Summer Writing Ideas

Estimated reading time: 1 minute, 38 seconds. Contains 329 words

Primary Reading Audience: Classroom teachers and literacy coaches

Why It Matters: A common question at this time of year is a welcome one! How can we encourage children’s writing lives over the summer?

Ideas to Try: Here are a few ideas to share.

1. Start a family routine that involves writing. My daughters initially resisted the idea of writing for five to ten minutes before leaving the dinner table, but gradually it became a ritual. We lived with my father who had increasing dementia, and even he participated. We all had writing journals, we wrote about something from the day– no rules– and we shared. This practice shines a light on the value of writing for building relationships.

2. Have children research and report out on planned or possible summer adventures. Even young writers are able to create persuasive pieces about why summer vacation should include certain experiences. Set children up with some information about a place and challenge them to educate and convince other family members about why they should go there. Multi-media presentations welcome!

3. Tap into the power of competition. Even during the summer, there are some writing competitions that are available to young writers. Here are a few with summer deadlines:

Anti-bullying book contest: Deadline is July 15.
Ocean Awareness Contest– Deadline is June 15.
Tadpole Press 100-word Contest– Deadline in November, but submissions are open soon, if not now.
The Betty Award– Deadline is in October, but submissions are open now.

4. Summer is a perfect time for young writers to submit pieces for potential publication. Here are a few sites that welcome submissions:

Go Deeper: For other ideas, check out these posts and podcast:

Teach, Don't Just Tell: A Tip for Tomorrow from Stacey – Two Writing Teachers Podcast

Stacey spotlights a foundational principle of writing instruction: "Teach, don’t just tell." Inspired by Sarah Valter’s insights and rooted in educational research, she explores the impact of modeling: making the invisible processes of writing visible for our students. You’ll hear about the difference between simply giving directions and authentically showing your thinking and writing moves, and why this distinction matters so much for young writers. Stacey also discusses practical ways to shift from telling to teaching and offers reflective questions to help you examine your own classroom practices.GO DEEPER:Read “Teachers Model and Think Aloud: Practices of Great Writing Teachers” by Sarah ValterUse these reflective questions:1) Do you mostly give directions, or do you model your thinking and writing?2) In one-on-one conferences, do your questions and feedback help students try new strategies, or do you just tell them what to do next?3) When you use mentor texts, are they published works, curriculum samples, or your own writing?4) If you use your own writing, do you show your process? That is, do you let students see your thinking, mistakes, revisions, and decisions?5) Are you only sharing the finished product, or also the rough drafts and your thoughts about them?6) What chances do you give students to see your real process, and do you invite their questions or encourage them to notice your writing moves?Send us Fan MailPlease subscribe to our podcast and leave us ratings/reviews on your favorite listening platform.You may contact us directly if you want us to consult with your school district. Melanie Meehan: meehanmelanie@gmail.com Stacey Shubitz: stacey@staceyshubitz.comEmail us at contact@twowritingteachers.org for affiliate or sponsorship opportunities.For more about teaching writing, head to the Two Writing Teachers blog.

The Bottom Line: Just as reading is important during the summer, so is writing! Consider accepting the challenge of inspiring writers to keep writing going when school isn’t in session.