HOME & PARENTS

Putting Ideas on Paper

It was a beautiful late August day, and my family and I were headed down the shore for what is likely to be our last day trip of summer. As we drove the familiar roads, we approached a small roadside fruit stand that displayed a standing sign boasting homemade PIES. I could hear my girls begin their plotting in the back.

Practice storytelling.

Simply engaging your child in more conversations will help them become a stronger writer. Get in the habit of telling each other stories about your day, during dinner or at bedtime. Emphasize the structure of your story, what happened first, next, and last. Practice storytelling by looking through old family photos together and recounting fun experiences. Try to expose your children to new words through stories and conversations.

Create a special place in your home where your child can relax and write.

Find a quiet nook to put a flat surface and some comfortable pillows. Call it a “Writing Corner” and fill it with paper, pens, markers, a clipboard, a notebook, and a folder for storing their writing. All of these items can be found at a dollar store. Hang up examples of their writing and some writing of your own for inspiration. Every once in a while, ask your child if you can join them in their writing corner to write any lists, notes, or thoughts you may have.

Create a “Writing Box” with your child.

A writing box can be used at home or on the go, and children will love having their very own writing supplies. Fill a shoebox or small plastic storage box with supplies found at a dollar store: pens, pencil, markers, crayons, pads of notepaper, stencils, blank envelopes, small notebooks, erasers, etc.

Ask them for help with your own writing.

You are your child’s biggest role model for reading and writing, so if you demonstrate that writing is useful and pleasurable, then this encourages a positive attitude toward it. Ask them to help you out by writing the grocery list while you dictate, writing reminders for the family, creating a happy birthday sign, writing out a dinner menu, addressing envelopes, or writing “idea lists” for things they can do individually or with family.

Be their audience.

You can be your child’s audience, and exploring writing together can create a close bond. Give your children an opportunity to share what they have written. Have them hold their writing and read it to you to encourage a feeling of ownership. It takes courage to read our words out loud!

Respond to the content or the ideas in the writing first. There will be a time for editing after your child gets all his words on paper. Give him specific praise such as, “I could really picture your kite getting higher and higher and smaller and smaller!” Ask her questions about her process, “How did you get this idea?” and “Say more about the rainstorm.”

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