In recent months, my children have taken a real interest in story telling, colouring, writing – basically expressing themselves on paper.
As you may remember, my son wrote a comic strip and I often have paper taped to the kitchen table for them to scribble on. My daughter will colour and draw for a very long time happily.
Even though they can’t fully write words (although my son can write letters so often will ask me how to spell certain words), I want them to be encouraged to continue their expression in any form. Eventually, they’ll be able to write words, then sentences and weave stories or poems or thoughts as they come to their minds.
So, for $1.50 per book at Michaels, I got them each a journal. The coffee cup filled with crayons, markers and pencils is always accessible to them in the kitchen (and typically they are used only for paper) so now each of them have a book to use when inspiration strikes. Sometimes there are letters, scribbles, pictures, stickers – it doesn’t matter. They don’t have to ask to write it in, or show me, but they are always there for them. When they fill that one up, I will happily replace them.
It seems like a simple thing but I know they like it. And I like encouraging them to express themselves.
