Meaningful Writing Experiences
Show children how you use writing:
Show children how you use writing:
- Writing your name or the child’s name on things.
- Making lists of things to do or items to pick up at the grocery store.
- Writing a note to letter.
- Writing in a diary.
- Writing events on a calendar.
- Have lots of paper and different kinds of paper available and accessible (for example, in the child’s room and in a play area).
- Have lots of pencils, crayons, markers available and accessible.
- Provide children with blank books to draw and write in.
- Provide children with office forms, phone message pads, smaller notebooks and pocket calendars.
- Ask your child to put their name on all art work or other creations.
- Have children make lists of things they want to remember, or simply to imitate you when you have a list.
- Ask children to write a note for a sibling, friend, grandparent or child care provider.
- Encourage a daily writing experience by giving children a diary and having them write in it at a regular time. (Younger children can just scribble. Older children can perhaps draw a picture and describe things that happened.)
- Help note children’s schedules on a calendar. What will they be doing this week? Important upcoming events can be noted.
- Office or home play should include paper and pencils.
- A pretend restaurant can include children creating menus and taking orders on note paper.
- If you have a play telephone, put a phone message pad nearby with pencils and encourage notes.
- Provide envelopes and paper and encourage letter writing as one way pretend characters can communicate with one another.