Welcome to Riverside Elementary School's

Writing Tips:

Let your child see you doing different kinds of writing activities at home. Writing thank you cards, letters, composing grocery lists, copying recipes, sticky-note reminders, and so forth, all help a child to see that writing is important. 

Have materials available for independent writing and drawing. Put together some blank books so you and your child can create a book together. The child could dictate the text and do the drawings. Staple or glue books on the left-hand side. For beginning readers write the text on the left page and have them draw or paste a picture on the right page. Keep the text very simple. For instance, you could make an “I Like” or an “I Can” book. Point to each word as you read it together. Good pictures will help your child predict the text.   

Write little notes to your reading-age child. Leave them on their plate, pillow, mirror, and in lunch boxes. Encourage your child help write thank-you notes, little notes to others in your family, grocery lists and other types of lists.        

Give your child a journal. If they are beginning readers, try writing a sentence with them every night about something they’d like to write about. A single sentence is like a small story. They will then have a collection of their own compositions. 

Try making a simple favorite recipe with your child. They can help read the recipe as you cook together, then serve and eat it. Besides it being fun for them to make something with you, by also having their senses involved, it helps them learn as well.   

Compose simple poems. “Roses are red...” with your child. Don’t be afraid to be silly. Let him/her know that poetry, journal writing, and other forms of writing offer us good ways to express our feelings and senses.