At What Age Should Children Start Writing and Benefits of Writing for Kids?

What is said can be distorted but what is written can never be erased. Writing for children is one way to build their creativity and critical thinking skills.

But when should children start writing? In this blog, I will share benefits of writing for children. Also writing strategies for children and why it is important for them to write. If you are an aspiring young writer, a parent or a teacher this post is for you!

Related Reading:How Long Has Poetry Been Around?

Benefits of Writing for Kids

• It inspires them to be creative and share their thoughts with the world.
• Writing through their imaginations will be entertaining to both them and the audience.
• Helps in developing their mental resilience as they will relate with the characters in the stories.
• It creates opportunity for self expression and self confidence.
• They are able to connect easily with the world through the stories they create.
• They gain much needed life skills like problem solving, communication and critical thinking.

Strategies for Writing

Use Pictures: Children memorize pictures and if a story is inclusive of images, it makes the story flow and enjoyable. The pictures trigger emotional connection between the author and the reader through the story. The use of images is appealing to young generations and it helps in giving life to the story.

Write in simple Language: Simplicity is the key as children will easily grasp simple wordings and understand them. Complicated phrases will confuse them since the mind is still developing. Writing in simple words makes them able to express their feelings in truth and simple way. It also makes them relate with the story easily.

Make simple Problems with simple Solutions: Every story addresses a problem and gives it a solution. For children the problem should not be so difficult for them to solve it. For them to build their problem solving skills, they need to start with simple problems that they can solve like keeping the yard clean is by sweeping it every day and mowing the grass. This will prepare them to face more complex problems in future.

Create a sense of Humor:  When characters are funny then the readers will laugh at the story and will want to finish reading the story. A humorous story will keep the reader glued to every sentence.  This makes the story entertaining and educational.

Make it Adventurous: Young readers like adventure as it gives them that thrilling experience they will want to talk about for days to come. A story about a magical land will definitely make a young reader fantasize about something outside their world. They would want to imagine that there is a world where anything is possible.

Write Regularly: Practice makes perfect and to improve writing skills one has to practice daily even if it is for few minutes.  Make a schedule and stick to it and within no time, the mind will make it a routine.

Attend Workshops for Writers: Finding groups where other writers gather gives a good opportunity for the author to meet other experienced writers and exchange ideas with them. This will make the writer learn more and gain insights into the industry.  Putting themselves in the shoes of the experienced authors will give them the platform they need to push forward.

Steps of Writing

Choose the topic: The author should understand the topic well for the story to resonate well with the readers.

Make first draft: The first draft is about outlining ideas that will create the story. This includes outlining the topic, body and conclusion.

Make Second draft:  This is actual writing based on the first draft.

Edit:  Refine the story by identifying areas that needs improvement.

Get feedback:  Find someone to read the story and give a review. Constructive review is necessary to give the author a preview of what to expect from the reader.

Final draft: Drafting the final draft with recommendations from the reviewer.

Publish: Finally it is time to publish the story and get it into the world.

Importance of Writing

It creates love of reading from an early age and this impact positively on the children. When children are exposed early to reading and writing, they are likely to become avid readers and establish positive effects on their academic and personal lives.

It also gives authors and adult a notion of what the younger generation thinks about the world. The society will be able to tackle issues affecting children and help authors introduce topics which are appropriate for children. Because children are honest, they will write from their hearts and mostly their writings will revolve around their world. This will spark meaningful conversations in the society and help children navigate the world around them.

 Due to different age groups it is good to understand what to write. Young children will mostly be attracted to animal stories as colorful illustrations will capture their attention. On the other hand, little older ones will be attracted to topics like friendships, education and family.

What Is the Right Age for Kids to Write?

There is no specific age for kids to start writing. This is because every child’s growth is different and each has a unique talent. Therefore, any kid can start writing even when still young. What is important is the guidance and support of the parent or guardian. When there is maximum support, then the child can make a career out of writing.

Finally

Writing for children is not just about putting their fantasies on paper; it is also about teaching them valuable lessons of life such as kindness, empathy, compassion and resilience through the characters they create in their works. Instilling positive values in them will go a long way in making morally upright adults in future.

Writing for children is not just about having a story for someone to read. It really means understanding what the younger generation like and want to read. Their preference matters and it is good to understand what their thoughts are and how they view their world. By writing what attracts their mind, it will be both educational and enjoyable for them to read.