3 Ideas to Encourage Kids to Write at Home and at School Part 2 of a 7 Part Series

SInce my last post, things have changed quite a bit.  If I posted a picture of myself today, you would notice that my roots are showing gray without my salon open, my nails are growing and desperately need a refill and my eyebrows are flowing...so...we are all in this together and as such, we need to work to find some positives in everything we do!  

That being said, here are some ideas that you can use to encourage writing at home especially since many of you are using distance learning or if you are a parent, conducting home learning as most schools are closed without an opening date scheduled!

So with all that in mind...

Here are 3 more ideas to use at home or at school to encourage writing!

✐  This is the perfect time to encourage Journal Writing.  This is an idea that was mentioned in my first post, but NOW is definitely the time to encourage children to keep a journal especially if your state has mandated a "Stay at Home Policy."

You can grab a notebook or some paper that can staple together in a booklet, decorate the front and go from there.

In my opinion, if kids decorate their journal, they will take ownership of their writing, build confidence and feel encouragement to write in it...OR NOT! 😃

The purpose of keeping a journal, especially during this pandemic journey, is to write about each day and how they feel...BUT...not just that!  Have your kiddos write about whatever they want and encourage creativity!

Take a look below to see some other journal ideas you can provide with distance learning or at home.

• Have kids draw a picture right in their journals adding as many details as possible.  Then have them write about the picture. It can be anything they want to draw as long as they write a few sentences about it.  You can assign a certain number of sentences according to age or goals.  I usually assign 3 sentences in Kindergarten, 5 for first grade and so on. However, you know your kids better than I do so assign accordingly or you can simply say write as much as you need to give all the information about your picture or topic! 

• Take pictures of family activities you are doing during this time.  Have your children write about the picture.  If possible print the pictures and glue them right into their journals. Maybe placing one on each page and then have them write about one picture each day.   Then one day you can look back on this time and reminisce about times gone by.  

You can also give your children pictures that you have in your phone to write entries. I would choose ones that they remember perhaps sports, family vacations or simply fond memories!

✐ Give your child a Blank Heart and have them write, draw pictures or even cut out ideas from magazines that are dear to their hearts and keep this heart in their writing folder or glue it into the front of their journals...they will always have an idea handy! 

Last but not least...drumroll please number 3:

✐ Prized Possession Writing: This can be done in 2 ways. First have students bring in  an object of choice or if you at home, grab an object of choice about which to write.  Most kids have a prized possession or a stuffed animal that has been their "go to" forever.   Second whether you are at school or home have a basket of beanie babies, plush toys and fun objects from which to choose and the kids can describe the object, create a story about it or simply tell how they got it or why they like it!        

I hope these ideas support your distance learning, at home learning or, if you are still in school, support your writing curriculum and/or give you some ideas for writing in general! 

Maybe you want to support writing at home by using some of these writing ideas  to use for YOU to write and then have a family sharing time...I think I would LOVE doing THAT!

Look for more writing ideas soon!

Be safe and stay healthy...we are all in this together!!