For the love of writing: How to Inspire Your Child to Enjoy English Creative Writing

February 18, 2019

When done regularly, writing helps to hone one’s proofreading and editing skills. It plays a part in helping children and adults describe feelings and experiences well when communicating with others verbally. Writing is also a way of relieving stress for some, leading to improved mental and emotional health.

But let’s zoom into a form of writing that taps on your child’s creative mind. Creative writing is an incredibly useful skill when mastered, and its benefits stretch far and beyond the classroom.

Creative writing aids children in clarifying their thoughts and organising their ideas. Through creative writing, not only will children in Singapore be able to communicate more effectively, the freedom of artistic self-expression that they experience through this form of writing does wonders to boost their imagination and confidence.

However, creative writing does not come naturally to everyone. If your child lacks inspiration and interest in creative writing, here are some tips that may help.

1. A child who writes well reads widely

As reading and writing come hand in hand, writers tend to read a lot. Through reading, children get to pick up ideas for their stories and learn about sentence construction, punctuation, grammar and structure. Their imagination is expanded when they enter the world that the book portrays.

Other than fiction books of various genres, non-fiction literature such as newspapers, recipes, manuals, biographies and encyclopedias introduces them to the types of words used in non-fiction writing.

2. Make activities related to reading and writing fun

To disassociate writing with being a chore, try introducing some word based games that can build on vocabulary. Scrabble, Boggle, crossword puzzles and word searches are but some of the games that can be used. By having more of such activities involving a game element, your child may be more inspired to learn new words in order to gain an edge at the game.

Read also: How Creative Writing Classes Can Help to Boost Your Child’s Writing Skills for Primary School

3. Create a conducive writing space

If your child seems disinterested in creative writing, it is possibly because he associates creative writing with a negative experience such as essays, tests or homework. Setting aside a quiet space for creative writing with easy access to stationery, a dictionary and writing supplies may encourage him to start writing freely.

4. Encourage creativity

Children are blessed with the innate ability to conjure the most unexpected, quirky stories. If they are in the mood to create their own stories, support them by encouraging them to pen down their stories. Showing your appreciation by transforming their stories into a book will increase their confidence. You can include follow-up activities such as role-playing or crafting the characters of the book into puppets.

Read also: 5 Essential Skills Your Kid Will Learn in a Creative Writing Programme in Singapore

5. Send your child to English Creative Writing classes

Are you running out of ideas on helping your child enjoy the creative writing process and master this form of writing?

English Creative Writing classes may help. Just be sure that the programme includes elements of fun to help children discover the joy of writing and be inspired to put their ideas down and translate them to amazing stories. An all-rounded programme such as the MindChamps Writing Programme emphasises on the understanding and creative aspects of writing.

The comprehensive programme comprises six compartments that unite to equip children with the necessary skills to master the craft of writing. Designed to complement the MOE curriculum, the programme features experiential and imaginative approaches to inspire your child to first enjoy the class.

Written by Jamie Koh

 

Keen to find out how the MindChamps Writing Programme can help your child in creative writing?

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