Whether you choose to roll your Play-doh into a snake and spell out your words or roll it flat and carve them into it, this fun activity will be a hit with kids of all ages. For some extra fun, see who can come up with the most creative way to use Play-Doh to practice spelling words.

Shaving Cream:

Squirt some shaving cream onto a cookie sheet and allow your child to scribe their words. Add some fun with a squirt of food coloring. Use your finger or give them some “tools,” like a spoon or dry spaghetti.

Candy Writing:

Use Skittles, M&Ms, Smarties, Twizzler Pull’n’Peels or other candy to write your words. The built-in treat encourages the kids to finish quickly so they can eat their words. For healthier options, use carrots, celery or grapes to form words.

Paper chain spelling:

Cut strips of construction paper and add one letter to each strip. Mix up the letters and have your child find the letter he needs. Staple the lettered strips together to make a paper chain.

Hopscotch Spelling:

Instead of using numbers on your hopscotch board, write words. The kids must  spell the word on the spot before moving on. 45 ways to practice spelling words

Team Spelling:

Work together to spell your words. This fun way of spelling will be sure to keep you laughing, too! Once you’ve mastered your list, try Team Gnilleps. We learned this fun game while playing Cranium. Each person says the next letter of a word, starting from the END! It’s much harder than you’d think!

Backwards Spelling:

Also known as Gnilleps, this hilarious spell-out-loud game is the perfect way to practice the words that come easy to the child.

Chalk:

Using sidewalk chalk is always fun for kids, so get outside and soak up some sunshine while working on spelling. Once you’re done with your chalk words, kids can trace the letters again by spraying them with the water hose!

Window Writing:

Use markers (NOT Sharpies) to write on the glass panes of your windows. The kiddos will experience a subtle reminder every time they look outside and when it’s time for a new list, they’ll gladly clean your windows for you! 😀

Bathtub Writing:

Practice spelling during bath time and the kids will be having too much fun to grumble. By sneaking spelling practice in during an unexpected time, the kids probably won’t even notice. We like to switch between bath tub crayons and paint.

Feather Painting:

Use the tip of a feather to paint your words on a large sheet of paper. Older kids may enjoy using  their feather as a quill pen while younger kids will get a kick out of swiping it through a pile of paint.

Rock Paint:

Begin by collecting 26 small, flat rocks. After giving them a thorough wash, allow your child to paint each rock with one letter. Decorate them however they choose. The brighter, the better. Use these rocks to spell out each spelling word. You will likely need more than one of each letter. You’ll certainly need multiple vowels. Once your collection is complete, you’ll have a learning tool that’ll stand the test of time.

Clothespin Spelling:

Write each letter on a small piece of paper. Encourage your kids to use a clothespin to pick up the letters they need to form a word. Not only will this make spelling more fun, but will also help build their fine motor skills.

Magnets:

Pick up a set of alphabet magnets and allow the kids to practice their spelling lists on the refrigerator! It’s also fun to leave little mesages to each other using these cheap and fun letters.

Scrabble/BananaGrams:

Bananagrams is a favorite at our house, so we love grabbing the handy bag of letters and using them during spelling practice. Stack the letters in a tower and allow the kids to guess what the spelling word is, using the top tile (and last letter of the word) as their only clue!

Type ‘Em:

Kids love to type and spelling words are the perfect practice for them. Open your computer’s word processor and let them get to work.

Add “Sum” Fun:

Have the kids write their spelling words and assign 10 points to each consonant and 5 points to each vowel.  Add the sum of each word and find the word with the highest amount of points.

Magic Spelling:

Have the kids write their spelling words on white paper with white crayons. Then color over the words with bright water colors and watch your words appear!

Stamp It Out:

Pick up a set of letter stamps and an inkpad. Allow the kids to stamp their words, instead of writing them.

Beads:

Use lettered beads to spell out your entire list. (Beads are a choking hazard, so please be careful when allowing younger children to use these.)

Bendaroos-

These bendable sticks are so much fun for kids to use. The best part is that you can reuse them time and time again.

Pipe Cleaners:

For younger kids, you can write their words on paper and allow them to “trace” them with pipe cleaners. They can bend and shape the pipe cleaners as needed to form each word.

Fancy Fonts:

Allow your kids to use bubble letters, cursive and other fun fonts to write their words. It’s easy to learn how to write in creative fonts using books. Plus, you can count it as an art lesson, too!

Draw It:

Draw a picture and “hide” the spelling words in the picture. Add the word “tree” in the trunk of the tree on your photo. The word “car” could be hidden in the wheel of your child’s drawn car.

Space Trace:

Use your finger to write the words in the air. Simple, easy, cheap and can be done in the car!

Baggie Painting:

Add some paint to a baggie and seal well. (We like to add duct tape to the opening, to make sure it doesn’t accidentally come open.) Use a Q-Tip to trace your words onto the outside of the baggie. When you run out of room for words, simple mix the paints together and start again.

Textured Spelling:

Bring texture to spelling time by writing your words with yarn, rope or string. Whether you choose to glue them to paper or just arrange them neatly on the table, kids will love the added texture this activity brings.45 fun ways to practice spelling words with your kiddos!

Glue & Glitter:

Write your words in glue, then add glitter for some messy fun that will have mom grumbling about the mess for days! (Hey, neat-freaks! Take this one outside if you must.)

Snack Spelling:

Use Cheez-It Letters to help memorize your spelling words. This activity can be done using alphabet soup, Alphabits cereal, homemade pancakes or even homemade cookies!

Jumping Jack Spell Aloud:

Help your child practice spelling words while doing jumping jacks. Find a rhythm and spell the same word 5 times before moving on. Antsy kids will love releasing some energy while completing their work.

Paint with Water:

Use a paintbrush and water to write your spelling words on construction paper. Work quickly before your work dries up.

Clap and Spell:

Clap along with your little one while they shout out the letters to their spelling words. Simple and you won’t need a single item. You can do this one anywhere: the bathtub, car or on your walk to the library!

Magazine Letter Find:

  Cut out letters from old magazines and arrange them neatly on your paper. If you want, you can glue them to the paper or reuse the letters time and time again.

Soap Carving Spelling:

Looking for a fun way to drill that one pesky word into your child’s mind? Allow them to carve the letters into a bar of soap, using sculpting tools. They’ll have to think about each letter, which helps engrave the spelling into their mind. Save some money by grabbing the small bars of soap from hotels and saving them for this activity.

Hangman:

Encourage the whole family to join in on a game of Hangman. Mix in previous spelling words to make it even more challenging.

Text Spelling Words:

Kids love feeling like a grown-up. Hand over your phone and allow them to text their spelling words. You can either delete their work or send it to Grandma. Either way, it’s sure to be a hit!

Do-Dot Spellers:

Use Do-Dot Markers to dab your words onto construction paper. Don’t have Do-Dot Makers? No problem! Bingo daubers work just as well.

Fingerpaint:

Allow your kiddos to practice their spelling words with cheap finger paint. Any reason to get messy makes kids smile! Instead of using construction paper, take the kids outside and let them paint a huge piece of cardboard!

Water Paint:

Use a paint brush and a bucket of water to paint on the side of your house. The kids will LOVE it and it’ll dry mess-free.

Letter Stomp:

Write the letters on pieces of paper and dump them on the floor. Spread them out so you can see each letter then have the kids race to see who can stomp on each letter of their spelling words the fastest. (For added fun, use a stopwatch and let them beat their own time.)

Slap-Jack Spelling:

Make your own deck of cards with your previous spelling words written on them. Pick 2 or 3 words and have the kids SLAP them, as soon as they get flipped over. This fun take on Slap-Jack will help the kids spot their spelling words quickly.

Hot Potato Spelling:

Sit in a circle and pass a potato. Before you can pass the potato, you have to give the next letter of your word. Spell as many words from your list before time runs out.

Blind Spelling:

Close your eyes and try to write your words without your sight. Another fun idea is to use the opposite hand that you usually write with and see how funny your words look.

With these 45 hands-on ideas to practice spelling words, you can throw your boring ways out the window and enjoy some fun, all while mastering your spelling lists.

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Ohhh! Great ideas for when we're in a rut and need to practice our spelling words. THIS MIGHT JUST BE THE ANSWER TO END OUR TEARS!