Use pipe cleaners to help kids practice their spelling words. Have the children manipulate the pipe cleaners to create the letters in each word. This gives students an interactive approach to spelling their words and makes them more likely to remember them. Younger kids may need help manipulating the pipe cleaners.
Sparkle is a group spelling game designed to involve all students. Ask the students to stand in a large circle. Provide a spelling word. The first student repeats the word. The second student says the first letter of the word, the next student says the second letter, and this continues until the word is complete. The next child repeats the spelling word. The following child says "sparkle." The person after the child who says "sparkle" must sit down. A new spelling word is announced, and the game continues until most of the group is seated.
Put down three lines of tape in varying distances from the trash can. The first line is one point, the second line is two points, and the farthest line is three points. Divide the group into two teams. Ask the first child from the first team to spell a word. If she spells it correctly, she gets to try to shoot a ball into the trash can from one of the lines. If she makes the shot, add the number of points associated with the line she chooses to her team's score. Repeat with the first person from the other team. The spelling and shooting continues until everyone has had a turn, one team reaches a designated point total or you run out of time. This also can be played in a gym with a real basketball hoop.
Divide the kids into two groups. Assign one team the "X" designation and the other team the "O" designation. Create a large tic-tac-toe board on the floor using tape. Ask a child from the first team to spell a word. If he spells it correctly, he chooses a square on the tic-tac-toe board and stands in it. Repeat with the other team. The first team to have three members in a row on the tic-tac-toe board is the winner.