A great way to get your kids writing is to make use of your daily newspaper.

Here’s How to do it;

• Cut out some headlines and stick them at the top of blank (or lined) sheets of paper. Keep an eye out for really funny headlines that you think the kids will like.

• If your newspaper headlines are boring, mix words from several headlines until you get something unusual!

• For older children you could choose political or current affairs headlines.

• Ask the children to write a story to go with the headline. And don’t forget that all good newspapers need pictures too!

Giving your child a prompt like this can really spark their imagination and get them writing creatively.

This idea was first published in the article Creative Writing Activities for Kids written by Julie for Homeschooling-ideas.com

My children LOVE Webkinz! But they are not so fond of writing. I have found a great way to use something they love, to practice something they do not like doing. Not only do they practice writing, they also get to learn research skills in the process.

About every six weeks or so, we go Webkinz shopping.

The rules are simple:

1. Pick any type–real or imaginary.
2. Agree to complete two writing assignments based on the animal they have chosen.
3. NO Webkinz until the assignments are complete.

The assignments:

1. Research facts about the animal chosen. They must come up with a list of five facts and write them down. Then they must work at changing the lists into paragraphs.
2. Write a creative story about the animal chosen.

Having spent so much money on different curriculum that just never seemed to work to motivate my kids to write, these fun reports with Webkinz have simplified the process AND made it so much more enjoyable. It is also really cool to watch my children research and learn new things because they are motivated to do it.

~Aimee Sonderman is a homeschooling mom of two and can also be found at Journey2Learn

Looking for some children’s book ideas for Halloween? Here is a top ten of picture books for you and your little ones to enjoy.

1. The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything: La viejecita que no le tenia miedo a nada
   by Linda Williams
2. Winnie the Witch by Korky Paul and Valerie Thomas
3. Room on the Broomby Julie Donaldson
4. Cranberry Halloween by Harry and Wende Devlin
5. Big Pumpkinby Erica Silverman
6. Scary, Scary Halloweenby Eve Bunting
7. On Halloween Night by Harriet Ziefert
8. The Night Before Halloween by Natasha Wing
9. In the Haunted House by Eve Bunting
10. Pumpkin Jack by Will Hubbell

For more great homeschooling book ideas, visit Julie at Homeschooling-ideas.com.

Here are even more ideas for fun handwriting practice at home:

• Use Sidewalk Chalk. No need to find storage for all those worksheets– the rain washes away the work. The unique resistance of chalk also helps build fine motor muscles.
• Make the shape of a letter with your body. It highlights all of the parts of the letter so on paper the kids include all of the parts. This is particularly good for kinesthetic learners.
• We have an Alphabet ‘n Numbers Foam Puzzle Mat with different textures. We trace the letters while laying on the puzzle. This position also helps build arm muscles and helps with motor control. The colors and textures add interest and help the kids remember the work.

Have fun with handwriting!

Colleen Felz is the Homeschooling Coach! Find more tips & curriculum ideas as well as stories about the joy & trials of homeschooling at her personal blog, Homeschooling Coach.

I love these tips for practicing handwriting! These ideas are especially good for young students just learning to write.

• Write letters in the sandbox using your finger or a stick. It is less intimidating because you can easily smooth the sand if you make a mistake. This is a great strategy for kids who are perfectionists.
• Use a “magic wand” to write letters in the sky. Ours is filled with colorful sand and sparkly stars that float in liquid. Watching the floating things is good for developing eye tracking skills and adds visual interest. Any kind of pointer that looks magical and fancy will do, though. Girls in particular like the magic wand.
• Finger paint is another way of getting tactile learners involved in handwriting. You can mix colors and make the letters any size you like. It also works for the artist in your family.

My little one especially loves the magic wand. She loves to pretend she is Abby Cadabby from Sesame Street and write letters in the sky. To minimize mess when using finger paint try putting the paint in a plastic zip top bag and “writing” through the plastic.

Melissa & Doug Finger Paint Set 4pc

Melissa & Doug Finger Paint Paper Pad (12″x18″)

Colleen Felz is the Homeschooling Coach! Find more tips & curriculum ideas as well as stories about the joy & trials of homeschooling at her personal blog, Homeschooling Coach.