Hands-On Spelling Tools (from Teaching Kids to Spell)

Below you will find the hands-on spelling tools, manipulatives, and products I recommend from my book, Teaching Kids to Spell. Please note that this post contains affiliate links.

No-Mess Writing Products for Beginning Spellers

For the youngest of spellers, my favorite products are no-mess products. (My older kids love them. too!) I want to encourage my toddlers and young preschoolers to see themselves and writers and spellers. I don’t want to wait until they can hold a pencil correctly, spell every word conventionally, or write on lined paper. I start as soon as they show an interest in letters or coloring. (Scribbling and drawing are the first steps in spelling and writing.)

• MagnaDoodle

• AquaDoodle
• Glow Station

 

• Color Wonder
• Foam Bath Letters
• Jumbo Magnetic Letters
• Magnetic Letter Tracers–> upper case and lower case

 

Hands-On Tools for Spelling Instruction

As spellers grow in their knowledge of letters, I like to surround them with toys and tools that will help develop their understanding of letters and their sounds, as this phonics knowledge is vital to spelling. As they develop further into short vowels, long vowels, other vowel patterns and even into understanding word meanings, hands-on tools are still needed to make spelling multi-sensory and fun! Most of these are products we use and love. A few have come highly recommended to us from other moms who make spelling hands-on.

• Alphabet Puzzles
• ABC Cookie Letters
• Letter Construction Kit
• Letter Stickers
• Leapfrog Word Factory Fridge Set
• Thinkfun’s What’s Gnu

 

• Thinkfun’s Zingo Sight Words
• Bananagrams
• Scrabble, Jr.
• Sidewalk Chalk

 

• Wikki Sticks
• Letter Stamps
• Letter Beads

• Photo Stacking Blocks – insert letters, word patterns, or other word features
• Pocket Chart
• Finger pointers
• Playdough Letters

• Magnetic letters
• Cookie Sheets
• Highlighters
• Scented Markers

• Post-It Notes
• Dry erase boards–> large  and small
• Dry erase markers
• Sentence Strips
• Plastic sleeve protectors (slip pages in and use a dry erase marker)

Hands-On Spelling Curriculum and Products

Listed below are some hands-on spelling products and curricula that keep kids engaged as they progress as spellers.

All About Spelling

All About Spelling is a part of a larger company called All About Learning Press. It was created and designed out of a desire to help struggling readers and spellers learn in a way that best suits their learning needs. While All About Spelling works great for struggling spellers, it can be used for any child. All About Spelling starts with letters and letter sounds and moves into studying Greek and Latin roots. If you want to learn more about All About Spelling and their other program All About Reading, feel free to read the online articles listed in the Other Helpful Online Articles below. You can also read my review of All About Reading.

I personally love the way that All About Spelling (and All About Reading) have designed their letter tiles.

 

Words Their Way

Words Their Way is a product I have personally used for about ten years now as I taught in the classroom, as a reading tutor, and how as a homeschooling mom. The sorts are quick and easy to do, hands-on, and developmentally appropriate for teaching spelling. The following products are ones I would recommend to anyone teaching kids to spell, from the Pre-K ages through high school.

 

You can read my review of Words Their Way’s products here.

• Words Their Way for PreK-K
• Words Their Way: Word Study for Phonics, Vocabulary, and Spelling Instruction
• Letter and Picture Sorts for Emergent Spellers
• Word Sorts for Letter Name-Alphabetic Spellers
• Word Sorts for Within Word Pattern Spellers
• Word Sorts for Syllables and Affixes Spellers
• Word Sorts for Derivational Relations Spellers

 

Lively Letters

Lively Letters is a wonderful phonics program, especially for older students who are really struggling to learn phonics. The program mixes music, humor, poetry, and meaningful pictures to help kids learn not only their letter sounds, but how those sounds are produced in the mouth. Kids can then apply those sounds to early reading and beyond. To read more about Lively Letters, read my review or visit their website.

 

Sight Words You Can See

Sight Words You Can See is a sister company to Lively Letters. Sight Words You Can See helps those students struggling to learn sight words do it in a fun and visual way with memorable mnemonic strategies. To learn more, read my review  of Sight Words You Can See or visit their website.

 

Making Words

• Phonics They Use by Patricia Cunningham
• Making Words for Kindergarten by Patricia Cunningham and Dorothy P. Hall
• Making Words for 1^st Grade by Patricia Cunningham and Dorothy P. Hall
• Making Words for 2^nd Grade by Patricia Cunningham and Dorothy P. Hall
• Making Words for 3^rd Grade by Patricia Cunningham and Dorothy P. Hall
• Making Words for 4^th Grade by Patricia Cunningham and Dorothy P. Hall
• Making Words for 5^th Grade by Patricia Cunningham and Dorothy P. Hall

 

Reading the Alphabet

Although Reading the Alphabet was designed with young readers in mind, the activities related to rhyming, letter sounds, learning beginning word families, and fine motor activities makes it a great companion for beginning spellers. The entire curriculum can be used for free (separate downloads for 31 lessons) or you can purchase the Bundle Pack (6 downloads plus extras for only $10).

 

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~Becky