The ability to write is very important for the success of children's lives in the future. If your child can write well, his chances for academic and professional success will be opened. In addition, creative writing can be a therapeutic release for children to imagine a new world and express feelings. Help your child improve his creative writing skills by encouraging his creativity, through word games, and sparking his imagination with intelligent writing prompts.
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Method 1 of 4: Encouraging Children to Love Writing
Step 1. Read a story every night
Reading and writing are closely related. A good writer will enjoy reading a variety of subjects and writing styles. You can ask your child's teacher and local librarian for help in selecting books that are appropriate for your child's age and interests.
- Besides you reading, ask your child to read to you when they are old enough.
- Ask questions about her favorite book. Why does he like certain books while others don't? Help him develop his taste as a reader and soak up every word, character, setting, and plot.
- If your child has a favorite author or book series, you can take him to an author talk show or book signing to inspire him to write.
Step 2. Create time for reading and writing
Make sure your child's schedule is not full of other activities. Reading and writing require a lot of time and mental energy. So you can't expect your child to write stories between soccer practice and piano lessons. Let your child explore the world of words when he can relax, breathe, reflect, and think freely.
Step 3. Provide a place and equipment for writing
Like studying or doing homework, children also need a quiet place to write. Ideally, you should set up a table in the child's room, away from the television. If your child wants privacy, make sure you provide it. Don't read over his shoulder unless he lets you. The following must be available in the children's writing area:
- Notebook or journal
- Pens, pencils and erasers
- Bookshelf for inspiration
- Age-appropriate dictionary
- Thesaurus. Actually thesaurus is not necessary for young children, but will help older children who want to develop vocabulary.
Step 4. Focus on creativity, not grammar
If a child wants to be a creative writer, he or she must learn to experiment, take risks, and think outside of ordinary patterns. Don't stifle your child's creativity by criticizing imperfect spelling, grammar, and punctuation. You can correct this technical error, but don't make your child feel like a failure. Instead, praise his creativity and talk about his ideas.
Step 5. Show your interest in the child's ideas
You may be the only reader of the story he has written in the meantime. Encourage him to love creativity and writing by showing interest in his ideas, thoughts, and stories. Ask questions about the story he wrote to show you're interested. Compliment her when she does something amazing, such as creating an interesting character, writing a funny plot, or using difficult words correctly in sentences.
Step 6. Showcase your work
Children love it when their drawings, stories and paintings are shown to the whole family. Keep your child motivated to write by sticking their story on the refrigerator or on the bulletin board.
You can also invite your child to create a special "book" from the stories he or she writes, including illustrations and homemade decorations. Unite the sheets of paper with ribbon or thread to form a book which is a special place for creativity
Step 7. Be a stenographer for your child
If your child is too young to write a long story on his own, have him tell it orally. Write down the thoughts and read them when you are finished. For a young child, this method will help him connect the spoken and written words, while for an older child, it will help him focus.
Step 8. Try writing and reading with your child
Be a role model for children in reading and writing. Show that reading and writing are both rewarding and enjoyable activities. The more often your child sees you reading and writing, the more likely he is to practice on his own.
Step 9. Correspond frequently with friends and family
Sometimes the most rewarding writing activities are those that establish and maintain personal relationships. Develop the habit of correspondence via email or letters with friends and family members, and ask your child to help you out. If your child is excited about receiving and sending letters, chances are he or she is also excited about writing something else.
Method 2 of 4: Using Creative Writing Games
Step 1. Put the writing activity into an imaginative game
Your child may have already played some interesting imaginative games. For example, he likes the "police catch thief" game. Look for writing activities that match your child's interests and enthusiasm to spark his talent in creative writing. For example, you can:
- Ask your child to write a letter from the point of view of a character he enjoys playing
- Suggests the child write down the "days" of his imaginary friend
- Help the child create an imaginary country and ask him to write what the inhabitants of that country do
- Ask your child to create a "mixed" story that includes their favorite characters from different worlds.
Step 2. Use word games
There are a number of games that can help children develop vocabulary. Word games can help children develop a love of words and learn to use words appropriately. Some popular word games include:
- Scrabble
- Mad Libs
- Magnetic Poetry
- Boggle
- Balderdash
- catchphrase
- Taboo
Step 3. Invite your child to write a collaborative story
If your child is shy or unsure of his own ideas, invite him to write a story with you. Try to keep the story written in a light and silly tone so that the child remains interested and involved. Some ideas to try are:
- Write each story one sentence in turn. First you write one sentence, then your child continues with one sentence, then you again, and so on. Try adding funny surprises and variations to keep the story fun and interesting.
- Draw a picture and ask your child to imagine the story behind it.
- Make a list of words in the dictionary that you and your child randomly point to. Then develop ways to use all of those words in one story.
Step 4. Try not to play this game too long
Usually, children have short attention spans depending on their age. Try to keep the games you play with your child appropriate for their age and short enough to keep them interested. Limit play to 15–30 minutes and allow your child to stop if he seems bored, stressed, or tired. Remember that the game must be short in order to fulfill the objective.
Method 3 of 4: Helping Children Find Ideas to Write About
Step 1. Ask about the world around you
Cultivate children's curiosity to develop their writing skills. Ask about the world around you to stimulate curiosity and creativity. Interesting and deep conversations will help your child develop the curiosity and vocabulary he needs to become a creative writer. For example, you can:
- Telling him to look out the car window and think about where the people walking on the sidewalk are going
- Point to the animal you see and ask him to think about what life would be like for an animal.
- Asking children to make up the name of their favorite garden
- Asking him what his favorite building is and why he likes it so much
Step 2. Have the child rewrite a well-known story
Sometimes children can't create completely unique characters, settings, and plots. So that he can practice creative writing, consider asking him to write new versions of classic stories, such as fairy tales. What will he change so that the story becomes his own?
Step 3. Have the child write a story from one random sentence
One effective writing encouragement is to choose a sentence from a child's favorite book and ask him to write a story about that sentence. See if your child can create a story that builds on original source material to teach that writing is flexible.
Step 4. Have the child "read" the book without words
Wordless books are a great way to train children to create ideas. Wordless books usually feature detailed and interesting pictures that allow children to create many new stories and ideas. Find or buy some wordless books and have your child compose the appropriate words.
Method 4 of 4: Developing the Essential Ability to Write
Step 1. Encourage your child to write every day
The best way to improve writing skills is through regular practice, regardless of the age of the writer. Your child may get a lot of practice at school. However, if practice at school is limited or if your child is homeschooled, you may need to add formal writing lessons at home. Having your child write down obvious things (like what he did at school that day or what he ate) is also a good exercise. Effective practice isn't always about creative stories.
However, you need to be aware that sometimes children are reluctant to write. Leave it if he wants to take a break from writing (except writing for schoolwork)
Step 2. Encourage the child to keep a diary
Diaries are a great way for aspiring writers to develop vocabulary, develop a unique writing style, and learn to express complex thoughts in words. Diaries play a role in developing essential skills and are a means for children to express their thoughts and feelings.
Step 3. Tell the child to make a plan before writing a difficult piece
Sometimes the best writing practice is freewriting, that is, writing whatever comes to mind. However, if your child is older and wants to write a longer, more ambitious story, encourage him to make a writing plan ahead of time. Make sure your child understands what he or she is going to write, the point of the story, and (if relevant) the purpose. Does he have any plans about the beginning, middle, and end of the story?
Step 4. Resist the urge to write the story your child has to write
Perfectionism will damage the creativity and self-confidence of children. Instead of correcting your child's errors and mistakes, let him reread his writing and ask him to think about the story afterwards. Let him find his own mistakes and encourage him to correct without needing help. Never take over and rewrite children's stories.
- For example, you can underline misspelled words without telling them the correct spelling. Have him look up the correct spelling in the dictionary.
- Make sure you provide positive feedback as well as gentle suggestions for improvement.
Step 5. Provide fun opportunities for revision
One of the most important skills a child will learn is to revise the first draft to the final draft. Encourage your child to make changes to the story and make an earnest effort to improve it. For example, you could ask your child to use sticky notes to develop a first draft to give the story more detail, clarify language, and vary sentence structure. Show that practice and persistence are two essentials in the writing process.
Tips
- As a parent, your role is that of a creative writing assistant, not a mentor or teacher. Don't act as if creative writing is a chore or an obligation. If your child wants to be an effective creative writer, he or she must really have an interest in that field.
- Always be positive. It's okay to point out your child's grammatical errors, but only with positive and enthusiastic comments. Praise your child sincerely, but emphasize his success, not what he needs to improve.
- Know how to practice writing children at school. There are many schools that provide good training for writing. You can better understand your role in developing a child's skills if you know what the teacher is focusing on in class.
Warning
- Don't force a particular form of writing on your child (short stories, poems, etc.) if he or she doesn't show interest in that area. Encourage your child to be creative in areas of writing that he or she is passionate about.
- Some children do not show much interest in writing because they enjoy other activities more. However, some are not confident in writing because they have learning disabilities. If your child always lags behind their peers in spelling, writing, and vocabulary, talk to their teacher and learning specialist to see if your child has learning difficulties that are at the root of the problem.
