PARENTING

Why Your Kids Should Be Writing Too

Encourage your children to write — here’s how to get them interested

Photo by Stijn Kleerebezem on Unsplash

I’m all for supporting children in activities that they are interested in pursuing — and I don’t just mean eating ice cream — but is it wrong to push them (gently) towards doing what you love as well?

Am I being too directive by guiding my kids towards creative writing projects?

I don’t think so. There are so many writing activities you can introduce them to, and I believe there is some kind of writing for everybody. As kids are naturally inquisitive, there’s almost definitely a subject and form of writing to get their creative juices flowing and let them share in the writerly love.

Here are a few suggestions which don’t involve bribing them with ice cream.

Start them small

A writer friend, Nicole Rivera, goes on letter hunts with her son. They have to spot five items beginning with the letter ‘P’ (for example). Such a basic exercise but a great way to transform a simple walk into a fun game. This works well for younger children, and five-year-olds make fantastic story tellers.

Five year old people are probably the…