Middle Years Newsletter, December 2018

December 01, 2018

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Creative Tweens

Ever wonder what happened to your singing, doodling, spontaneous child? He or she is still there! Since middle graders are usually more self-conscious, they might need a little coaxing to express their creativity. Try these strategies.

1. Put an inexpensive art easel and supplies (drawing paper, paints, brushes, markers, colored pencils) in a corner of your home. When you're not looking, your tween may decide to sketch a pet, paint a sunset, or try their hand at abstract art.  

2. Put your middle grader in charge of making signs on the computer or on poster board for family members' birthdays. He or she can download pictures specific to the person (favorite food or movie star) and write a clever greeting. Example: "Happy birthday from the whole bunch" with a picture of bananas.

Writing is Fun!

Motivate your tween to write more often with these activities. They will practice using parts of speech and descriptive language. 

Make up Mad Libs.

Your middle grader could create a silly story by leaving blanks for you to fill in. Encourage them to think carefully about where to put blanks and label each with the part of speech needed (noun, verb, adjective). For example...

Read more of the December edition of Middle Years by clicking on the link below.

Middle Years Newsletter December 2018