Letter writing is one of the most basic writing activities that parents and children can engage in together. Writing letters back and forth to each other, parents and children can work on the art of writing and acquire greater skill in reading through a series of exchanges to one another. There are many different ways to approach this activity. Letters can be theme-based, having a specific theme or idea implicit throughout the letter. They can also serve as diaries or journals chronicling the day's activities. Parents can read their child's work and assess the writing style, spelling and grammar. They also can write letters to the child, letting the child know what they have been up to all day and giving the child extra reading practice.
Reading stories and incorporating writing activities into the lesson plan is another way to provide reading and writing enrichment for your child. Parents who read to their children on a daily basis can inspire a love for reading and learning. One way to do this, as suggested by the Texas Education Agency, is to read or tell a story to your children but leave the ending off and have your child write the ending to the story. Having your child write in this way requires they remain engaged throughout the story and use their creative faculties to come up with a new ending.
Parents and children often watch television together during the evenings when both are home. Another way to incorporate writing into the daily routine is to occasionally have the child write a summary or a report of what they watched. In an article published on EduGuide, "Improve Writing Skills with Family Home Activities," author Pamela A. Zinkosky suggests that parents allow children to explore the deeper meanings or values of the shows that they watch through this type of activity. This works better for older children; younger children will likely benefit from writing summaries.
Parents can teach children about the writing process by teaching them how to brainstorm. Brainstorming is a simple activity that can unleash the mind's creative capacities for writing stories or any other type of writing as well. Parents can create a topic for the child by putting down one word on a piece of paper and then asking the child to think of other words related to the main theme. Having them write their words down on the page provides them with writing and spelling practice. They can also create word webs by writing down their ideas anywhere on the page they see fit and then connecting the words, with a line, to the main word or theme and to the other words on the page. The end result should look something like a spiderweb.