1. Inspire them. Show your children that writing can be very fun and exciting. Show them letters you have written. If you keep a journal show your children how rewarding and exciting it is to look back through the years in your journal.



2. Writing challenge. One day I challenged my kids to write a 400 word article on any subject they wanted. It was great. They turned the television off a started writing. I told them that I would give the winner for the best article $10. You can try something like this and your children will amaze you.

3. Blog? Blogs are a very popular method for sharing ideas and happenings with friends, family and the internet community. Your children could help with the blog and you can even make money from it. This will give your children a big incentive to write when they realize there is a way to make money.

4. Give your children a notebook. A notebook is a necessity for any good writer so they can quickly jot down ideas as they come. They can also start composing stories in their notebooks that can later be transferred to the computer.

5. Have your kids learn to write thank you notes. You and others give your children many gifts and sometimes it is hard to just get your children to say thank you. Can you imagine the joy that will fill someone's heart if they receive a thank you note from one of your children for a gift or special outing?

6. Write letters. Writing letters is a habit we should all have. You can help you children develop a love for writing by encouraging them to write letters to grandparents and friends. They can even write letters to you complete with postage and an address. I have sent my children mail before and it is very fun.

Teaching children to write first requires that you inspire your kids. Show them how much fun writing can be. Next teach them activities where they can see the many benefits of writing.