Have your child read as much as she can, to learn new words, spelling and sentence structures. Visit the library often and let your child pick some books she finds interesting. Establish a specific time of day to read and limit TV time. Have her write a summary of each book she reads to practice reading comprehension and writing skills.
Encourage your child to keep a journal and write in it daily. Let him choose the journal and decorate it. Help him in the beginning with ideas of what to write until he is ready to work on his own. Ask him to write about his day, his favorite part of it, conversations he had with friends or activities he performed. Explain that he can write anything he wants in his journal and it will be private. Remind him that writing in his journal is a way to express how he feels.
Improve your child's writing skills by expanding her vocabulary. Instruct your child to find a word in the dictionary and write a story using that word. Use flashcards and play games such as Scrabble, easy crossword puzzles and word search puzzles. Have conversations with your child, label everything and quiz your child while you talk.
Help your third grader prepare for standardized tests by practicing writing prompts. Give your child opening sentences, such as, "I wish I never had to..." or ideas such as "Write a story about your favorite animal." Use props as prompts. Instruct your child to write about an object in the house, a picture on a postcard or his favorite toy.