Writing is an important skill to learn. It boosts motor functions, develops imagination, and endorses memory. Teaching kids to write is a great idea to help them with future studies and prepare them to go back to school. But it is also a fun bonding activity that helps them to be more creative.
When you teach kids to write, it is not so much about grammar or punctuation. It is more about literacy, engagement, and finding new means of expression. If you want to help your kid on this journey, here are ten fun ideas to try.
Help Kids Write Letters
When do kids start writing? Children start to write approximately when they are three or four years old. Do not worry, if your kid is starting slowly, it doesn’t mean you’ve failed as a parent. There is no such thing as a perfect parent. You just need to give them some extra help.
1. Create a writing spot.
The place where writing kid can happily do their thing. Provide all the supplies needed, such as paper, crayons, pencils, pens, etc. You can design it all together and add fun quotes, pictures of favorite animals, or cartoon characters. Having such a designated place offers constant children writing opportunities.
2. Prepare worksheets.
If you are only starting with the basics, create worksheets with letters and words to trace. This way your child can trace your own writing, you can do this together. Put a piece of paper over the worksheet and ask your child to trace. Help with the correct way to hold a pen, be there to encourage the effort.
3. Do grocery lists together.
You can teach kid to write and establish the importance of it in practice at the same time. When you prepare to go for groceries, sit down with your kid, and create the list together, ask them to write things down. Encourage to add something they want to buy, maybe it is some food they enjoy. Let them write it down. When you are at the groceries, give the list to your kid and ask to read it out to find the products and circle the ones you’ve already bought.
Things for Kids to Write About
With the older ones, you can get even more creative. How to motivate a child to write? Well, by showing how fun it is and what creative power words have. After all, it is an amazing technique of self-expression. When you provide children with the ideas to create a story, you help them to boost their imagination.
4. Relay story.
This is a fine idea to teach children to write stories and is especially good if you have several kids. Relay story is created together, one starts with one of two sentences and the next one continues with their input. For example, you can start with “One sunny day a white bunny was enjoying green grass on a field” and pass the paper. Now your child needs to continue with the next sentence.
5. Offer journaling.
Another tip on how to help your child write better is to promote it as a regular activity. You can start journaling, as an example. Write stories about your day or a trip somewhere. Include pictures, photos, tickets, or any other piece of illustration.
6. Postcards and birthday cards.
If you do not always know what to write about for kids, make a habit of sending handwritten postcards when you travel anywhere. Motivate your kid to create a card to their friends or other family members, provide them with all the supplies, like envelopes and postmarks. Use birthday cards for teaching kid to write – create handwritten birthday cards with best wishes.
7. Leave notes.
This tip on how to help your child write is also great for making it an everyday habit. Write funny notes for your family on stickers or chalkboard. Motivate them to answer the same way. It can be a game, a part of communication, and training at the same time.
8. Endorse creative writing.
Anything can be a topic of a story. For example, you can ask to create a story on random words from a book o vocabulary. It can be a tale about the first animal they saw today. Or something about what they truly love – astronauts, dinosaurs, knights, or cookies. Choose the object or a word and ask to write a story about its day.
9. Finish the story.
Another suggestion on how to help kids with writing is by offering them the set and asking to finish the story. If working completely from scratch is a bit tricky for them yet, set a scene and ask them to continue. For example, start it with something like “A little red-hair boy lived in a small town. He loved to look at starts every night before sleep. He always wondered whether he can ever go there, to space. One night, something amazing happened…” and ask to continue.
10. Be enthusiastic and supportive.
You are an example for your child, so if you are not into writing and never do it, it is hard to motivate. Do these exercises together, play writing games, and make it a fun part of your life. Stay positive, support every effort, and show an example.
In Summary
I hope these tips on how to teach a kid to write are helpful. It is an important skill for many aspects of cognitive development. In the modern world, we often pay less attention to it because of the technology around. Nevertheless, writing is an excellent way to be creative, make something good together, and express feelings.
Author bio: Anastasia K. is a CFO at WritingMetier. She is passionate about education, knowledge, and how modern technology makes them more
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