How to Help Kindergarten Kids with Spelling Words Practice through Crazy Fun Games
Click here to read How to Help Kindergarten Kids with Spelling Words Practice through Crazy Fun Games on Hands On As We Grow®
Let’s make spelling words practice fun for kindergarten kids with some crazy fun games and a few common ideas too!
A friend recently told me that she doesn’t know ways to practice spelling words at home with her kids.
I didn’t have any tips for her right off hand except to make it fun.
So it got me thinking about different ways we’ve practiced spelling words, or done any kind of homework for that matter.
For the most part, my kids don’t have homework.
Their homework each week has been to practice sight words or spelling words and read.
That’s pretty much it!
They’ve never brought worksheets home that they have to do (yay!).
I’ve talked about common core in the past, and using Be A Learning Hero to find out what your child needs to know each year in school. These standards are set in place to help students be better prepared down the road.
Henry has always been a fast learner, so learning his spelling words has never really been an issue for us.
But we still practice the kindergarten spelling words throughout the week with little games and activities.
Every Monday he gets a list of words to learn and on Friday he has a spelling test.
And lately, the list of words is around a concept (like short a, or Long a CVCe), and then he gets two bonus words on the test to see if he grasps the concept.
Most weeks, I take it pretty easy in practice and this is what we do…
5 Obvious Ways to Practice Spelling Words:
- Make a number code. Number the words on the spelling list and then write a list all mixed up to find and write the word. You can save a copy of this doc that I use for each spelling list.
- Write spelling words but leave out letters and put a blank instead for him to figure out what letter it should be (based off his list).
- Make a scrambled spelling words game and have your kindergarten child put them in the right order.
- Ask to spell random words off the spelling list (and others that are similar in concept) throughout the day.
- Use worksheets sometimes. I have found several places online that you can change out the spelling list week after week for their worksheets. These are my faves: make your own printable word shapes worksheets, word scrambler and word search maker.
Now… there have been times when we need to work on a spelling word more and that’s when we try to make it more fun with kindergarten games!
That’s where hands on learning and activities comes into play!
16 Crazy Fun Games to Practice Spelling Words for Kindergarten
Go on a Treasure Hunt
Draw a treasure map, or use your house plans, to hide letters of spelling words to find using the map. See how we did it with sight words. What child doesn’t love a good treasure hunt game to help make learning fun!
Kindergarten Spelling Hangman Game
Play a game of hangman to practice spelling words! If you don’t know how to play, check out A Diligent Heart
Sensory Shaving Cream Writing
Squirt some shaving cream on a tray and just write the spelling words to practice! Super simple, educational and a little messy too.
Spelling Words Letter Egg Hunt
Hide letters of the spelling words in plastic eggs around the house. Find each letter to put together the spelling words!
Spelling Bean Bag Toss Game for Kindergarten
Put together your ABC Mat on the floor and use bean bags to toss onto each of the letters to practice spelling words.
Spelling Bracelets with Letter Beads
Use letter beads to make a bracelet, spelling their words as they make it! Take them apart and do it again or save them for a little vocabulary accessory!
Spelling Words Practice with Typing
Just use your computer! Open a word doc and have them type the spelling words over and over again! See how we did it to learn to spell their names. Bonus, your child is getting a little typing education too!
Clip & Match Spelling Words Fine Motor Game
Write a spelling word on a craft stick and then each letter on a clothespin to make the word! Check out this clip and spell from How Wee Learn!
Triple Trace It!
Trace and repeat kindergarten spelling words with this fun game! Write the spelling word on paper, trace it with a highlighter and then trace it with glue and again with yarn! Repetition is great! See how we did this triple tracing with names.
Spelling Game with Nuts & Bolts for Kindergarten Homework
Write the letters of the spelling words on nuts and have them tighten them onto bolts to spell the words correctly! This one’s from No Time for Flash Cards. (shown in collage above)
Spelling with Bent Q-Tips
Bend Q-Tips into 3 shapes (find out how here) to make any letter of the alphabet! Spell words! This one is a great interactive option for any ABC activity!
Make Sensory Cards for Spelling
You can make sensory spelling word cards with some glue and salt. A Mom with a Lesson Plan then as three ways you can help your kids practice spelling with them!
Spell with Cooked Spaghetti
Write their spelling words with cooked spaghetti! This one will definitely make education a fun time! Another one from A Mom with a Lesson Plan!
Make Spelling Words Chains
Make a paper chain with letters to spell words! (Add Velcro to make it reusable too!)
Practice Spelling with Fun Sensory Bags
Write your spelling words on a sensory bag with a Q-tip! From Scribble Doodle and Draw. This one is for for any phonics practice you need to work on!
Make a Scribble Game for Kindergarten Spelling Words
Scribble and spell! See how many times you can write your spelling words in a section of a scribble! (I found this one at Relief Teaching Ideas, but I’m unsure of the origin, please correct me if you know better.)
Even more free places to find games and other fun ways to practice spelling words perfect for Kindergarten:
- 75 Fun Ways to Practice and Learn Spelling Words from Mom to 2 Posh Li’l Divas
- 50 Hands-On Spelling Activities from This Reading Mama
- 50 Fun Ways to Learn Spelling Words from Our Three Peas
- Ways to make Spelling Fun and 25 Spelling Activities from A Mom with a Lesson Plan
- Many of the name writing activities can be used to write spelling words too! It’s great to physically write the word to learn it.
What are some of your favourite games to play when working on spelling with your kindergarten child at home?
Share your ideas with us in the comments! We would love to hear them!