How to Encourage Writing in Children?

Writing is one of the most effective ways of communication in today’s world. And when I say writing, its not just limited to books and a paper, but even e-mails and various other social mediums need content to be written. Let’s find out how to encourage writing in children?

The best writers are avid readers. Read to your child every day. You say your child’s in middle school? Read to your child every day. Pick a book above your child’s reading ability, or take turns reading pages in a book of his choice. When your children are young, tell stories in the car, the doctor’s office, or when you’re pushing the stroller. Above all, talk to your children to encourage writing in children.

When your two-year-old scribbles and calls it his name, he’s writing. When your child writes a string of letters and tells you what it says, he’s writing. And when your little one draws a picture and adds a single word, she’s writing too. Call it that. Celebrate it!

So, how to motivate a child to write? When you’re in a rush to head out the door and are scribbling down a grocery list – and your tiny tot hangs over your shoulder and asks what you’re doing – take a second. Show him. Let him watch you make lists, send e-mails, write thank you notes, and compose a note for his lunch box.

Writing doesn’t just happen. It’s a skill that develops slowly after much practice. When parents provide an environment that encourages writing, their children are motivated to write. What kinds of things can you do at home to boost writing development in early childhood? Here are a few simple suggestions for preschoolers, middle and high schoolers, and writers of all ages.

Preschool

• Give your children appealing writing supplies. Show them the right 4 year old writing examples.
• Put a chalk or dry erase board on the wall at your children’s eye level to encourage them to write.
• Write down the stories that your preschoolers tell you.
• Encourage your children to make birthday and greeting cards for friends and relatives.

Middle School

• Put a wipe-off board up in the kitchen to serve as the family message center.
• Children can make their own Family newsletter and write about their experiences about activities done with various family members.
• Encourage your children to keep diaries or journals.
• Have your child write the grocery list or thank you notes!
• Let your children see you write.
• Thinking about how to teach a child to write letters? Encourage them to write letters to relatives, friends and help them post it.

High School

• Set up a 10-minute period twice a week when you and your children communicate only through writing.
• Encourage your children to use e-mail and chat with friends on the computer under your supervision.
• Children can use a word processing program with a grammar checker.
• Talk about great writers and what inspires you about their writing
• Frequent writing assignments in school could help in the development of imaginative skills and writing skills for kids.

All Ages

• Encourage your children to read as it will teach them about sentence structure, grammar, and vocabulary. Good readers normally become good writers.
• Show your children that you value their writing. Praise content rather than focusing on errors.
• Encourage your children to revise and rewrite until they are truly satisfied with the results.

Hope this helped you get some engaging ideas for how to encourage writing in preschool, middle school and any other age. Try the tips out and perhaps these tips would encourage writing in children.

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