How to Get Kids to Fall in Love with Writing

For many children, being asked to write a story can feel like being asked to climb Mount Everest. It can be really daunting, and sometimes even boring. But writing doesn't have to feel like a chore. With the right approach, you can spark creativity and show your child how to fall in love with writing.

Here are a few tips to make the writing process more enjoyable:

Draw the Characters

Tweens fall in love with books such as Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Thabo, the Space Dude because they not only read the text but also interpret the illustrations.

Visualisation (creating visuals) and visual literacy (understanding visuals) are important for helping kids comprehend the story they are writing. Encourage your child to sketch their main character before they start writing.

Think About a Story They Love

Ask your child to think of a story they loved reading. What made that book so enjoyable? What was the main character like?

Everyone has different interests and genres they enjoy. Urge your child to write about a topic that interests or entertains them, whether it’s a fantasy, a detective story, sci-fi, or something totally bizarre.   

Dive in with Action

Immediately get the main character moving or talking. Ask:

• Who are they with?

• Where are they going?

• What are they doing?

Action pulls the reader in right from the first line.

Think of an Emotion

How is your main character feeling? Are they scared, excited, or nervous? Let your child pick an emoji that best fits the character's mood - it's a simple way to connect emotion to storytellling.

Try the 'What If' Game

If your child is stuck, play the ‘What if’ game:

• What if the ground started to shake?

• What if they found a dinosaur egg?

• What if they were called into the principal's office?

• What if a thousand unicorns flew down from the sky?

This game jump-starts creativity and shows them how limitless story ideas can be.

Keep the Action Going

A great way to build the action in a story is to begin a sentence with an adverb ending in -ly:

• Suddenly

• Unexpectedly

• Bizarrely

• Luckily

• Unfortunately

  
  

This helps children build momentum and create excitement.

Introduce an Antagonist

Nothing spells drama like a villain. It could be a dragon, a bully, a vampire, a monster, or even a blood-sucking mosquito.

Characters like Miss LunaTick (the overly strict teacher from Trixie) or Boden (the bully from Vampi the Flying Guinea Pig) show how memorable villains make stories richer.

Use Rhetorical Questions

Encourage your child to add suspense with rhetorical questions:

• Did she really just agree to swim out to the farthest beacon with Tim?

• What was she thinking?

• How were they supposed to do that?

This makes the reader feel part of the adventure.

Take It Step by Step

Writing an entire story all at once can feel overwhelming. Take the pressure off by suggesting your child writes just 50 words at a time. Then take a break and return for another 50. In no time at all, they’ll have a full story.

Final Thoughts on How to Get Kids to Fall in Love with Writing

The most effective way to get kids to fall in love with writing is by making the writing process fun. By breaking it down into simple steps and keeping it playful, your child’s fingers will be itching to write their unique stories.

Happy writing!