With words like "thermometer" on the list of words to learn to spell (for a first grader!), spelling is a daily drill in our house. I was trying to think of a way to keep the monotony at bay and keep practice tests fun for B., so I decided to grab some washable window markers (Crayola, $4) so he could have a change from sitting at a table and writing out his spelling words.

I highly recommend doing spelling practice on a patio door, on windows at home or maybe even on car windows. Writing on these surfaces feels like a change from the ordinary, and B. loved the idea! Now he is excited about his "spelling door," and that's where we'll be practicing spelling going forward unless he gets bored of it.

Window markers not only add a fun twist to studying spelling, but they are also very convenient to use for this activity because if your child misspells a word, you can just erase it and he can try again. Also, I recommend that you draw lines to contain words, especially if you have children who are just learning to write. This way, they can practice writing somewhat straight.

Please let me know if you implement this idea in your own home or if you have any other ideas for keeping homework and learning fun!