Book Recommendation: Games for Writing by Peggy Kaye

This is one from the archives that I wanted to endorse again. We follow a copy/dictation/from-memory writing plan.  On Fridays, we've been using a game from this book for Elizabeth's writing lesson, just to mix things up a bit. She is always so excited when it's a "Games for Writing" day!  Parents, I highly recommend this book, especially if you have a hesitant writer in your family and even if you don't.  I'd be happy to lend this book to you if you're local and want to check it out!

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October, 2010

I bought this book last year because it was recommended somewhere. I enjoyed using the activities a little here and there, but didn't get into it much.

Last week, I was thinking our writing routine was getting a little monotonous and returned to Games for Writing. We played two games this week and E wrote up a storm! One reason these games have been fun, is her current writing level: she knows how to form all of the letters (though not always in the correct orientation!) and has attempted a little writing and invented spelling on her own, outside "school time." As her teacher, I picked a couple of games I thought might really get her going.

For the record, this is a book full of fun activities you could do with a child in school; it's not a homeschoolers book or part of any curriculum. Many of the games grew out of a desire to inspire kids who hated writing and is geared toward children in Kindergarten through third grade.

I'm sure you're wondering, so here are the two games we played this week!

1. A Race of Words - Race the child to write as many words as they can naming things in the room in 10 minutes. You can give the child a head start and she suggests a scoring system.
2. Do it! - Take turns writing down something for the other to do, and then they have to do it! For example: jump up and down three times, crawl around the table like a crab, go up the stairs and slide down, etc. (Both of these games are writing, NOT spelling, activities.)

I think the games in this book for after the child already knows his letters and can do a little writing are more fun than the "getting started" ideas. That's not a fault of the book, just a personal observation; I'm mostly excited to see my girl writing!

And why not let it be fun?