13 Spelling Games for the Classroom
Spelling can be a tricky skill to master, but not with these fun classroom games. Whether you’re an ESL teacher looking for engaging vocabulary review activities or a classroom teacher wanting to add a bit of fun to your daily routine, these low-prep spelling games are perfect for all grades—from elementary students to older learners. Using minimal materials like a whiteboard, some index cards, or even outdoor spaces, these games keep your class actively involved while improving their spelling skills. These spelling games are ideal for in-person and online classes.
Here is a list of my favorite low-prep spelling games for the classroom.
1. Spelling Bee
Age/Grade: 2nd grade and up
Subject: Language Arts
Duration: 10-30 minutes
Materials: List of spelling words
How to Play:
The classic Spelling Bee is a time-tested favorite. Each student takes turns standing up and spelling a spelling bee word aloud. If they spell it correctly, they stay in the game. If they make a mistake, they’re out. The last student standing wins.
Example:
Teacher: “The word is ‘necessary.'” Student: “N-E-C-E-S-S-A-R-Y.”
2. Password Spelling Edition
Age/Grade: 4th grade and up
Subject: Language Arts
Duration: 15-20 minutes
Materials: Index cards with spelling words
How to Play:
Turn this vocabulary quiz game into a spelling challenge! Split the class into two teams. One student from each team comes to the front, and the teacher shows them a spelling word on a card. The team gives clues to help their teammate guess the word (without spelling it out or saying it directly). Once guessed, the student must spell the word correctly to earn a point.
Example:
Clue: “This word means something you need to survive.”
Answer: “Food. F-O-O-D.”
3. Password Spelling Game (Advanced Version)
Age/Grade: 5th grade to university
Subject: Language Arts
Duration: 15-20 minutes
Materials: Index cards with complex spelling words
How to Play:
This version of Password is designed for older students, focusing on higher-level vocabulary words. Students give one-word clues to their teammates without directly spelling or saying the word. Once the word is guessed, the player must spell it correctly to earn points. This game not only sharpens spelling but also builds vocabulary and critical thinking skills.
Example:
Clue: “Ambiguous”
Answer: “Vague. V-A-G-U-E.”
4. Outdoor Spelling Relay
Age/Grade: 1st grade and up
Subject: Physical Education, Language Arts
Duration: 20-30 minutes
Materials: Chalk or markers, index cards with spelling words
How to Play:
This active game combines movement with spelling! Write large letters with chalk on the ground or use letter cards spread out in a space. Divide the class into teams. A student runs to the letter area, finds the correct letters to spell a word, and returns to their team. Each student spells one word at a time.
Example:
Word: “CAT”
Student runs to the letters “C,” “A,” “T,” and places them in the correct order.
5. Spelling Relay (Challenging Edition)
Age/Grade: 5th grade to university
Subject: Language Arts
Duration: 20-30 minutes
Materials: List of difficult spelling words, whiteboard or chalkboard
How to Play:
Divide the class into teams. Write a challenging word on the board, but remove a few letters. One student from each team runs up to the board, fills in a letter, and runs back to tag the next teammate. The first team to complete the word correctly wins. For older students, the words should be longer and more difficult to challenge their spelling knowledge.
Example:
Word on the board: “INC_NC_ST_NT”
Correct Answer: “INCONSISTENT”
6. Boggle Spelling Game
Age/Grade: 3rd grade and up
Subject: Language Arts
Duration: 15 minutes
Materials: Boggle game or letter tiles
How to Play:
Boggle is a word-creation game. Scatter letter tiles randomly, and students try to form as many words as they can within a set time limit. Each word must be at least 3 letters long. When time is up, students read out their words, and correct spelling is rewarded with points.
Example:
Letters: A, P, L, E, T
Student’s word: “PLATE” (5 points)
7. Spelling Challenge Cards
Age/Grade: 2nd grade and up
Subject: Language Arts
Duration: 10-15 minutes
Materials: Pre-made or DIY spelling challenge cards
How to Play:
Create a set of challenge cards with different spelling tasks, such as “Spell a word with a double consonant” or “Spell a word that ends with -ing.” Students pick a card and attempt the challenge individually or in teams.
Example:
Card: “Spell a word with a silent ‘e’.”
Answer: “Bake.”
8. Baseball Spelling
Age/Grade: 2nd grade and up
Subject: Language Arts
Duration: 20 minutes
Materials: List of spelling words, a baseball diamond drawn on the board
How to Play:
This game mimics baseball, but students spell to move bases. Divide the class into two teams. A correct spelling moves the student to the next base. If they misspell, it’s an out. The team with the most runs after a few innings wins.
Example:
Word: “Elephant”
Student: “E-L-E-P-H-A-N-T” (Moves to first base)
9. Scrabble Slam Spelling
Age/Grade: 3rd grade and up
Subject: Language Arts
Duration: 15 minutes
Materials: Scrabble Slam card game or DIY letter cards
How to Play:
Students race to change the 4-letter word on the board by adding or replacing one letter to make a new word. The first student to use all their cards or form the most new words wins.
Example:
Word on the board: “GAME”
New word: “CAME” (replace ‘G’ with ‘C’)
10. Scrabble Slam Spelling (Advanced Version)
Age/Grade: 5th grade to university
Subject: Language Arts
Duration: 20 minutes
Materials: Scrabble Slam card game or DIY letter cards
How to Play:
In this more advanced version of Scrabble Slam, students work in small groups or pairs to form higher-level words (5+ letters) from a base word. The goal is to change the letters in the word to create new, longer words. The complexity increases by limiting the number of changes students can make to the base word, pushing them to think critically and strategically.
Example:
Base word: “STARS”
New word: “STARTS” (adds ‘T’)
11. Unscramble
Age/Grade: 2nd grade and up
Subject: Language Arts
Duration: 10-15 minutes
Materials: Pre-scrambled spelling words
How to Play:
Write scrambled versions of the week’s spelling words on the board. Students work individually or in teams to unscramble them. The fastest group or student to correctly spell the word wins.
Example:
Scrambled: “LCOHSO”
Answer: “School”
12. Spelling Team Tic Tac Toe
Age/Grade: 1st grade and up
Subject: Language Arts
Duration: 15 minutes
Materials: Whiteboard, markers
How to Play:
Draw a Tic Tac Toe grid on the board. Divide the class into two teams (X’s and O’s). Each time a student spells a word correctly, their team gets to place their mark on the board. The first team to get three in a row wins.
Example:
Teacher: “Spell the word ‘bicycle.’”
Student: “B-I-C-Y-C-L-E” (Team X marks their spot)
13. Jump Jump
Age/Grade: Kindergarten and up
Subject: Physical Education, Language Arts
Duration: 15-20 minutes
Materials: Chalk or tape to mark letters on the ground
How to Play:
Set up letter markings on the ground. Call out a word, and students jump from letter to letter to spell it. It’s a physical and interactive way to practice spelling. If a student jumps to the wrong letter, they must start over.
Example:
Word: “DOG”
Student jumps from D to O to G.