Writing Ideas For The Summer Holidays

As the summer holidays roll around once more, many parents will be wondering how to keep their children entertained for 6 long weeks, especially when our unpredictable weather threatens to keep them indoors for long periods. 

Rather than let them play video games and watch TV all day, perhaps try to encourage them to undertake some fun writing projects that will not only keep them busy and entertained, it will help to improve their written skills and enable them to use their imagination. We have put together 5 easy writing projects that your children can try during the summer holidays.

Writing a journal

A great way to get younger children engaged in writing is for them to keep a diary or journal during the summer holidays. On the first day of the break give them a brand new pen and notepad, then encourage them to keep a record of what they do on each day of the holiday. It can even be accompanied by a little drawing too if they wish. Many teachers of younger children would love to read these holiday accounts on the return to school as well.

Write to a pen pal

If you think your child would prefer to write once or twice a week rather than each day, perhaps suggest a pen pal. Rather than write email letters, encourage them to write by hand and send their letters to friends, family or official pen pals that can be found on official sites online. The recipient doesn't need to live very far away, but just check that they will be willing to write in reply to each letter. 

Write a story

There’s a story teller in everyone and children have amazing imaginations that are wonderfully suited to writing a short story over the summer holiday period. If they have a particular interest (for example, superheroes, unicorns, dinosaurs) encourage them to write a little bit of their story each day and draw some pictures to go with it. Again, teachers will love to read this on their return to school. 

Create a poem

There are many types of poem that your child could attempt to write, as they don’t necessarily need to rhyme. Perhaps choose a day out that you have experienced over the summer and suggest that they write a poem about it, or again use one of their interests that may be inspirational for them. 

Write a plan for the year

It could be fun for your child to write a plan for the year ahead, of things that they would like to achieve and experiences that they would like to have. Get them to expand on each item with reasons why they would like to do it and how they plan to to tick it off their list. This will not only be fun to do, but fun to look back on in the future, as they review each yearly bucket list to see what they managed to tick off. 

So encourage your children to get writing! It’s not only therapeutic and can help to improve their writing skills, it can be lots of fun for you to do together, as you read through what they have created.