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

[EllieMumsnet]

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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

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Ahhhh I think I've nailed this one. I have found if I actively try and encourage it, the kids turn against it BUT boredom seems to do the trick. I have implemented a "no electronic devices" time - they can do anything they want during this time, so long as it's not electronic and usually they end up being creative in one way or another. I even get handmade Christmas and birthday cards now!! At bed time it's time for "real" books because anything electronic is left downstairs. They sleep better when they've been reading, which means they are in a better mood when they have to get up in the morning!!

Making little books together out of paper to put their stories in always works well.

Our DCs all love to read and our local library always has things on to get creative. Our youngest DC loves to paint and draw, and we always have supply of paper , canvases and paint.

I always read to Ds (20 now) and he became a prolific reader and read a novel a day with a reading age of 11 at age 7. He wasn't really into writing but, boy could he spell!

I was quite lazy with Dd (11) and didn't read to her much and although she likes to read, it's nowhere near the way Ds was, and I'm lucky if she reads a book in 3 months and her spelling is dreadful. I blame myself for not reading enough to her and I also blame screens. Dd really does enjoy writing though, and will rise to the challenge if given work to do that involves her imagination.

So, my tips would be 'read, read, read to your kids from very young. Have spelling games. Make up stories together.

I think it's fairly easy to build creativity and imagination in young children through lots of small world play and role play.

In terms of putting this creativity into writing, that's a bit different. I think it helps to explore different ways that your children can express their stories and ideas - they could be portrayed through drawings and models as well as writing them down. The important thing is to find the style of expression that suits your child, then their imagination will flourish.

Reading every night before bed. My DD is 22 months and demands 'book chair' every night before she goes in her cot. She has a very good vocabulary already. I am also not precious with her - I give her the pencil and let her draw away - pencil will wash off of be painted over when it ends up on the walls.

It’s definitely all about the reading, I read to my youngest every night and my eldest now reads for pleasure independently. She also loves a notebook and fabulous stationery for getting creative with

Daily reading to them - as well as listening to them read - and giving them frequent opportunities to write and draw. We have around 20 mins each morning after breakfast where both children are encouraged to draw / write (the oldest one) or just draw (youngest). This helps get the creative juices flowing, and getting in to the routine of doing it really helps. Like many other things, it boils down to practice/time spent doing it.

Pencils and crayons - my toddler loves to scribble and I've now got her doing spiral and circles, next I'll be trying for the B shape (her initial). I also sometimes point to the words as I read to her. I know she can't read yet but she can get a feel for the overall shapes of common words.

They are encouraged to keep a drawing/note book, where they can quickly draw or note down their ideas. Then when they get to write their stories , they can look into their book for any inspiration for their story. Also reading to them at bedtime can inspire them to make their own stories and come up with their own ideas.

Lots of mark making experiences from and early age and fine motor activities.
We read a lot and make up stories verbally and then have a go at writing them down. We always have pens and paper available when kids want to use them.

We paint, make cards together (we love making Christmas cards) and I try and encourage where possible to make up stories.

It's a variety of things until it becomes second nature. Talk, sing, play games and it all helps build their vocab and imagination.

Lots of praise and encourgament! Also asking questions about what they are doing, my daughter gets very enthusiastic

We make finger print pictures. Brilliant as you don't have to be great at drawing to express yourself.

My daughter just started school this year so we make our own comic strips with a story together, even if it’s just 1 or 2 cartoons in the story she really enjoys it. We try to aim for 3-5 cartoons though, with a little bit of dialogue.

I always get them to make cards for birthdays. We always watch children's creative programs. Also I like to set a good example by making, drawing and writing with them. My husband is good at art so they are lucky to have a good role model for creative projects.

My 11 year old son is autistic and dyslexic so reading and writing don't come easy. However he has always loved listening to stories, we always have an audio book on the go which we listen to at home or when travelling. Currently we're three quarters of the way through the complete Sherlock Holmes collection. If he listens on with out me he needs to give me a summary before we can continue. His vocabulary and descriptive language are fantastic.
We've always enjoyed spoken word games.
Fortunately, Unfortunately was a firm favourite for years. The first person begins a story then the next continues Unfortunately.... the third rectifies the situation with Fortunately.... and so on. I think words inspire words and stories inspire stories. Experiences and Traditions also feed into story telling, 'Do you remember when....' 'We always.....'
My tip would don't get to hung up on the actual writing, stories can be scribed, typed or recorded. His teacher told me recently that he uses similies in conversation that she'd be pleased to see in year 11 work.

I buy them kits from hobbycraft and also selections of craft supplies so they can make their own projects. I make sure there is a space in the house they can be messy in

My two DC always write thank you cards at birthday and Christmas.
When we went on holiday and they made friends I suggested they exchange addresses to be pen pals which they did. They are 11 and 10 now and older DC has a phone so writing an actual letter is less likely now.

My children loves listen to the bedtime stories. This become a part of their schedule before the bed. It increases they imaginativity and helps settle to sleep. The same as at school we have art sessions at home. They make models, paint pictures or collage. The both enjoys writing stories and sending cards to family members.We also make up stories and these are usually great to put on the paper with adding different ending. We would take our notebooks and go the park or garden to write our observations. I am always on look out to find something new to increase their creativity.

Reading a bed time story every day. And asking the kids to imagine what will happen next encourages them to think and be creative.

My eldest started school this year (she's 4), so writing is one of her favourite things as she's learning to read and write. So she always wants to be writing! I leave out paper and crayons and pens on the dining table so both Dd can do writing or drawing whenever they like.

I have 3 DS and since they were toddlers have encouraged messy play with paints hands or whatever to not be afraid of having a go and just enjoying the doing of the activity and not necessarily the result . As they have got older the creativity translates into other things Lego making or cooking fun and now with 2 teens and one younger one they are creative in many ways!