Real writing is so important for building literacy skills. Try these ideas and use the free printables to get your children writing.
21 opportunities for children to do real writing
Children learn from what they see their grown-ups doing, and they love to help. We can put this to great use when we want to encourage them to develop good writing skills.
Let them see all the ways you use writing for practical purpose, and invite them to join in.
They’ll start out by trying scribbles. These become purposeful marks – even if we can’t quite work out what they mean, they have definite ideas behind them.
With lots of opportunity, practice and patience, this can naturally develop into letters and then writing.
We can facilitate writing by making sure there are always pens and paper around.
Start small, and keep on building.
Try these ideas to make writing irresistible.
Let’s write!
Here’s a great list of ideas you can use to give your children opportunities for real writing:
Write your name on all the pictures you draw.
Write a name tag for your coat peg.
Make a sign for your bedroom door that says “This is ………’s room!”
Add a note in your books to say “This book belongs to ……..”
Use our Reading Record to track the books you read.
Send a birthday card.
Write the gift tag on a present you are giving.
Send a postcard when you go on vacation.
Send cards to celebrate your holidays – Christmas, Hanukkah, Eid etc.
Write a shopping list when you go to the store.
Write a packing list when you go on a sleepover.
Write out the menu for a special family meal.
Keep a scrapbook of all the places you visit.
Write out a recipe and then cook it.
Menu plan together.
Write out what’s for dinner tonight on a chalk board each day.
Write plant labels for pots of herbs and seeds you are growing.
More literacy lesson plans and activities
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