When we talk about being a writer, most often than not, the first thing that comes to mind is that we have to be very good with words. We feel like we have to be fluent with a certain language, and that our grammar should be perfect. Although these things are important, they are not the main components of a written piece. Like any other aspects in our lives, I believe that we need to know our why first before the how of writing.
As a lover of words, I enjoy jotting down my thoughts and ideas, whether they are based on my experiences or imagination. This is something I would like to pass on to the younger people. I want them to feel confident in expressing themselves and to believe that they can be writers, no matter how limited their vocabulary is.
Around this time last year, I wrote a children's book with my then 5-year old nephew. Actually, he came up with the story line and I just helped him in organizing the words. His first book was entitled, Dino Beach, a title he also thought himself.
In this post, I would like to share with you our process in making the book, and hopefully, this will inspire or encourage you to write more and/or help children write as well.
Disclaimer: These things are mainly based on my experiences. There are a lot of other ways to help a child write a story. These points may or may not work for you. :)
I highly believe that before getting anyone to start something, foundation and prior experiences are important. With this task, one of our unplanned "prep steps" was reading. My nephew and I often read storybooks together. We also converse about random things that he is interested in, even though I sometimes couldn't relate. haha! These give him a positive experience towards books and storytelling.
Before starting, I shared with my nephew the stories I wrote myself. Then I invited him to write one himself, too. "But I don't know how" is an expected response, and that is okay! We just have to assure the child that we will be with them throughout the process.
What is a better topic to write about than something the writer is interested in? Rather than deciding on the topic myself, I let my nephew decide what he wanted to write about. He chose dinosaurs (of course haha)!
The actual writing is the most intimidating part. Even adults get overwhelmed with where and how to start, so what more with children? To overcome this, one effective way is asking prompt questions. This will not only help the child create the plot. This will also make the story line come mainly from their ideas, rather than our suggestions.
Here are some of the questions I asked my nephew:
There were other questions that arose, specific to the plot that my nephew came up with.
After our question-and-answer portion (haha), I ended up with a list. I arranged the words, making sure to use my nephew's words, as much as possible. I read the words to him afterwards to ask for his approval. Of course, we need to make sure that we arranged the plot the way the writer wants!
For my nephew's book, I drew the illustrations, but you could also make the child draw with you! Children are artists! They sure can draw anything, with continuous support and encouragement.
Here are some of the pages from our book:
I made finger puppets of the characters, too!
Oh! Before I forget, do note that my nephew was already 5 y/o when we worked on this project. The process will be different for someone younger and older. Also take into considerate the skill level of the child. If the child is younger or doesn't have much experience or exposure to reading or writing, you may start off with a picture book.
In making a picture book, you just need to think of a topic and then list down the things about it. It could be about Family, and then let your child draw each member of your family. Or his/her favorites -- toys, food, animals, etc.
For waaaay younger children, you may start with free drawing or scribbling, with no specific story or topic. You can also make a blank book where s/he can draw on directly.
In making a blank book, you just need a clean sheet of paper and a stapler. Fold the paper into half and then staple it in the middle. Tadaaaaa. You already have your own blank book!
Here is a blank book I made for my nephew, wherein he wrote about Superheroes. He drew the illustrations and then I labeled them for him, writing his exact words.
I also made a blank book for my 2 y/o niece, wherein she scribbled random marks. I asked her about the parts of her drawings and then labeled them accordingly.
Please refrain from correcting/making fun of a child's drawing or directing him/her how to draw. Even though it is just a small dot or a crooked circle, if a child says it is a unicorn, then it is a unicorn!
I feel like I can talk about this endlessly Hahahah But that's it for now. I hope you find this post helpful. In case you will end up making a book with a child, please please feel free to share it with me!
Happy writing and drawing!
Stay sane and safe!
Let's spread happiness.
❤
