Exploring Creative Writing with Your Child
Creative writing may not seem like an important element of a child’s education, but it actually provides many benefits that can support other aspects of their learning. For example, it can expand their vocabulary and help them improve their spelling and grammar, which contribute to enhanced written and verbal communication skills. There are lots of ways to encourage your child to explore creative writing at home, as discussed below by a private school in Wales.
One thing to bear in mind is that creative writing can be challenging because it isn’t necessarily something that can be learned. While there are certain skills involved to enrich a piece of writing, it is usually about who a person is, rather than what they know. With that said, try encourage your child to experience lots of new things on a regular basis so that they can find inspiration. This could be something as simple as taking a walk through the park. Help your child by asking them what they can see, hear, or smell. These sensory experiences will then help them find things to write about.
Of course, you can encourage your child to write their very own story from scratch, but this will be challenging. Make sure they plan their story carefully so that they have some direction, otherwise they will be more likely to give up. Encourage them to use a mind map to write down their thoughts and prepare the bones of the story. Research Todorov’s theory and follow his narrative to help keep the story on the right track. If you think they should start off with something a little easier, perhaps you could both re-write the ending to a story you have read together and then compare. Pay attention to how really minor changes here and there can lead to big differences in the way the story concludes.
When exploring creative writing with your child, ensure that your child has chosen a topic that is truly of interest to them. If you encourage them to write something science-fiction related when they’re more interested in romance, then they will find the task boring and give up before they’ve even truly begun.
More often than not, the hardest part of a creative writing project is getting started. Coming up with a compelling opening sentence is challenging, so why not help your child by writing this on their behalf. Use some of the books on your shelf for inspiration! In fact, it’s a good idea to encourage your child to read as much as possible, as this will help them with their comprehension of words in context, as well as the elements of different genres. As always, if you require any additional support with this project, don’t hesitate to contact your child’s teachers.
