A while ago, I was talking about different ways to get your kid interested in reading, but another important skill that’s very similar to reading is writing. Some kids really resist writing, but don’t fear! I have an idea to help get your kid to write more.
One of the best ways to engage kids in writing, in my opinion, is to help kids create and bind their own books. There are several ways to do this, but the one that got me hooked on writing was Lulu Jr.’s IlluStory Kit. Using this kit I created my first book, The Crazy Cat.
Lulu Jr. is a company where you can purchase a kit to write a picture book or a comic book. The kit takes you through all of the steps of creating your story. Once you finish, you send the pages in, and they send you back your bound book with your very own author page on the back. Creating an actual book is a great way of getting kids to connect to writing.
When I was younger, I did the Lulu Jr. IlluStory kit and created a book called The Crazy Cat.
My aunt gave the kit to me for Christmas, and it was such a fun experience. It could also be a great gift to give a young child in your life.
Once the book arrived, I had fun reading it to the Kindergarteners that I used to read to every week in Elementary School. Creating a finished book definitely made me think of myself as an author from a young age. I also enjoyed writing more after feeling what a finished product felt like.
These kits currently run for $29.99. If this is too pricey, or your student wants to create more books, another great resource to help are these white blank books from Amazon.
Being able to write a book at such a young age is a rewarding process. With the kits, I do recommend adult supervision for younger students so they can follow all of the steps and do their best work.
Now, I’ve got a question for you. Tell me, did you keep or remember any stories you wrote when you were younger? Do you remember what the story was about? Let me know, and always remember to keep on shivering.
I remember being fortunate enough to express my creativity in the form of creative writing from my grade school teachers... but as I got a little older and lost those influences, my creative writing took a very long pause. I would only pick it up again once I started screenwriting. This is such a great idea and something I wish I did more of.
In fifth grade I tried to write a James Bond knock off, with an American CIA agent. My teacher didn't like it because it was too derivative...
That is such a fantastic idea! My youngest non furry sibling would probably love to try this! Thanks for sharing your knowledge!
I love when schools teach the writing process and the kids end up with a bound book. The teacher meets with each student 1 on 1 each week to ask questions and help them create. In the library, I let the kids bring me their books and I put a barcode and shelf label on them and they could check out each other’s books. They loved that the first 3 letters of their last name was on the shelf label. They were proud to truly be authors:)
Target has or used to have blank book in sets of 3 in their dollar spot, as a teacher that was always part of my end of the year present for them .
When I was younger I caught a hummingbird in my neighbors garage who was stuck trying to get out. I wrote so many stories about that day and likely still have 1 or 2 in a box of old school stuff my parents gave me when they moved.