Mumsnet users share their top tips for encouraging their children to write, with Premier League

[EllieMumsnet]

This activity is now closed

Writing, be it in a diary, a poem, a short story or even a letter can be a great way to help children explore their creativity whilst inspiring them to write more. With that being said the Premier League would like to know your top tips for encouraging you DC to write more and explore their creative side.

Here’s what the Premier League have to say: “Our Premier League Primary Stars education programme uses the appeal of football to inspire kids to learn, be active and develop important life skills. More than 15,000 primary schools use the free teaching resources for maths, English, PSHE and PE and take advantage of incentives and competitions available for their school. However, sometimes young writers need a little extra boost and that’s why we are proud to bring back our Writing Stars poetry competition, which last year inspired more than 25,000 children to write a poem. This year’s competition theme is diversity and, with the support of a fantastic judging panel including singer Olly Murs, former footballer Rio Ferdinand, Children’s Laureate Lauren Child and poet Joseph Coelho, we are encouraging children to pick up a pen and explore what it means to be beautifully different and wonderfully the same. To read some of the poems already submitted by celebrities, please click here.”

Do you find that reading to your children frequently helps develop their imagination and also inspires them to write stories too? How about encouraging your children to keep a diary to write their everyday experiences in? Do you make sure that your DC write thank you letters after their birthday and Christmas in order to help them practice writing? Do you go on days out that will help them explore the things around them and develop their imagination?

Whatever your top tips are, share them on the thread below and you will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 voucher of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw!
MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs Apply

DD is always writing stories based loosely on books she is reading, she takes inspiration from characters. I find a good glittery pen and a sequinned notebook give all the encouragement she needs.

Reading, of course. Wide-ranging reading of every genre and format. But I agree with those who say it is very important to let children experience boredom. Try not to fill their every waking moment with activities. Creativity is born from those quiet moments, when the brain is still and empty and waiting to be filled.

Start with a blank sheet of paper and a pencil. Then just ask them to write down how they are feeling and introduce subject matter that you know they are interested in. Before long, the juices will flow and they will be away. Gentle encouragment and patience is all that is required.

Mine is only 6 and I don't think at this age she should be pushed to write but do it when she feels motivated (outside of school, that is). I encourage her by engaging with her when she does suddenly get excited about writing something, she always wants help figuring out how to do it. I find she is often inspired by the books that we read at bedtime so I try to seek out a variety that I think will interest her.

I buy book and pens which the children like so that they want to use them. I read to the children and listen to them read and ask them questions so that they think and use their imagination. My son has a diary and will write in this and at times he starts to write stories but he does get bored. I read what he writes and show interest so he knows it is good and is encouraged to write more.

From being young we have done craft projects and arty stuff. I think if they have experienced it from a young age then thats just what they do. Rainy days are the best times to think of new activities.

We have themes, like a day at the beach and research together either on the internet or go out and explore it together, then sit and write our ideas and inspirations down....

Having a conversation in writing where we pass the piece of paper over to each other. Example:
'What do you want for your tea?'
'Fish fingers please'
'Do you want them with custard?'

I keep the craft cupboard well stocked, use recycling for junk modelling and give my DD time and freedom to create what she wants

Hi,

I am hoping someone can share their experience with me regarding newborn experience with Jaundice.

Here goes my experience..

DD was admitted to NICU with bilirubin level of 632 @ 2days old and blood transfusion was done.

We were then informed to go for hearing test. She was diagnosed with Auditory Neuropathy ( bilateral hearing loss).

Has anyone experienced something similar and know the process / what to expect in terms of this journey ahead?

Constantly doing activities

I always tell my child that there imagination is limitless they can dream up endless creations. My child have inherited my love of journaling writing and English. Dc has been given a wonderful gift that is certainly cherished. At school Dc excels. At English story writing and art. From a young age I have encouraged it all of the different pens and pencils chunky for little hands I've bought all of the different grips to get a better grasp on the pen or pencil to make it easier to write. We read stories each night and after that we make up our own stories. I had flash cards and sentences connects and from there its easier to keep connecting and stories get bigger. Add a favourite stuffed animal such as a lion who becomes the centre of any story. All tools are at hand to make the perfect stories you just have to used your imagination. My child knows its fun to explore and have adventures using imagination. Imagination is the key I nurtured and encouraged that form and early age and now my child adores reading writing and creating stories and find it fun to act them out and role-playing.

We have always played the story game, where we will tell part of a story and then someone else will continue and so on, is great for thinking on the spot and getting creative.
We also play D&D which is fantastic for the imagination, creating worlds, characters and storylines and for story telling. The more detail the better and a lot of the time requires improvisation as well as pre-planning.
Reading also is a massive encouragement and inspiration and we talk about books she is reading all the time.

Poetry! I love sharing poetry books and YouTube slips of ace poets like Michael Rosen. It’s particularly useful for engaging those with a short attention span. Plus, it’s easier to have a go if you’re not expected to write 100 pages. Builds brilliant vocabulary and encourages performance. I love it.

Ok so where do i begin.. , im not sure if this is the right place to post ( newbie here)

My eldest is 3 in feb,

Since he was a baby he didnt make typical baby sounds he was quite quiet, fast forward a year or so and we noticed he still wasnt making much progress with his speech he would be 18 months old. He very rarely said mama or dada and only copied when i or dad asked. He has this look of absense about him also. He still does now. So we made an appointment with speech and language who said he has a development. So a peads appointment was made who another referall as he covers his ears repeats his words, He speaks very very very little. He is picky with his food ect so moving forward hes 2years 7months old and we now have a SEYS person coming into his nursery to do an assessment, but my question is what happens once they do this assessment?

I'm a teacher so love inspiring children's creativity and imagination. There are endless ways to do this.. I love using open ended resources, like bottle tops, junk materials, magnets, craft materials, shells, ribbons and fabrics etc and seeing what the children make of it. You'll find some children want to just transport the objects in bags, some want to craft with them and ask for glue, paint etc, some role play with them and engage in that way. Some children love getting messy and add them to the mud, sand, water trays.

In regards to writing, it can begin from such an early age. I class lots of different things as making marks- again I see this in lots of different ways from children. Some children who are not so eager to hold pens and writing tools may do so out of lack of interest or maybe their grip has not developed. I like using big outdoor brooms and brushes to make marks in sand and mud to inspire an interest. Equally, pens and Mark making tools can be strapped to trains, cars, dolls and children can make marks just from playing with these objects.

Most importantly, I ask open ended questions- that way you are able to understand their reasoning and know where to go next. Its also so important to get involved in their play as a collaborator, not a spectator.

Our kids are home educated so encouraging their creative side is completely on me. I have adopted a curriculum that centers on the humanities and relates the STEM subjects around that... My daughter is now 13 and loves writing as well as many different arts and crafts. My son is 16 and so gifted in History and loves writing well thought out essays.

I believe it is we as parents and the world view we share that drives our children's views on creativity. Schools are focused on STEM without realising that in the not so distant future, AI is going to be more than capable of doing most of the things that we are insisting our children learn now. They will be left bereft of the soft skills that AI will never be able to replicate. Writing moving prose, articulating the nuances of human dynamics, relationship, compassion and empathy. The arts are critical to creating and sustaining connection between each other.

In short, as a family we have focused on our children's ability to communicate with depth and passion, whether it is creatively or critically. Writing is an essential component to one's mental well-being. And requisite should our children desire to be in positions of peace in a technical and mechanised world. So, we haven't pushed them, but rather created an environment that supports the outgrowth and nurturing of these diminishing skills.

I firmly believe encouraging a love of reading helps a lot when it comes to writing.

My dd loves to write and has a great imagination which stems from her love of reading.

One of the best ways I found to get my reluctant writer to write is to use incentives! ie - you need to write this to get this Blue Peter badge or beavers badge etc.

always spend quality time looking at and listening to their efforts