A confident writer is someone who can express their thoughts on the page as well as they can express them in person. It’s not something that happens in one big burst, but there are things you can do to help your child along the way. Here is a summer writing activity.
Focus on Feelings
Busy – Busy – Busy. Friends. Vacations. Long days. Summer brings challenges of its own to any writing activity, so let’s switch it up.
The ability to describe and write about feelings and emotions is vital to becoming a confident writer. Take advantage of the nice weather to give your child some practice by keeping a nature journal with pressed leaves and flowers.
Nature Journal
If you’re new to pressing leaves and flowers, don’t worry. Put the leaf or flower between two sheets of wax paper. Then pile something heavy on top to press the flower or leaves. In a day or two, you’ll be able to remove the wax paper and glue the pressed flower or leaf on a sheet of paper.
Once they’ve glued their bit of nature to the top of the page, ask your kids to identify the emotions/feelings that are evoked. Help them by writing a sentence or two that they dictate, or have them write sentences on their own.
Bottom Line
Expecting a child to jump right in as a confident writer when they haven’t had any experience with the things that go into being a confident writer puts a lot of pressure on them. Give this activity a try, as they see that writing can be a lot of fun. And please, let us know how it goes.