4 Ways to Keep Kids Practicing Writing at Home

Developing strong writing skills will benefit students throughout the rest of their lives. Even after they have graduated high school or college, they will be faced with tasks that require written communication, such as writing documents, reports, presentations, or emails. Using proper spelling and grammar, as well as conveying information in a way that makes sense, is critical.

Continuing to practice, even at home, can help students further build and refine their skills — and it doesn’t have to feel like a chore. Here are a few fun ways to encourage your child to work on their writing and grammar.

1. Keep a journal. Are you going on vacation? Do you have some day trips planned? Is your child going to summer camp, art camp, soccer camp, or some other type of organized activity? Have them keep a journal so they can remember all of the fun things they did and learned. Even if they are hanging out at home, they can write about activities they’d like to do in the future. Or maybe they just want to journal their thoughts and ideas. In any case, it’s getting them to write.
2. Get creative. Encourage your child to use their imagination. Did they watch a tv show or movie but weren’t thrilled about the ending? Get them to rewrite it how they wanted it to turn out. Or have them create a sequel about what happens next. They could create their own comic book, compile a book of poems they’ve written, or plan out their own novel. Let their creativity shine by not placing requirements or expectations on what they’re writing.
3. Build an argument. Is there something that your child really wants to do or buy? Ask them to do some research and create a persuasive essay to convince you of their position and why you should say yes. They’ll have to come up with facts and reasons to support their request and defend themselves against opposing viewpoints. In addition, they will need to organize their argument in a clear, easily understood manner.
4. Be an editor. Ask your child to help you with a document, email, or presentation that you are writing. Have them read over it to check for any spelling or grammar mistakes, as well as feedback on sentences or ideas that don’t make sense or need clarification. Together you can talk through ideas to make your content stronger or more concise. Not only does this help your child to practice their skills, but it can also boost their confidence that you trust them to review your work and share their thoughts.

It can be a struggle to get your child to work on their writing skills but giving them some freedom and creativity can make it more enjoyable and less like a task they have to push through. As they get older, keep talking about how writing shows up in so many different facets of everyday life. Crafting Scholars offers programs to assist students with improving their writing mechanics, research skills, spelling, grammar, and more. Contact us today to learn more!

Originally published at https://craftingscholars.com on July 19, 2023.