Outdoor Spelling Activity: Hop to the Word

Here's an easy way to make practicing spelling fun — turn it into a game. Create a hopscotch-like board, then have your child spell out words. 

What You Need

• Ruler or yardstick 
• Chalk 
• Open, paved space (driveway or sidewalk) 
• Pencil and paper

What to Do

1. Prepare for this activity by drawing a 6-by-6 grid of 16" squares on your driveway or sidewalk. 
2. Invite your child to fill the squares with the letters of the alphabet, leaving one or two blank spaces in each row.
3. To play, have children hop from one letter to another to spell words. The blank squares can be used to bridge gaps between letters that are farther apart. Children can choose words to spell, or you can create a list of spelling words.
4. Players earn one point per letter of each word they spell correctly. (For instance, "house" spelled correctly would earn 5 points.) Use a pencil and paper to record how many points each child has accumulated.
5. The first player to earn 50 points wins!