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You are here: Home / All categories / Busy Parent Solution To Helping Kids Learn Sight Words and Spelling Words

Busy Parent Solution To Helping Kids Learn Sight Words and Spelling Words

February 18, 2017 • 4 Comments

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WORD WORK IDEAS TO DO AT HOME
Make a quick and easy homework cart to help kids practice sight words and spelling words. It's the perfect solution for busy parents.

In this post, you’ll find a quick and easy solution to making the practice of sight words and spelling words a breeze.  It’s a great tip for busy parents.

Pick up kids from school. Check. Run to the grocery store to buy the hamburger for tacos tonight.  Check.  Throw soccer uniform in the washer for the game tomorrow.  Check.  Start dinner. Check.  Time to help the kids with homework.   Ugh…

We wish the kids didn’t have homework.  But, most do.   How can we check off the homework box without stress and enjoy it?  Enter the busy parent homework cart.

Make a quick and easy homework cart to help kids practice sight words and spelling words. It's the perfect solution for busy parents.

Homework Cart

Full Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

The ideas I’m sharing all center around literacy homework specifically studying sight words and spelling words. But, you can easily adapt to work on math facts, science vocabulary, or dates in history.

Once you set your homework cart up, you can use it over and over and over again.  The only thing you will tweak each week are the words the kids are studying.  Sounds good, right?

SETTING UP THE HOMEWORK CART

I’ve found that a rolling six-drawer cart is the key to the success of this busy parent homework cart.  First, it keeps everything organized.  Second, the cart can be rolled around to wherever you want to work.  If you are making dinner in the kitchen, roll it to the kitchen table.  Folding clothes in the bedroom, roll it right in there.

I’ve included labels so that you can even number your drawers for more organization.  See below to download them.

Now, it’s time to fill the drawers with supplies we need for six activities to practice sight words, spelling words, math facts, and more.

Drawer 1:  pencil box filled with a thin layer of salt

Drawer 2:  rainbow colored markers and plain copy paper

Drawer 3:  letter tiles or letter beads

Drawer 4:  dry erase board, eraser, and dry erase marker

Drawer: 5:  tic-tac-toe board, plastic sleeve, and two dry erase markers

Drawer 6:  3x3 sticky notes and a black marker

Here’s the supply list all in one place.  Just click each one, add to your Amazon cart, and in a few days, all the supplies will be on your doorstep.  I told you this was EASY.

rolling cart with drawers

pencil box

salt

rainbow colored markers

copy paper

letter tiles or letter beads

dry erase board

eraser

dry erase markers

plastic sleeve

sticky notes

USING THE HOMEWORK CART

The first three drawers are activities that your kids can use independently.  Drawers 4-6 are perfect for when you can spare a few minutes to work with your child.

sight word and spelling practice ideas

Drawer 1:  SALT TRAY WRITING

The child looks at one of their sight or spelling words and uses his finger to write the word in the salt tray.  Gently shake the tray to smooth the salt and repeat with the next word.

sight word and spelling practice ideas

Drawer 2:  RAINBOW WRITING

Start with the first word to practice.  The child writes the word six times using the rainbow colored markers.  Continue with remaining words.

sight word and spelling practice ideas

Drawer 3:  WORD BUILDING

Look at a word and then use letter tiles or letter beads to build the word.

sight word and spelling practice ideas

Drawer 4:  LISTEN AND WRITE

The adult calls out a word or sentence.  The child writes the word or sentence on the dry erase board.  Erase and repeat.

sight word and spelling practice ideas

Drawer: 5:  WORD TIC-TAC-TOE

In this two player game, each person selects a sight word or spelling word.  Take turns placing words on the board.  The first person with three in a row wins.

sight word and spelling practice ideas

Drawer 6:  HIDE AND SEEK WORD

Write a sight or spelling word on each sticky note.  Hide the notes throughout the room or house.  Have the child find, read, collect, and then reread each sticky note.

DOWNLOAD THE RESOURCES

Download your FREE drawer labels and tic-tac-toe board below.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE RESOURCES

SPICING UP THE HOMEWORK CART

As I said above, you can keep using your homework cart each week and just change out the words being practiced.  However, you will eventually want to spice up your materials a bit.  Here are some ideas to use when things get stale.

Drawer 1:  Dye the salt to match a holiday (red for Valentine’s Day or green for St. Patrick’s Day.) Use cornmeal, coffee grounds, or sand

Drawer 2:  Instead of markers, try colored pencils or felt pens.

Drawer 3:  If you have been using the word beads, try threading them.  It’s also good for building fine motor skills.  Magnetic letters are also an alternative.

Drawer 4:  Write on a mirror or window instead of the dry erase board.

Drawer: 5:  Add a layer of difficulty.  As you place your word, name the spot you are placing each word.  For example, top left, top middle, or top right.

Drawer 6:  Take the hiding spots outside.  Or, give clues to where to find a word in the house.

There you go.  An easy way to practice those word the kids need to learn.  One time set-up and months of practice.

For more easy playful literacy ideas check out these posts.

Print and Play Phonics Games

Muffin Tin Reading Games

Did you get your free list of Books Kids Will Beg You to Read?

Get It

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4 Comments Filed Under: All categories, Word Work and Spelling Tagged With: homework, parents

About Jodie Rodriguez

Jodie Rodriguez is a mom of two young boys and an early childhood/elementary educator with over 20 years of experience. Jodie's passion is helping parents, teachers, librarians and anyone else interested in nurturing and reaching ALL of our youngest growing readers.

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  1. Gail says

    August 29, 2019 at 12:53 pm

    Thanks for all the great ideas. I am reorganizing stuff. I will definitely try these.

    (do not know why this appears as all caps)

    Reply
  2. Rachelle Douglas says

    February 21, 2017 at 10:41 am

    Funny how I used to do all of these in my classroom but have not used any of them to help Marie. Thanks for the reminder!

    Reply
  3. Nancy Taylor says

    February 18, 2017 at 9:28 pm

    Terrific ideas! These strategies meet the needs of different types of learners…and they’re fun as well. Very smart to put all the supplies in a homework cart.

    Reply
    • Jodie Rodriguez says

      February 19, 2017 at 6:45 am

      Thank you Nancy!

      Reply

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