Spelling Shed
A game-based spelling program from EdShed with a K–5 US curriculum, weekly word lists, an adaptive Mastery Zone and live multiplayer Hive Games. Free games are available; a US home subscription costs $41 a year for up to five children.
What is Spelling Shed?
Spelling Shed is a spelling program from Education Shed (EdShed), a company that began in the UK and now runs a US edition. It combines a grade-by-grade spelling curriculum with online games where kids spell words to earn honey pots, customize avatars and compete in leagues. EdShed says the lessons draw on phonics, morphology and etymology. The goal is for kids to learn spelling patterns, not just memorize lists.
How it works
Parents or teachers assign a weekly word list. Kids then practice in the game, which has four difficulty levels. The hardest level gives audio only, with no visual hints.
A typical homeschool week:
- Pick this week's list from the grade-level curriculum, a preloaded Dolch or Fry list, or a custom list you type in.
- Optionally teach the lesson using EdShed's lesson plan and printable worksheets.
- Your child practices in short game sessions through the week.
- Run a quiz or a live Hive Game, and check the report for words they keep missing.
Mastery Zone adds personalization. A short diagnostic picks 10 focus words, which keep coming back during play until your child masters them.
What it covers
| Grades | Focus |
|---|---|
| K–2 | Sound-letter patterns, from common to advanced |
| 3–5 | Morphology: prefixes, suffixes, roots and meaning |
| Middle school | Gap-filling with Mastery Zone and Phonics Shed |
Each grade starts with a spiral review of earlier skills. EdShed says the lists align with Common Core, Georgia and Texas standards.
Who it's best for
Spelling Shed is great for kids who will do anything if it is a game, and for families with several children, since one home plan covers up to five. It also works as a practice layer on top of another program. Type in the week's words from All About Spelling or your language arts book. If your child needs explicit, multisensory teaching, games alone may not be enough. Look at Sequential Spelling or Logic of English.
Pricing at a glance
Free games and a free tier are available. Premium US home access is $41 a year for up to five learners. Add MathShed or Phonics Shed for 20% off each.
Can a scholarship or ESA pay for it?
Some education savings account programs reimburse learning subscriptions and some do not, so check your program's rules. Start with scholarships and ESAs by state, or see Arizona's ESA and Florida scholarships. Save Spelling Shed to your Edulist wishlist, and you can apply once to the programs that fit.
How it compares
- SpellingCity is the best-known US spelling game site, with more vocabulary tools.
- All About Spelling is a scripted, multisensory print program with letter tiles.
- Spelling You See uses copywork and chunking instead of lists or games.
Make free practice pages with the spelling worksheet generator, or browse more spelling programs and elementary spelling curriculum.
Who Spelling Shed is for (and who it isn’t)
Best for
- Kids who resist spelling workbooks but love games
- Families with several children, since one home plan covers up to five
- Parents who want to type in their own weekly lists
- Supplementing a phonics or language arts program
Look elsewhere if
- Families who want an offline, print-only program
- Parents who want scripted, teacher-led lessons for every day
- Children who need intensive, multisensory dyslexia intervention
Spelling Shed pros and cons
Pros
- Low cost: $41 a year covers up to five learners in the US
- Free games and lists to try before paying
- Structured K–5 progression built on phonics and morphology
- Custom lists make it easy to match any curriculum
- Multiplayer games let siblings play together
Cons
- Website and features are built mainly for classrooms
- Prices are not shown in plain text on the pricing page
- Games alone may not teach the why behind spelling patterns
- An older Common Sense Media review flagged UK spellings in the American list
What’s included
- US spelling curriculum for kindergarten through 5th grade
- Grade-level word lists plus Dolch, Fry and unlimited custom lists
- Mastery Zone: a diagnostic picks 10 focus words per student
- Live multiplayer Hive Games and leagues
- Lesson plans, presentations and printable worksheets
- Progress reports showing commonly misspelled words
Spelling Shed levels
| Level | Grades | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten–2nd grade | K–2 | Lists built on phoneme-grapheme correspondences, from the most common patterns to more advanced ones. |
| 3rd–5th grade | 3–5 | Shift toward morphology: prefixes, suffixes and roots, spelling through meaning. |
| Middle school | 6–8 | Gap-filling practice with Mastery Zone and Phonics Shed for students who missed foundations. |
Mastery Zone starts each student with a mini-diagnostic, then picks 10 focus words that come up often during play until mastered.
Official Spelling Shed placement test ↗How much does Spelling Shed cost?
EdShed offers a free tier with games and limited history, and a Premium home subscription. As of October 2026, US domestic home pricing in the pricing page's data is $41 per year for up to five learners, then $8.20 per extra learner. Phonics Shed and MathShed can be added. School pricing is by quote.
| Plan | Price | Billed | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | Yearly | Free |
| Home, up to 5 learners (US) | $41/yr | Yearly | $3.42/mo |
Prices from the provider, checked 2026-10-13. Always confirm on the official site.
Future opening updates
Applications are not open on Edulist. Saving a product does not subscribe you or establish eligibility. Visit your wishlist to opt in for updates.
View wishlistWhat parents say
A summary of public parent feedback we read on forums, app stores and review sites. It is not a set of Edulist family reviews.
Common Sense Media's review, which covers an older app version, praised custom lists, gradual difficulty and a dyslexia-friendly font, but criticized errors in the American list and the lack of audio instructions for young kids.
Common praise
- Built-in and custom word lists
- Practice rounds get harder in four levels
- Dyslexia-friendly font
Common complaints
- Errors and UK spellings in the American list (older review)
- No spoken instructions for young children
- Feels close to interactive flashcards for home use
Sources: commonsensemedia.org · spelling shed
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Spelling Shed FAQs
Is Spelling Shed free?
Partly. EdShed offers free spelling games and a free tier. The Premium home subscription unlocks the full curriculum, assignments, tests and longer progress history.
How much is Spelling Shed for home use?
As of October 2026, the US home plan is $41 per year for up to five learners, with extra learners at $8.20 each. Adding MathShed or Phonics Shed for the same child is 20% off each.
What grades does Spelling Shed cover?
The US Spelling Shed curriculum runs from kindergarten through 5th grade. EdShed also markets Spelling Shed to middle schools for filling gaps.
Can homeschoolers use Spelling Shed?
Yes. EdShed has a homeschool page and lets parents set weekly assignments, use preloaded lists like Dolch and Fry, create custom lists and track progress.
Is Spelling Shed an app?
It runs in a web browser at play.edshed.com, and there is also an iOS app. A web browser works on Chromebooks and most computers.
Who makes Spelling Shed?
Education Shed, known as EdShed, which started in the UK and runs a US company, Education Shed Inc. It also makes MathShed and Phonics Shed.
Can ESA money pay for Spelling Shed?
It depends on your program, because some ESAs limit subscriptions. Save Spelling Shed to your Edulist wishlist and check your state's scholarship page.
Sources and last checked
Checked 2026-10-13 against these sources: