Last Updated on 22 April 2024 by Colette
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My eldest is something of a reluctant writer. He always has been. He has all the ideas, but can’t be bothered to put pen to paper. As he’s getting older he has accepted that he does have to just get on and write, but it’s never going to be his favourite thing to do.
Children will always be more interested in writing when there is an audience or a purpose so here’s 5 ways to get your child to write during the school holidays . . .
1. Write a shopping list
This one works best when the shopping list is for the things they actually want – eg writing a list of the ingredients you need for a baking activity or for the meals they have chosen over the course of the week or perhaps some new craft materials.
“If you want do some baking, we’re going to need to get some ingredients – can you write me a list of the things we need?”
2. Write a holiday activity wish list
When we’re doing this one I always make it clear from the outset that it’s a “wish list” and that I can’t guarantee that we can do any / all of the things on the list but I will do my best. Cost and time dependant, we usually manage to do most of the things on their lists but that little caveat just means if they’ve added a trip to Disneyland Paris on there, then we’re not going to get a kick off when they realise it’s not going to happen!
“Shall we make some plans for the school holidays? Can you write down all the things you might like to do?”
3. Send a post card
When you go out for the day, pick up a couple of postcards from the souvenir shop to write when you get home. Send them to Grandparents or friends telling them about what you’ve been up to!
“Shall we choose a postcard to send to Grandma? What do you think she’d like to know about our trip?”
4. Write a review for Tripadvisor
Tripadvisor is real reviews for real people – so this links back to what I was saying about writing having a real purpose and a real audience. Have a think about one of the days out you’ve had in the holidays, or even somewhere you’ve been in the past – what were the good bits, which bits weren’t so good? Is there anything you think other visitors might need to know?
5. Keep a diary
This is something Mum made us do as kids – we had a scrapbook each and she would let us choose a postcard whenever we went on a day out. When we got home we’d stick the postcard in a scrapbook and write about our day. It’s such a lovely idea but I hated doing it at the time! We had a go at doing it this summer – I bought them all a nice notebook each with the intention of getting them to write a little bit each day about what we’d been up to. The theory being it would give them a reason to write all through the holidays – we managed about a week before life got in the way. I think really we tried to do too much and it would have been better for them to just write about their days out.
Hopefully these activities will help to keep your children writing over the school holidays and they won’t suffer that feeling in September of not being able to write any more!
Check out these tips for keeping your kids reading during the summer!
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As you know, this is an issue here. Some really good ideas here though, I’m going to get N to write our shopping list later!
Ah great! Let me know how you get on. (Make sure there’s something on the list that he wants to buy!)
Some great tips here. I’m already excited for the prospect of Daisy being able to read and write properly. Opens up so many more parts of life!
It really does – Chloe absolutely loves writing and chooses to write little stories, letters and prayers all the time!
Great ideas! My youngest is a reluctant writer but she has been writing Christmas lists lately and having a great time doing them x
There’s no greater motivation!!
We used to do scrapbooks too, and N did one last year. This year, we did the photos, but he never got to actually do the writing. Unfortunately N is a half job person. He starts postcards or writing, then never finishes it.