As parents, we know that our children’s writing skills are critical for their future success. Whether they go into business or the public sector, the ability to communicate effectively is vital for getting ahead in the workplace.

Unfortunately, getting that ball rolling can be a challenge. A lot of kids naturally resist the call to write, preferring to focus on other things in their environment.

So what can the average parent do to boost their child’s writing skills? Let’s take a look.

Encourage The School To Improve Its Creative Writing Sessions

Sometimes, the way that schools teach writing can make it difficult for children to see the appeal. They use traditional techniques instead of relying on the child’s own imagination and proficiency.

Studentreasures.com is an organization that recommends changing the status quo. They want to see more proactive and fun methods to teach writing in the classroom.

Recommending that teachers use innovative approaches could completely change your child’s approach to writing. Once they see how enjoyable it can be, they may be much more likely to get into it.

Spend Time Reading Them Stories

Kids love stories. Thus, reading to them can be a great way to take them on an adventure and show them how powerful writing can be.

When reading to children, make it clear to them that they can also become authors if they put their minds to it. They will almost certainly have tales of their own to tell, both from their lives and their imaginations.

Connect Writing To Their Interests

Kids are always interested in something. That’s why it’s a good idea for parents to connect their hobbies with their writing. Getting them to describe why they like playing with toys or going on adventures to the park can be a great way to build their interest. Thanks to modern technology, journaling and blogging are now easier than ever.

Make Writing A Part Of The Routine

In the past, children would often have a pen pal – somebody living a totally different type of life elsewhere in the world. Sending letters back and forth to them was a lot of fun because you got to see how differently people lived on the “other side.”

Today, this practice has fallen out of fashion. But there’s no fundamental reason why it couldn’t keep going. In fact, writing letters to various contacts could be a great way to get your child used to the idea of putting pen to paper.

If your kid likes the idea of having a pen pal, you could also consider using email as an additional way to combine their love for writing with their excitement for technology and teach them valuable skills for their future life.

Introduce Them To New Vocabulary

Research shows that the more varied a parents’ vocabulary, the better the child’s command of English. For that reason, parents can possibly improve their kids’ writing skills by simply inserting less common words into everyday conversation. It’ll also build their confidence.

Another technique you can use is improving the grammar and length of your sentences. Kids will naturally learn how to use extended sentences, subordinate clauses, and the active voice if parents use them more often in speech. Translating these linguistic artifacts into a written form will come naturally to them over time.

Conclusion

There you have it: Five ways that you can implement in your family’s daily life and mix up to your likings to get your kids excited about writing.

I hope you liked this article and learned something. What’s your experience with your own kids and the topics of writing as well as reading? Do they enjoy it? What is your “secret sauce” when it comes down to the topic? Let’s have a discussion in the comments below!

Cheers,

Josh – Contributing Author