How do I get my 6yo to be more creative with his writing?

[NatalieJane]

We had parent's evening, he is doing brilliantly with everything, except his writing. He is having no problems with the actual mechanics of writing, but his teacher says he has little imagination, and that come the SAT's next year he is going to find it difficult.

Now to be honest, I couldn't give a fig about the SAT's, but I don't want him to fall behind in daily school life.

If I sit him down and ask him to write a story, 99% of the time he will write 'I love my Mummy, I love my Daddy, I love my brother' and that is it. He does enjoy writing and colouring, so the problem is just with his imagination, and I guess confidence?

So how do I get him to start thinking about something else? I have tried asking things along the lines of Goldilocks went into the three bear's house, ate the porridge, broke the chair, went to sleep, but what else did she do whilst she was there? He just looks at me blankly, so I might add a suggestion of my own like maybe she played with Baby bear's toys before she went to sleep? So he will then write his story, but will just add that she played with the toys, without adding anything himself.

Should I just let him carry on as he is, if he obviously isn't ready to be that creative yet? Or should I try and coax him into it, and how?!

i'd just let him carry on. fwiw my 9 yo dd writes tons of stories/poems and songs at home and reads a huge amount. her writing is fantastic, genuinely so, not just being doting mum. BUT school says her vocabulary is poor and her creative writing dull! i think she can't be bothered at school and saves it for home.

i think schools are obssessed with scores and it makes my blood boil
but dont stress about this - he is 7!

Message withdrawn

NJ - I could have written your post after having parents evening for ds (Year 1) ! His target was to be more 'creative,' but to be honest when I looked at his work I was pretty impressed compared with how 'concrete' he can be at home. He's a great reader and has a passion for maths and science but like your ds, creativity does not come out in his writing.
TBH in ds's case, I think it is his character. Dh is an engineer, reads widely (but not very much fiction) and can be pretty unimaginative .
Ds is never going to be a journalist or author, so I just thought I would carry on reading interesting books to him. Your ds sounds like he might also be more of a 'science' (in it's broadest sense) lover.
Though starting to wonder if 'imaginative writing' is a current Y1 target?

NJ-This is a good website with storytelling games
here

Esp. the story plant option!
God luck