You don't have to use a pencil to spell!

My children's school send home a look, cover, write, check sheet for spellings. One of my children will happily fill in it and the other one avoids it! So I started to play some spelling games instead and made a note on the sheet to say that we had been working on them at home.

Here are some of the things you can use instead of a worksheet and a pencil!

Your fingers!

Write on each other's hands or write in something like sand or salt using your finger.

LCD Tablets

LCD tablets are great because you write on them using the stylus and then press the button to make it disappear so you can write a new word. This is helpful if your child makes a mistake because they can easily erase it and have another go.

You could also write a word for your child and then get them to have a look at the word. Erase the word and see if your child can write it.

Dry Wipe Pens and Toys

You can use dry wipe pens to write on plastic toys e.g. Duplo or magnetic tiles. Make sure to rub it off when you have finished.

Chalk Pens

Use chalk pens to write on windows or patio doors. I used an absorbent cloth to wipe it off. These are great because they hold the water but don't drip everywhere. You can also use dry wipe pens which wipe off with a dry cloth.

Magnetic Letters

The phonics box kit includes magnetic letters. The consonants are blue and the vowels (a, e, i, o, u) are red. This helps children to spot patterns as they spell e.g. when they make a CVC word they will know they need to use a red letter in the middle.

Flashcards

Using phonics flashcards is a great way to practise spellings. The digraphs/trigraphs are on one card which is helpful when they break the words down into individual sounds.

Scratch Notes

Use the stick to scratch off the black layer to reveal the colour underneath.

Typing

You could type using an old keyboard or even on a computer. Alternatively, open the notes app on your phone and get your child to type their spellings on it.

Water and a Paintbrush

Dip a paintbrush in water and write on paving stones, a brick wall or a fence. You could also write using chalk.

Fun Pens

Keep a look out for fun pens in places like the Poundshop or the Works. A pot of these makes a great invitation to write. UV pens are really fun because the ink is invisible and only shows when you shine the UV torch in the lid on it.