12 Ideas for Happy Writing

Not all children are fond of writing, some children might find it frustrating.  Here's a list of ways to make writing an enjoyable experience for your little one:
1. Journals (or diaries, whatever you wish to call them) You can pick up small writing tablets at the dollar store for children to freely express themselves in.  It doesn't even have to be words or letters, something that they can freely take a pen or pencil to and just let writing happen however they want it to.
2. Gel Board (how to)  Use dull pencils and such to write on your gel board. Alternate between using the gel board and paper for writing activities
3. Pen pals Writing letters, greeting cards, postcards, or thank you cards to send in the snail mail can be especially fun for little ones.  Bonus help to the love for writing when people send them letters BACK in the mail.  Keep the mail fun going!

4. Become an Author Assemble paper together to make a small book and allow them to become the author of their very own story!

5. Dry-Erase Writing On windows, on mirrors, and even on the bathtub wall!  Oh, I guess you could use a dry-erase board too, but the more out of the norm for your young write, the MORE AWESOME!

6. Quill  I'm not saying run off and actually buy a quill.  Unless you really want to.  You can just use a simple feather and watercolor paints.  It's super cool and super fun.
7. Write the Room (Karen Cox) Or write the store!  Take it to a store let your little one write a list of things they like and don't like in the store.
8. Roll 'n' Write (Karen Cox)  Here are tons of neat writing printable games.
9. Musical Words (or letters or sentences) Place the letters (or words or whatever) in a circle on the floor and give them a dry erase board and marker (or clipboard and paper). Turn the music on and have them walk around the letters (or whatever). When the music stops, they writes whatever they're stopped at.  This activity can also be used for numbers, shapes, and MORE!
10. Game Night You can turn games like Candyland into writing games too. Tape letters (or words, sentence, ANYTHING) to the color squares and they write the letters (or whatevers) when he lands on them.  Can be applied to games such as Jenga, Memory, and more!
11. MagnaDoodle (or Aquadoodle or whatever your doodle-fancy is)  Again, for the free flowing writing.  Doesn't have to be words or letters, just as long as writing is occuring is what is important.
12. Interactive Journals (different than regular journal) Yes, it's a teacher tool but it can be implemented in the home as well!  You can give your child prompts, tape pictures of friends and let them write about those friends, events like going to the pumpkin patch for them to write about what they enjoyed about the trip.

Never be afraid to shake things up with a little color pencil action every now and then too.  Just a splash of color to perk writing up into something fun.

More ideas to be found here.