Writing for Kids ~ Guest Post

Since we are on the topic of writing around here (latest review & an upcoming review, I felt this timely.

Guest post by Angelita Williams~

4 Ideas for Writing Practice for Kids

In nearly every aspect of life, whether at school or in future careers, writing effectively plays a central role. More than just this utilitarian consideration of writing, putting words on paper by forming cogent thoughts is an incredibly enjoyable process, once you've learned how to do it well. Learning how to write well means practicing writing early on. If your children have just started learning to read fluently, teaching them how to write well is an essential next step. Writing well starts with learning to love writing. Here are a few ideas for kids' writing practice:

1.      Go on field trips and have your kids write a response.

Young children are most excited about writing when they are responding to an experience they've had. This is especially true if that experience was something particularly exciting, like a field trip to the local zoo or aquarium. For kids who are first starting out to write, you may want to include specific questions that they answer about their experiences during field trips. When they're older, you can make the prompts more open-ended.

2.      Buy or create fun diaries for them to write their everyday thoughts and experiences.

Diaries or journals are often children's first introduction to writing. I recently unearthed my younger sister's diary from when she was six, and it was incredible to see how cogently such young people can write about everyday experiences. Putting together a diary from construction paper, or going out and buying an interesting looking journal often inspires young children to put words to paper.

3.      Encourage reading material they enjoy.

Reading and writing, it goes without saying, go hand in hand. Reading something that deeply moves or entertains a child is often enough to get them to start writing themselves. Whatever you do, never make reading into a chore. Encourage them to read whatever interests them, even if it's just comic books.

4.      Always constructively criticize.

Free writing, at the very beginning, is a great way to get young children interested in writing initially. However, eventually it's a good idea to review your child's work and find room for improvement. Always first correct minor grammar mistakes. Later, when your child is older and grasps the elements of style more fluently, point out how she could have better told her story, explaining which words would have been more appropriate.

Reading with kids is something that almost all parents do, but most parents don't really consider the importance of practicing writing with your kids beyond the confines of school. Truth be told, your child's future largely depends on her ability to write, so it's important to start early. Good luck!

By-line:
This guest post is contributed by Angelita Williams, who writes on the topics of online courses.  She welcomes your comments at her email Id: angelita.williams7 @gmail.com.