Making learning spellings more engaging for your child might seem like an impossible task. However, there are plenty of ways in which this weekly homework activity can be made more fun, and the words should be more memorable, too.
Here are five things to try to liven up your child’s spelling list. Perfect for if you have a large family as different children can do the same activities with different words.
Rainbow writing
When I was younger, I adored stationery. I lie, actually; I still do. Coloured pens, pencils, felt tips and gel pens were my favourite things, and many children are still similar to this even nowadays. Instead of getting your child to tell you the word’s spelling out loud, get them to write it down in several different colours. You could use a different colour for each letter. Alternatively, why not try using the colours of the rainbow to do each letter? In other words, write the letter in red, then go around it in orange, and so on, until the entire word has effectively been written seven times in seven different colours.
Scrabble
Scrabble is a game that children either love or hate. Personally, my children aren’t keen on playing with me as they know I have many tricky words up my sleeve involving the higher scoring tiles. Using the scrabble board and tiles for spellings can be an engaging activity, though. Tell your child the word and get them to find the corresponding tiles and place them on the board. Encourage them to overlap the words as they would in a typical game. You could even get them to add up the score and work out which of their spellings is worth the most (maths and English at the same time = parenting win!).
Ransom letters
Cutting out letters from magazines and newspapers might leave your home looking like a crime scene, but it will also make learning spellings way more engaging for your child. Tell them the word they need to spell, give them a pile of old magazines, newspapers, catalogues and leaflets, then encourage them to cut out the right letters and stick them down onto paper. Not only is it fun and makes them think, but the outcome is also a unique looking spellings list.
Lego
Now, there are two ways of doing this, and I’ll bet the latter is the one that most kids will choose. Firstly, you could use stickers and add the letters of the alphabet to the sides of the building blocks. Children can then find the right letters and literally build the words. Alternatively, using the flat baseboards, children could use Lego bricks to form the shape of the letters, spelling out the words. The second is a bit trickier as children get older and their words tend to be longer.
Kinetic sand
Kinetic sand is great and so therapeutic. Many children need a sensory experience when they are being educated, so why not adopt this approach for a spelling list? You could give them a selection of playdough tools and get them to write the words in the kinetic sand. Alternatively, you could use letters designed for playdough or sand to stamp out or mould the words.
Why not consider rewards for learning spellings like going swimming or some new swimming goggles?
