son a picture of a pet dog with a guilty
look;on;its;face.;The;dog;is;surrounded
by;a;pile;of;fluff;that;once;was;a;pillow.
In;one;corner;there’s;a;cat;looking;smug.
Ask;your;son;to;think;about—and;then
write about—what might have happened.
What’s;going;on;in;the;picture?;Was;the
dog;lonely?;Bored?;Is;the;dog;worried;that
he will be in trouble? Did the cat do it and
frame the dog?
2. Fan Fiction
Fan;fiction;is;a;new;story;that;is;based;on
an;existing;story;(book,;TV,;movie).;Let’s
say your daughter loves to watch Little
House on the Prairie.;Ask;her;what;new
adventure Laura and her siblings might
have.;Fan;fiction;usually;includes;all;of
the regular characters, but your daughter
may want to introduce a newcomer to
the prairie as well.
If necessary, suggest an adventure, such
as;this;one:;There’s;going;to;be;a;pie-eating
contest in town, and Laura is determined
to win the blue ribbon. Stimulate your
writer’s;thinking;with;questions;like;these:
•;Is;the;contest;part;of;the;county;fair?
• ;Does;Nellie;enter;the;contest?
•;If;so,;how;does;Nellie’s;participation
cause problems?
Maybe your son wants to write his
own Little House adventure, such as this
one: Albert builds a fort, and Mary and
Laura help.
•;What;would;the;fort;be;made;of?
• ;Is;it;a;secret?
•;Again,;what;problems;do;Nellie;and
Willie cause?
3. Classic Story
Similar;to;writing;fan;fiction,;try;using;a
classic;story;your;child;knows;well,;such
as The Wizard of Oz or even a TV show
such as Gilligan’s Island. Have a conver-
sation about adding a twist to the story
that;adds;a;significant;change.;Start;with
“what;if ’s.”
• What if Gilligan and the castaways
were actually rescued?
•;How;did;it;happen?
•;What;did;the;castaways;do;when;they
returned home?
4. Mad Libs
Most parents are familiar with Mad Libs,
which;you;can;buy;at;the;store.;Kids;like
to do them during long car trips. The
silliness;may;drive;you;crazy;at;times,
but;think;of;this;.;.;.;without;trying,;kids
learn the parts of speech as they have to
come up with verbs, nouns, adverbs, etc.
Why not go a step further and tell your
kids;to;make;up;their;own;Mad;Libs;for
your next trip? Give them a little struc-
ture,;like;this:
•;75;to;100;words
•;At;least;five;complete;sentences
•;A;beginning,;a;middle,;and;an;end
Once the simple story is written, they
can;create;blanks;for;you;or;their;sib-
lings to fill in. Your kids get practice
writing as well as learning the parts
of speech.
www.TheOldSchoolhouse.com;Grooming;Great;Writers;•;Annual;Print;Book;2014;121
.;.;.;There;is;scientific;evidence;that;proves;writing;is;great;therapy;(and;cheap!).
