How to inspire your child to pick up a pen and write

Besides maths (of course), writing is seen as one of the most important abilities that a child must learn in their early years. Some will pick up the knack of it almost straight away, others will take longer, but what is important is that they have a solid grasp of writing before they reach adulthood.

Why is it important that they write?

Not only does it teach them how to spell words, but it develops them emotionally, enabling them to express themselves in new and creative ways, as well as pushing the boundaries of critical thought: an integral skill at any age.

But if your child is inclined to do so, how can you inspire them to pick up a pen and write just for the fun of it?

Help them play with words

Quite simply, children love learning new words, and it is in the usage of new and exciting language where they will learn about the fun of experimentation. After all, without creativity in life, where would our language be now?

Children can learn and remember up to nine words a day, so with that in mind, try and write fun notes to each other using new and exciting words. Discuss with them music, literature and the language they see on television and make a game of what they have learnt throughout the day.

Read to them, but also, read with each other

By reading together, and discussing what has been said and read, you will be opening doors in their mind that will have previously remained shut. Pick up books of all varieties and genres, but most of all, find ones that they are interested in.

According to a recent survey, 44 per cent of parents with children aged 7-11 say that they have rarely or never read to their children after their seventh birthday.

Encourage them to write their own stories

As a child, there’s nothing quite as fun as writing stories. As children have boundless imaginations, it does not matter how structured, realistic or fantastical they are, but this a great place to start pushing ideas into grammar and punctuation to give them a head start.

Provide a good environment and the right tools

Ensuring that your child has everything that they need to ensure that they can write in a creative and fun environment is the other half of the task. A desk, a stack of unused paper and some encouragement will therefore go a long way into assuring that they will enjoy writing for a long time.

The Pen Company provides a wide range of material for school time, including our Lamy Pen range, which is designed to make writing fun and approachable for all children.