A Writing Lesson for Young Children
Writing can be an exciting and fulfilling process for a child.
Introduction to Writing
Approach the writing activity with a positive demeanor and a calm presence. Children can intuitively sense a nervous situation or adult. Begin experience with direct eye contact and ask
“What’s your favorite candy or cookie?”
Happily talk to child about how it tastes, feels, and write those words on paper or white board, whatever tool you choose to use. Personally, I like to use white boards so the child can easily see the words and I can use colored markers.
The Writing Lesson
Today we are going to write a creative story about a chocolate chip who can talk. Ask child to think of name for the chocolate chip and draw a simple picture of the chocolate chip. Draw a cute face on the chip. Ask child to write a sentence that has the chocolate chip telling his name. Discuss process of baking cookies. What ingredients are mixed first. Have child describe the chip inside of the dry ingredients. “How does he feel? Soft, smooth?”
Describe a gooey egg cracked and mixed in with the ingredients. How does the chip feel now? Wet, sticky? Write a sentence about water as it’s added to mixture. Now how does the chip feel? Clean, refreshed? Describe what a big fork would look like to the chip as he swirls around the mixture. Is chip scared or is he fascinated, curious about fork? Now write a sentence about being spooned into a big flat cookie sheet. How does it feel? Smooth, cool? Now for the cooking process. What does a big oven look like to the chip? How does the heat in the oven feel to the chip? As the cookie spreads out in the pan, how does he chip feel? Write sentences describing each of the above scenarios from the chip talking, first person.
Conclusion of Lesson
Write: How does the chip feel leaving the oven? What happens to him as the cookies cool off? What happens to the chip when it is eaten? Where it ends up, cookie heaven, a stomach, a cookie jar? Have child reread story and underline any words that look misspelled. Write correct words on separate piece of paper. Have child write correct words in story. Ask child how he or she feels about writing the story. Praise use of words, creative ideas of child. Ask child if he or she thinks he or she can write the same way in school on class and homework. You always want the child to feel success and confidence and to see that he or she can transfer this success to school work.
Extended Ideas
Have child help you bake cookies and talk about the steps and how a chocolate chip might feel in each step of the baking process. The child can make the story into a book with a colorful cover and each step an individual page with an illustration by the child. Praise the child’s work. Have him or her share story with others. Make sure child’s name is on the front title page. This is an example of a successful writing exercise and can be modified in length depending on the ability of the child.
Good luck!!
