Develop your child's writing

FOR GENERATIONS, parents have read bedtime stories to their children, hoping to help them develop language, vocabulary and creativity. But new educational research shows that writing is as fundamental to a child's development as reading.
Five keys to help your kids write:

1. Word Power. As children's vocabulary grow, they are drawn to new words they hear. Help them practice using new words by writing notes to each other, creating a "word jar" with your child's favourite words and talking about new words you hear in songs.
2. Reading aloud. This is a great way to teach kids grammar, syntax and other structures of writing. Try all genres: poetry, non - fiction, even picture books.
3. Identity. Just the way your child's favourite colour changes by the minute, so will her style of writing. As she tries out new ways of expressing herself on paper, expose your child to a variety of writing styles, then let her develop her own writing identity.
4. Time. make writing time sacred and consistent.
5. Environment. To create the ideal writing environment for your aspiring writer, you'll need a surface, writing tools, good lighting and a little bit of inspiration.

Source from: Your Child's Writing, Pam Allyn