How to Encourage Children to Write 

Encouraging children to write is a wonderful way to nurture creativity, communication and cognitive development. Writing is not only essential for academic success, it also allows children to express themselves, develop fine motor skills and explore their imaginations. Here’s an activity guide, split into age ranges, to help your child build and improve these skills. The age groups provided are just a guide, so consider your child’s individual ability level. Many of these activities can be helpful and enjoyable for older children as well. Here are some ways to encourage children to write.

1 – 3 years

Playdough Fun

Playdough is a fantastic tool for developing fine motor skills essential for writing. Encourage your toddler to squeeze, roll, and pinch playdough to strengthen their hand muscles. You can also provide tools like rolling pins and cookie cutters to make the playdough experience more engaging. These activities help build the necessary hand strength and dexterity for holding writing instruments later on.

Finger Painting

Finger painting offers a sensory-rich experience that introduces toddlers to mark-making. Allow your child to explore different colours and patterns using their fingers. This activity not only promotes creativity but also enhances hand-eye coordination as they learn to control their finger movements to create various designs.

Sand or Flour Tracing

Fill a tray with sand or flour and let your toddler use their fingers to draw shapes, letters, or simple patterns. The tactile feedback from the sand or flour provides a different sensory experience than paper, helping them understand the concept of making marks and drawing.

Pavement Drawing 

Drawing with chalk on the pavement allows toddlers to make large, sweeping strokes that involve their entire arm. This not only encourages creative expression but also helps develop gross motor skills as they practise using large muscle movements to create marks. It’s a fun, outdoor activity that lets them explore drawing on a bigger scale.

Scribble Pads

Provide your toddler with a scribble pad or large sheets of paper and crayons. Encourage them to make random scribbles and drawings. This unstructured play helps them experiment with different marks and colours, laying the groundwork for more controlled writing in the future.

4 – 5 years 

Tracing Shapes and Letters

At this stage, preschoolers can benefit from tracing activities. Use tracing sheets with various shapes and letters. Start with simple shapes and gradually move to letters as they become more comfortable. Tracing helps improve their hand control and letter formation skills.

Dot – To – Dot  

Dot-to-dot activities are excellent for practising hand control and spatial awareness. As children connect the dots to form shapes or images, they also practise following lines and understanding how marks come together to create a whole picture.

Drawing with Different Tools

Introduce your child to various drawing tools such as crayons, markers, coloured pencils, and even pastels. Allow them to explore how different tools create different effects. This helps them understand how various writing instruments can be used creatively and develops their ability to handle and control these tools.

Picture Journals

Create a picture journal where your child draws pictures and then describes them in a few words or sentences. This activity helps them practise writing and storytelling in a way that feels personal and fun.

6 – 7 years

Shopping Lists

Involve your child in creating your weekly shopping list. As you discuss what items are needed, ask them to write down the names of items on a list. This hands-on writing activity helps children practise spelling and recognise words in everyday situations. 

Writing Letters to Family

Help your child write letters or postcards to family members. This activity teaches them about the structure and format of letters and provides a meaningful way to practise writing. Discuss what they want to say and guide them through the writing process, making it a shared and enjoyable experience.

Journals & Diaries

Encourage your child to keep a journal where they write about their daily experiences or feelings. Give them prompts for what to write such as “What was the best part of your day?” or “Describe a fun adventure you had.” Regular journaling helps improve writing fluency and self-expression skills.

Story Starters

Give your child simple story starters to spark their imagination. For example, “Once upon a time in a magical land…” and ask them to draw or write a continuation. This activity encourages them to use their creativity and organise their thoughts into a well-structured story.

8 – 10 years

Pen Pals

Set up a pen pal exchange with another child, either locally, from a different part of the country or abroad. This real-world writing experience encourages your child to write more frequently and thoughtfully. It also exposes them to different writing styles and perspectives.

Book Reviews

Encourage your child to read books and write simple reports or reviews. They can summarise the plot, discuss their favourite characters, and give their opinions about the book. This activity will strengthen their comprehension skills and help them articulate their thoughts in writing.

Creative Writing Challenges

Offer creative writing challenges that involve specific themes, words, or scenarios. For example, “Write a story about a time-travelling adventure” or “Create a poem using the words ‘star,’ ‘moon,’ and ‘dream.’” These challenges stimulate creativity and help your child practise different writing styles.

Writing Games

Play interactive writing games, such as rolling dice with pictures or words to create stories based on the results, or use prompts to complete sentences that create weird and wonderful tales. Here are some writing games to try.