Okay, I know I’ve mentioned it before, but if you haven’t set up a writing nook or area, it’s time.
Even if you have young kids.
Even if you have old kids.
If you have kids.
Who can resist the lure of fresh notebooks, pencils, new markers, stencils, pom-poms, stickers, colored pencils — and the crowning glory of my own writing center, the electronic pencil sharpener!? No one, that’s who!
Okay, maybe a few can resist, but that’s only them throwing down the gauntlet. Meet their little not-interested-in-writing challenge pencils raised. Show them what they can do by . . .
- Create a writing room/area/nook/desk/office. Fill it with blank notebooks, Bare Books, recycled paper, postcards, envelopes, construction paper, stamps, stickers, stencils, markers, crayons, pencils, glue, tape (a must have in my house!), scissors, display cases, book shelves, lamps, chairs and a table. (I LOVE Bare Books – these are what I use for my writing classes but I keep plenty around to encourage my kids to be write books of every kind. My 5 year old wrote a Lip Book tonight in one. Yes, you read it right. All about lips. Blue lips. Small lips. Big lips. Red lips. Without help or prompting, just because she’s able to get her supplies and go forth and write!)
- Write with your kids. Fake enthusiasm if you have to. “I had such a weird thing happen today, I MUST write about it.”
- Start with poetry. No sentences are required – only words strung together. Read my post on Found Poetry made out of magazine scraps.
- Write or draw notes and letters to each other.
But you probably already have a writing nook, right? Well just in case you don’t, off you go to make one. I’d love to hear what you have that works! Maybe you can share with the group!? (Hint, hint.)
By the way, the photo is a display of all the books my two girls have written. Do they consider themselves writers? Yes! And, so do I!