Helping Kids Celebrate Their Writing

There is lots and lots of scholarly research out there in the journals about the need for kids to celebrate their writing.

This is wonderfully affirming for attentive parents and teachers who have always known a simple fact: Kids are proud of tapping their imaginations—that, oh, so unique part of themselves—and then getting the ideas down on paper in WORDS. Anybody who has ever taught a group of elementary school kids to write a story or poem has heard that pride in the question, “Where can I publish it now?”

When we have created something, we naturally want to share it, and that sharing is a celebration. Your son or daughter writes a story or poem in school, brings it home, and wants right away to read it to you. Maybe then you stick it up on the fridge for all to see. Great!

You can go further, though. How about making a book? If you don’t know how to go about such a project, surf the web or visit a bookstore for simple instructions. What you do does not have to be elaborate.

You need a cover with the title and a picture and your child’s name on it. You need a few pages no matter how short the piece of writing is, so stretch it out if need be. Have your child illustrate it, and don’t forget the About the Author page! Remember, this is about being proud! You want that child to swell up with pride. You want that child to say what one author on www.kidswrite4kids.com said: “Hey, I’m a published author!”

Once a published author, your youngster will begin a new and deeper relationship with the written word, becoming a reader who thinks like a writer and a writer who thinks like a reader.

If this young reader/writer wants to join www.kidswrite4kids.com, great! We have readers from all over the world now.

Reminder: In addition to this blog, I look forward to coming to speak to parent groups and schools about reading and writing and storytelling at home and in the classroom. My fee is very reasonable. Just email me at storymaker@aol.com and put “speaking” in the message line so I don’t delete it.