If you are worried about your children’s minds suffering from a lack of stimulation, prepare some writing activities for your kids to work on during those long summer months. These engaging activities will get your children thinking, stimulate their minds and keep them ready for the next school year.

Journal

On the first day of summer, give your children a small notebook. Set aside 30 minutes each day to let the kids write in their journal. In the beginning, kids may need some prompting. Give them a topic like their favorite food or the day’s activities. Even young kids can get involved by drawing in their journal. Kids can get as creative as they want in their journals, just as long as they are writing for 30 minutes every day.

Book Reports

Assign book reports to your kids. This may sound painful, but you can get creative with the assignment. After your child finishes a book, ask him to write a letter to a friend or family member, describing his favorite parts of the book. If he really falls in love with a book, get him the address to the author or publishing house and help him to write a letter of appreciation.

Book

If your child has a creative mind, give him a blank notebook. Encourage him to write a story of his own. If he needs prompting, help him develop characters using his friends, toys or stuffed animals. Help him create his story on lined or copy paper before transferring it to his book. Let him illustrate it as well. You might need a stack of notebooks if you end up with a budding author.

Kid News

Let your kids work together to create a news service about the goings on in the house. Help older kids use a software program to create a newsletter. If you have a webcam or recording equipment, let your kids create a news program. Let them write questions to interview others and cue cards for the anchorman.

Theater

If your kids are dramatic and love the theater, ask them to write an original play they can direct and perform themselves. Help them choose characters and write dialog. Let them perform their play at a family or neighborhood event such as a Fourth of July or Labor Day barbecue.