Fun Ways To Get Your Child Writing At Home This Summer & Beyond!
Written By Abena Sey
July 10, 2021
Writing during the summer months is a great way to boost your child’s appreciation for language. Frequent opportunities to write gives children practice in the writing process, i.e., brainstorming ideas, editing, and publishing a final draft. These moments also give children a chance to practice writing conventions and tapping into their imagination and creativity. So, what can a parent do to encourage their child to write at home? Here are five fun ways to get your child writing at home this summer and beyond.
1 - Invest In Fun Writing Tools
The first step to encourage your child to write is to invest in fun writing tools. You can choose any of the following writing tools as the initial step to get your child excited about writing. If possible, bring your child out with you to select their preferred writing tools. Some items to consider are:
i) clipboard
ii) various types of paper (textures & colours)
ii) fun notepads
iv) gel pens
v) markers
vi) smelly markers or pencils
vii) coloured pencils or fineliners
viii) alphabet stamps & ink
ix) finger paint
x) mechanical pencils (for older children)
xi) dictionary / thesaurus / word book / word wall
2 - Choose A Time Of Day & Space Where Writing Will Occur
It is helpful to plan where writing will occur, and ensure that your child has access to their writing tools. You can designate a creative space that your child can use to get into their writing. If your child prefers to write in various spaces in your home, you can make their writing space mobile. Simply place their writing tools in a transportable container and let them choose where to write. Consider adding some items to make the writing space cozy. You may include pillows, a lap desk, stuffed animals, inspirational posters, a lava lamp, or a device to play music. Wherever you choose, the idea is to create a comfortable space for your child, not a distraction to the writing task at hand. The time of day your child chooses to write will depend on your child's temperament. You can set a specific writing time in the day, if your child works best with a schedule, or you can have writing as a quiet activity to work on when you have downtime. Some children will have bursts of inspiration, and will choose to write whenever they feel most creative.
3 - Create A List Of Writing Tasks For Your Child To Choose From
This step is to help your child generate ideas and to eliminate the guesswork of deciding what to write. You can make writing task cards, i.e., a writing prompt or suggestion written on index cards. If your child is undecided on what they will write about, they can draw a task card for a prompt. You may also present writing prompts or suggestions in the form of a list on a piece of paper. Whatever you decide to make, ensure that it is easily accessible for your child and that they are aware of how to use it during writing time.
4 - Choose From The Following Suggestions To Create Your Writing Task Cards Or List
Here are some fun writing tasks for your child to choose from. The key word is fun! You want to create an enjoyable experience for your child to get them motivated to write, so it is important to consider activities that facilitate this.
Lists (e.g., to-do list, grocery list, street names, etc.)
Greeting Cards
Posters
Poetry
Short Stories
Journaling Their Day
Freewrite (your child writes anything that comes to their mind)
Letters / Emails (to a friend, or an author, or a company or community member)
Thank You Notes
Comics
Word Search
Science / Nature Observation Notes
Recipes
Prayers
Bible Verses
Inspirational Quotes
Song Lyrics
Lines From Their Favourite Books / Poems / Movies , etc.
For younger children (their name, names of family members, their address, birthdays of family members, etc.)
5 - Celebrate Your Child’s Writing Efforts
When your child has finished a piece of writing, a nice added touch is displaying their masterpiece. Of course, you must consider your child’s level of comfort showcasing their work. You may choose to display your child’s work on a wall or the fridge, in a scrapbook, or on a digital platform. You may also choose to record your child reading their writing out loud, and share it with family / friends. You may also share it with your child’s teacher. In my own teaching experience, it is always a nice surprise when parents or students share their work completed at home. I have learned so much about their interests and talents outside of the classroom.
Now that you are equipped with these five steps, work with your child to set goals for writing this summer and beyond!