Reasons to write…. when you are 6!

So many times I have seen my children put in the position where they have to write something. They often feel totally uninspired and lost for ideas.

One of the activities developed by Sabrina Smith Noble in our holiday photography course gave my son the inspiration he needed to write one of his first stories, showing the power of creative play and making to develop imagination and spark the enthusiasm to write.

Children made simple small models which they took on a journey; photographing them in various settings playing with scale and story building.

They were active and using their bodies, not crouched over a desk. They developed ideas with their whole selves and characters they had physically made, bringing them to life in a rich outdoor environment.

It was later, when we were at home that the story was relayed to the rest of the family with pride using the photographs he took. I tentatively suggested that we make the idea into a book. With some trepidation he took on the challenge – we found the ideas flowed out quickly and easily, using the photographs as prompts.

With 2 boys of my own I know how hard it can be to inspire them to sit and write, but laying the ground work in purposeful, creative activity and play can reap rewards. Without inspiration there is really little reason to write for a 6 year old. This takes time, but it’s a fun process and far easier that sweating over the table in a vacuum.