Here at theAsianparent, we know that once your little learners are home from kindergarten and school, all they want to do is play and have fun; they don’t want to spend their afternoons and evenings learning, which can create a headache for all of you parents out there, who want their child to succeed and excel in their learning environment.
If your young ones are having trouble with their English spelling as either a native learner or an ESL learner, then we’re here to help, with a few tips and tricks below to help your little learners practice their spelling in a fun, exciting way without them even realizing that they’re working!
Hangman
If your child came home with spelling words from school that they need to learn, then make it into a game! Children love to play hangman, and often forget they’re learning if you use this old classic.
Ask your child to read out their spelling words, and then take turns to play hangman on a piece of paper, blackboard or whiteboard, guessing the letters to spell the words. Once the word has been guessed, make sure your child reads out the word, and then spells it correctly before the other person has a turn.
Use dice
On a piece of paper, write down six spelling activities such as the ones below, giving each activity a number. Ask your child to roll the dice three times and complete the activity with the same number as the dice!
- Rainbow writing (use different colours to write the words)
- Bubble writing
- Cut the letters out of a magazine/newspaper
- Type the word
- Silly sentences (use your word in a silly sentence and see if you can stop laughing!)
- Hidden words (draw a picture and hide your words in the picture)
Get hands on
Wikki Stix are colourful sticks which can be moulded into any shape and not messy in any way! Get your little learners to write their spelling words in Wikki Stix and stick them on doors, windows, walls etc. all around your house. They can be bought in Singapore and will easily peel off surfaces, leaving no damage!
Clap your words
Get your little learner to spell his words out loud, clapping every time he says a letter. For example, the word ‘fast’ would be f-a-s-t with a clap for each letter.
Whatever tips and tricks you decide to use to make spelling easier with your little learners, don’t forget to make it fun and creative. In fact, the less time spent at a desk, the better! So go on and get stuck in with the arts, crafts and games, and don’t forget to share your photos with us on our Facebook page!