The Zoo Stories: A Fun Writing Activity

Is your child a budding writer? Or does he hit a wall when starting a writing assignment? In both cases, the best way to develop writing skills is by engaging something every child has: imagination. Here’s a fun exercise that turns a Saturday trip to the local zoo into an all-out writing frenzy:

What you need

• A small notebook
• Pen
• Colored pencils
• A map of the zoo

The Pitch
Ever wonder what happens in the zoo at night? What those exotic beasts do when no humans are watching them? Pitch this story idea to your children and watch their eyes light up. Tell them that they can write any kind of story: it can be science fiction (tigers are really spies from Mars), fantasy, adventure or a more realistic rendition of the zoo experience from the animal’s point-of-view. It can be a short story or a series, a play or a newspaper article. What matters most is that their imagination, and their writing skills, are engaged.

Research

When at the zoo, try to slow your child down. Ask him to observe the zoo environment using as many senses and descriptive words as possible, and encourage him to write these observations down. Prompt your child's creativity with questions, such as:

What’s your favorite animal?

• Could this be the main character of your story?

• What are some of that animal’s most interesting characteristics or behaviors?

• What details can you observe about the animal’s environment?

What are some other animals you might work into your story?