Start spelling lessons by labeling major household items such as the refrigerator, stove, microwave, television and radio. Whenever the two of you happen to be around a labeled item, practice spelling out the word. Your child can underline the digraphs, or combined letters, that make the spelling sound such as the "Re", in refrigerator to help her sound out the words. Cover or remove the labels to see if she can spell out the item on her own. Another way to use household items is to play a spelling version "I spy." For example, you would say, I spy the "S-T-O-V-E." She can write down the letters to try to figure it and guess the word.
Help your child learn how to spell the names of everyone in the family. Create a basic family tree of the immediate family or with a few additional members if you are a very small family. Paste pictures of each person on the tree. Have her practice spelling out each family member's name, then writing it in permanent marker on the family tree next to each person's picture. Another idea is to play a spelling game with the whole family at dinner. For this game, no one can name anything at the table; they must spell it out. For example, you would say, "Please pass the P-E-A-S, Sarah," and "This C-H-I-C-K-E-N is delicious, mom!" Expect lots of laughter when adults inevitably spell something wrong.
Give your child sidewalk chalk and have her spell out the spelling words she has for the week on the sidewalk or driveway of your home. If possible have her draw a picture that best illustrates that word. Gather your child's friends or neighbors her age to play a spelling relay race . Place several bins with paper or a dry-erase board in it along with crayons or markers in different colors. Have the children line up several yards away from the bins. Then an adult will call out a color and a spelling word. When you say go, the children must run to the bin in front of the spell the word in the color and race back. to their original spot. Whoever correctly spelled the word first gets a point. Treat all the kids to a small reward afterwards to keep the competition friendly.
Take your child to the grocery store with a dry-erase board have her spell out the produce you purchase as you go. An alternative to a trip to the grocery store is having her help you take inventory of the food in the pantry or refrigerator in the same manner. Another food-related activity is to spread dry alphabet cereal out on a table. Call out spelling words and have her search the cereal to find the letters she needs. You can time her to see how long it takes for each word as an additional challenge.