Many children begin learning writing skills in kindergarten or first grade. The experiences your child has as a young child will help shape the writer she becomes in the future, says Melissa Forney, author of "The Writing Menu: Ensuring Success for Every Student." As a parent, you can improve your child's writing skills by incorporating a few new and entertaining activities into her writing practice time. Encourage her as she works, and you will be taking the first steps toward fostering a love of writing.
Step 1
Give your child a writing prompt. Choose a prompt that builds on your child's interests so she will be more motivated to write, recommends Forney. Try asking her what kind of pet she would like to have, to describe her favorite sea creature or to write about who she would like to take a picture of and why.
Step 2
Allow your child to write freely. Encourage him to sound each word out and write it how he thinks it is spelled, and refrain from correcting his spelling mistakes. Ask him to read his story out loud to you so he gets practice hearing what his writing sounds like.
Step 3
Do an art project with your child and then have her write a story about what she created. Give your child a variety of art supplies and encourage her to create whatever she would like--making something is a powerful motivator to find a topic to write about, say Dea Paloletta Auray and Barbara Mariconda, authors of "Easy Art Activities that Spark Super Writing."
Step 4
Give your child a journal to write in. Allow your child to write about whatever she wants in her journal, suggests Mary Rose, author of "15 Easy Lessons that Build Basic Writing Skills in Grades K-2." Let her keep it private if she wishes, or take time to read what she has written if she asks you to. Comment on her writing and praise her accomplishments so she is motivated to keep writing.
Step 5
Read your child one of his favorite stories and ask him to write a new ending to the book. Tell him to think about the characters in the book and decide another way to end the story that he thinks fits with the personalities of the people in the story, recommends Rose. Try having him add a new character, or tell him to end the story in a specific way, such as happy, scary or exciting.
Tips and Warnings
- Many teacher and office stores sell special writing paper that is lined and leaves room for a picture. Choose a journal that has lines in it so your child has an easier time fitting what she has to say on the page in a readable fashion.
- Do not criticize or make fun of what your child writes about. It will keep her from trying to become a better writer.
Things You'll Need
- Pencil
- Paper
- Art supplies
- Journal
- Books
References
- "The Writing Menu: Ensuring Success for Every Student"; Melissa Forney; 1999
- "Easy Art Activities that Spark Super Writing"; Dea Paloletta Auray and Barbara Mariconda; 2000
- "15 Easy Lessons that Build Basic Writing Skills in Grades K-2"; Mary Rose; 2001
