Recommendations
and
Resources
This is your one-stop shop to find resources to help your little ones and your students enjoy learning to read and spell. Here we list the resources we have created - as well as the ones we have found elsewhere - which we believe will serve your needs well. This includes videos, books, teaching aids, fun and engaging activities including puzzles, games, and videos.
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Downloadables
Bundles
Individual Products
- Word Dot-to-Dot Puzzles
Templates
Books
This adorable rhyming soft cover book is perfect for pre-readers starting at birth! Little ones love the alliteration when you read it aloud for them. When they are just starting to learn to read, this story is perfect in length, using illustrations, sight words, and rhyming to make it easy to remember the story. Very soon, the child will be reading this book independently. It gives such a wonderful sense of accomplishment! Get it here! Available in both Paperback and Kindle version, too!
See All Five 5 Star Ratings on Amazon
Laura GibbonsReviewed in the United States on September 20, 2017It is charmingly illustrated, and in it, the reader follows a very small kitten through her home and her day as she plays, naps, and eats, then gets ready for bed. The littlest chick loves rhyming books, and this wasn't an exception-she is also "itty bitty" so she liked that part of the book. It makes for a good short bedtime read to get the chicks into a quiet(er) frame of mind and ready to sleep.Jourdan Tillman
5.0 out of 5 stars "Perfect for itty bitty readers!!!"
Reviewed in the United States on October 8, 2016My 3 and 5 year old love this book! The word scheme is perfect for my new reader and, by end of first reading, she already had word recognition of several words. She was so excited, she has reread it to the point she can almost ready it to her brother...by herself!Amy Walker
5.0 out of 5 stars "My 2 year olds all time favorite book!"
Reviewed in the United States on November 9, 2021With the sweetest story line, and a lulling rhyme, this book was a hit with my 2 year old from the moment we received it from Grandpa. My son can’t go to sleep without reading his “Kitty” book. We are huge children’s literature fans, with bookshelves to prove it. This book is the most beloved gem on our shelf.
Dan Bravard
5.0 out of 5 stars "A Must Read For Toddlers!"
Reviewed in the United States on October 31, 2021I gifted this to my toddler grandson who loved the book from the moment it was opened. Even though he is only 18 months old he knows it by name and his favorite go-to-bed book. A must read for toddlers!
Dreama Tipton
5.0 out of 5 stars "My 3 year old..."
Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2016My 3 year old absolutely loved this story. She loves books and especially ones about kitties. :) It is a cute story.
Bundles
What is a Bundle?
The quickest, easiest way to teach spelling is with multiple FUN activities!
A bundle includes a variety of downloadable resources that can be used again and again, starting immediately after purchase. Each bundle is for a specific topic. Here's a list of the ones that are currently available. Please check back frequently or sign up to be notified when new bundles are available.
- Primary Colors Bundle - includes a dozen different activities to help a child learn their primary colors (red, blue, yellow), the word for each color, and how to spell and read the word for each color. There's a new unlisted activity added for a fun surprise! Find out more here.
Individual products
These innovative twist on traditional Dot-To-Dot Puzzles take Learning to Spell to a Whole New Level.
The individual products includes only one type of puzzle. They arrive as a downloadable file that you can use each time you teach that content -- starting immediately after purchase. They are one topic and here's a list of the ones that are currently available. Please check back frequently or sign up to be notified when new products are available.
- Primary Colors Puzzles includes beginner, easy, and medium levels to help a child learn their primary colors (red, blue, yellow), the word for each color, and how to spell and read the word for each color. Find out more here.
License
Personal Use License
Most products are for Personal Use only. This means that you can use the puzzles, games, and teaching aids in your home or if you are a teacher, in your classroom with your students. You may not sell, give away, or claim these puzzles, games, teaching aids as your own work or your own creation. However, you are welcome to share an affiliate link with anyone who shows an interest in the product. See more information about the Personal License here.
For information regarding Personal License for Word Dot-to-Dot Templates, check out this page.
For more information about obtaining an affiliate link, check out this page.
Certain products may have an upgraded license that allows you to sell the puzzles you make using templates purchased from Play To Spell. This means that you can not only use the puzzles, games, and teaching aids in your home and in your classroom with your students, but you may legally sell or give away the puzzles that you make. For more details about the Reseller license, see this page.
However, you are welcome to share an affiliate link with anyone who shows an interest in creating Play To Spell products for their own use. See more information about the Being an Affiliate for PlayToSpell products.
For information regarding Personal License for Word Dot-to-Dot Templates, check out this page.
TEMPLATES
What is a Template?
The easiest way to describe a template is as a model or sample of something. Think of it as a super handy starting point for creating something. It's like having a pre-designed layout that you can easily download and use.
- Word Dot-to-Dot Puzzle Templates - When it comes to creating Word Dot-to-Dot Puzzles, templates are your best friends! They give you a consistent layout and structure for your puzzles. You can grab a template that already has the basic structure of the puzzle, including the dots, lines, and add-ons. And the best part? You can totally customize it to make it your very own unique puzzle by adding what you like best and removing what you don't want. Totally customizable! Once you have one the way you like it, it becomes your own personal template for future puzzles.
- Available in PowerPoint Format for optimum flexibility and replication for easy modifying.
- For Fast, "Quick and Dirty" creations, also available in PDF files. Just handwrite the content and makes copies on a copier or printer.
Videos*
Criteria
Play To Spell has been scouring the internet looking for great videos to help children learn their alphabet. The criteria we used included short, colorful, engaging, lively music, and easy-to-understand voices. We continue to look - please let us know if you find ones you like so much you would like to see them added to our resources for others.
For videos that include more then one topic, we have placed times so that you can find a specific section, if you so desire. Otherwise, the video is a single topic video.
*YouTube requires that each child be signed in by a parent. Therefore, you may need to set up a profile for your child to be able to watch the following videos.
Here's what we have found so far by topic:
Alphabet
Link to *Video: https://www.youtubekids.com/watch?v=UuLZ27M6JCo
- "Alphabet Train" - Upper- and lower-case letters Aa - Zz; starts at 5:12; ends at 7:05
- "Alphabet Gallery" - Starts at 44:50; ends at 48:10.
- "ABC Song" - tune is "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star". Starts at 48:12; ends at 48:43.
- Lizzy's ABCs (Summary) -
- Part 1 - Aa - Ee - Starts at 7:07; ends at 13:20.
- Part 2 - Ff - Ii - Starts at 12:06, ends at 25:02.
- Part 3 - Jj - Ll - Starts at 32:40; ends at 35:16.
- Part 4 - Mm - Qq - Starts at 35:20; ends at 44:48.
- Part 5 - Rr- Zz. - Starts at 49:22; ends at 59:52.
- "Lizzy's ABCs Part 1" - Letters A - a. Apple, Add, Ambulance. Starts at 7:07; ends at 8:35.
- "Lizzy's ABCs Part 1" - Letters B - b. Book, Bark, Ball. Starts at 8:36; ends at 9:48.
- "Lizzy's ABCs Part 1" - Letters C - c. Carrot, Canada, Catch. Starts at 9:49; ends at 10:55.
- "Lizzy's ABCs Part 1" - Letters D - d. Dinosaur, Dog, Down. Starts at 10:56; ends at 12:05
- "Lizzy's ABCs Part 1" - Letters E - e. Eat, Empty, Earth. Starts at 12:06; ends at 13:20.
- "Lizzy's ABCs Part 2" - Letters F - f. Fire, Fast. Starts at 20:46; ends at 21:49.
- "Lizzy's ABCs Part 2" - Letters G - g. Gift, Ghost. Starts at 21:50; ends at 22:54.
- "Lizzy's ABCs Part 2" - Letters H - h. Helicopter, High Five. Starts at 22:55; ends at 23:58.
- "Lizzy's ABCs Part 2" - Letters I - i. Ice, Invisible. Starts at 24:00; ends at 25:02.
- "Lizzy's ABCs Part 3" - Letters J - j. Jump, Jacket. Starts at 32:40; ends at 33:53.
- "Lizzy's ABCs Part 3" - Letters K - k. Keyboard, Kite. Starts at 33:55; ends at 34:45.
- "Lizzy's ABCs Part 3" - Letters L - l. Love, Lick. Starts at 34:46; ends at 35:19.
- "Lizzy's ABCs Part 3" - Letters M - m. Magic, Monster Truck. Starts at 35:20; ends at 36:33.
- "Lizzy's ABCs Part 4" - Letters N - n. Night, Nose. Starts at 40:29; ends at 41:38.
- "Lizzy's ABCs Part 4" - Letters O - o. Orange, Octopus. Starts at 41:40; ends at 42:39.
- "Lizzy's ABCs Part 4" - Letters P - p. Planet, Pool. Starts at 42:40; ends at 43:30.
- "Lizzy's ABCs Part 4" - Letters Q - q. Question, Queen. Starts at 43:32; ends at 44:48.
- "Lizzy's ABCs Part 5" - Letters R - r. Rocket, Rainbow. Starts at 49:22; ends at 50:36.
- "Lizzy's ABCs Part 5" - Letters S - s. Soccer, Spin. Starts at 50:37; ends at 51:21.
- "Lizzy's ABCs Part 5" - Letters T - t. Train, Tennis. Starts at 51:22; ends at 52:00.
- "Lizzy's ABCs Part 5" - Letters U - u. Umbrella, UFO. Starts at 51:04; ends at 53:13.
- "Lizzy's ABCs Part 6" - Letters V - v. Volcano, Valley. Starts at 54:38; ends at 55:52.
- "Lizzy's ABCs Part 6" - Letters W - w. Web, Water. Starts at 55:54. ends at 56:41.
- "Lizzy's ABCs Part 6" - Letters X - x. X-ray, Xylophone. Starts at 55:42; ends at 57:28
- "Lizzy's ABCs Part 6" - Letters Y - y. Yo-yo, Yellow. Starts at 57:29; ends at 58:16.
- "Lizzy's ABCs Part 6" - Letters Z - z. Zoo, Zebra. Starts at 58:17; ends at 59:52.
Colors
Link to *Video: https://www.youtubekids.com/watch?v=UuLZ27M6JCo
- "Colors of the Rainbow" - Starts at 2:37; ends at 5:07
- "Color Train" - Red fire truck, orange backhoe, yellow school bus, hot pink birthday cake, green trees, blue hot air balloon, purple airplane. Starts at 17:29; End at 20:45.
- "Colors" - Starts at 53:17; ends at 54:28.
Numbers
Link to *Video: https://www.youtubekids.com/watch?v=UuLZ27M6JCo
- "Numbers" - Starts at 25:08; ends at 29:00.
- "Number Train" - Starts at 29:01; ends at 32:38.
Phonics
Link to *Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0Hq0fjT3r4
- 3-letter words Consonant-Vowel-Consonant (CVC) phonics bat, cat, dog, pig, fox.
Link to *Video: Link to Video: https://www.youtubekids.com/watch?v=UuLZ27M6JCohttps://www.youtubekids.com/watch?v=UuLZ27M6JCo
- Lizzy's ABCs (Summary) -
- Part 1 - Aa - Ee - Starts at 7:07; ends at 13:20.
- Part 2 - Ff - Ii - Starts at 12:06, ends at 25:02.
- Part 3 - Jj - Ll - Starts at 32:40; ends at 35:16.
- Part 4 - Mm - Qq - Starts at 35:20; ends at 44:48.
- Part 5 - Rr- Zz. - Starts at 49:22; ends at 59:52.
Shapes
Link to *Video: https://www.youtubekids.com/watch?v=UuLZ27M6JCo
- "Shapes Train" - Red circle, blue square, green triangle, yellow, rectangle, hot pink octagon, orange oval, purple star, red heart; Starts at 13:22; ends at 17:27.
Spelling
Link to *Video: https://www.youtubekids.com/watch?v=UuLZ27M6JCo
- 3-letter words Consonant-Vowel-Consonant (CVC) phonics - bat, cat, dog, pig, fox
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