Need ideas to get DD(5) to practice writing at home please.

[Adikia]

DD's teacher has asked us to get her to practice her writing at home over half term, DD isn't keen on this idea as writing just to practice is boring, so is helping me write shopping lists, so what exciting things could I get her to write?

Can she send a letter/postcard to someone?

A note inviting a friend for a playdate?

Draw some pictures and write captions? (DD1 once made a 'museum' in her room, wrote the sign for her door and labels for the items!).

Try getting her a secret diary, or one of those books where you fill in info about yourself and your friends etc.

Buy a small whiteboard, write messages with questions so that she can reply (e.g. 'Hello DD. What shall we have for dinner today?')

What year group is your DD in? What in particular does she need to practise- handwriting/letter formation? (In which case using Chalks or water in the garden) or later skills such as using descriptive language? (If so, telling stories verbally will help)

HTH!

Postcards to a well primed Grandma who will instantly write back. Worked wonders for both of mine.

My dd loves playing a 'waitress' game. She comes and takes my order and writes down what I want. I know that's not sentences but she finds it fun.

Sometimes, more tactile ways of forming letters can help children to think about how to construct words and letters.

You could try making her name out of dough, cupcake decorations, writing in sand or soap on a hard surface, making a picture with string and glue letters for example. You could also try getting them to play writing letters on each others back, and the other has to say what the letter was.

These may be ways of 'hiding' the learning about letter formations, and break up the paper and pencil work.

Hope thats relevant!

My niece and her Granny (my dm) write to each other all the time and also yes the waitress game is great! Dont even tell her it is to practise and dont then 'mark' it, just suggest Granny or whoever would like a letter. Maybe e.g.Granny could be the one to suggest it??

MrsK, she's reception so letter formation/leaving gaps between words.

Thanks everyone great ideas so far.

Also does she have access to a camera..take photos and make a scrapbook with captions of the holiday.

Playing cafes works well. DD2 liked writing menus for her pretend cafe or for real meals. Could you have a Valentine's tea and get her to bake some buns and write a menu and invite for her Dad and/or siblings.

My two like doing this sort of thing and making dsigns for the dinning room door.

signs for the door.

Play school, where she is the teacher and you/dolls/teddies are pupils. She writes out what they have to do, then does it for them and marks it.

Write out a plan for what you are going to do every morning and afternoon of half term.

Ooh she does love cooking and wants to invite my family over for lunch so she could do a menu and write them invites.

I saw on Pinterest that someone had done a box of writing things - fancy pens, paper etc different things to write on with
In a cardboard box with pens so they could decorate the box too

Could you get a couple of pages and fold them together and get her to write a book? My DD, also 5, is currently writing little red riding hood a bit at a time. Maybe she could write a little bit on each page and draw a picture to go with it?

Actually I have told my DD that I will buy her a pack of small notebooks from the 99p store (I think it might be 10 for 99p) and she says she wants to use one for writing stories and one for practicing her number sentences.

Hi OP what has worked brilliantly with my DS(just 6) is a 'question and answer' journal. I bought it for him at Christmas. Instead of having to think of something to write, you have to answer a question every day. The questions range from 'do you believe in aliens?' to 'when was the last time you felt sad? Why?'

I still have to help DS read the questions...and have encouraged him to think about how he's going to answer them ...but the improvement in his writing (clarity and sentence construction) has been phenomenal!

In fact he loves it so much one question a day isn't enough. He always wants to see what the next question is...and the next one...I think we're already answering questions from March!

I would say definitely a small whiteboard - WHSmith do nice ones. My 5yo happily scrawls away all over her whiteboard without even realising she's practising her hand writing. Then the whiteboard can be used for all the games above - cafes / playing schools with teddies etc.

My daughers white board is double sided and has the alphabet on one side so she can trace over each letter to practice, then plain the other side so she can write whatever she wants.

I came on here to suggest playing cafes and making storybooks, but see others have already mentioned them.

I would like to ask bertiebassett if she could link to the questions and answers journal, though, as I think my own reception-aged DS might enjoy that...

I love the question and answer journal Bertie!

My ds likes writing down jokes in a little notebook.

Hi everyone, here's the link for the question and answer journal (hope the link works!)

www.bookdepository.co.uk/Q-Day-for-Kids-Betsy-Franco/9780307952967

She 's 5! For goodness sake - what on earth is the school thinking! Firstly, see teacher and tell them to get a grip! Can she talk, listen, follow a conversation, offer an idea? Share toys, offer help to a friend, empathise. Is she inquisitive, questioning and interested? Can she dress/undress, cut straight and curved lines, glue and stick .........This is the important stuff! However, if you must, then writing is all about gross motor to fine motor skills. Mark making should come first with children getting control over pencil so lots of tracing and following lines, curves, patterns etc. To practice letter formation, buy a tray with deep lip. Fill with sand or shaving foam or icing sugar and practice 'writing' the letters. Find dark coloured wall and use paint brush dipped in water only. Use icing pens on cookies, carving tools on play dough etc. Then move on up to special pens / books etc but has she got anything to write about? Try storytelling approach style where you take a well known story preferably one with repeating sentence and then learn a couple of sentences (lots of acting fun) and then she gets to write her own version - changing one thing. Eg going on a bear hunt - change where the bear walks

I really wouldn't bother. Concentrate instead on inspiring by reading to her or getting her to read interested books to you. Much better then slogging away writing and the outcome will be more effective.

Effic, she writes a few letters backwards, so the teacher suggested a bit of practice at home might help.

MrsK, we tried the messages on a white board today, DD thought it was brilliant, although she did run off giggling having written 'Daddy is a poo bum'

Bertie, the journal looks brilliant.

Writing things backwards is totally normal for lots of kids under 7. It resolves itself by 7 usually

I think it's unnecessary to make them write lots. Reading is more effective and will have a bigger impact on all aspects of writing in the long run.