Writing Ideas for at HomeIf you’re struggling to get your child writing or have just run out of ideas, here are some to get you through lockdown.For all writing, working at home will help, but you don’t want to make it seem like another school chore. It is much better to sneak writing into play where you can – and vice versa. Research shows us that in the long run, it’s more important to encourage children to communicate ideas than to worry too much about correct spelling all the time . If you want to work on spellings, do it at a separate time.

Writing has many stages before it reaches paper – at school we always make sure that we are doing lots of talk before we put pen to paper, this includes, generating ideas, deciding on one main idea, choosing appropriate words, and working out who our audience is and what we want to tell them. Your child may not always love to sit down and write. Using coloured pens or other writing implements and being allowed to type instead can all help. Incorporate writing naturally into play and it need not be a chore for your child or for you.

Writing Postcards/Letters Children could write to

● Friends and family● Favourite authors or book characters● Someone they admire● NHS workers

If you can’t get out to post these, children can share them with their teachers on Class Dojo.

10 Things I Notice…

Ask children to write down 10 things they have noticed. (It doesn’t have to be 10 - start with fewer if you need to!)This can be done after you have been for a walk, in the garden, after watching a film or reading a book.

Children should find 10 things that they have noticed and write them down. Older children could be challenged to turn what they have seen into alliterative phrases.

I Wonder…

Children should read to themselves then explain to an adult any questions they have had while they have been reading.These can be written down as I wonder statements.E.g. I wonder why … I wonder if … I wonder when … I wonder how …

This doesn’t have to be done after reading. Try doing it after a phone call or after a walk. These may then lead to some good research.

Using Known Stories

Children should be encouraged to retell stories many times. This helps to develop language and written structures. Younger learners could retell it to different people or use toys to act out the story.Older learners could retell the story as a story map or even rewrite the ending, they also might want to think about what would happen if one of the characters had different personality traits.

Ask Me…

Before reading, children should ask 3 questions about the book before it is read. By asking questions, the children are having to think about what the book might be about. This in turn encourages the use of new vocabulary and prepares them for what they might have to read.

Children could also write down questions to ask before they phone a relative or before they watch the next episode of their favourite TV show - this will focus thinking but is also another good excuse to get them to write.

Thoughts in the HeadDiscuss what different characters in books might be thinking. Draw thought bubbles for the characters.

Speech bubblesDiscuss what the characters might be saying. Draw speech bubbles for the characters.

Writing in roleWrite a note/list/letter from the character.

Label It

I’m sure your children are busy making and creating things while they are off. Each time they make or create, encourage them to write a label to go with it.

By the end of lockdown, you might have your own set of exhibits to show to people who come to visit.

Older learners could write a set of detailed instructions to show how they have created something – then they could allow someone to test out their instructions to see how successful they were!

Instructions

If you make cakes - write a recipe.

If you make a paper airplane - write instructions.

By the end of lockdown, you might even have written your own activity book.

List It

Writing lists is easy and quick but it is still writing!

Some ideas for writing a list:● Everything you want to do the next day● 10 red things you can find in the house● Things you need to make something● Shopping lists● People you are missing● Things you are looking forward to doing

after lockdown

Older learners can think about ways to include semi-colons or brackets within their lists.

Bird and Squirrel Watching (or just watching out of the window!)

Encourage your child to become a mini David Attenborough by observing nature out of the window.

Whether it’s tracking the movements of squirrels or learning to recognise different bird songs, encourage learners to make a project of their observations with photos or drawings. They could write some poetry about the movement of the animals.

Show how they can encourage wildlife to visit your garden or windowsill with a feeder made of half an apple, scooped out and stuffed with a mix of peanut butter and seeds. Write instructions to go with everything you make.

They could take a look at the RSPB website to help identify birds https://www.rspb.org.uk/

Short Conversations

Act out, then write short conversations between two or more of the characters from a favourite book or film.

Younger learners could use speech bubbles and older learners could focus on the correct way to punctuate direct speech or even create a comic book strip.

Dear Future Me,

Children to pen a message to their future selves, once lockdown is over and ‘normality’ is resumed

Decide exactly how far the messages will go into the future they will go. It might be a letter to themselves next week, next month or even in 20 years

The messages could stay in a safe place until the designated "future" point when the writers can read them again.

Write a story about an amazing research fact

Research is a boring word for something really exciting. If you’re stuck for where to start a story, then surprising facts about the real world can give fantastic ideas. For example, Vikings trained cats for battle, because it’s very difficult to sword fight an opponent when a cat is attacking your head.

Both history and the natural world are full of astonishing facts. Ask your children to find 10 really surprising facts about something and write a story about one.

Make a Picture Book

Publishing a book always makes the writing process more purposeful.

Make blank picture books by simply folding three pieces of paper in half and stapling them together. They could then design a cover and draw and write a story inside.

Younger learners could draw their pictures first to have a better idea for their writing, older learners can do this the other way round, having to write creatively first, then draw.

Draw up a Contract Do you want to see some really creative writing? Ask children to draw up a contract when they want more pocket money or permission to adopt a pet. The child has to be persuasive, spelling out terms and conditions and make sure it is acceptable to both parties. You could put the signed copy up in the house somewhere.

Start a Family NewsletterHave a look at the latest school newsletter and write a family version.Older learners can write and edit articles; younger siblings can contribute drawings, photographs, and cartoons. You could each have a role: editor, sports reporter, entertainment reporter …

Persuasion

If children keep asking for treats, ask for a few written words justifying why they should have it.

If they want to play yet another board game, ask for a note persuading you to play again!

Pass a Note

Writes notes back and forth with your children.

Place words of kindness, love, and encouragement around the house. The children write back and hide notes under pillows, in shoes etc.

It will become a kind of game. Notes also help us say things like 'I'm sorry I got mad,' which might be harder to do face to face.

Keep Diaries and Journals

Writing a diary is an opportunity to dialogue with yourself. Something that might help children in these difficult times. Journaling is a great way to learn free writing, and to deal with feelings. Journals and diaries can be done in a number of ways. Encourage children to draw pictures and paste in postcards, photographs and other souvenirs.

Eat Your Words

The reluctant writer of any age often needs to return to the word level. Make it fun by baking dough or cookies in the shape of words that mean something to your child. For example, if they love comic books, bend dough into “Pow!” or “Shazam!”

A Day in the Life

Start the day by photographing your child asleep just before you wake them up. Then let them take a photo every hour of the entire day.

Younger learners can write a couple of words/sentence to describe each picture and older learners can write short paragraphs.

Make a title page by writing, “A Day in the Life of [your child].”

Family Time Capsule

Gather a box, paper and pens, and an envelope for each person in the family.

Tell the family that you will be making a Family Time Capsule, to be opened in a length of time the family vote for. It is to be a record of who you are and who you want to be.

Have each member of the family write a private letter, telling the world about his or her life. Where were they born? How old are they today? Favourite

activities are? Foods? Books? Films? What’s going on in the world today? Where do you want to be in one or five or ten years?

If you have pets in the family, the children can write letters for them and take pawprints. When each person is finished, seal the letter in the envelope and write the person’s name and date on it. Then add more items to the Family Time Capsule. Then write on the outside “Do NOT open until [date]!” Stash the box somewhere and forget it until Opening Day.

Limits

Tell a story in 100 words or in 5 sentences. Making it quick might make your child more inclined to write. You never know, they may want to take their idea and build on from it.

Lastly, writing doesn’t have to be perfect.

Sometimes you just have to get through the day with some work done and your sanity intact.

You might not achieve everything you wanted to, but if you’ve sparked their imaginations – and begun to develop a love of writing – then it has been successful!