Writing is so important. It helps us sort our thoughts, develop our ideas, and increase our mental organization. We also tend to slow down when writing, which helps us find patterns and ask more questions. We get to discover and have a record of our best ideas when we write them down. Writing is valuable for everyone, but it is an especially important skill for kids to develop. For young children writing can develop phonics skills. It also helps kids organize their information, increasing comprehension. Writing is also super fun, and easy to adapt to any age!
Are you having trouble getting your kids excited about completing their writing activities? Sometimes kids need a little creative writing boost. Writing letters to loved ones is great, and recording thoughts or wishes or favorite things in a journal can be valuable. But it can also become redundant quickly. It may be time to switch it up!
If your kids are young, they should draw pictures and dictate to you what is happening. In preschool and kindergarten (and even a bit through 2nd grade), writing is drawing. If you write down what they say, that enforces the idea that writing is recording your words and thoughts. It is so fun and hysterical what they come up with!
Fortunately the Milk-Listen to this hilarious book by Neil Gaiman on YouTube until about minute 5:50 (until the question, “that wasn’t odd?”), then pause and write what happens next! I laughed and laughed the whole way through. It’s a fabulous book. Get a copy here.
Rigamarole– My grandma would play this game with us. One person starts the story, and says a few sentences. They say, “rigamarole!” and the next person adds to and changes the story any way they like. At the end, have the kids draw/write their favorite part. When they are writing they can change the story any way they like if they did not like the turn it took in the game.
Write from a picture– grab a picture book that they kids maybe do not know super well, and open to a mysterious looking picture in the middle of the book. Have the kids write a story about what is happening in the picture. Who are they? What are they doing, and why? What lead them into their predicament, and how do they get out of it? Some great books for this are The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Jumanji, The Widow’s Broom, or Flotsam.
Write an Onion article– The Onion has some pretty funny articles. Read a few kid-friendly articles to get introduce them to spoofs, and brainstorm article ideas. Have them pick one and see what they can do! Disclaimer- The Onion has some articles that are not kid friendly- do not set them loose on this site! Here are some great articles kids would enjoy: Only 1 in 3 Preschool Graduates Has Necessary Animal Sound Skills Upon Entering Zoo, Parents Don’t Remember Enough Colors to Help With Kindergartner’s Homework, or Young Child Still Developing Antibodies to Mountain Dew.
Write a letter from a favorite character- This is a great creative writing exercise. It teaches kids perspective and voice, along with empathy. What would Harry Potter say in a letter to Ron? Draco? Dumbledore? Hagrid? Who is their favorite character? You could also challenge them to think of the antagonist in the story. What would Darth Vader write in a letter to Luke?
Introduce some goofy questions- Instead of “What’s your favorite color? Why?” Think of something really goofy- like “If you had food for a body part, what kind of food would it be, and which body part?” I’m sure your kids can come up with a myriad of their own silly questions. Answer them too, it would be fun! For me- pizza hands. MMMMMMMMMM!
What are some of the great writing ideas you have come up with? Share in the comments!
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