Writing Roundups

Learning the fundamental skills of writing can be an enjoyable and creative experience for any child. With your guidance, the following assortment of activities- from making collages and writing top ten lists to creating poems- will open up an exciting world of writing to your child. Writing allows an incredible outlet for your child to explore different worlds and use his imagination in new ways. Writing also allows your child an avenue to explore their feelings and experiences. Of course you never know when the new J.K. Rowlilng will emerge!! Theses activities can be among the first to get your child on the road to writing success.

1. Describe Yourself!  

Begin this activity by having the child brainstorm descriptive words about who he or she is- smart, kind, happy, fun. Next, help the child look for descriptive words in old magazines and cut them out together. Have the child use a crayon or marker to write his or her name on a piece of paper. Glue the words to the paper around the name.

2. Acrostic Poetry-  

Perhaps it is Father’s Day and the child needs to make a card. Suppose a special friend or family member needs a comforting thought. To create an acrostic poem, have the child write a key word, such as father, vertically on the left side of the paper. On each line, write a related word that begins with each letter, creating a poem such as the following:

              F un

              A lways helping

              T errific

              H ardworking

              E xciting

              R ready

For variety, the child can use two or more words for each line, creating a series of phrases.  

3. Looping Into Writing-  

Begin by inviting the child to do three minutes of freewriting, which means writing any words phrases that come to mind. Encourage the child to write the entire time. Tell her or him not to worry about the quality of the writing, punctuation, and so on. When time is up, have the child reread the work and circle one good idea. Then encourage the child to write about that idea for two to three minutes. Again, when time is up, have the child reread the work and circle one good idea. You may need to repeat this process one more time. When finished the child will be ready to begin writing on the topic and be happy with the starting point. Encourage the child to use this process as a writing technique, and you’ll be developing a writer!

4. Joking Around- 

Staple several pieces of paper together to make a book. Have the child write jokes you have heard in the book. Go to the library, and check out some joke books. Then have the child write favorite jokes found in the joke book. The child can also try creating original jokes or revising existing jokes to add to the collection. Share with friends and family, and have a constant source of laughter.

5. Verses and More Verses- 

Sing a favorite song together such as “Hush Little Baby”’ “Eensy Weensy Spider,” or “There Was an Old Woman Who Swallowed a Fly”. Explain how most simple songs rhyme and discuss what a rhyme is. Show and explain how new verses are sometimes are written for fun to be shared with others. Then try creating some new verses and singing them together. Have the child write the new verses on a piece of paper. Encourage the child to share with others, inviting them to add verses to the song, too.

6. Food Riddle- 

Have the child choose a food and make a list of all of its characteristics without telling what the food is. For example, suggest that the list for an orange include words such as bumpy, round, sweet, and so on. Invite the child to try to stump you by reading all the characteristics of a particular food without telling its name.

7. Take A Message- 

Read a favorite fairy tale, such as Little Red Riding Hood ,, aloud with the child. Discuss what Little Red might have said if she had phoned home when the wolf was about to eat her: “Mom! Call the woodsman! Grandmother is too hairy!” What message would the three bears have left with the police if Goldilocks hadn’t run away? Have the child write the message on the pink pad or notepaper.    

8. Sense-a-tional Poem- 

Introduce the body’s five senses: taste, hearing, smell, sight, and touch. Talk about how each of these senses helps the child appreciate the world. Think of a topic, or idea that could be described by the senses, such as food, a season, or an event (carnival, birthday, holiday). Explain the format of the sample poem below. Then share the example poem. Have the child create a poem using the same format.

                Line 1: color of topic or idea     Winter wears white and gray.

                Line 2: tastes like                It tastes like ice on the tongue.

                Line 3: sound like                   It sounds like whispers in the night.

                Line 4: smells like                 Yet it smells cool and clear.

                Line 5: looks like                  It looks lie a fairyland in the dark.

                Line 6: feels like                   And sends shivers to all who feel its chill.

9. Sleepy Time Recipe- 

Discuss with the child the interesting things that happen at night. For example, the stars come out, the fairies put stardust in the child’s eyes, and the moon comes up. Talk about recipes and how ingredients can be carefully mix to make a special treat. Have the child make a list of all the ingredients that would be perfect for a good night’s sleep. Then invite the child to create a recipe, deciding what amounts would be just right. For example, a child may want two cups of stardust to dust the whole room or maybe just a pinch for the eyes. Is the whole moon necessary or just a slice? After the child has written the recipe, have the child read it at bedtime. For a variation, make a wake-up recipe using the same process. Maybe this could be sold???