Spelling Bee Practice for Kids: A Parent's Starter Guide

A spelling bee is a contest where children spell spoken words aloud. To help your child prepare, focus on three things: hearing words read clearly, understanding what they mean, and spelling them from memory with regular, friendly practice.

How a spelling bee works

A word is read aloud, sometimes with its definition and an example sentence. The speller repeats the word, spells it letter by letter, then says it again. Practising in this exact format removes surprises on the day.

What to practise

• Listening: train your child to spell from the spoken word, not a written one.
• Meaning: knowing the definition often reveals the correct spelling.
• Recall: spell from memory, then check — don't copy.

Spellaroo gives every word a read-aloud audio prompt, a definition and an example sentence, so kids can practise in the same way a real bee runs — for free to start, anywhere in the world.