Games for Writing: Playful Ways to Help Your Child Learn to Write [Hardcover]

Peggy Kaye (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1995

There is no skill more important for a child to master more than writing - and none more difficult or fraught with anxiety. Peggy Kaye, renowned teacher and author of the widely praised Games for Math, Games for Reading, and Games for Learning, now gives parents more than fifty ways to help their children become skilled, confident, and enthusiastic writers.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Kaye provides a bountiful supply of ways to ward off writer's block in young children. Her encouraging writing activities will help students in kindergarten through third grade enjoy the creative process and gradually master the skills needed for proficient, accurate authorship. She suggests starting kindergartners off with "wribbling" --a writing method combining scribbling and writing; then she moves on to story maps, followed by word games. Obviously a great tool for teachers looking for an alternative to work sheets, the book will also provide summertime family fun. Some of these ideas would make great traveling games--and why tell the kids they are valuable learning experiences as well. Denise Perry Donavin

About the Author

Peggy Kaye is a reading and math tutor in New York City. She has a master's degree in early-childhood education from Columbia University's Teachers College and has taught in both public and private elementary schools.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: Farrar Straus & Giroux (T) (August 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0374160244
• ISBN-13: 978-0374160241
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,044,607 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

72 of 72 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best book for helping your children learn to write., September 1, 2001

By 

slomamma (San Luis Obispo, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Games for Writing: Playful Ways to Help Your Child Learn to Write (Paperback)

I am both a writer and a former English teacher (besides being the mother of two), so I may be prejudiced, but I think writing is the most important thing children learn in elementary school. Once they get to high school, in most subjects it will not make any difference how much they know if they can not get clear thoughts down on paper. If you have a child struggling with writing, this is a very useful book. Some school districts get so obsessed with mechanics (spelling, punctuation, etc.) that the kids rarely practice doing any real writing. Others are more creative, but never seem to get around to things like spelling, punctuation and handwriting. In contrast, the approach Peggy Kaye uses is perfectly balanced. She is full of ideas for encouraging creativity, but also full of painless, even fun ways to practice spelling and penmanship. Both of my kids have loved games from this book, and ASKED to play them. They have no idea how much they are learning, they just enjoy the games. I have looked at a lot of books like this, and I have not seen any that are nearly as good.

78 of 80 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Writing Can Be Fun, December 8, 2000

By 

Jeffrey Peters "grokfusebox" (Virginia, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Games for Writing: Playful Ways to Help Your Child Learn to Write (Paperback)

This book is a wonderful resource to help your child learn to write. It addresses five different levels of writing skill: those who need to learn to motor-skills to control a pencil; those who can form the letters but find writing words or sentences a daunting task; those who can write at a simple level but need help with spelling, handwriting, and grammar; those who have mastered the basic writing skills but need some encouragement to develop their own writing style; and those who are ready to write at some length and need practice. The author has developed games to assist children at each of these levels develop the skills and confidence they need for writing.

My six-year-old has been reading at the fifth grade level for some time, but she had absolutely refused to learn to write (beyond forming the letters and a simple word or two). I found this book at the library and tried out several of the games with her. She was delighted by the extreme silliness and sheer fun of the games, and had no protests about the writing part of the games. Now when she gets home from school, she insists that we play one of the writing games -- and I can already see the improvement in her writing and her confidence about it.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who would like to help their child improve their writing and excel at school. It is also a fun, low-pressure way for a parent to spend some time just playing with their child.

38 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More than Games, March 12, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Games for Writing: Playful Ways to Help Your Child Learn to Write (Paperback)

Games for Writing is one of the best books that I have used with my children. Their skills have improved dramatically within weeks of using several of the suggested games. After using work sheets and finding my kids bored with the same types of skills, Peggy Kaye's book was refreshing and adaptable. I have taken many of the games and altered them slightly to fit the needs of my kids. Fantastic resource for teachers, tutors and parents, who want to teach children that learning is fun.