creative spelling homework ideas

 Spelling Homework Ideas

Need some ideas for spelling homework? Check out the gigantic list below of great ideas! You'll find the first 20 ideas here, and the remaining ones here . Each idea can be used with any list of weekly spelling words. Choose the ones that work best for your grade level. Vary the activities frequently.

Note: You might also want to consider our new  AnyWord Spelling Practice eBooks . They are full of ideas for lots of spelling practice with any spelling words. The 3 eBooks provide practice with creative writing, word play, and partner games.  Check them out !

Printable List of Spelling Homework Ideas

1. Write each word 5 times, using a different color each time.

2. Type your spelling words 10 times, using a different font each time.

3. Create a comic strip. Add captions that use 5 of your words.

4. Write the words in ABC order.

5. Write the words in reverse ABC order.

6. Write a TV ad for a product that uses 5 of your spelling words.

7. Find each word in the dictionary. Copy a definition for each one.

8.  Cut each spelling word out of a newspaper or magazine. Glue all the words on a piece of paper.

9. Write a sentence for each spelling word, but leave out the spelling words. List all the words on the page. Ask a family member to add the correct spelling word to each sentence.

Remember: Spelling homework not only prompts students to practice their spelling words. It can also help engage family members in the learning process.

10. Find each word in the dictionary. Write the page number on which it appears and the guide words at the top of the page.

11.  Write each word in a sentence. Make pictures for 3 sentences.

12. Write your spelling words. Add a rhyming word next to each one.

13. Write a story that uses 10 spelling words. Remember: Spelling homework not only prompts students to practice their spelling words. It can also help get family members involved in the learning process.

14. Scramble each spelling word. Have a family member unscramble the words and sign your paper.

15. Spell your words with alphabet pasta. Glue them onto paper.

16. Cut out paper letters for half of the words and glue onto paper.

17. Make a word search puzzle in which you hide all of your spelling words. Give it to a family member to solve and sign.

18. For a different type of word search, draw a Boggle-type game board. Make sure it contains at least 5 of your spelling words. See if a family member can find the spelling words.

19.  Make two copies of your spelling words on index cards. Use the cards to play a memory or "Concentration" game with a family member.

20. Write each word forwards and backwards.

Find our next 20 ideas here .

Ideas for using our list:

At the beginning of the week , give students a written list of 5 of these  ideas. Ask them to complete them in any order throughout the week.

Or, make a monthly spelling calendar. Write a different idea on the calendar for each school day in the month.

For more spelling homework ideas:

Need more ideas? See this list of 20 more homework ideas and/or our AnyWord Spelling Practice eBooks . 

Fun spelling practice ideas - Great ways for kids to help each other practice writing almost any spelling words. Time saver for you!

For additional spelling practice, try our spelling worksheets and spelling word games . 

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60 Spelling Activities for Elementary Students

• Janessa Fletcher
• May 12, 2021
• No Comments

How many hours a week do you spend prepping spelling activities? ? What if you had a resource that would allow you to create 60 spelling activities in 5 minutes or less?! What?!!! ? Are you ready to get some of those hours back?!  Take a look at these fabulous EDITABLE Spelling Activities we have created for your students to practice their word lists.

Our Spelling Activities are super simple to use !!!

• Enter your spelling list on the first page of the resource.
• Choose the activities you want to use that week.  (We have 60 different pages  to choose from!)
• Print those activities.

These spelling activities can be sent home as homework, used in a word work center, in small groups, or as independent practice.

* Spelling Activity Line-Up *

1. spelling list .

This is the first page you will see in the resource. All of the “magic” happens on this page! Whether you have chosen our 10, 12, or 15-word option, you will type in your word list on this page.

2. Magic Words?

One of my students’ favorite spelling activities. They write each spelling word with a white crayon and then color over the words with a marker. The spelling words MAGICALLY appear on the paper.

Spelling Activity 3. Alphabetical Order?

This activity is pretty self-explanatory. Students will organize their spelling words into alphabetical order and write them in that sequence.

4 . Rainbow Spelling?

Write the spelling words along the rainbow in different colors to practice.

5 . Write a Sentence✏️

Use each of your spelling words in a sentence. This is a great way to practice spelling words, writing, and additional vocabulary.

Spelling Activity 6. Secret Code Spelling?️

Students use the given code to spell each of their spelling words. This will definitely be a favorite spelling/word work activity in your classroom.

7 . Roll a Spelling Word?

Roll a die to see if you will be writing your spelling words in crayon, with squiggles, in multiple colors, or bubble letters. Which number did you roll the most?

8. Word Illustrations?

Choose four of your spelling words and draw an illustration for them. To add an extension to this activity, ask your students to write a sentence to go with their illustration.

Spelling Activity 9 . Word Boxes?

Is the letter tall or short? Does it stretch above the middle line or fall below? Students use the boxes to determine which word will fit as they practice spelling and writing them.

10. Trace Words?

Students can choose to trace their spelling words in pencil, crayon, or marker. Sometimes they just enjoy using a different tool to write with.

11. Emoji Spelling?

Your students love using emojis, why not put those to educational use?! LOL Students will spell the words by using the emoji code.

Spelling Activity 12. Pattern Block Spelling?

Give your students some fun hands-on spelling work with this pattern block activity. This page is great for an individual or small group center, or if you need some quiet time to catch up on assessments or small group RTI.

13. Vowels and Consonants

We all have those blue and red colored alphabet letters in our closets somewhere. Well, it is time to pull them out to spell words with. After they build the letter, students will color the consonants in blue and the vowels in red.

14. Scrabble Spelling

Combine math and word work in this activity. Students will spell each word, writing the numbers on the tiles down. Then add the numbers together to come up with each word “sum”.

Spelling Activity 15. Spin It, Spell It?

Each student will create a spinner with a paperclip and pencil. Spin the spinner and see which number it lands on. Write the word that matches the corresponding number. Was there a word that you wrote more often than all of the rest?

16. Spelling Maze

Can you find your way out of the maze? As they come to a word, have them read it, spell it, and then check it off the word list at the bottom. You can have them complete this activity with a partner as they both try to navigate through the maze. Can they guess the other student’s word after it has been spelled?

17. Spelling Spiral?

Round and round the spiral goes, how many spelling words you can fit, nobody knows…

Spelling Activity 18. Word Syllables??

Students practice separating their spelling words into syllables. Count on fingers, clap hands, or stomp feet to see how many syllables are in each word. Then circle the corresponding number.

19. Silly Writing?

Your students will have so much fun practicing their spelling words while writing upside down, or with their eyes closed.

20. Pyramid Spelling

Build your spelling words pyramid style. Start with one letter at the top and add another letter with each line as you move your way down the pyramid.

Spelling Activity 21. Spelling Rhymes

Can your students think of a word that rhymes with each of their spelling words? How many rhyming words can they come up with?

22. Spelling Colors ?

Students match the color word to the spelling word in order to write the correct word on the line under the crayon. Added bonus: students learn to identify color words!

23. Word Search

For your higher-level kiddos, this word search is GREAT! They write their words either across, down, or as a challenge, diagonal on the grid. Then place random letters among the grid. Share with a partner to see if they can find all of your “hidden” words.

Spelling Activity 24. Word Art

For your more creative students, color in the fancy letters and decorate around each of the spelling words. Plus, who doesn’t love to color?! ❤️

25. Create a Story

How many spelling words can you fit into your story? Students write a short story that makes sense and illustrate it using their spelling words.

26. Keyboard Words

Students use the computer keyboard to practice typing their spelling words. Can they put their fingers on the correct keys?

Spelling Activity 27. Stamping Spelling Words

Everybody loves dot markers!!! Grab a few different colors and stamp your spelling words as you read them.

28. Synonyms and Antonyms

For a more challenging activity, connect spelling practice with vocabulary skills by finding a synonym and antonym for each spelling word.

29. Sign Language Spelling

This will definitely be a class favorite! Your students get to learn sign language while practicing their spelling words. And it is a socially distant partner activity, as they can sign a word to a partner and see if the partner can write down the word signed.

Spelling Activity 30. How Many Sounds

Students practice sound segmentation with this activity. Sound out your spelling words and circle how many sounds those words have.

31.  Shape Spelling ??

Your students can combine math and spelling skills by writing their spelling words along the inside of each shape on the page.

32. Parts of Speech Spelling

Give your spelling practice some grammar skills as well. Students will sort each of their spelling words into the different parts of speech. As an extension, can they create a Madlib with their spelling words?

Spelling Activity 33.  Spelling with Both Hands ?

Are you right or left-handed? Well, with this activity, you get to practice your spelling words writing with each hand. In the end, I bet that your non-dominant handwriting will start to look pretty nice. ?

34.  Silly Sentences ?

Students try to write as many of their spelling words in a sentence as they can. Once the sentence is written, they go back and underline their spelling words and count how many they used. Who can use the most in one sentence?

35. Spelling Cake ?

Oh, how I wish it was real cake… LOL. Students will write their spelling words on each layer of the cake, changing the size of the words as they move up the tiers.

Spelling Activity 36. Tablet Spelling ?

This modern-day version of keyboard spelling allows students to practice typing their spelling words on a tablet keyboard. After they type the word, they are to write it in the “text bubble” on the screen.

37. Graph your Words ?

How many letters are in each spelling word? Students can graph their words based on the number of letters in each one. Which number has the most, the least, or are there any ties?

38. Tally and Color

Students write each of their words into a box, then count the number of letters in each word. They tally each letter. Once every word has been tallied, they will choose a color for each number and color code the boxes of words.

Spelling Activity 39. Fancy Spelling

This activity will allow your students to use their creativity. They can spell their words using fancy lettering. Will they write in cursive, dotted lines, or some invented script?

40. Garden Spelling ?

Find the open spaces in the image and write your spelling words. How many can you fit within the picture? Once done, they can color the rest of the picture.

41. Flower Spelling

Students write their spelling words along the “petals” of each flower, making sure that they match in color and are spelled correctly.

Spelling Activity 42. Scribble Spelling

Write the spelling words in each of the spaces in the picture in different colors. Can you write the words without the same color being used in spaces that touch?

43. Bubble Spelling

Did you ever write words in bubble letters?! It used to be a big thing when I was in school (now I’m really dating myself… LOL). Your students can practice writing all of their spelling words in bubble letters.

44. Bubble Spelling Alternative

Just like the activity above, students will write their spelling words in bubble letters.

Spelling Activity 45. Spelling Snapshots

This is a very creative way to practice spelling words. Students will write the words on the bottom half of the polaroid square and then draw a picture to illustrate that word at the top.

46. Spelling Jellybeans

Students write their spelling words on each jellybean in the jar. Continue writing your words until the entire jar is full.

47. Stamp Spelling

Do you have letter stamps? If so, then this is a great word work center activity. Students will spell their wordlist by stamping them in each of the boxes.

Spelling Activity 48. Yoga Spelling

Bring mindfulness and calming techniques into your classroom while practicing academics. Each word is next to a yoga pose. After they write a word, they are to practice that pose.

49. Spelling Strings

Raise your hand if you have alphabet beads in your classroom. ??‍♀️??‍♂️ Using the beads, students will spell their words on the “string” given in each box.

50. Text Your Words

In the new technology age, our students are well-versed with cell phones. They will LOVE this spelling activity!!! Students will write the word on the line, and then the number code needed to text it to a friend.

Spelling Activity 50. Spelling Tic-Tac-Toe

Students will play tic-tac-toe by trying to write three of their spelling words in a row before their partner can do it. Make a bunch of copies of this worksheet and place them in a center. It is a “fun” way for students to practice their spelling words without really knowing it.

52. Spelling Riddles

This is another activity for your higher students. They will create a riddle about one of their spelling words and write it down. Once they have written all of their riddles, they will trade their paper with a partner and see if their buddy can figure out what words they were describing.

53. Spelling Battleship

Just like the famous board game, students will each have two papers. There grid to write their words on and the other to record their hits on their partner’s grid. Instead of laying down ships, they will write their words vertically or horizontally on the grid. Once all of the words have been written, it is time to play. Guess the letter/number combination to see if you get a ‘hit’ or a ‘miss’.

Activity 54. Spelling Squares

Who has played this game in the fun children’s menu magazine or placement that you sometimes get?! Students will write play against a partner, trying to build squares. Once they have boxed in a square, they will need to write a spelling word inside. Such fun!!!

55. Doughy Spelling

Playdough meets spelling words in this fine motor building activity. Students will spell their words by rolling out and shaping playdough for each word. This is one activity your students will quietly sit and do for a LONG time!

56. Build Your Words

LEGO your way to completing your spelling words. Using the famous bricks, build each of your spelling words.

Spelling Activity 57.  Hopscotch Spelling

Use this miniature mat to practice spelling words. Students will write their spelling words in the spaces. Then, using a small game piece, such as a button, they carefully toss it onto the paper. Wherever it lands, you will ‘hop’ to and read the word under the button. You can also recreate this activity outside by drawing the words and hopscotch in chalk.

58. Spy Spelling

Use the spy code at the top of the paper to spell each word. Students will write the numbers that correspond to the letters under each word. Make sure to add dashes between the numbers.

59. Words Inside Spelling

Using the letters inside each flower, how many “new” words can you make? Write each new word onto a petal.

Spelling Activity 60. Write the Room Spelling

Get your students up and moving with this spelling center activity. Each word will be printed on the card that corresponds to a picture. Students will carefully walk around the room, locating the different cards you have placed around the room. When they find a card, they need to write down that word next to the corresponding image.

*Bonus – Spelling Assessment

At the end of the unit, use our assessment page to see if all of the spelling activities practice your students have been doing paid off. ?

All of these spelling activities can be created within seconds with our No Prep Editable Spelling Bundle. Just type the words onto the word list and watch them immediately auto-populate onto all the other pages in the packet. Print those worksheets you want, make copies and spend time doing other activities you enjoy. So, which one of these 60 spelling activities for elementary students is your favorite? Let me know in the comments below! ??

Written by: Janessa Fletcher

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35 Fun, Hands-On Spelling Activities to Use With Any Word List

Inside: 35 fun, hands-on spelling activities that get kids actively engaged with their spelling words – thinking, making, creating! Includes a printable version for at home learning.

There’s no doubting that some children (if not all!) learn best when they are actively engaged with thinking, making, creating – DOING. Which is why it can be advantageous to add an active, hands-on element to subjects that more typically rely on rote learning style activities – like spelling.

The 35 hands-on spelling activities included on this list are much more fun and engaging than simply writing out spelling words over and over again (my kids both strongly disliked the ‘Look, Cover, Write, Check’ approach to spelling – and I honestly didn’t see much learning happening with it).

These ideas can be useful as activities for literacy rotations or as homework activities, working particularly well with children in the early elementary/primary grades. Plus, at the bottom of this post you’ll find a handy printable version that can be sent home with families to use for at home learning.

RELATED: Looking for meaningful spelling activities for grades 4-6? Check out our spelling activities worksheets.

35 Hands-On Spelling Activities

1. Make each word with Scrabble letter tiles .

2. Cut some short lengths of yarn and use them to form the letters of each word.

3. Paint the words with watercolour paints .

4. Write words with pavement chalk on the pavement or on the trampoline mat.

5. Make the letters of each word with your body as you spell the word aloud.

6. Build your words with Lego bricks .

7. Stamp your words onto paper with letter stamps.

8. Stamp your words into playdough with non-inked letter stamps .

9. Dot paint each word with a Q-tip or cotton bud.

10. Make your words with letter stickers .

11. Spell your words aloud as you star jump – one jump for each letter.

12. Make letters from chenille stems/pipe cleaners and use them to spell each word.

13. Type your words on a computer.

14. Write each word with your finger in a sand or salt tray .

15. Make rainbow words , tracing each letter with lots of colours.

16. Thread your words with letter beads .

17. Write your words on the window with a whiteboard marker.

18. Spell aloud and clap for each letter of your words.

19. Spell each word aloud in a robot voice .

20. Make each word with alphabet stones .

21. Write each word with your finger into shaving cream on the shower screen at bath time – or spray a little on a cookie tray to try it when you’re not in the bath.

22. Write your words onto paper plates or circles (one word per plate) and make up a jumping game .

23. Write your words in a fun script – with tiny letters or tall, skinny ones, or try bubble writing!

24. Draw a hopscotch grid on the pavement with chalk. Add a spelling word to each square. As your stone lands on a square spell  the word aloud before hopping.

25. Squeeze a small amount of acrylic paint into a re-sealable Ziploc bag. Seal the top and then use your finger to write each word ‘in’ the paint .

26. Make each word with magnetic letters .

27. Play Tic Tac Toe with your spelling words – each player chooses a word to use in the place of the ‘x’ or ‘o’ as you play. Choose a new word for each game.

28. Write each word with white crayon onto white paper and then paint over them with watercolour paint for a magic word reveal!

29. Play Hangman choosing the word to guess from your list of words.

30. Make each word from playdough or plasticine snakes .

31. Spell each word aloud as you jump on the trampoline – one bounce per letter.

32. Write the letters of each word onto a craft stick (one letter per stick). Jumble the sticks up and then remake each word.

33. Use a laser pointer to ‘write’ each word on the wall.

34. Write your list words onto two sets of index cards and use them to play a memory game .

35. Write each of your words onto a chalkboard with chalk and then use a small paintbrush to paint over them with water.

35. Write each word onto a piece of coloured paper, cut the letters apart and mix them up. Race to unscramble each word.

How to Print Your Hands On Spelling Ideas Grid


Click here to download: Printable Hands-On Spelling Ideas Grid . Save the PDF to your computer. Open the PDF for full printing instructions. Having trouble accessing or downloading the file? Please try a different internet browser. 
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Christie Burnett is a teacher, presenter, writer and the mother of two. She created Childhood 101 as a place for teachers and parents to access engaging, high quality learning ideas.

This Reading Mama

50 Hands-On Spelling Activities

By thisreadingmama 25 Comments

Has your spelling practice become dry or boring? Well, brush off the dust and try some of these hands-on spelling activities !

Since readers need to have BOTH phonics and sight words  understanding to become good readers, focusing on both phonics AND sight words during spelling instruction is a great way to help words “stick” in a child’s memory.

When words are taken out of the context of a book and their patterns, letters, and parts are studied, it forces readers to slow down and really take it all the word has to offer them. This, in turn, helps them become better readers .

So today, I’d like to share 50 of my favorite hands-on spelling activities for phonics and sight words. Many of these are included in the back of my ebook, Teaching Kids to Spell .

Did you know you can find 700+ pages of printable spelling activities and games in my ebook? Yes! That’s enough to cover an entire year of spelling fun!

50 Hands-on Spelling Activities

Most all of these activities can be adapted for either phonics OR sight words. You can also insert your child’s spelling list into the activity instead of using the specific words shown in the post.

1.  Scoop & Spell {This Reading Mama}

2.  Sidewalk Chalk Spelling Hop  {Relentlessly Fun, Deceptively Educational}

3.  Stamp Your Words {Lessons Learnt Journal}

4.  Go on a Word Treasure Hunt {Hands On: As we Grow}

5.  Make a Spelling Word Search Puzzle {This Reading Mama}

6.  Use a Spelling Dictionary {The Measured Mom}

7.  Dot Sticker Spelling {School Time Snippets}

8.  Post-a-Word {This Reading Mama}

9.  Make a Giant Crossword Puzzle {A Mom with a Lesson Plan}

10.  Phonics Jumping Game {Learners in Bloom}

11.  Play Word Rocket  {Playdough to Plato}

12.  Spell with Beads {Frugal Fun 4 Boys}

13.  Spell with LEGO Letters {This Reading Mama}

14.  Spell the Most Words Game {No Time for Flashcards}

15.  Spinning Straw Spellers {Still Playing School}

16.  Build Words with Rocks {Sugar Ants}

17.  Glitter Spelling {Here Come the Girls}

18.  Play Word Bump! {This Reading Mama}

19.  Roll a Sight Word {I Can Teach My Child}

20.  Making Words {Buggy and Buddy}

21.  Paint your Words {Childhood 101}

22. Oversized Letter Cards for Spelling {This Reading Mama}

23.  Seek and Find Spelling Game {What Do We Do All Day?}

24.  Rainbow Write Your Words {Nurture Store}

25.  Words 3 Ways  {Teach Mama}

26.  Use Crayon Resist {This Reading Mama}

27.  Spell with Pipe Cleaners {Make and Takes}

28.  Spell with Your Fingers {Home School Innovation}

29.  Use Word Sorts  {This Reading Mama}

30.  Spell with Cereal {A Mom with a Lesson Plan}

31. Finger Tap Spelling {This Reading Mama}

32.  Car Track Delivery Spelling Game  {Stay at Home Educator}

33.  Make a Chalkboard Refrigerator Game {Enchanted Homeschooling Mom}

34.  Visual Spelling Practice {Home Literacy Blueprint}

Roll & Cover Game

35. Roll & Cover Spelling Words {This Reading Mama}

36.  Make a Spelling Garage  {123 Homeschool 4 Me}

37.  Roll and Spell {Well-Nurtured Plants and Pillars}

38.  Letter Lacing {Mama Miss}

39.  Roll & Write Words {This Reading Mama}

40.  Spelling Hangman {Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas}

41.  Waffle Words Spelling Game {The Homeschool Post}

42.  Use a Board Game {Teach Beside Me}

43.  Spell with a Word Family Dictionary  {guest post on The Measured Mom}

44.  Play a Word Stretching Game  {The Pleasantest Thing}

45. DIY Spelling Word Puzzles {This Reading Mama}

45.  Allow Invented Spelling {1+1+1=1}

46.  Spelling Puzzles {No Time for Flash Cards}

47.  Missing Letter Spelling Game {Imagination Soup}

48.  Ride to Spell  {This Reading Mama}

49.  Spelling Battleship {Relentlessly Fun, Deceptively Educational}

50.  Clip a Word {Sugar Ants}

51. Bottle Cap Spelling {This Reading Mama}

More Spelling Activities and Resources:

Go digital with spelling! Read all about my educational apps or purchase them on iTunes or Google Play!

All About Spelling is a fantastic spelling program using the Orton-Gillingham methods. Hands-on work is a big part of All About Spelling!

Using Words Their Way to Teach Spelling

Enjoy teaching! ~Becky

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May 13, 2014 at 9:26 am

Looks I need to get more creative with spelling! Thanks for these ideas!

May 14, 2014 at 5:06 am

Ha! We all could use a little creativity every once in a while, right?

May 13, 2014 at 3:11 pm

Wow! So many great ideas here! Thanks so much for mentioning my spelling post!

You’re very welcome!

May 13, 2014 at 9:07 pm

Great ideas!

May 15, 2014 at 9:17 am

What an awesome collection of creative spelling activities, Becky!! Sharing!

May 16, 2014 at 2:58 pm

Thank you, Malia!

May 16, 2014 at 7:41 pm

So many awesome ideas! Can’t wait to try a few out with the kids!

May 17, 2014 at 3:22 pm

Yes. I will be trying a few of these with my kids as well! 🙂

May 22, 2014 at 1:26 am

Such a great resource!! Pinned! p.s. thank you for including us : )

May 22, 2014 at 7:34 am

You’re very welcome! Thank you for your amazing idea!

June 3, 2014 at 11:11 pm

What a fantastic list and resource!! Thank you so much for including my Chalkboard Refrigerator Game 🙂

June 4, 2014 at 6:07 am

June 18, 2014 at 6:52 am

I had forgotten all about the Waffle Words I wrote long ago. Thanks for the ping.

I’ll have to put my brain on a math version of it now!

June 18, 2014 at 7:11 am

I’d love to see it when you’re finished. 🙂

November 11, 2015 at 3:01 pm

Wow really nice 😀 resources thanks for sharing

February 24, 2017 at 2:41 am

Great post!

June 7, 2017 at 1:57 am

Thax for the trick, so helpfull

August 26, 2017 at 3:21 am

there are some amazing ideas here, thank you 🙂

October 1, 2017 at 4:41 am

WOW!!!! very nice and interesting article written by you. Such a great piece of information.

November 18, 2017 at 3:06 am

Really nice! Thanks for sharing those fantastic activities. These creative spelling activities are wonderful. I would love to try these. Can’t wait. Awesome ideas.

April 15, 2018 at 11:20 am

I love all your posts! I’m a first year 2nd grade teacher so finding resources can be overwhelming and time consuming. I love that your worksheets are engaging for my students. Thanks for sharing!

March 1, 2021 at 8:12 pm

very good post i particularly liked the roll and dice one and use a board game

March 11, 2021 at 7:52 pm

I love this blog! I’m a first year 3nd grade teacher so finding resources can be time consuming. I love that your worksheets are engaging for my students. Thanks for sharing!

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42 Fun Spelling Activities for Grades 3 – 6

FUN SPELLING ACTIVITIES FOR HOMEWORK

These 42 Fun Spelling Activities for Grades 3 – 6 provide creative ways for students to use their weekly spelling words, effectively enhancing their writing skills. Based on Bloom’s Taxonomy, the matrix is easy to understand and suitable for students of all ages. With over 80,000 downloads, it has become one of our most popular resources. Download it for free here .

Implementing these hands-on spelling activities as part of your weekly homework can significantly enhance student outcomes in different academic areas. First and foremost, this approach engages learners in active and purposeful practice, reinforcing their understanding of spelling rules and patterns. By incorporating strategies such as mnemonic devices, word associations, and spelling games into homework, students are more likely to internalize correct spelling conventions.

Moreover, the variety of spelling strategies caters to different learning styles, accommodating visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners. This ensures all students find an approach that resonates with their preferences, fostering a deeper grasp of spelling concepts. As a result, regular application of these strategies improves spelling skills and contributes to overall language proficiency.

Get your hands on the valuable resource 42 Fun Spelling Practice Activities for Grades 3 – 6, which enhances students’ writing skills and promotes the effective use of spelling words. Based on Bloom’s Taxonomy, the matrix is easily understandable and suitable for students of all ages. It has gained immense popularity, with over 80,000 downloads.

What is Bloom’s Taxonomy?

Bloom’s Taxonomy is a framework used by educators to classify educational objectives and define different levels of cognitive complexity. Developed by educational psychologist Benjamin Bloom in 1956, the taxonomy has been revised over the years, with the latest version incorporating digital learning and updated language.

At its core, Bloom’s Taxonomy consists of six hierarchical levels, arranged from simple to complex cognitive processes:

• Remembering : This level involves recalling facts, concepts, or information without necessarily understanding them. Activities at this level include memorization, recitation, and identification.
• Understanding : Here, students demonstrate comprehension by interpreting, summarizing, or explaining ideas in their own words. They grasp the meaning of concepts rather than just memorizing them.
• Applying : This level focuses on applying knowledge and concepts in new situations or contexts. Students solve problems, execute procedures, or utilize information in novel scenarios.
• Analyzing : At this level, students break down information into its component parts to understand relationships and underlying structures. They identify patterns, differentiate between elements, and draw conclusions.
• Evaluating : This involves making judgments or assessments based on criteria and standards. Students critically examine information, arguments, or theories to determine their validity or effectiveness.
• Creating : The highest level of Bloom’s Taxonomy involves synthesizing information and generating new ideas or products. Students demonstrate originality and creativity by designing, composing, or inventing based on their understanding.

As teachers, understanding Bloom’s Taxonomy can inform lesson planning, assessment design, and instructional strategies. By aligning learning objectives with appropriate levels of cognitive complexity, teachers can scaffold student learning effectively, promote higher-order thinking skills, and facilitate more profound understanding. Incorporating activities and assessments across all levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy fosters comprehensive learning experiences that cater to diverse learner needs and promote intellectual growth.

These spelling activities provide an excellent opportunity to explore the taxonomy in action.

What are Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences?

Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences, proposed by Howard Gardner in 1983, suggests that intelligence is not a singular entity but rather a collection of distinct modalities, or “intelligences,” each with its own set of abilities and preferences. Gardner initially identified seven intelligences and later added an eighth. These intelligences represent different ways individuals perceive and understand the world, learn, and solve problems. Here’s a brief overview:

• Verbal-Linguistic Intelligence : Individuals with strong verbal-linguistic intelligence excel in language-related tasks such as reading, writing, speaking, and storytelling. They have a knack for understanding and using words effectively.
• Logical-Mathematical Intelligence : People with logical-mathematical intelligence exhibit proficiency in reasoning, logic, and numerical operations. They excel in problem-solving, mathematical computations, and scientific investigations.
• Visual-Spatial Intelligence : This intelligence involves the ability to perceive and manipulate visual information effectively. Individuals with strong visual-spatial intelligence excel in tasks such as interpreting maps, visualizing objects in three dimensions, and artistic endeavors.
• Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence : People with bodily-kinesthetic intelligence possess excellent control over body movements and physical activities. They learn best through hands-on experiences and are often skilled in activities such as sports, dance, and manual crafts.
• Musical Intelligence : Individuals with musical intelligence have a heightened sensitivity to sounds, rhythms, and melodies. They often excel in playing musical instruments, composing music, and recognizing patterns in auditory stimuli.
• Interpersonal Intelligence : This intelligence involves understanding and interacting effectively with others. Individuals with strong interpersonal intelligence exhibit empathy, communication, and leadership qualities.
• Intrapersonal Intelligence : Intrapersonal intelligence refers to self-awareness and introspection. Individuals with this intelligence understand their own emotions, motivations, and goals, leading to a strong sense of self and personal development.
• Naturalistic Intelligence : Gardner later proposed naturalistic intelligence, which relates to an individual’s affinity for understanding and interacting with the natural world. People with this intelligence exhibit a keen appreciation for nature, environmental awareness, and the ability to categorize and classify natural phenomena.

Gardner’s theory emphasizes the diversity of human cognition and suggests that educators should recognize and cultivate these various intelligences to support holistic learning experiences for all students. Educators can promote engagement, understanding, and success across diverse learner profiles by incorporating activities and instructional strategies that cater to different intelligences.

Kevin has worked in education for over two decades. He has a Masters degree in Educational Technologies and runs two companies providing educational content to schools, students and teachers.

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10 Creative Ways to Practice Spelling Words with Any Word List

Are you looking for fun ways to practice spelling words with your students? I’m always looking for fun spelling practice ideas to engage my students during word work. Today I’m going to share 10 spelling activities that I know your students will enjoy that you can do with any word list. 

This post contains affiliate links. You can see my disclosure here .

Fun Spelling Practice Ideas

I love finding creative ways to practice spelling words that work with any word list, that way you can use them time and again and differentiate them for your students. These 10 spelling practice ideas are hands-on and are sure to be a blast for students.

#1: Ghost Spelling

This spelling activity is an oldie but a goodie. It’s called many different things, but in my class, we called it Ghost Spelling , and it is one of my students’ favorite ways to practice spelling words!

I always introduce this activity around Halloween because it adds to the excitement. How’s that for a hook, right?! 

When introducing this activity, I ask students to get out their spelling journal or recording sheet , a white crayon, and some markers. They always ask why they need a white crayon. 

Then, I show them what they think is a blank page (when secretly the words are written in white crayon). I always tell my kids that I’m “magic,” so this was a perfect opportunity to perform a magic trick for them. 

I take a marker and color over the “blank page” to reveal the spelling words! My students are always amazed by this! I love watching their faces light up in surprise. This gets them even more excited to practice their spelling words.

Here is how Ghost Spelling works:

• Write a spelling word on a piece of paper or recording sheet with white crayon. 
• Using a marker or water color paint, color over the white crayon. 
• Watch the word magically appear!

#2: Kwik Stix Spelling

The next spelling activity uses Kwik Stix ! If you have not used these in your classroom, you are missing out! They are like glue sticks but with tempera paint. They dry almost instantly, are mess free, and make practicing spelling words so much fun. Kids seriously love them! 

This fun spelling practice idea is super simple. Simply give students a piece of white construction paper and let them practice writing their spelling words with Kwik Stix. This gives the students a little creative outlet, too!

#3: Crazy Spelling

Crazy Spelling is another one of my favorite ways to practice spelling words and is a hit with kids! It is so important to give students choice, and that is exactly what this activity provides. 

For this spelling activity, students roll a dice. The number that they roll tells them what to do next. They might write their words in funky letters, huge letters, in their favorite color, etc. 

When dice and fun writing utensils are involved, you can’t go wrong! Students can glue the Crazy Spelling page into their writing journal and write their spelling words on the other side of the page.

#4: Squiggle Spelling

Squiggle Spelling is another fun way to practice spelling words. Using this Squiggle Spelling template or on basic notebook paper, have students draw a long squiggly line with as many loops and curves as they want. The crazier, the better!

Then, they must write their spelling words along the line that they created. The crazier the squiggly line, the crazier it is to write their spelling words.

#5: Pattern Block Words

Whenever you can incorporate cross-curricular learning into your lessons, take advantage of it! Pattern Block Words is one of my favorite ways to practice spelling words because it combines word work with math and geometry concepts.

Students will build their spelling words in a hands-on way with pattern blocks. Plus, they’ll work on problem-solving and direction-following skills as they look at the Build the Word cards and complete the pattern on their work mat to spell their words.

This activity is great for sight word practice as well.

#6: Tic-Tac-Toe Spelling

What kid doesn’t love a game of Tic-Tac-Toe? Bring in some fun spelling practice with Tic-Tac-Toe Spelling !

Students will play in partners, each choosing a spelling word. They will take turns writing their word in the Tic-Tac-Toe squares on the recording sheet or on a piece of paper. The first player to get 3 in a row wins!

Then, they choose new spelling words and move to the next Tic-Tac-Toe board and play again. This would be a fun spelling activity to use to rotate around the room and play with different partners.

#7: Dial the Word

Anytime you can word code-cracking and math into your spelling practice, it’s a teacher win! This Dial the Word spelling activity is one of my class’s favorite ways to practice spelling words.

Students will practice writing their spelling word, matching up the letters to the number code, and adding the numbers together.

Not only does this help students practice key spelling and addition skills, but it also familiarizes them with the number pattern on a phone.

This activity works with any spelling or sight word list.

#8: Crack the Code

Every kid loves to crack codes, so this Crack the Code spelling activity is a great way to give students an opportunity to be spelling word detectives!

Students will write a spelling word in each box. Then, they’ll look at the code to draw the symbols to match the letters in the word.

There are a ton of different codes available to make it even more exciting!

#9: Fraction Spelling

There are a ton of creative ways to practice spelling words, but when you can incorporate math into the mix, I can’t resist!

Fraction Spelling is a great way to practice spelling words and basic fraction concepts. Students will write the word and determine how many vowels and consonants are in the word. Then, they’ll write the fraction showing how many letters are consonants.

This can be done using the Fraction Spelling recording sheet or on a piece of paper or a whiteboard.

You can never have too much fraction practice, so this is a great cross-curricular activity.

#10: Money Spelling

This spelling practice activity is another one that incorporates mathematical concepts into word work. This is a great way for students to work on spelling words, recognizing coins, and counting coins to find the value.

Students will write the word on the Money Spelling recording sheet . Then, they’ll look at the coin code and draw the coins that represent each letter. Finally, they’ll add the coins to find the value.

As a math guru, this is one of my favorite ways to practice spelling words.

I hope you enjoyed these 10 fun ways to practice spelling words. Each activity can be used with any spelling or sight word list and is sure to make word work more fun in your classroom.

You can find these spelling activities and many more in my Spelling Activities and Games for Any Word List activity pack .

I like to keep these activities handy in hanging file pocket charts for easy access.

Whether you’re looking for fun ways to practice spelling words or need more early finisher activities, these spelling ideas are perfect to use at anytime!

Free Spelling Dictionary

Help your students keep track of their spelling words for future reference with this free spelling dictionary.

Fill out the form below and it’ll be delivered straight to your inbox!

Want to save this post for later? Pin the image below to come back to these 10 fun ways to practice spelling words! 

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100 FUN Spelling Games and Activities for Kids

This post may contain affiliate links.

Let’s face it, the English language is hard! Spelling can often be so difficult and confusing, so I wanted to share some ways to change it up a bit and make it more exciting! I collected a list of 100  fun spelling games and activities !

I hope you will find something that will work for you today! These spelling games for kids are all perfect for kids in elementary school.

Educational games and hands-on activities are one of the best ways to really help kids learn had concepts. They are more likely to remember things they are being taught. They will improve their spelling skills and their reading and writing abilities though interactive activities. These can help them to prepare for a spelling test if you insert their spelling list into any of the activities.

You will definitely want to pin this so you can save some of these spelling games and activities for later!

Here is the MEGA list of 100 FUN Spelling Games and Activities for Kids

Are you ready for the big, huge list of spelling games for kids? You are sure to find the perfect interactive spelling game (or activity) that will work for your needs. These games can be played at home or in school setting. They will help kids to spell words correctly and have fun in the process!

1.  Spell for Your Life – Printable Board Game  – Teach Beside Me This game can be modified for any spelling list or grade level.

2.  Spelling Made Fun Printable Game Cards  – Cornerstone Confessions

3.  Word Building Activity Travel Kit – I Heart Crafty Things

4.  Make Words with Clothes Pins  – Creative Family Fun

5.  Spelling/Sight Word Egg Hunt  – Teach Beside Me- Put your spelling words inside your Easter eggs and do a word hunt!

6.  Ladybug Spelling – Blessedly Busy

7.  Sight Word Popsicle Stick Game – Teach Me Mommy

8.  Transportation CVC Sliders – Royal Baloo

9.  Spelling Board Game  – Teach Beside Me

10.  Spelling Hearts – In the Playroom

11.  CVC Fine Motor Words  – Adventures of Adam

12.  Action Sight Word Games – Brain Power Boy

13.  Spelling & Reading Hopscotch  – Teach Beside Me

14.  CVC Word Popcorn Game  – Modern Preschool

15.  Water Bead Spelling – There’s Just One Mommy

16.  Truffula Tree Word Families – School Time Snippets

17.  Fishing for Spelling Words  – Teach Beside Me

18.  Flower Garden Spelling – Blessedly Busy

19.  Kinetic Sandcastle Spelling – There’s Just One Mommy

20.  Spelling Word Dominoes – Nurture Store

21.  Favorite Language Arts Apps  – Teach Beside Me

22.  Muffin Tin CVC Spelling – Modern Preschool

23.  Letter Bead Discovery Bottles – Teaching 2 and 3 Year Olds

24.  Rhyming Wheels – Research Parent

25.  Ribbon Spool Speller  – Teach Beside Me

26.  Ice Crossword Puzzle – Schooling a Monkey

27.  Sift & Spell Game – What Do We Do All Day?

28.  Stack a Word – Royal Baloo

29.  Giant Keyboard Spelling – Lessons Learnt Journal

30.  Spelling Word Search  – Teach Beside Me

31.  Stair Step Spelling – Adventures in Mommydom

32.  Sight Word Printable s – Artsy Momma

33.  Pin Prick Words – Creative Family Fun

34.  Spelling Twister  – Teach Beside Me

35.  Learning Silent Letters – Rock Your Homeschool

36.  ABC Sidewalk Chalk Game – Buggy and Buddy

37.  Reading and Word Building With Mailboxes – Arts & Crackers

38.  Spelling and Sight Word With Magnet Letters – Mom Inspired Life

39.  Rhyming Word Dominoes  – Teach Beside Me

40.  Sight Word Game – Little Bins for Little Hands

41.  Shaving Cream Spelling – Adventures in Mommydom

42.  Stamp and Spell – Parenting Chaos

43.  Graffiti Wall Spelling – Childhood 101

44.  Spelling Paper Dolls  – Teach Beside Me

45.  Chocolate Sight Word Writing Tray – Natural Beach Living

46.  Velcro Spelling Board – Adventures in Mommydom

47.  DIY Magnet Words – Rock Your Homeschool

48.  Trace and Write Spelling Practice – JDaniel4’s Mom

49.  Hungry Frogs Alphabet Game  – Teach Beside Me

50.  Ways to Practice Spelling – The Homeschool Hideout

51.  Spell Your Name Game – No Time for Flashcards

52.  Say it, Make it, Write it – You Clever Monkey

53.  Sight Word Skittles – Rainy Day Mum

54.  Alphabet & Spelling Learning Mat  – Teach Beside Me

55.  Fill in the Blanks Sensory Game – You’ve Got This

56.  Top 10 Ways to Practice Spelling Words – True Aim

57.  Word Family Lego Sort – Parenting Chaos

58.  Name Puzzle Busy Bag – Happy Brown House

59.  Paint Chip Word Families  – Teach Beside Me

60.  Muffin Tin Reading Games – Growing Book By Book

61.  Learn & Stack Sight Word Activity – A Little Pinch of Perfect

62.  20+ Spelling Activities for Those that Despise Spelling  – Every Star is Different

63.  Finger Spelling Hopscotch – The Measured Mom

64.  Real Rhyme or Silly Rhyme  – Teach Beside Me

65.  Monster Truck Phonics Jump – Growing Book by Book

66.  Short A CVC Word Cards  – Teach Beside Me

67.  Writing With Kinetic Sand – Parenting Chaos

68.  Spelling With Post-It Notes  – Teach Beside Me

69.  Spelling With Building Blocks – Teach Me Mommy

70.  Phonogram Don’t Eat Pete Game – One Creative Mommy

71.  Teach Spelling With Cars – Joy in the Home

72.  CVC Word Family Game – Mom Inspired Life

73.  Letter Tile Spelling Mats – Happy Brown House

74.  Spelling Games with Mixed Up Words – JDaniel4’s Mom

75.  Paint Chip Sight Word Busy Bag – The Chaos & The Clutter

76.  Spelling Word Poems – Sugar Aunts

77.  Pool Noodle CVC-  Planning Playtime

78.  CVC Block Spelling  – Teach Me Mommy

79.  Graph Paper Handwriting/Spelling  – Sugar Aunts

80.  Snap Cube Sight Words – Differentiated Kindergarten

81-  Sight Word Pointillism – Differentiated Kindergarten

82.  Sight Word Rubbings – Doing Splendid

83.  Spelling Battleship – Mrs. T’s First Grade Class

84.  Spelling Word Mazes – Mrs. T’s First Grade Class

85.  Spell the Beans – I Love That Idea

86.  Spelling With Boggle – School Day Love

87.  Spelling Tic Tac Toe – The Literacy Nest

88.  Play Dough Stamp & Spell – No Time for Flash Cards

89.  Lego Hangman – Pink and Green Mama

90.  Spelling Doodles – The Room Mom

91.  Mix, Dump & Spell – School Time Snippets

92.  Ride to Spell – This Reading Mama

93.  18 Tactile Spelling Activities – My Joy Filled Life

94.  Spelling Scribble – Relief Teaching Ideas

95.  Secret Code Spelling – Mrs. Gilchrist’s Class

96.  Laptop Sight Words – Mrs. Gilchrist’s Class

97.  Roll & Spell – McElhinny’s Center Stage

98.  Scoop & Spell – This Reading Mama

99.  Hop On Pop Reading & Spelling Game – Teach Beside Me

100.  Cookie Sight Word Spelling – Teach Beside Me

101.  Compound Words Foldable and Puzzles –  Teach Beside Me.

102. Grammar Contraction Puzzles – Teach Beside Me

Wow! What an exhaustive list! With all of these awesome spelling games and activities, there will never be a dull spelling moment again, right?! 😉

Also see my previous 100 Things post –  100 Edible Education Ideas .

Former school teacher turned homeschool mom of 4 kids. Loves creating awesome hands-on creative learning ideas to make learning engaging and memorable for all kids!

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Creative Family Fun

Your one-stop shop for kids activities and family fun

Fun Ways to Practice Spelling Words

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.

Disclosure: There are Amazon Affiliate and other affiliate links in this article which means, at no additional cost to you, we could receive compensation for our recommendations. You can read our full disclosure policy on our Disclosure Page for more details.

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!

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.

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.

Movement Spelling: Walk Your Spelling Words

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.

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Hundred Chart Activities to Make Math Fun

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Join our fun Facebook community, Creative Family Fun for Busy Families, for daily activities that are great for kids and families. We’ll chat, share, and have fun. It’s a safe and private place to share ideas for family and kids activities.

I’d love for you to join me! Just click the link below, request to join, and answer the questions (they’re easy, I promise). Come join the fun! Join the Creative Family Fun for Busy Families community here .

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As your children learn writing and spelling, they are likely to come home with spelling word lists. It’s their job to study and learn the words, but simply looking at them isn’t always going to do the trick - they will probably need some tools to help them remember the words . Here are 18 creative and interactive ways to practice spelling words.

Make a Spelling Word Origami Fortune Teller

These are also known as Cootie Catchers. It’s easy enough to create spelling word Cootie Catchers, and having your child spell the word out loud is very helpful for auditory learners .

Make and Use a “Word Catcher"

These modified fly-swatters can be a lot of fun to use. Give your child a copy of her spelling words, and you might be surprised to see how enthusiastic she is to start swatting the words in all the books, magazines, posters, and papers in the house.

Magnetic Letters, Alphabet Blocks, or Scrabble Pieces

Just as saying the words out loud can help an auditory learner, literally building the words can be helpful for more visual learners. Just keep in mind you might need more than one set of magnetic letters to spell all the words.

Create Your Own Crossword Puzzle

Luckily there are free online tools like Discovery Education's puzzlemaker program to help you make puzzles. All you have to do is type in the word list.

Use Sensory Play

Some kids learn better when all their senses are involved . Doing things like spraying shaving cream on the table and letting your child trace the words in it or having him write the words with a stick in the dirt can help cement the words in his memory.

Play Spelling Word Memory

There are a couple of ways to do this. You can make two sets of flashcards with the spelling words—it’s a good idea to write each set in a different color—or you can make one set with the words and one with the definition. After that, it’s played just like any other Memory game.

Trace the Words in Rainbow Colors

This is a variation on the old “write your words ten times” homework. Your child can trace each word over and over to remember the order of the letters for each word. In the end, though, it’s a lot prettier than a simple word list.

Let Your Child Text the Words to You

This way to practice spelling words depends, of course, on whether your child has a cell phone and what the plan includes. With unlimited texting, it’s easy enough for you to receive the text , correct the spelling if necessary, and send back an emoji.

Use Sandpaper Letters to Make Spelling Word Rubbings

Though it requires a little prep work, this is a fun way to practice the words. Once you have a set of sandpaper letter stencils, your child can arrange each word, place a piece of paper over it, and make a rubbing with pencil or crayons .

Make Word Searches

This, too, is an activity that is easy enough with online resources. SpellingCity.com is a fantastic site that allows you to make word searches and create other activities for your child.

Play Hangman

Hangman is a great go-to game when it comes to spelling words. If you have your child use a copy of the spelling list, it will be easier to narrow down which word you’re using. Remember, you can always use the definition as a clue!

Make up a Spelling Word Song

It may sound silly, but there’s a definite connection between music and literacy. If you and your child are creative, you can create your own silly tune. For the less musically-inclined, try setting the words to the tune of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” or another nursery rhyme song.

Play the “Add-A-Letter” Game

This game is a fun way to interact with your child. One of you starts writing the spelling word on the paper by writing one letter. The next one adds the next letter. Since many word lists include words that start with the same sounds, it may be challenging to know which word your game partner started writing.

Write a Story Using Each Spelling Word

Many teachers ask students to do this with their spelling words for homework, but you can add a twist by giving your child a topic to write or tell a story about. For example, challenge her to write a story about zombies using all the words.

Highlight the Words in the Newspaper

Give your child a highlighter and a pile of newspapers and time him to see how long it takes to find and highlight all the words on the list.

Play a “What Letter Is Missing?” Game

Slightly different than Hangman and similar to the "Add-a-Letter" game, this game is played by writing or typing the words, but leaving a blank space or two for key letters. Your child will have to put in the correct letters. This works particularly well to practice the vowel sounds.

Act Them Out

Essentially this is playing the game Charades with your child’s spelling words. You can do it a couple of ways—give your child a list of the words and have her guess which one you are acting out or put all the words in a bowl, and have her choose one and act it out.

Put Them in ABC Order

While alphabetizing the list won’t necessarily help your child learn to spell each individual word, it will help him recognize the words. For some children, just moving the strips (on which each word is written) around can help them keep the word in their visual memory.

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18 Easy and Fun Ways to Practice Spelling Words in the Classroom

Sensory Activities to Practice Spelling Words

Have students that love activities with sensory input? Or just want high engagement when practicing spelling, then sensory activities are the way to go!

1. Playdough 

Using playdough is a simple and easy way to get your students to practice their spelling words. Most teachers have playdough on hand, so no special trips to the store are required! 

Give your students a printout of their spelling words and play dough. Have them roll and manipulate the play dough to make the letters of each word. For those students who might need some more support, you could provide laminated sheets with the words printed on them to follow as a guide.

2. Shaving Cream

I know you’re thinking about the mess of using shaving cream, but truly I don’t think I have ever seen students more engaged in writing out their words than when I placed trays of shaving cream in front of them. 

For the least mess possible, set up a tray with a laminated set of words for each student. Have students roll up their sleeves and let the fun begin!  Students use their fingers (or a paintbrush if they are averse to touching the shaving cream) and draw out each letter of their spelling words.  And . . . you get a bonus of clean desks too!  

3. Sand Writing 

My guess is that you have heard of using sand trays to help students practice writing letters. The same principle applies to helping them practice spelling words. 

Set up a shallow tray with sand and a stack of cards with the targeted spelling words next to it. Have the student turn over the card and use their finger or a paintbrush to draw each letter of the word in the sand.  And . . . if you don’t have sand just substitute it with salt or sugar.

4. Pasta Words

Pasta words are sure to be a classroom hit when it comes to practicing spelling words. Grab a few boxes of spaghetti at the grocery store and place them in a container. Give students trays and their spelling words. Have them make each letter of their spelling words using the uncooked pasta.

Students can follow a template you give them or can create on their own. Just know that they will most likely need to break some strands of spaghetti to build words that have curves. Don’t throw away those pieces though! You can save them for next time. 

As an alternative, you can also use pasta or cereal already in letter shapes.  Really any chance to “play with food” will engage students.

Games to Practice Spelling Words

Playing games is a great way to get students to practice spelling words. Here are some simple and low prep games you can start using right away!

5. Concentration 

Take the classic game of concentration and use it to help your students practice spelling words. Print each of the spelling words on card stock and cut them out to make individual cards. Then print out a matching picture for each word. Again, cut these out to make cards. 

Have the students mix up the cards, and layout on the desk or floor and start matching! Students will work on finding the matching word and picture.  This works really great when you have homophones on your spelling list.

6. Roll a Word

This game is perfect for students who love working with partners.  Pair up students who are studying the same words. Give them a ball to roll back and forth.  Play in partners or as a group for some whole class spelling practice.

Arm them with a list of their spelling words. One partner picks a word and rolls the ball to the other saying the first letter of the word. The partner rolls the ball back adding the second letter. This goes back and forth until they have spelled all of their words!

7. Roll and Spell 

Give each student a die and a worksheet with a key, like the one from my Back to School Spelling Activities pack. The student rolls the die and the number it lands on tells the student how they have to write one of their spelling words.

Some ideas include:  

• Writing letters with a simple picture in between (like an apple) 
• Writing the word in marker 
• Rainbow writing the word
• Letting students choose how they want to write the word!

Colorful Ways to Practice Spelling Words 

Have some budding artists in your room? They will love these fun and colorful ways to practice their spelling words.

8. Apple Tree Spelling

I love using this activity during Back to School season because it is a great way to have students practice the order of the letters in their spelling words. 

Print off black and white clip art apple trees (or grab a done for you version here ). Have students write a spelling word in the trunk of the tree in brown. Then in red, write each letter of that word in the tree-like apples. 

9. Bookshelf Spelling

This activity is a great way to practice spelling words and alphabetical order, plus is beautifully colored! Students write each of their spelling words in alphabetical order on the spine of each book. 

Then the fun begins. Have students color each book. You can give them parameters like all words that start with “p” are purple, all words that are people, places, and things are blue, or each book gets its own color (this is a great excuse to break out those mega crayon packs!). 

Don’t worry about making your own handouts because you can get this Bookshelf Spelling activity here.

10. Chalk to the Rescue  

Take spelling practice outdoors with some sidewalk chalk.  Have students choose different colors for each word or even for each letter. The playground will be decorated with beautiful word rainbows, and your students will appreciate the extra fresh air as they practice spelling words.

11. Apple Words

Again, this is a great activity for Back to School or fall but can be fun all year round. Students will get some repetition in with this activity.

Students write a spelling word 4 times in each apple. They then can color in each section. They could choose to color the apple all one color or make their own creations!

12. Crayon Spelling

This is definitely the most colorful of the activities. Students pick a color of crayon, write each letter of the spelling word spaced across a line (or a curve) and then write the whole word.  Each word gets a different color. 

Students will write out the word twice, and they are paying special attention to each letter as they put it on the line with  Crayon Spelling .

Craft Activities to Practice Spelling Words

Get out the scissors and glue and start crafting for some fun ways to practice spelling words!

13. Magazine Words 

Gather up some old magazines. If you don’t have a stash of your own, I bet your art teacher does and if all else fails, you can grab some free newspapers from the grocery store. 

Have students find letters from their spelling words, cut them out, and then paste them on a large piece of chart paper. They get to practice spelling while creating a fun and unique collage! 

14. Stamped Words

Pull out some letter stamps and ink pads and let the practice begin. This activity can be as simple or elaborate as you would like. 

Here are some ways you can do this activity with your students: 

• Have them use a different color for each letter
• Give them fancy paper to stamp their words on 
• Have students who are practicing the same words do this activity in a group. After stamping a letter, they switch papers and the next person has to continue the spelling

Practice Spelling Words with Multiple Intelligences

15. sign your words .

This is a great way for kinesthetic learners to practice spelling words. Students use sign language to spell out their words to each other. You can give them a handout with visuals of each of the letters in sign language and then pick a word to sign. 

This can be a great partner activity. The partner can follow along and repeat back to their partner the word they just signed.

 16. Sound Words 

Auditory learners will love practicing their spelling words using Sound Words. Grab some old recorders or teach students how to record their voices on their devices. Have them say each of their spelling words, spell each of the words and then replay the recording to help practice them. 

You can even have students practice writing the word as they listen to the replay for extra practice. 

17. Telephone Words 

Struggle to find ways to help your logical-mathematical learners with their spelling? Telephone Words is the answer! 

Grab an old landline phone and have students punch out their spelling words. They can record the words in letters and then in numbers.  You can even have them add the numbers together to find the total value of the word.  

18. Type your words

This is a classic but also a perfect activity for your linguistic learners. Set students up with a word document and have them type out their words. 

You can change up this activity by: 

• Having students type their spelling words in all caps
• Having them type them in all lowercase letters
• Having them type each word in a different font
• Having them type each word in a different size  

If your district has a typing program, you can also have students use this program to practice spelling their words. 

Back to School Spelling Activities (For Any List!)

All of these activities are easy and fun, but if you want (or need) to skip the prep, I’ve created a packet of engaging spelling activities that can be used with any list of words. The handouts are formatted and directions are written. No guesswork on your part. Simply print and go or use the included digital spelling activities too! Though they are Back to School Spelling Activities you can truly use them throughout the whole year!

Save These Spelling Activities 

Pin this to your favorite classroom Pinterest board so you can quickly come back when you are ready for more fun spelling ideas or classroom tips.

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Creative spelling activities

Ten creative ideas for helping children to practise spelling common sight words. A super handy KS1 resource suitable for display or as a reference sheet stuck into spelling and homework books.

Activities include rainbow writing, squiggly words, trace around, three times, spelling shapes, newspaper words, spelling flower and colourful words.

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SpellQuiz | Blog

Spelling Ideas to Practice Spelling for Homework

Here’s the sad truth — we adults often make the spelling practices so boring that kids lose interest in English spelling in no time. Moreover, kids typically associate spelling with rote memorization. That’s why young ones try to avoid spelling practices — they’re just too scared!

We must find ways to spelling practice sessions more interesting — we need spelling ideas that can create sparks!

I’m sure you’ve searched different online platforms and websites long enough to find a few spelling ideas that your child or student will love. So, here we are with a collection of creative ways to spell words. Hopefully, these ideas will do the trick for you.

10 Spelling Ideas for Our Youngsters!

1. word swatter.

Our first idea is heavily inspired by fly swatters! Yes, we’d use a fly swatter, and trust me, you two are going to have a lot of fun.

To execute this spelling idea, we’ll need —

• A fly swatter (obviously!)
• 20 to 30 flashcards (based on your preference)

First, you’ll write the words you need to practice for homework. You could even use any custom wordlist. But make sure the spelling difficulty of the word corresponds to your child’s age and expertise.

Then, hang the words in a random fashion on the wall.

Finally, you’ll hand over the fly swatter to your child and speak out the words from the wordlist, one at a time. Your child should hear the word and swat the flashcard that has the word on it.

Young children love this game. You’ll be amazed to see your child’s face gleaming in enthusiasm while playing Word Swatter.

2. Word Rainbows

We’ll know that repetition is the key to master English spelling. We can remember a word far better with spaced repetition. SpellQuiz has a detailed guide on how spaced repetition can help us remember a word better .

We’ll use the same principle here in this spelling idea. However, the direct approach might make things boring, especially for the kids.

So, we’ll use one of the oldest parenting tricks — we’ll fool them!

Rather than asking your child to write a word X times, you should give them crayons or coloring pencils.

Then, tell her that you two will create Word Rainbows!

Basically, she should write a word, let’s say mango , using the violet font color, then using indigo, then blue, and so on.

You get the idea, right?

In this way, could write a word multiple times and practice spelling without even realizing it.

Curious to find more about learning how to spell ? Check out this in-depth guide NOW!

3. Mini Scrabble Spelling Ideas

As you can guess, this spelling trick takes inspiration from scrabble. You can even call it — add-a-letter game. You’ll first write a letter on paper. Your child would then add another word before or after it. Then, it’d be your turn to add another.

Both of you should be aiming at making a meaningful word.

You should manipulate the letters so that your child can come up with a meaningful word. So, it’s a game of scrabble where your goal would be to lose it!

4. Highlight a Word in a Newspaper

 This is one of the common spelling ideas that use  vocabulary activities. But we’re using a tweaked version. Here’s the spelling idea — you’ll speak out a word and your child will have to find the word in a newspaper. Then, she should highlight the word with a marker.

Obviously, you should give them simpler words corresponding to their vocabulary size. You could make things interesting by calling it a competition. He who finds 10 words quicker than the other one will win.

Again, you should go slow and let them win more often. This will work as an incentive.

This spelling idea is very beneficial as it fosters the practice of reading newspapers and magazines. And, newspapers and magazines are two of the best resources to build a strong vocabulary.

Eager to learn about the best spelling programs of 2021? Here’s a guide! 

5. Arranging Words in Alphabetic Order

This one is pretty straightforward. She will have to arrange the words in a list in alphabetic order. I admit — this sounds like a fairly simpler spelling idea.  

However, often the simpler ideas will bring fascinating results. This will indicate that spelling practices are simple and easy. Plus, they’ll write the words and get more exposure to those words.

We all know that frequent exposure to words helps the child to become a better speller.

It would obviously make them more interested in practicing spelling. You could give them small prizes as incentives too. For example, she could get a sticker for successfully arranging five wordlists in alphabetic order.

6. A Letter Is Missing!

While the name of the game has a mysterious vibe, it’s basically a modified version of a simple fill-in-the-blanks!

In a worksheet, you’ll write ten words but each of the words will have a missing letter. Your child’s goal would be to find that letter to complete the spelling of that word.

To make them interested, you could say that she is a police officer investigating a “missing letter’s” case!

The backstory will foster their imagination and motivate them to solve the cases.

7. Use an Instant Messenger

Your children obviously feel intrigued watching you using your phone all day long. After all, we all are guilty of being to addicted our smartphones to some degree.

Let’s use our instant messengers to practice spelling.

So, in this spelling idea, you’ll basically have chat with your child. You’ll ask them to write a word and she should write it down on your choice of chatting platform. In this way, she would feel more grown-up and would subconsciously participate in spelling practices.

Hey, are you struggling to teach spelling to your weaker students? Check out our guide on spelling strategies for weak students .

8. Building Word Skyscrapers

This fun game is almost close to the mini scrabble game that I’ve mentioned earlier on this list. So, in this game, your child will write the words vertically. Plus, the words will lose a letter as ascend vertically.

For example, she should create a skyscraper using the mango in the following manner —

Doesn’t it look like a skyscraper?

9. Paint the Word

Does your child love painting? Great! Then, you could use this spelling idea as it is one of the creative ways to write words.

The idea is pretty simple — would paint the words using different colors. She could add different artistic elements too. This idea will foster their creative side and allow them to practice spelling at the same time.

Is your dyslexic child suffering with spelling skills? Check out this detailed guide on spelling curriculum for dyslexia .

10. Using Cookie Sheets

Yes, you can use a cookie sheet for spelling practices. The spelling idea goes like this — use different unorthodox elements to write words on a cookie sheet. For example, you could use Jell-O, shaving foam, rice, flour, ketchup, and even cookie batter.

She would use her fingers to form the words using those cooking elements.

How to Make the Spelling Sessions Fun?

I know many of you are struggling to find the perfect ways to practice spelling words for homework. Don’t worry, you can design different hands-on spelling activities on your own.

Try to use the activities your child naturally loves to do.

For example, if your child loves playing with LEGO, you can use LEGOs for spelling practices. Similarly, you can use barbie dolls, cars, action figures.

Think of any toy and try to come up with an imaginary backstory that has something to do with spelling. For example, you could say that barbie was kidnapped by an evil witch. To break her free, your child will have to spell five words correctly out of ten.

This might work like a magic.

Then, let’s imagine your child has a Superman action figure. You could say that Superman must fight a villain called Martian Spelling Snake! Try to make silly names as he might find it funny and become more interested.

Now, tell him that Martian Spelling Snake has kryptonite and Superman is in his captivity. But there is a way! If your child can win a spelling contest against the Martian Spelling Snake, the villain will lose.

Remember, your imagination is your best friend.

It doesn’t matter whether your story is believable or not. They don’t care — just try to make things interesting and work on your storytelling efforts .

Spelling Ideas for Older Children

I think you’ve already noticed that all the spelling ideas are only suitable for Pre-K to a first-grader. While these ideas will work like a charm for them, the older children (let’s say a sixth-grader) will never find them interesting.

So, how could help them with spelling?

As they are older, you should stick to the traditional approaches. You can’t fool them to practice spelling. In this case, a dictation-based spelling exercise could help a lot.

SpellQuiz offers the perfect tools in this case. He or she could participate in the spelling tests and exercises on SpellQuiz. The spelling modules are straightforward and designed by experts.

Also, you could track their progress and later can work on the words they’re struggling with.

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20+ creative alternative homework ideas for teachers

When giving homework, it must always be based on learning goals your students have to reach, just like in your lessons. But it’s sad to see that lots of teachers are using homework as extra lesson time. Of course, as a teacher, you’re on a clock. But that doesn’t mean your students have to suffer from it and keep working on those boring textbooks and worksheets at home.

Consider goals like attitudes, real-life experiences, and practice, physical exercise, social encounters, creative solutions, and philanthropy as crucial as your lesson goals. These are things students don’t just pick up in your classroom. These are things they pick up in life.

In this blog post, I’ll give you some innovative homework ideas that will engage your students more. These alternatives to traditional homework will thereby also teach your students new things that can’t be taught in the classroom. You will find a variety of homework ideas: online and offline.

I will mention homework alternatives for primary school and high school. Some of these ideas can be changed a little bit, so they are the perfect fit for the right audience.

20 Creative homework ideas

You can divide homework tasks into the following themes or categories:

• Crafts & arts
• Outdoor activities & outings
• Games and activities
• Physical activities
• Digital or computer activities
• Philanthropy & social work

💡 Good to know : all the ready-to-use homework activities are created with BookWidgets . You can easily create activities like these yourself or duplicate an activity below for free, edit it if needed, and share it with your students. You can do so in the examples separately, or you can find all the homework examples in the BookWidgets Blog group folder .

Crafts and arts homework

1. prepare a dish from a recipe book.

2. Make a board game

3. Create a birdhouse

4. Transform a fictional book character into a hand puppet

Outdoor homework activities and outings

5. coupon game.

Students can also go grocery shopping with their parents. Here, they have to read the ingredients of the products and help their parents choose the healthiest products for the best prices, figure out the best deal between the sizes of items, …

6. Visit the zoo

7. Visit the local dumping ground or container park

8. Build a tree house

Games and activities as homework

9. bookwidgets games.

10. Minecraft

11. Play Cards

12. Play Zoo Tycoon or Rollercoaster Tycoon

Physical homework activities

13. rope skipping.

Many rope-skipping songs let your students do different tricks while rope-skipping. This is an excellent opportunity for homework as well. Ask your students to transform a rope skipping song into a song with lesson content. Let them count or spell or even sum up the different states or capitals. To engage their lifestyles even harder, you can additionally give them the assignment to create a TikTok in which they are jumping and singing.

Click here to see how you can get Tiktok more involved in the classroom.

14. Walking quest

If there aren’t any walking quests in the neighborhood, you could ask your students to create a walking quest like this for their fellow students. What a fun day it will be!

15. Obstacle Quiz

In order for students to answer the questions, they have to run and pass a challenging parkour. This is a fun homework exercise, and in the end, it’s a great lesson starter or lesson end.

16. Swimming games

After the activity, they can fill out an Exit Slip:

Digital or computer homework activities

17. create a picture album.

This teaches them to handle the online software, add pictures and write without spelling mistakes. And of course, creating memories is so much fun!

18. Video job application

19. Your life in 10 minutes - video

20. Email pen-pals

Is it still too complicated? Read the messages from your students, before they send them, and provide them with some feedback.

Philanthropy and social homework

21. grow a community garden.

22. Help in a retirement home

23. Help at a homeless shelter

24. Collect litter

Here’s another homework tip: Don’t call homework “homework”. Call it a challenge. Homework has become a negative word for students, and I bet they start rolling their eyes as you even mention the word.

Still looking for more inspiration? Check out the blog on short films and lesson activities that spice up your Google Classroom . Tip: even if you don’t use Google Classroom, there is a lot of inspiration back here.

Above you have read single assignments. But, you also have the option to involve your homework in a project. Find out more here .

So, as I mentioned earlier, there are many fun alternatives to traditional homework. Now it’s up to you to apply this in the classroom as well. In this folder , you will find all the examples you have come across.

Which idea do you or perhaps your students like the most? Let us know on Twitter . Of course, there are many more alternatives. If you have other ideas, you are always welcome to share it with other teachers in our Facebook group .

One more thing: don’t forget to say hi👋 on LikedIn .

Join hundreds of thousands of subscribers, and get the best content on technology in education.

BookWidgets enables teachers to create fun and interactive lessons for tablets, smartphones, and computers.

FREE Creative Spelling Homework Ideas! Color and B/W! Student Chart!

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