I dreaded spelling lessons growing up… All I remember is being told to look up words in the dictionary, which was frustrating and counterproductive because you can’t locate words if you don’t know how to spell them! Experiences like these caused me to avoid writing as often as possible but also left a huge impact on me as a teacher. I vowed to make spelling as fun and engaging as possible, and you should too. Here’s a list of my favorite hands-on spelling activities – my students never stop requesting #4!
1 – Read, Pop, Write, Draw CVC
Pop Its are very in with the kids these days, so why not incorporate them into our lessons? All you’ll need are some Pop Its, crayons, a writing tool, and a copy of our Read, Pop, Write, Draw CVC worksheet. Students can complete this activity by reading each word out loud, “popping” one bubble for each individual sound, recording the letters they hear, and drawing a picture to match.
Hands-On Spelling Activity 2 – Rainbow Writing
My students love Rainbow Writing because they don’t even realize that they’re learning! Grab some writing paper for each student and have them take out 3 different crayons (markers and colored pencils are fine too). Start by writing a word on the board and reading it together with the class. Next, have them write the same word on their paper with a pencil as they whisper each sound. Lastly, the students will trace over the word 3 times with the crayons they selected at the beginning of the lesson, this will create a rainbow effect that the kids will love!
3 – Write Around the Room
This one takes a little bit of prep time, but all you need are 10 index cards that display 1 spelling word each, tracking sheets, and clipboards. Number the spelling word index cards 1-10 and discretely tape them around the room. The goal of this game is to find the words in order! As the students find their words, they should whisper each sound, blend the word, and copy it onto their recording sheet before moving on. Once they find them all, I have my students pick 3 crayons to trace each word as a fast finisher activity.
*Teacher Tip: if you use this as a whole class activity, try splitting the class to have some students start at number 10 and work backward to 1.*
Hands-On Spelling Activity 4 – Sight Word Menus
During this activity, students will practice spelling sight words with hands-on manipulatives. Sight Word Menus allow students to choose from a list of manipulatives (pattern blocks, pom poms, play dough, etc.) and use them to spell level-appropriate sight words. This is the perfect independent spelling activity to use during centers as students need little to no support, and teachers can differentiate by swapping out the menus based on the levels of each small group.
5 – Roll A Sight Word
For this no-prep hands-on spelling activity, all you will need are dice, markers, crayons, and pencils. First, students will roll their dice to determine the order in which they will practice their sight words. Next, they should read the word and write it three times, first with a crayon, then a marker, and last with a pencil. The students should repeat this process until they have practiced each sight word at least one time.
Hands-on Spelling Activity 6 – Sand Tray Spelling
This activity is exactly what it sounds like, and my students never stop asking for it! All you need are trays and some sand so your students can practice their spelling words by drawing each letter using 1-2 fingers. There are lots of different ways for you to implement Sand Tray Spelling. For example, as a formative assessment, I might pass out sand trays during small-group lessons and have the students practice sight words or spelling words.
*Teacher Tip: Using plastic pencil boxes instead of trays helps to prevent spills and is a more convenient storage option.*
7 – Build It: CVC Words
All you need for this no-prep hands-on spelling activity are Build It: CVC Words worksheets and snap cubes. Each student should identify their CVC word and whisper the individual sounds as they build each letter with snap cubes. This is the perfect activity to use during small group centers or for fast finishers because they should be able to build the words independently!
8 – Magnetic Letter Activities
Do you have magnetic letters just sitting around? Even if students dislike spelling activities, they probably still love using hands-on manipulatives. Using magnetic letters could be a great way to keep them engaged! Just clear off space on the whiteboard or stop by your local dollar store, pick up some cheap baking sheets, and have the student build words at their desks.
9 – Sight Word Tic-Tac-Toe
Split your class into groups of 2 and make sure partners do not use the same color writing tools. Hand out a Sight Word Tic-Tac-Toe worksheet to each group, and let the games begin! Instead of using Xs and Os, students will take turns filling empty squares with spelling words from the word bank and crossing them off as they go. The first student to get 3 spelling words in a row is the winner of that round.
Hands-On Spelling Activity 10 – CVC Puzzles
I love using this activity for small group centers because students can work in partners or independently with little to no support from a teacher. Each student will choose a card, identify the picture, and find the letters that match the beginning, middle, and ending sounds within the word, putting the pieces together like a puzzle!
Please toss the old flashcards and other outdated spelling strategies out the window. Spelling is a difficult task for many students, so we should make it as fun and engaging as possible. There are countless ways to implement these activities into your daily routines, and your students will be forever grateful. Did your favorite hands-on spelling activities make the list? If not, drop them in the comments so we can admire the fantastic things you do to keep your students engaged!
Written by – Madison Patten
At Education to the Core, we exist to help our teachers build a stronger classroom as they connect with our community to find trusted, state-of-the-art resources designed by teachers for teachers. And, we aspire to be the world’s leading & most trusted community for educational resources for teachers. Plus, we improve the lives of every teacher and learner with the most comprehensive, reliable, and inclusive educational resources.
If you enjoyed what we have to offer at ETTC, be sure to join our email list so that you won’t miss a beat. Plus, we are here to help with all your resource needs. Become a Premium Member of Education to the Core and receive immediate access to thousands of printable activities. So, for a tiny monthly or annual fee, everything ETTC can be at your fingertips all of the time.
