My Child Doesn’t Know What to Write: 6 Strategies to Help Homeschool Students Get Started
Does your child stare at a blank page when you ask them to write? Do they insist they have nothing to say, even when they understand the assignment?
If so, you're not alone! Many children struggle with getting started on a writing assignment. They may have plenty of ideas when talking to you, but putting those thoughts into writing can feel overwhelming.
The good news is that not knowing what to write is a skill you can help your child develop. As a writing teacher, I've found several strategies that help students overcome the blank page and begin writing.
Why Do Children Struggle to Come Up With Writing Ideas?
Sometimes a writing assignment has strict expectations. A child might need to answer a question such as "Who was the main character in the story?" or "What were the causes of the Revolutionary War?" In these cases, it's clear what the student should write about.
Other assignments are much more open-ended.
Imagine prompts such as:
Tell me how you've changed in the last year.
Write a story about losing something important to you.
Describe a time you felt proud of yourself.
Write about a challenge you overcame.
A student might stare at the paper, overwhelmed by the blank page. Nothing comes to mind, and the longer they sit there, the harder it becomes to begin.
If this sounds familiar, here are six strategies you can use to help your homeschool student get started with writing.
1. Encourage Freewriting Before Worrying About Grammar
Sometimes, a student needs to freewrite. Freewriting means writing whatever comes to mind without worrying about spelling, punctuation, or grammar. The only rule is to stay reasonably close to the topic.
For example, imagine a student needs to write about a time they lost something important. Their freewriting might look like this:
I lose a lot of thing. I lost my book last week. I found it, but I was nerviss. Anuther time I lose my shoos when I went to the beach. I had to walk back from the beech without shoos the pavment was hot. Thankfuly my sister felt bad for me and let me burrow her flipflops.
The student might decide to write about losing their shoes and how thankful they were that their sister helped them.
This, of course, isn't the final draft. But now the student has an idea and knows where to go with it!
The goal of freewriting is to generate ideas, not produce perfect writing. When children try to think of ideas, organize their thoughts, spell words correctly, and use proper punctuation all at once, they can become overwhelmed.
Let your child get their ideas down first. You can work on the mechanics of writing later.
2. Give Your Child a Sentence Starter
Some students simply need a sentence starter. As soon as a few words are on the page, they no longer feel as intimidated by the blank space.
I've had students who responded well to seeing a starter such as:
I lost something important when...
One time I felt proud of myself was when...
Something that changed about me this year is...
If I could change one thing about my school, I would...
My favorite memory is...
Notice that these sentence starters don't tell the student what to write. They simply give them a place to begin.
If your child is struggling, try writing the first few words for them. Then let them take over.
Over time, you can encourage your child to come up with their own opening sentences.
3. Break the Writing Prompt Into Smaller Questions
Sometimes children struggle because a writing prompt feels too big or vague. Breaking it into smaller questions can help them figure out what to say.
Let's return to the prompt: "What is something important you lost?"
You could help your child brainstorm by asking:
What are some things that are important to you?
Have you ever lost any of them?
Where were you when you lost the item?
How did you feel when you realized it was missing?
What did you do to find it?
Did you find it? If so, how?
How did you feel afterward?
These questions help your child remember details and discover what they want to write about.
You don't need to ask every question. Sometimes, one or two will be enough to get your child thinking.
This strategy is especially helpful for homeschool students who struggle with personal narratives, descriptive writing, and other open-ended assignments.
4. Keep a List of Writing Ideas for Later
Sometimes, it's hard to write on the spot. There may be times when your child must respond immediately, such as during a test or evaluation. However, when they have time to prepare or know they'll encounter similar prompts again, collecting ideas ahead of time can help.
Encourage your child to keep a notebook or list of possible writing topics.
They might collect:
Interesting things that happened during the week
Funny family stories
Memories from vacations or special occasions
Things that frustrate them
Questions they're curious about
Ideas for fictional stories
Topics they'd like to learn more about
When I write my blog, I keep a list of topics. I save many of them for later. I may never use some of them, but at least I had an idea!
Your child can do the same thing. When a writing assignment comes along, they can look through their list for inspiration rather than starting from scratch.
5. Let Your Child Read Examples of Good Writing
Another strategy that helps students is reading examples of other people's writing.
Sometimes, children need to see what writing can look like before they can imagine what they might create themselves.
Giving students writing models often gets their minds going. They may discover a new way to begin a story, describe a character, organize their ideas, or express a feeling.
For example, I studied poetry in college, but I'm out of practice. If someone told me to sit down and write a poem, I'd probably think, "About what?"
However, if I read some poems or listened to music by a singer-songwriter, I might find myself inspired to write.
Children can experience the same thing!
Try reading picture books, short stories, poems, personal narratives, or age-appropriate nonfiction together. Talk about what makes the writing interesting.
You might ask:
What did you like about this piece of writing?
What made you want to keep reading?
What details helped you picture what was happening?
Did this give you any ideas for your own writing?
Reading examples isn't about asking your child to copy someone else's work. It's about helping them discover possibilities.
6. Practice Writing Regularly Without Grading Everything
"If you don't use it, you lose it."
We often hear this expression about learning languages or playing sports, but writing is a skill that must be practiced, too.
One way to help your child become more comfortable with writing is to offer a short writing prompt regularly. This doesn't need to be a formal assignment, and you don't need to evaluate every piece closely.
Some prompts that get students writing include:
What was the best part of your weekend?
If you could be any animal, what type of animal would you want to be?
Tell me about something that really annoys you.
What would you do if you could spend a day anywhere in the world?
What is something you wish adults understood about kids?
If you could invent something, what would it be?
Let your child choose a topic when possible. You might point out repeated writing problems over time, but the primary goal is to practice generating and expressing ideas.
Don't judge the answer based on whether you agree with it or like it.
For example, my son might write that I annoy him. I don't take it personally (I do take note!), because the focus is on writing.
When children know they can express their thoughts without every sentence being corrected or every opinion being challenged, they may feel more comfortable taking risks with their writing.
Helping Your Homeschool Student Become a More Confident Writer
These are some of the strategies I use to get students writing in my virtual classroom. Many of my students are homeschooled, and their parents have sought out additional help with writing.
They're probably similar to your own children!
Although I don't homeschool my own children, I have extensive experience teaching writing and helping students work through the writing process.
One of the most important things I've learned is that children don't always need someone to tell them what to write. Sometimes, they need someone to help them discover their own ideas.
If your child is struggling with a blank page, try one of these strategies:
Start small: Encourage freewriting instead of demanding a polished paragraph.
Offer support: Use sentence starters or smaller questions to get ideas flowing.
Build a collection: Keep a list of possible topics for future assignments.
Read together: Use examples of other people's writing to inspire new ideas.
Make practice routine: Give your child regular opportunities to write without the pressure of a grade.
Most importantly, remember that writing is a process. Brainstorming, drafting, revising, and editing are different skills, and children need opportunities to practice each one.
With time, practice, and the right support, your child can learn to approach a blank page with greater confidence.
Need help teaching writing at home? The Writing Village offers virtual writing classes for students in grades 4–7, helping young writers develop their skills through guided instruction and engaging projects.