Spin and Spell

While browsing pintrest the other day...(been there yet?!) I came across a wonderful idea.  I have kids, some know how to spell and one learning to spell.  This idea was a great activity for all of the levels we have in our home.  (and apparently I have a "theme" from last months English Rocks, to this...)

I bought all my supplies at Totem because they were the cheapest, but I am sure you could go to any hardware store.

What you need:

Hex Nuts (I got 15) My nuts were 1/2"

Long Bolts (I got 3, one for each child)  Make sure your nuts freely slide and don't twist on.  You want to be able to move them back and forth along the length.  My bolt was 1/2"

End Nuts (I got 3, see photo below) You want these to screw tight on the bolt

Alphabet stickers (I needed two sets to do all my nuts)

Now it is simple.  Place a letter on each side of the nut and you are set. 

I made five sets of nuts.  I have a three letter word set, a four letter word set, an easy five letter set, a hard five letter set and a six letter set.

When your nuts are ready, place them on the bolt.  Close with your end nuts and you are done.  Super easy. 

This is what an end nut looks like compared to the middle ones.  You want it to be a closer one.  It comes with a little ring at one end that makes it so your nuts don't slide off.

On the instructions from the page I got, it said you needed to modpodge all of the stickers...I didn't because I found that my stickers really stuck on hard.  I guess if yours start to peel or something, then go ahead and do this step, but mine have been stuck tight the whole time.

So, because I like to have a list (and I couldn't find one anywhere) here are the letters I put on my nuts.

3 Letter Words:
First Hex - R, S, F, L, M, N
Second Hex - A, E, I, O, U, and an extra O (for when I add another letter hex)
Third Hex - P, T, N, B, D, G

When I make a 4 letter one:
Change so the first and second ones above are first and second, then add:
Third Hex - A, N, O, S, L, E
Then add the third from above (for your fourth nut)

Easy 5 Letter Words:
First Hex - P, F, D, T, C, S
Second Hex (with common blends) - H, L, N, L, T, R
Third Hex - I, O, U, A, E, O
Fourth Hex - C, E, N, R, D, G,
Fifth Hex - S, G, K, E, D, N,

Hard 5 Letter Words:
First Hex - Q, J, W, V, S, P
Second & Third Hex - A, E, I, O, U, Y
Fourth Hex - M, T, R, F, N, L
Fifth Hex - N, T, R, Y, H, L,

6 Letter Words:
To be added to the Easy Words bolt
Sixth Hex - T, N, Y, S, D, R

I love them.  My boys "play" with them.  I am thinking it would be great for a boggle type game.  You could mix and match hex nuts to see if they can make more words.  I have used them a couple times and just hand them to my boys.  I tell them to make as many words as they can.  For my baby it is more a sound game than an actual word thing, (he just turned 6 and is learning to read) when he makes a real word it is thrilling for him!  I am loving the fun it is, but at the same time it is educational. 

Let me know if you make them and any changes you make, and how it works for your family. 

Jaime is in her third year of homeschooling her 3 boys. She loves crafting, photography, reading, cooking, camping, outdoor stuff, taking care of her family, homeschooling, learning new things, and many others. You can find a mish mash of all of that on her family blog at Welcome to the Madness.