The Northern Edit

Reading and writing are essential skills for everyone. Unfortunately, they tend to be viewed as boring especially by children. I think reading and writing can be fun and exciting for all ages. Here are some ideas to help engage children to show them how enjoyable reading and writing can be.

Pen Pals

What better way to connect with family and friends than through writing letters! Everyone loves to get what I call “fun mail.” This is an especially sweet way to stay connected with people in your life who live far away. Helping your kids write letters can get them excited to share their ideas on paper. It is also a great way to introduce the idea of different types of written word. Most children know what fictional stories are, but there are so many other forms of writing to explore.

Create Stories

Kids are full of imaginative ideas and seem to be naturally inclined to storytelling. As an activity, sit down with your child and write down a story you make up together. I like to write down their ideas and ask the kids to illustrate each page.

A Squiggly Story by Andrew Larsen is a wonderful picture book that teaches children about how to write a story. This book is also great for kids who cannot yet write themselves. You could use this storybook to help inspire your children to write their own stories.

Create Songs

Kids love to sing and dance. Making up your own songs doesn’t have to be complicated. Sing about what you are doing or sing about silly things. Use familiar tunes and make up new lyrics. The idea is to promote literacy and literacy begins with word usage and exposure. Singing promotes this and is incredibly fun! To take things further, grab some paper and help your kids write down their lyrics. Read the words back to them once you are done writing them down. You could even make a fun video featuring your new song and send it to a relative or friend.

Other Ideas

It also helps to find reading and writing activities that are geared towards your child. Find books on topics they love. Look for activities that can be made into games which incorporate their interests. Also look for age appropriate reading material or engaging material. For example, comic books are visual and offer the change to read in a more exciting way.