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In writers’ workshop we give our kids the driver’s seat when it comes to topic selection. Some kids may be full of ideas, but even those who love writing have days when they don’t know what to write about. Making lists, asking questions, and heart maps are three tricks to help kids find their own writing topics on those days they need inspiration.
Making Lists to Find Writing Topics
A simple trick to help kids find writing topics is making lists. For instance, tell your children to make a top ten list of the best things that ever happened to them. Then you can piggy back on that list with a top ten worst things that ever happened.
In addition, kids can make other lists too, like lists of their favorite people, places or things. After making a list kids can choose one thing to write about. Have children keep their lists in their writing folders to use the next time they need a topic.
Asking Questions to Find Writing Topics
Asking questions brings out the inquisitive nature of kids. For this strategy invite your child to wonder about the world and write down her questions. What does she want to know? What is she curious about in the world?
- Why do the seasons change?
- What do dogs dream about?
- How does my computer work?
- Why can’t I eat candy all day?
- Are fairies real?
- When can we stop wearing masks?
- Where does our trash go?
Questions become writing topics as children research to find the answers. Children may want to write a report, a descriptive paragraph, or a poem about their topic.
Creating Heart Maps to Find Writing Topics
For this trick, kids map out what’s in their hearts. First, draw a big heart on a piece of paper. Then have your child fill it with the things he/she deeply cares about. Heart maps can be filled with names of people, places, secrets, memories, and important objects.
This is what poet and writing teacher has to say about her experience using heart maps with children:
Young writers from all over the world have mapped their hearts with courage and honesty, and through the process they have found their way into writing that deeply matters to them.
Georgia Heard, p.3
Unique Heart Maps
In her latest book, Heart Maps, Georgia gives twenty different heart maps to inspire writing topics. For example, in the “be the change that you wish to see in the world” heart map, kids to think about what concerns them in the world, things they wish they could change in the world, and what steps they could take to make the world a better place.
A heart map like this might inspire a child to write a persuasive essay to convince others of their concern, or write a formal letter to the president. Maybe he just wants to write a poem to express his concern. Kids can explore several types of writing using a heart map.
In conclusion, the next time your child doesn’t know what to write about, try one of these tricks for finding topics. Making lists, especially top ten best/worst can give a child something exciting or funny to write about. Asking questions can lead to research topics in a variety of subjects, including science and history. Finally, heart mapping helps your child choose a topic that he’s passionate about. With these tricks, “I don’t know what to write about!” will be a thing of the past.
Additional Reading:
Spark Writing Ideas with Picture Prompts for Kids
Resources:
Buckner, Aimee. 2005. Notebook Know How: Strategies for the Writer’s Notebook. Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers.
Heard, Georgia. 2016. Heart Maps: Helping Students Create and Craft Authentic Writing. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
