Getting children to write more can sometimes prove a challenge – especially encouraging them to write for fun not just at school. Here we’ve come up with some tips to get those budding authors started…
- Buy a ‘writing book’ or journal.
This can be a small book that your child can write stories and also write notes, doodles and ideas in. You can encourage them to take it with them on holiday, long journey’s or trips so they can write whenever they find inspiration.
- Encourage short stories
Stories don’t have to be pages and pages long. Children often work best when there is no pressure to write a certain amount and they can just write whatever it is they want and take it in any direction they want to.
- Give them ideas
The hardest thing for children is to focus their mind on just one story writing idea. Find an interesting picture from the internet together, or show them an old object in the attic or give them a title for their story. This will help get their imagination going without writers block.
- Read their stories
It’s important that authors have readers and your child is no different. If they ask you to read a story then their confidence will soar if you read it and love it.
- Get your child to read it to you
Even better than reading your child’s writing, ask them to read it to you or read it together. This will give you the opportunity to be able to ask questions about the story and you child can expand on their ideas.
6. Sparking interest
There are a variety of ways to encourage writing without it feel like writing and could be tailored around your child's specific interest. This could be writing a comic strip, writing a recipe, writing instructions for a new game they've created or writing in a storyboard. These are lovely ways that encourage writing but without a little one worrying about writing tons and tons.
Here are just some quick ideas to help reluctant writers - most importantly as parents we shouldn't worry or fret if our child doesn't love writing but instead find ways at home to encourage it in ways that spark enjoyment.