For kids, summer vacation means playing outside, staying up late and hanging out with friends. Kids often associate writing with work and school and view it as a daunting activity, rather than something that can be done for leisure and fun. This summer, make writing and drawing fun for your child with these tips. According to PsychCentral, “writing is a magical medium.” Writing serves as a vehicle for communication, connection and creativity. It also gives kids an activity that fosters learning and growth. This summer, show kids that writing is not only an educational tool, but also a fun way to think independently and be creative in their spare time.

Quiet Reflection

Have your kids reflect on their favorite summer activities or topics that they enjoy through writing and drawing. Allow them to think freely as they practice handwriting, grammar, mechanics and more with quiet writing time at the end of the day.

Keep Creative Tools on Hand

Zebra creates products specifically with kids in mind! Try our Zensations Colored Pencils available in 24 rich colors and created for easy control while writing, coloring, or sketching. These mechanical colored pencils are also refillable.

Boost Reading Comprehension

Allow your child to select a book of their choice, and encourage them to reflect on their favorite characters, favorite part of the book, and what they learned. He or she could write a letter to one of the characters, write from a character’s perspective, or write an alternate ending or scene.

Foster Imagination

Encourage kids draw pictures of animals, places, or people and write a story that corresponds with the pictures they created. Giving them the opportunity to create the whole story themselves will show them that writing and drawing can be fun. Don’t forget to show your support for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums this summer by participating in our art sweepstakes! To enter, you or your kids may draw their favorite animal (real or imaginary) then tag Zebra Pen on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, and use the hashtag: #FromAToZebra. Winners will receive our whole Zensations art line, and the winning drawings will appear on our website.

Learning New Words

Challenge your kids to use new words each week. Teach them a word a day and have them write sentences or stories using that word. Keep them interested by using vocabulary words that relate to their favorite things such as animals, sports, and more.