WRITING KNOW-HOW’S, GRADES K-3 When it comes to getting your child’s writing up to par, starting simple makes a big difference. Children at this age will benefit from activities that improve their understanding of simple parts of speech, such as nouns, verbs and adjectives. There are a variety of activities children can do to help them become better writers. These warm-up activities are a good way to motivate younger children. They get the brain working and can be fun. “This is an important age for children to start developing their vocabulary and start feeling comfortable with their language art skills,” says Richard E. Bavaria, Ph.D., vice president of education for Sylvan Learning Center. “The stronger a child’s vocabulary is, the stronger a speaker, writer and listener the child will become.” The two-minute drill is a fun way for children to come up with words they can use in writing. Have your child list as many words relating to one subject, such as colors, vegetables or ice cream flavors, as she can in two minutes. Or give her two words that are unrelated—peanut butter and giraffes—and ask her to come up with sentences that include both words. After she has written a few sentences, have her include them in a story. This gets her writing and using her imagination. “Word games are a great motivator for children to increase their vocabulary,” Bavaria says. “When children have a large vocabulary, they feel more confident when they learn to write.” It is important to get your child to use a variety of words. Using the alphabet to come up with words is one way to expand your child’s word bank. Have your child write the ABCs, describing himself with short phrases for each letter. The activity will help him come up with adjectives, which he can use later in sentences. The alphabet can also be used for noun and verb activities. Have him make a list of alphabetical nouns and make an illustration after each word. Finally, have him make a list of alphabetical verbs and have him put the three lists side by side. Sentences can then be formed by taking words from each list. Whether your child is just learning to form sentences or is experienced and needs some fine tuning, these activities should help improve his writing. Working on writing at a young age will help your child in the long run. K-3 Worksheet Have your child list 10 good adjectives that would fit into the blanks for these sentences. The ___ dog ran across the ___ street. The ___ teacher gave her ___ students ___ lollipops. How many ___ dogs can the ___ girl walk? My ___ brother is ___. The ___ cat jumped from the ___ tree.