image credit: coloring up close, via flickr

We write a lot on this blog about the many benefits of reading aloud to kids, but what we haven’t talked about much before is just how important it is to encourage our children to become writers. Yet learning to recognize and write letters is a fundamental step in the language learning process. According to a fabulous article written by our friends at Reading is Fundamental for the Children’s Book Review, “The scribbles of very young children have meaning to them, and scribbling actually helps them to develop the language skills that lead to reading. Young children who are encouraged to draw and scribble stories will learn to write more easily, effectively, and confidently once they head off to school.”

Taking some time out to write with your children is another way of developing those early literacy skills which will be so useful when your kids begin to learn to read. It’s also a great way of teaching them about print communication in both their languages. What might seem like gibberish to you may just be your child’s first attempt at expressing the words he hears in print. Even the youngest of children can benefit from a few minutes a day with a sheet of paper and some crayons, so make sure these items are always available in your home. Here are a few creative ideas from RIF on how to get started:
*Everywhere you look. Help your children become aware of the writing that surrounds them. Read aloud stop signs, favorite restaurant signs, the S on Superman’s cape, and other interesting print you encounter in the course of your daily activities.

*Props for pretend play. Given a marker and a pad, little doctors can scribble their prescriptions and waiters can take orders. Opportunities for playtime writing are endless: restaurant menus, store signs and price tags, tickets for a show or a train ride, etc. Some children may ask for help in writing real words; others are satisfied with their own marks or drawings.

*Post office. Equip a play post office with paper, envelopes, and cards. Save stickers and stamps from junk mail for pretend postage stamps.  (One parent’s trash is another child’s treasure!) Reply promptly to mail that’s delivered to you.

*Taking dictation. Be your children’s secretary and take down word for word the stories they tell. These stories can be read back again and again. When you inquire about a drawing, write down your child’s response as a title or caption.

Incorporating reading and writing into playtime is one of the easiest and most enjoyable ways of helping your child’s language development along, so make sure you encourage this sort of play in both your child’s languages on a daily basis.