Exploring Creative Writing with Your Child
Creative writing may seem like just a bit of fun, but it’s a useful skill that can benefit your child on many levels. It’s also a great way for parents and children to spend some quality time together. This might seem like a challenge if you are not creatively minded yourself, but there are some simple techniques to help develop your child’s imagination and writing skills. Here are a few creative writing ideas from an independent school in Oxfordshire for you to try at home.
Begin by asking your child to pick out a few books from their collection, or perhaps get ordering online. Help them work their way through and talk to them about the genre, writing styles and characters. Ask them what they liked and disliked about each story. If your child has a favourite genre or author, it will be easy for them to develop their own style of writing because they can mirror elements from the stories they’ve read.
Perhaps ask them to re-write the last chapter of their favourite book. While this will be challenging, it should be easier than encouraging them to write a whole short story from scratch, as the plot and character development is already there. Explore the notion that small simple changes to the plot can lead to an entirely different conclusion. Re-writing the ending of a book they love will also ensure that it’s a topic your child enjoys so that they remain motivated to complete it.
Mind-maps are a fantastic way to get the imagination flowing as they will allow your child to think of all the words and phrases that could relate to their chosen topic. For instance, if the story is based in a jungle, they may start to think about various plants and animals, the sound of the wind rustling through the trees, birds tweeting and humid weather. There are plenty of online resources to help spark your child’s imagination if they are struggling to get going.
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