If you have a child who learns best through kinesthetic tasks, you may find some of these spelling activities helpful. Or if you have a child who likes to "play school" outside of lesson time, these are all good educational activities.
Don't feel like you need to use these activities to teach spelling, however! Many of them may take more time than you want to spend on them. It isn't our responsibility to entertain our kids during lessons. Hold their attention—yes! Entertain—no. Sometimes there is a fine line between the two.
It is generally most efficient to teach and practice spelling words with the letter tiles, but occasionally including a special activity can be fun and engaging for your student!
- Write the words on the sidewalk or driveway using colored chalk. Write the words in big letters and then in small letters.
- Using your index finger, "write" your spelling words in the air, in big letters.
- Write the spelling words on a small dry-erase board or chalkboard.
- Use magnet letters to spell the words. The magnets will stick to the fridge or a cookie sheet.
- Dip a Q-tip or the corner edge of a small sponge in water and practice spelling the words on a chalkboard.
- Practice writing words on a long adding machine tape.
- Use a flannel board and felt letters to practice spelling words.
- Write the spelling words on white paper with a white crayon. Paint the paper with watercolors and watch the words appear.
- Type the spelling words on an "old-fashioned" typewriter.
- Paint the spelling words with a paint brush.
- Pour sand into a shallow box. Use your finger to write the words in the sand.
- Use alphabet stamps to spell the words.
- Cut out letters from a magazine and use them to spell words.
- Use pipe cleaners or twist-ties to form the spelling words.
- Make a slate out of a ziplock bag and shaving cream. Put a small amount of shaving cream in the bag, seal it, and lay the bag flat on the table. Write the spelling words on the bag with your finger.
- Use finger paint and your index finger to write the words on a large sheet of paper.
- Write your words several times, each time using a different color of marker.
- Dictate the words—and the correct spelling—into a tape recorder, and then listen to the tape and write the words.
- Use an old label maker to write out the words.
- Form playdough into letters to spell words.
- Erin from Canadian, TX says, "For practicing spelling words, I always go to Puzzlemaker and use their word search tool, which allows you to input the spelling list to make the word search. My daughter is crazy about word searches, so she enjoys practicing this way."
- Shannon writes in: "For practice in spelling, we use the old tiles from Scrabble and Upwords to spell words. The kids have a great time."