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:

What General Educators Need to Know About Neurodiversity in the Writing Classroom: A Writing Roundtable – Two Writing Teachers Podcast

This episode features a rich conversation with author and educator M. Colleen Cruz about her new book, Neurodiversity in the Literacy Classroom: The General Educator’s Guide to IEPs, Dyslexia, ADHD, Autism, and More. Colleen shares the story behind the book and explains why information about neurodivergent learners must move out of special education silos and into every general education classroom. Melanie, Stacey, and Colleen explore universal design for learning (UDL), explicit writing instruction, and concrete strategies to reduce instructional obstacles so that vulnerable learners can fully participate. They also discuss strengths-based IEPs, collaboration between general and special educators, and practical classroom strategies—from fine-motor supports to executive-function scaffolds—that help all writers, not just those with identified disabilities. Throughout the episode, Colleen emphasizes curiosity as a core stance for teachers seeking to better understand students’ behaviors, needs, and potential in the writing workshop.M. Colleen Cruz is an educator, independent consultant, and author committed to making rich literacy education accessible. Her popular books include The Unstoppable Writing Teacher, the Writers Read Better series, and Border Crossing, a Tomás Rivera Mexican- American Children’s Books Finalist. Her student-centered, research-driven work is used by classroom teachers, administrators, and teacher education programs nationally and internationally. She lives in Brooklyn with her family, her persnickety dog Charlie, and way too many books. Connect with Colleen Online: Instagram: @mcolleencruz LinkedIn: m-colleen-cruzSubstack: @mcolleencruzX: @colleen_cruz Website: colleencruz.comMentioned in the episode:Archaeology of Self: The Introspective Educator’s Guide to Racial Literacy by Yolanda Sealey-Ruiz"Living with Dignity in Education: How noticing dignity can transform teaching, learning, and collaboration" by Leah MermelsteinMaryanne WolfThanks to our affiliate, Zencastr. Use our special link (https://zen.ai/mqsr2kHXSP2YaA1nAh2EpHl-bWR9QNvFyAQlDC3CiEk) to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan. 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.