Creative writing by the end of year 2

Key Stages 1-2 and SATs advice

Moderators: Section Moderators, Forum Moderators

Post Reply
11 Plus Mocks - Practise the real exam experience - Book Now
SleepyHead
Posts: 484
Joined: Thu Oct 18, 2012 10:41 am

Creative writing by the end of year 2

Post by SleepyHead »

Hello,

My DC is currently in year 2 and they have been working on recounts and adapting familiar stories to write their own.

I am a little worried, as I think they should have already started writing stories independently, using their own imaginations? Or am I mistaken - does that start in year 3 with setting work and character description paragraphs before moving on to whole stories.

Finally, any advice on what to work on to prepare for creative writing in year 3.

Thank you
Sleepyhead
2childmum
Posts: 523
Joined: Sun Jul 27, 2008 4:02 pm
Location: S E London

Re: Creative writing by the end of year 2

Post by 2childmum »

How about going out and having lots of fun as a family? Creative writing needs to be based in experience.

It is also useful for children to play imaginative games - either in character themselves, or 'small world play' - e.g. playmobil, lego people etc. This not only encourages imagination, but helps children make sense of the world they are in, which is important for mental health. It also develops problem solving skills, and empathy for others. If this play happens with other children it also helps with negotiation skills and teamwork, which are both useful life skills.
SleepyHead
Posts: 484
Joined: Thu Oct 18, 2012 10:41 am

Re: Creative writing by the end of year 2

Post by SleepyHead »

Thankyou 2childmum, great advice
ToadMum
Posts: 11946
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2012 12:41 pm
Location: Essex

Re: Creative writing by the end of year 2

Post by ToadMum »

Could you not try to get him / her to write their own stories at home, if it's something you think they should be doing? Ours used to just make up their own stories when they were younger, neither pushed nor discouraged by us and completely unconnected to what they were doing at school. Does your DC actually show any interest in writing purely from his / her own imagination? They're likely to get more out of it if it's something they themselves want to do, I would think.
Last edited by ToadMum on Mon Jun 26, 2017 6:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx
SleepyHead
Posts: 484
Joined: Thu Oct 18, 2012 10:41 am

Re: Creative writing by the end of year 2

Post by SleepyHead »

Hi Toadmum,

Thanks, would you suggest letting DS write about anything he wanted without trying to expand on character and setting? Perhaps at this stage it is more about encouraging writing than worrying about story structure and technique?
ToadMum
Posts: 11946
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2012 12:41 pm
Location: Essex

Re: Creative writing by the end of year 2

Post by ToadMum »

SleepyHead wrote:Hi Toadmum,

Thanks, would you suggest letting DS write about anything he wanted without trying to expand on character and setting? Perhaps at this stage it is more about encouraging writing than worrying about story structure and technique?
Well, apart from perhaps suggesting that a beginning, a middle and an end is usually a good place to start, so to speak, yes.

Do you have a particular goal in mind re creative writing in year 3? I mean, is the intention that he should be ahead of the game when the school starts 'doing' creative writing next year? Have you raised your concerns with your DS's teacher?
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx
grgygirl
Posts: 382
Joined: Fri Jan 25, 2013 11:09 am

Re: Creative writing by the end of year 2

Post by grgygirl »

At this age we just used to have fun with verbal stories. Ds was never into imaginative play but on car journeys we would all take it in turns to start a story, the next person has one minute to add to it, then the next person takes over and so on. It was good fun and usually a laugh as the story became ever more outrageous! I also took my ds to the library practically every week to foster a love of reading and to the local theatre. I think they start more structured writing in Year 3 but if your child wants to do writing at home then encourage it without constraints.
SleepyHead
Posts: 484
Joined: Thu Oct 18, 2012 10:41 am

Re: Creative writing by the end of year 2

Post by SleepyHead »

thanks grgygirl, the verbal stories are fab. DS and I made one up in the car , and he loved it. Lots of silliness, trolls, a magic stone and an evil tree that captures little children! :lol:

At the moment I'm not correcting anything, just letting the ideas flow and asking him 'what the problem might be' and how the story might end.

Thanks for all your replies
booellesmum
Posts: 611
Joined: Mon Jul 27, 2015 7:44 am

Re: Creative writing by the end of year 2

Post by booellesmum »

We also did verbal stories when mine were younger.
Really helps to pass car journeys!
Have you seen the story cubes you can buy as well?
Think they look brilliant and would maybe be a good visual clue for writing stories later on.
Post Reply
11 Plus Mocks - Practise the real exam experience - Book Now