Category Archives: Spelling and Sight Word Fun

Sep22

Four Easy Spelling Activities

Posted on September 22, 2013 by TodayWeDid

We try to do lots of different spelling activities with L to keep it interesting and fun. Here are four quick and easy activities that we have done this weekend.

1) Sticker words. Grab some alphabet stickers and get spelling. We have lots of different sets of stickers so each letter can be different. Some alphabet stickers only have one of each letter though, so I needed to look for sticker pages with extras of each of the common letters, such as ‘e’ and ‘t’. It would be great to find a sticker sheet with just lots of vowels. L likes this activity and it is very quick and easy.

2) Highlighter words. Never underestimate how much kids like to write with highlighters. L used a pack of six different coloured highlighters to make her words bright and colourful.

3) Paint Pens. L found these drip-free paint pens by Crayola in Officeworks. The paint is contained in the barrel of the pen, and is applied by the brush tip, just like writing with a pencil. No mess, and easy to use.

4) Glitter Glue. This was the messiest activity, mostly because the glitter glue takes ages to dry, and the kids kept touching it to see if it was still wet. L liked using the glitter glue tubes, writing her words much as she would with a pen. She put the glue on pretty thickly, and being a cool day, it took a very long time to dry. If I owned a hair dryer I think I would have tried using it to speed up the drying time.

Sep21

Candlestick Painting

Posted on September 21, 2013 by TodayWeDid

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Writing with the candle.

We don’t let the kids play with fire, but we do let them use unlit candles to draw with! Just the plain old white ones that I keep in the drawer for electrical outages are like using a fat crayon to draw with. They can draw their picture or write a message on white paper with the candle, and it’s difficult to see, but when they paint over the wax with water-colours, the picture comes to life. It’s fun to watch the picture or words emerge, and then when the paint dries, we have a great picture.

L also used this method to practice her spelling words last week.

Spelling words.

Sep16

Straw Spelling

Posted on September 16, 2013 by TodayWeDid

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The left over straws from our straw necklaces came in handy for a spelling activity with L. She used them to form the letters in each of her words. She just placed them in the right shapes on the board so they could be re-used for more words or other activities. It would have also worked to have glued them in place on some paper.

Sep10

Alphabet Stamping

Posted on September 10, 2013 by TodayWeDid

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Last year one of L’s teacher’s leant her a set of alphabet stamps and an ink pad. She had a great time with it, stamping out her name, and the names of everyone in our family, her spelling words, and the alphabet just for fun. So, she was given her very own alphabet stamping set for Christmas. L uses this set regularly to practice her spelling words. She likes to use all four ink colours in each word if she can.

Sep5

Spelling with Beads

Posted on September 5, 2013 by TodayWeDid

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We like to use plastic beads to make play jewelry, but the beads can be used in a number of different ways too. This week we used them for making L’s spelling words. It was a great fine motor skill activity too, as she had to pick up the individual beads in her fingers and place them carefully to make each letter.

L also did some sorting of the beads, using one colour for a whole letter. The ‘e’ in course is also done in a pattern of white and blue beads. Using these beads for sorting and pattern making will be a fun maths activity for A some time soon.

Sep5

Sandpit Spelling

Posted on September 5, 2013 by TodayWeDid

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Preparing the sandpit.

We cleaned out the sandpit on the weekend. It had various sand toys scattered through it, and there was some grass growing along one edge that needed removing. I think we’ll have to get some more sand for it soon, A has been gradually removing the sand, one shoeful at a time 🙂 Once it was cleared out, L raked it over ready to write her spelling words in the sand. She was going to use a stick as a pencil, but in the end she decided to just use her finger. The words didn’t last long, L dug them up pretty quickly and just played in the sand.

Aug25

Sidewalk Chalk Drawing

Posted on August 25, 2013 by TodayWeDid

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Sidewalk or jumbo chalk is such great fun all year round. The kids took it out to the driveway this afternoon in the late winter sunshine. L wrote her spelling words in various colours and A drew a lot of ‘X’ marks the spot…. I have no idea what lies beneath those x’s, and I don’t fancy digging up the driveway to find out!

L doing her spelling.

They also drew self portraits. The really tiny green bit on A’s is her neck, the long lines are her legs standing on grass.

A’s self portrait.

L’s self portrait.

Aug21

Magnetic Letters Spelling

Posted on August 21, 2013 by TodayWeDid

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A while back I bought a set of magnetic letters and words from the school bookclub. Using them quickly became one of L’s favourite spelling activities. We could put them on the magnetic board, or on the fridge, but we have fun just laying the letter tiles out on the floor. It is a quick and easy activity to practice her spelling.

Aug19

Spelling Disco Poster

Posted on August 19, 2013 by TodayWeDid

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Every week L gets a short spelling list of five words to learn. We like to try different activities using the words to keep it interesting. After making some posters for the school disco and for book week, L decided to make a poster for her spelling words.

She wrote the words at the top in coloured pen, and then drew a disco ball, because all good posters need a disco ball 🙂 Then she added some coloured card with animal stickers and some black paper with stars drawn on it in lead pencil. It was completely her own design and she seemed happy with the result. We stuck the finished poster into her spelling book ready to take to school.