Many kids resist writing — and often, it’s not because they can’t do it, but because something’s getting in the way. Whether it’s lack of purpose, feeling overwhelmed, or struggling to come up with ideas, there are practical ways we can support them. Here are three common reasons kids avoid writing and how you can help them grow into confident writers.
Give Kids A Reason To Write
Reason 1: “What’s the point?”
If kids don’t see or understand the purpose of a writing task, they may be reluctant to put pen to paper — and honestly, I’m the same! To overcome this, help them connect writing to real-life situations or their own interests.
For example, with persuasive writing, you could analyse those ads between YouTube videos. Talk about the strategies advertisers use to convince them to buy something. Then, flip it around — if your child wants more screen time, have them write a persuasive piece explaining why. Can they back up their opinion with reasons? Use high modality language? Add statistics or quotes? Just make sure it’s something you’re happy to negotiate on!
There are so many everyday opportunities to write with purpose:
• Writing a shopping list
• Creating a favourite recipe with their own twists
• Sending a snail-mail letter to Granny
• Writing instructions for someone who’s pet-sitting for your family
- Writing a job application
Once kids see that writing is useful, relevant, and even fun, they’re much more likely to get on board.
Simplify Writing So Kids Don’t Get Overwhelmed
Reason 2: It feels like too much
Writing is a big task. It involves generating ideas, structuring them, and handling spelling, grammar, punctuation, and handwriting — all at once. No wonder it can feel overwhelming.
When I work with kids in literacy classes and tutoring sessions, I break the process down. For example, we might focus only on beginnings of narratives. We’ll read some great story openers from quality books, talk about how they hook the reader, and then students experiment with writing their own beginnings. We might come back to it later to continue the story — or leave it as a stand-alone task.
As parents, it’s easy to notice all the mistakes: spelling, punctuation, grammar, missing words. Pointing out everything at once can be discouraging. Instead, it’s helpful to focus on just one area — like capital letters and full stops. Or if you’ve been working on proper nouns recently, check those. Let the rest go for now. Make a note to focus on other areas at a different time so it’s not overwhelming all at once.
Help Kids Find Ideas When They Don’t Know What To Write
Reason 3: “I don’t know what to write about!”
When I was at school and handed a blank sheet of paper with the instruction to “write anything,” I froze. I loved writing — but coming up with ideas from thin air? Not easy.
Before kids can write a story, they need to be able to tell a story. That’s where storytelling becomes a valuable tool.
Try using story cubes or dice. Take turns adding parts to a story — you’re modelling storytelling while they practise. Later, they can turn the story into written form.
Picture prompts can also spark creativity. Sites like Pobble offer daily images with story-starting questions. Or you can curate your own collection of photos to prompt discussion and writing.
These are just three reasons kids may be reluctant to write — but with a bit of creativity and some helpful tools, we can help them rediscover the joy of storytelling and get them writing.
Need more support? Mind Stretchers offer fun, engaging online literacy classes designed especially to help get kids writing. If writing is a challenge in your home, check out my upcoming classes via the website and come join us to have fun with literacy!
Thanks to Tracy from Mind Stretchers for sharing this insight with our community. To find out more about Mind Stretchers, see their detailed listing in our Homeschool Resource Directory
