Teaching your child to enjoy writing can seem like a daunting task. Most children would prefer something more active than sitting at a desk typing or worse to them, handwriting a letter. All the possibilities of what to say can seem very daunting. Especially to the hyper child and or young child.
However, there are several tips to help you help them enjoy this sometimes seemingly lost art.
First of all teach your child how to brainstorm what they want to write about. Sometimes the most difficult part of composing a letter is deciding what you’re going to say.
One of the best kinds of letters for kids to write are the update letters. Children love to tell people what their latest favorite activity is. And often, in great detail!
Give them idea starters. There are several for you to choose from such as: A long time ago, Yesterday, At soccer practice, Last Christmas, This summer.
Express the need for the letter to have a beginning, a middle and an end. Providing a clear outline will enable the child to see there will be a finishing point. Which helps ease their mind. Although, once they get started they will likely be surprised by how easily it all comes to them. And how much more they write than they thought they would.
Be sure to guide them on how to express their thoughts. Also on the importance of making a clear statement in each sentence. How to keep different thoughts and ideas separate, so as to not confuse the reader is important as well. Make sure everything is clear. Stay away from any type of trailing off into another topic this will help the reader to follow along. Explain to the child the need for descriptive details. How to elaborate on how much fun trying to surf for the first time really was. The color of the water, the warmth of the sand, the feeling of success once they stood up, and the taste of the water once they wiped out.
Tell them to not overdo it on one word. This is a common problem that we are all guilty of. Once we find a few words we like, we hang on to them. Teach them how to use a thesaurus. Writing is a terrific way to help broaden their vocabulary and open them up to new exciting words.
Next, you should read over the letter yourself. If you notice any mistakes ask your child to take a second look and help him or her edit the letter. Recognizing one’s own mistakes makes it easier to not repeat that mistake in the future.
Discuss with your child when finished why it is important to correspond with people. Explaining to children at a young age the need for relating to people and communicating effectively will help them greatly in the future.
Don’t forget to discuss closing the letter. Explain the differences in phrases such as: Yours truly, Sincerely, Regards, Thank you, and if it’s to Grandma, Love.
It is never too early to instill a love of writing in your child. So start right away!