Ten Ways to Develop Better Writers

1. Encourage your child to tell stories and narrate/summarize what they have heard. Bible, history, or science lessons make great material for narrating/summarizing.
2. Live life.  Interesting experiences such as vacations, trips, sport games, etc. all make great writing prompts.
3. Help your child find the interesting in the mundane.  A weekly trip to the grocery store could offer many writing ideas to a keen observer. 
4. Encourage your child to write outside of school lessons.  Friendly letters, journal writings, or fictional stories can be fun as school lessons or beyond.
5. Increase your child's vocabulary.  We have always spoken to our children normally.  We have never renamed something or used 'kiddie' language with them.  If they don't understand a word we use, we take the time to explain it.
6. Keep a student or college level dictionary and thesaurus.  It helps with the large vocabulary.
7. Provide a writing formula when your child is stuck.  Writing poetry can be easier with a specific formula like a haiku or rhyme pattern.
8. Have writing prompts on hand.  A good piece of art work can provide ample ideas for stories.  A finish the story activity book may help as well.
9. Encourage your child to share some of their writing with others.  People will naturally encourage a young, budding writer.
10. Read aloud to your child as often as possible.  Good literature, poetry, and Shakespeare are great places to start.

{There are, of course, more than just ten ways to develop better writers.  The ones listed here are what we use in our home.}

Writing Friendly Letters

Our daughters have embarked on a letter writing campaign this year.  Though they were required to write a few friendly letters for school, they have both taken up the pen and paper more than required.  Sometimes, they write to family members, or friends far away.  Other times, they want to write to a sponsored child or an acquaintance who is ill.

Their newest writing endeavor began with a visit.  My husband's cousin, who was in the process of moving across country, stopped at our home for a night.  Since our daughters had a wonderful time visiting with her, they decided to write her.

Pulling out their own personal stationary, they composed letters.  In earnest, they decorated the paper with cute swirly lines and little stickers writing words of endearment to their cousin.  The next step is taking those letters to the mail box. 

With the advancements of technology, I can't help but feel the art of writing letters has fallen to disuse in many people's lives.  Though it is much easier to dash a few lines in an email, text, or fb update, there is such joy when one receives a hand written letter.  In that spirit, we teach and encourage our children to learn to write friendly letters well, and if possible, often.