Fun and Easy Writing Projects for Kids

• A to Z - Starting at the letter A, write on a different letter each writing period. Kids may want to write about animals, foods, toys - whatever. Don't make little kids stick with any other theme other than A to Z. Older children (and parents!) can tackle more structure (if they want) such as the A to Z of Childhood, of Parents, of My Neighborhood, My Town. You get the idea.
• Numbers are great to work with. I have one head - then write everything you can think of about your head. I have two sisters, three cats, four jump ropes, etc.
• Add-On Story - This is a group activity that's a little more advanced. Each person starts a story and writes on it for the period that day, then shares with the others. The next day, stories are traded around the group and a different person adds on.
• Best Meal - Have kids write about their favorite meal or foods in delicious detail. Talk about the five senses and encourage them to think about each in their writing.
• Funniest Family Memory - What a great collection you could have over time if you save these up! It's fascinating to get different perspectives on the same event.
• Fantasy Animals - Lets kids' imagination go wild creating a fantastical animal. Tell them to describe every thing they can about this animal. Where it lives, what it eats, if it has any powers or special abilities.
• Create a Superhero - Who doesn't need a hero? This activity will tell you something about what your child values. Plus it's just fun.
• Best Day Ever - This is similar to the Best Meal above. Just get the child's impression on paper.
• Inspiration Walk - Take a walk around the neighborhood with a notebook and capture sights and sounds. Go home and write a poem or story.
• Go Fish for Words - Have kids write words on pieces of construction paper. Make sure you have some nouns, verbs, and adjectives. Then put them face down on the table and have kids choose five or ten words and then write a poem or story incorporating some or all of the words.
• Food Poetry - Let kids make acrostic poems with alphabet cereal or noodles. They spell a word down the left side of paper with food, then use the letters on the left as the first letter for words related to the first word.
• Alien Planet - Prompt kids to land on another planet and describe everything they see, hear, touch, smell, and taste.
• Haiku - We love this form. Short, simple, easy.

  1st Line: 5 syllables

  2nd Line: 7 syllables

  3rd Line: 5 syllables

children with pencils

poised over paper, spill words

you may be lucky to read