Storybird provides artwork and templates for children to write picture books, longform books, and poetry. It's a cool community site with lots of opportunities to spark creative writing. Teachers can use the site with students. Or parents and children can use it on their own at home. Spark Creative Writing with Storybird Click on CREATE to get started. The artwork is provided. Scroll … [Read more...]
Journal Prompts for Kids
Kids sometimes need journal prompts to get started writing. Not all kids do. And not all kids need a prompt every time they write. It's important to be flexible. However, your child is struggling with what to write, try a prompt or a book like Journal Sparks. You can always, always, always suggest that your child write about his or her feelings at the moment or events that happened during … [Read more...]
Write Your Own Latin Based Harry Potter Spells
For my daughter's Harry Potter birthday party, one of the activities, besides spells and sorting, was writing magical spells using Latin words. You can download the Spell Book I created for free here -- and use it for your own magical party or even your classroom. Write Your Own Latin Based Harry Potter Spells The Spell Book includes some of the most familiar spells from the Harry Potter books … [Read more...]
Mac Barnett and Adam Rex on How This Book Was Made
How This Book Was Made is a humorous account shared by the author, Mac Barnett, and illustrator, Adam Rex, about their amazing (and slightly unusual!?) process of publishing a picture book. It goes something like this: getting an idea, writing lots of drafts, arguing with an editor, playing cards with a tiger, waiting forever for the illustrations, growing a long beard, printing the book in a … [Read more...]
Experiential Stuffed Animal Writing Idea For Kids
Get your imaginations ready for a fun experiential writing adventure! You'll be taking your best friend (aka. favorite stuffed animal) for a walk and narrating the story as it might happen if your friend were real. This kind of doing and writing is great for young writers for many reasons such as: SENSORY DETAILS: Descriptions can include the sensory details easily because you're … [Read more...]
Writing Idea for Kids: Ultimate Guides
written by homeschooler, writer, and mother, Patricia Zaballos Writing Idea for Kids: Ultimate Guides Ultimate guides are well-loved around here. Currently Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Ultimate Guide has been found sprawled in various settings around the house, attesting to its popularity–with my ten-year-old son, Theo, anyway. An ultimate guide is simply a rather cockily titled … [Read more...]
Project: Pet Rock (Craft and Writing Activity)
Help your kids adopt the easiest pet ever -- a ROCK! (I know. Why didn't you think of this before?) Once your child adopts a rock, he can dress it up, name it, and give it a home! Not only that, add literacy learning with this funny and fun writing project / activity. Use Laura Numeroff's 10-Step Guide to Living with Your Monster as a mentor text from which you'll help your child write her own … [Read more...]
Beautiful Book of Writing Prompts
Image and Imagination: Ideas and Inspiration for Teen Writers by Nick Healy and Kristen McCurry captivated me from first glance. The book is filled with gorgeous photographs, beautiful design, and interesting writing prompts. What's more, I think it can be used for writers of all ages, not just teens. Beautiful Book of Writing Prompts The authors (and the title) suggest this book is only for … [Read more...]
Writing Contests for Kids (and Other Ways To Get Published)
I've been searching for writing contests for kids for my daughter and her friend. Many kids, like mine, want to write for an audience; they'd love to be published. This round-up of opportunities might just help give young writers their first chance. Let me also suggest that you temper your kids enthusiasm with a bit of reality. It's a tricky thing because you don't want to be a killjoy but you … [Read more...]
Gifts for Young Writers
It's always a challenge to get kids to write at home, isn't it? Special writing materials and inspiration help. Peruse through this list of gifts for young writers to see if our kids would like any of these ideas -- maybe you'll get your kids to write more than you even imagined! Gifts for Young Writers Rainbow Notepads MudPuppy Elephant and Peacock Perfect for the youngest of writers, this … [Read more...]
Write a Novel in November! NaNoWriMo Kids
Yesterday I sat in on my daughter's 5th grade lunch writing club while her teacher explained NaNoWriMo -- National Novel Writing Month -- for kids! The kids can't wait to start writing. Because every day of November, they'll be writing toward an amazing goal: a novel! Write a Novel in November! NaNoWriMo Kids Homeschool parents, this could be your writing curriculum for November. Don't you … [Read more...]
Geography and History YouTube Channels for Elementary
Recently, I shared the best STEM / STEAM YouTube channels. Now let's look at the best geography and history YouTube channels for elementary kids, ages 5 - 11. Geography YouTube Channels Global Wonders DVD Series This channel only has a few movies but it's worth mentioning since you can buy the DVDs if you enjoy the content. Are We There Yet? National Geographic This channels is as good … [Read more...]