If you have grade schoolers who are learning the parts of speech, here’s a fun and easy way to reinforce the lesson that I spotted on Pinterest:

Using a permanent marker, write about 10 nouns, 10 adjectives and 10 verbs on the ends of recycled or purchased popsicle sticks. Label three paper cups as follows: Nouns, Adjectives, Verbs. Hold the sticks in your hand and have your child (or children) pick one, read it aloud and place it in the right cup.

Variations for older learners: Have them also use the word they pick in a sentence. Or better yet, can they spell it without looking? Add additional categories for adverbs, and divide the nouns into common and proper.

Variation for young learners: Use three different colors of permanent marker to label the sticks and turn this into a teaching game rather than a testing game.

Note: I found a package of 100 colored popsicle sticks on Ebay for $4.49, shipping included. Or, if your family is going through a lot of popsicles this summer like we are, think ahead and start washing and saving them (and ask your friends to do the same)!

Have fun with this, and feel free to share your own ideas in a comment below!