Write on!
Could your little one be the next Dahl, Rowling or Tolkien? Heck yes they could! We’ve created this handy list of writing prompts for kids to get their creative juices flowing. Next stop: top of the bestseller list.
1. Stop writing, start doodling
It might sound a little topsy-turvy, but getting kids comfortable with the tools of the writing trade (i.e. pencils) is the first step in helping them to write. So drawing pictures – like a character from their favourite book – is a perfect stepping stone to writing words.
2. M-m-mix it up
It’s super helpful to switch things around when tiny hands are still getting the hang of writing. Try sticking some paper to the wall so that they’re writing at a different angle. Or swap a pencil for a felt tip, piece of chalk or… inky sausage?
3. Grab a dictionary
Is your little one bamboozled by a word in a book? No problem! Help them look it up in a dictionary, then see if they can use it in a sentence. It’ll be locked in their brain, never to be forgotten.
4. Write your own spinoff
Stuck for writing topics for kids? We’ve got an idea. Our personalised books are packed with curious, colourful characters. But they don’t all get a chance to shine. See if your little one can make one of our supporting cast – like Lost My Name’s entrepreneurial aardvark – the star of their own story. (And be sure to send us the results!)
5. Pen a letter to a friend
What better way to tell a friend or family member how special they are than by writing them a letter, full of effusive praise? It’s a gratitude-packed activity that’s sure to spread some huuuge smiles.
6. Start journaling
Journaling’s helpful at any age, but particularly when kids are learning to write. See if your little one can summarise the best and worst parts of their day. Or take them on a walk around the neighbourhood and ask them to document what they see.Clipboards at the ready!
Fun fact
The world’s youngest published author is Dorothy Straight, born in 1958. When she was four, her mum asked her “Who made the world?” She made a book to answer the question, which was published in 1964 – when she was just six years old. You’re never too young to start!
