Magical Word Work {a watercolor trick}

I've got a fun word work idea for you for younger kids.  Sometimes you want kids to write their sight words or spelling words over and over so they can memorize them.  Admit it, you do.  But, telling kids to write their words 5X each is sort of old school and not the most fun.  So everyone does rainbow writing and things like that to spice it up but still get in the practice.  Well, here's another fun one to add to your toolbox.  First graders love it, I know kinder kids would too.

I googled this to see if it was commonly used and I really just saw it on art blogs...apparently it is called crayon resist.  

Your students will need a large sheet of white construction paper and a white crayon, along with water and watercolor paints.

Usually I fold up the paper so that they can see columns and spaces for writing to make it a little neater.  Remember that they will need a bigger space since they are writing with crayon.

Have them write their words 5X each or whatever in the boxes with the white crayon.  They won't really be able to see what they wrote very well.

When they are finished, have them take a paintbrush and watercolor paint and brush over their writing.  Viola!  The words appear like magic!    FUN!

Get in some extra practice by having the kids spell the words aloud while they paint over the letters or have them do the vowels in one color, consonants in another.  Sometimes they might even discover they spelled the word wrong when they wrote it, oops!  PreK kids could probably do this just writing their names or letters.

Have you ever tried this before?  Got any other fun ideas to use this method?  Follow my Pinterest board for more work ideas.

Follow Literacy Spark's board ELA: Word Work on Pinterest.