Use play activities to teach your daughter to spell. Young children are naturally curious and love learning and exploring. As you teach her about the alphabet and spelling, make sure to move slowly so you don't overwhelm her with information---you don't want to confuse and frustrate her. Learning to spell can be fun, which makes learning to read and write fun as well. As you work on teaching her to spell, use materials you already have at home.
Step 1
Play alphabet games with your child. Make learning fun for her by taking magnetic letters and putting them on the front of the refrigerator. Spell out her name, your pets' names, "mom" and "dad." Get down on the floor with her and play the same games using alphabet blocks, recommends the U.S. Department of Education.
Step 2
Put several pieces of paper on the kitchen table and spell your daughter's name out, using a crayon or marker. Explain that each letter has its own sound and place in her name. Help her sound out the name of each letter in her name. The U.S. Department of Education's ED.gov suggests making a name plate with her name and hanging it on her bedroom door.
Step 3
Trace and cut out the letters of your daughter's name. Take one piece of paper, open a bottle of glue and help her put the glue on the back of each letter, then position them on the paper so she spells her name, suggests ED.gov.
Step 4
Sit down with your daughter and read alphabet books together, advises ED.gov--- point out how words are spelled and how they sound. Sound out how each letter sounds with her and have her practice with you. Use simple words like a, an, be, can, bee, do, as, the, of, for, go, how, and is.
Step 5
Use every chance you can to spell out names when you go out. Point out the name of your street, the name of the grocery store where you shop, the names of the foods she enjoys eating and the name of your car. Make it a game to identify the letters and sound them out.
Tips and Warnings
- If your child is a preschooler, this is a good time to start introducing her to the alphabet. If she is a little older, introduce her to the alphabet and simple spelling activities.
Things You'll Need
- Magnetic letters
- Alphabet blocks
- Paper
- Crayons, markers or pencils
- Glue
- Alphabet books
