Get Children Writing: Creative writing exercises for teaching students aged 8–11

Book excerpt: This is a guide to teaching creative writing to primary school children aged 8-11. The 22 classroom-tested exercises encourage students to explore their emotions, their senses, and the world around them. Activities are designed to get children thinking about and describing what they see, hear, smell, taste and the thoughts which pass through their minds, re-enforcing their basic grammar and widening their vocabulary. The aim is to get children writing for enjoyment. The assignments are a springboard from which ideas are formed and then developed. They are structured to encourage spontaneous thought and to allow the writer to follow ideas; freeing the conscious mind from restraint to simply write. Above all, they are for children to have fun, to help them tap into emotions and imagination - which may well surprise both them and you. Get Children Writing brings together clear objectives, teachers' notes, and examples of techniques, styles, and formats drawn from classic children's literature into one classroom-ready sourcebook. Many of the assignments can be adapted to suit children younger or older than 8-11. We all love a story.