Children may understand concepts taught at school, but if they have trouble conveying their thoughts clearly, it will be reflected in poor grades on reports, assignments and exams.

Summer is the perfect time for West Vancouver students to work on improving writing skills. Here are fun ways to encourage your child to keep up their writing while school’s out:

Find a pen pal. Help your child to discover the fun of exchanging letters by mail or e-mail. Do you have out-of-town friends or family with a child of a similar age? Ask if they’d be interested in keeping up a correspondence through the summer and beyond–it could strengthen family bonds or be the start of a lifelong friendship!

Start a journal. Purchase a special journal for your child to write about feelings, thoughts, dreams, and wishes. Be sure to respect your child's privacy if they don't wish to share what they've written. The important thing is that they enjoy writing.

Set aside quiet time for writing each day. Sometimes, the right question is all it takes to get a child inspired to write. Here are some fun writing prompts from our blog. 

For more tips on encouraging your child to pick up a pencil this summer, click to view an interview with one of our local Sylvan Learning experts on CTV Morning Live. 

Our tutors can help students to develop the skills needed for success throughout life, whether it's writing clearly-argued assignments, compelling essays for college applications, or persuasive cover letters for their dream jobs. Ask us how the tutors at West Vancouver Sylvan Learning use a personalized approach to teach effective writing skills for all grade levels.