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Easy Ways for Kids to Practice Writing over School Breaks
Journaling is an easy and simple way to improve writing skills.
Journals don't have to be lengthy or perfect, or even written. Some of the most exciting journals could be created by kids who aren't old enough to write.
Journaling is a good way for kids to record a special outing, event, vacation, or an entire summer. Because of their creative flexibility, the journal can be adapted for any age and ability. The most common forms are the weekly or daily journals and the lengthier vacation journal.
Weekly or Daily Journal
Have kids pick a week or a day; it doesn't matter. Some special times for the weekly journal could include
- Summer day camp
- Visiting relatives
- Vacation Bible School
Some special times for the daily journal could include
- Outing to the zoo, museum, ghost town, or....
- Storytime at the library
- A birthday party
- Holidays like Flag Day, 4th of July, Colorado Day
- Frontier Days
Journal entries can take several forms and all are great learning tools.
- Draw a picture of what they have done, or
- Cut and paste a picture from a magazine, newspaper, etc.
- Take and upload photos to a computer journal.
- Write an entry to go with the picture.
- Simply write an entry without any pictures.
Remember those cave and tomb pictures you've seen? Those were the first journals! So even if you have a child who cannot write a word, they can still create a picture. And if they want, you can fill in the words for them.
Vacation Journal
These journals use a combination of the weekly and daily journals. Several ways to have kids get involved with the journal can be used.
- At the end of the day, record sights, travel, food, etc.
- Tell about getting there.
- Tell about each activity or sight
- What the hotel/motel was like
- Where we ate and what we ate
- What does this vacation place look like
Final Product
Regardless which journal is used, help your kids make it special.
- Put it on the computer and print it out.
- Buy an inexpensive photo/scrapbook so kids can then mount their writings and their photos.
- Encourage them to share with family and friends.
The key for getting kids to use journals is to make it fun. If you demand that they do a journal, then they probably won't. Let them decide what they want to record and how. Even if they know how to write, they may prefer a photo or drawing journal. Remember those cave and tomb paintings!
If your kids, or even you, do this over the summer, let me know.
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