How Can I Help My Child to Write Creatively?

Its National Writing Day! At Jaques, we are sharpening our pencils, blotting our pens, and asking, How Can I Help My Child to Write Creatively? Thankfully, there are more than enough wonderful ways to give your child’s creative writing a boost.

When it comes to improving your child’s creative writing, there is nothing like sitting them down with pen and paper in hand for a journey of self-expression and literary learning. So, join us, as we prepare for a month of writing revelry with 30 days of creative writing challenges for kids.

30 Day Creative Writing Challenge for Kids

1. Write about your favourite food – Pick your favourite food and write about why you enjoy it so much.

2. Write a short story about Pirates – Avast ye Scurvy Dogs! Fly your scariest skull and crossbones high and write a short tail of treasure hunting terror.

3. Make a list of your 5 favourite words – We all have favourite words, whether for their meaning or the way they sound. Write down your five favourite words and describe why they matter to you.

4. Write a word for every letter of the alphabet – From A to Z and everything in between, there are thousands of words to make sensational sentences together. Write a list of 26 words covering every loving letter in the alphabet.

5. Write a poem about summer – From sunny skies to sandy beaches, the summer has so much to offer us. So, bring the best of seasons to life and write a poem about everything that makes the summer so very special.

6. Write a list of 10 words that rhyme – Whether bees in trees or cats with hats, there are a bevy of brilliant words that are made for each other. Find your own with a list of 10 words that rhyme.

7. Write a list of opposites – Find 5 words and then write down their 5 opposites. We will get you started with a mini meow and a big bark - Cats and Dogs.

8. Write five synonyms for the word 'Fun' – Synonyms are words or phrases that mean the same as another word or phrase. Find 5 fantastic synonyms for the word ‘Fun’.

9. Create your own secret code to write a coded message – Creating your own secret code is the perfect way to send hidden messages to your friends. Why not try using numbers to represent letters and give spying eyes the slip with your writing?

10. Write a letter to your future self – Imagine all the things that you would like to achieve when you grow up. Write a letter to your future self to remind them about the big plans you have in place.

11. Write a review of your favourite television program – TV critics get to spend all day watching their favourite shows and writing about the things they liked and disliked about them. Why not justify some time in front of the screen and play critic to your own favourite television program?

12. Write a postcard from your perfect holiday – Imagine that you are on your dream holiday trip. Perhaps a joyous journey to Disney Land, or an adventure in the freezing cold arctic. Write a postcard to send to a relative or friend at home to let them know everything you have seen during your trip away.

13. Invent your own word – Shakespeare was the master of creating new words. Dust of your literary cap and create some of your own, give them a meaning and use them in a sentence.

14. Write about the perfect animal – Take the parts of your favourite animals and combine them together to create a super animal. Justify each body part you choose and give your new animal a name.

15. Write a letter to try and sell your latest invention – You have just created a magnificent invention and are eager to sell it around the world. Write a letter to promote your invention to potential investors. Detail what it does, how it does it and who would want to use it.

16. Write a menu for your perfect dinner – We can’t always guarantee our favourite foods will be on the menu. So, why not take the time to create your own dream menu. Write down each of the dishes on offer and what makes them such a treat for the taste buds.

17. Invent a game and write your own rules – Follow in the footsteps of Jaques of London and create your very own game. Write the rules and be sure to make it full of fun!

18. Someone has sent you a present. Whatever is inside is making the strangest noise – Write about what appears when you open the box.

19. Interview an adult about what it was like when they were younger. Write down your questions and their answers.

20. Imagine that you gained a superpower – What would it be and how would you use it?

21. What would life be like if you were a giant? Write about what you would do if you were the tallest person in the world.

22. Write about one thing you would change to make the world a better place to live.

23. Aliens are coming to visit Earth and it is your job to write a welcoming speech. Be sure to make them feel at home and point out all the wonderful things that they can do during their visit.

24. Write a short story from the perspective of a tree when its leaves begin to grow again in Spring. Think about how it would be feeling, what it would be going through and what it would look like as it begins to change.

25. You have found a magic lamp. When you rub it, a genie appears and grants you 3 wishes. Write about what your 3 wishes would be and why.

26. Use bullet points to write out everything that you did during the day.

27. Write about an imaginary friend – what do they look like, what things do they enjoy, and what is it about them that makes them your friend?

28. Write an acrostic poem using your own name – An acrostic poem is a poem in which the first letter of each line can be read down the page to spell out a word. Use your own name to create an amazing acrostic poem.

29. Imagine you are interviewing for the next person to go into space. Get space spelling with the astronaut alphabet and write a list of 5 important questions you would ask.

30. Write about your biggest fear and the way you plan to overcome it.

So, did your child make it through all 30 challenges? If so, the next time you ask, “How Can I Help my Child to Write Creatively?”, be sure to pose the question to them; they are sure to have a creative answer.

For more educational resources for children and answers to all the questions parents ask, look no further than the Mini Minds Hub.