3 Best Websites for Teaching Punctuation

Punctuation ... yes, not the most exciting topic, but one that is necessary for proper writing.  If you're kid is anything like mine, there may seem to be a perpetual battle against certain punctuation marks.  It's almost as if they just get in the way of the thought stream, and should not be bothered with!
If you are looking for some more motivating resources besides bland paper worksheets, these three websites might just be the ticket to turn your home school writer into a punctuation master!

1. Punctuation Rules!

First, let me say that I found the Curriculum Pathways website by shear accident one day, and they have many things that are worth looking at. However, their Punctuation Rules! online app (it can also be gotten from the App Store or Chrome Web Store) is an amazing little gem for really getting kids to think about proper punctuation and where it is appropriate to use such things as colons, dashes, hyphens, and so forth.  Interesting lessons are followed with an interactive quiz, and I highly recommend checking it out! 

2. Grammar Galaxy - Paintball Planet

This game is a fun "shooter" type from Discovery Education where you have to fire your paintball laser gun to not only add in punctuation, but capital letters as well. It definitely appeals to boys, but I can imagine girls would have just as much fun.  One thing I found helpful is that the game can become boring if you are not actually "playing" it, thereby leading the child to really engage in the learning aspect, which is a big plus.

 3. Quill.org Proofreader

Not just for punctuation, the Quill Proofreader really helps your student see errors in text, and correct them.  I like the fact that it tells the student how many errors there are, and as they make corrections, it tallies them. Granted, all the corrections may not be correct, but the feedback of knowing your not looking for an infinitesimal amount is helpful!  The website is free to sign up with, and full of awesome resources!

Hope those can help point you in a punctuation progressive direction!

-Professor Bananas