Share Your Ideas
The Spark
Concept
At Foundation level, drawing is writing. Children communicate ideas through images and move towards labelling, then sentences. This progression — from picture to label to sentence — is a natural and important developmental path. All attempts at writing should be celebrated.
Activity
Ask: What is your favourite thing to do? Could you draw a picture that shows me exactly what it looks like? Talk about the drawing before writing begins — strong oral preparation improves written output.
Check
Can your child write their name? Can they label a drawing with a beginning sound or a whole word? Can they attempt a simple sentence (even with invented spelling)?
Write Your Name (Set A)
Practise writing your name. Write it three times.
Write your name:
Write it again:
Write it one more time:
Write Your Name (Set B)
Write your name in uppercase letters AND lowercase letters.
UPPERCASE: ______
lowercase: ______
Draw and Label (Set A)
Draw your favourite toy. Write its name underneath.
Draw your favourite toy:
Its name is: ______
Draw and Label (Set B)
Draw your favourite animal. Write its name underneath.
Draw your favourite animal:
It is a: ______
What Makes Good Writing? (Set A)
Circle YES if the idea helps make good writing, or NO if it does not.
Think about what you want to say before you write.
Draw a picture first to plan your ideas.
Write as fast as you can without thinking.
Label the Picture (Set A)
Draw a picture of your bedroom. Label three things in it.
Draw your bedroom:
Label 1: ______
Label 2: ______
Label 3: ______
My Favourite Thing
Draw your favourite thing. Label it. Then write a sentence about it.
Draw your favourite thing:
Write a label:
I love ________________________
What Makes Good Writing? (Set B)
Circle YES or NO.
Use a capital letter at the start of your name.
Leave spaces between words.
Write without a picture or plan.
Say your sentence aloud before writing it.
Match Pictures to Labels
Draw a line from each picture word to the correct label.
Label the Picture (Set B)
Draw a picture of your kitchen. Label three things in it.
Draw your kitchen:
Label 1: ______
Label 2: ______
Label 3: ______
Write a Simple Sentence (Set A)
Write a sentence about yourself. Start with 'I am...'
I am ________________________
Write a Simple Sentence (Set B)
Write a sentence about your family. Start with 'My family...'
My family ________________________
The Writing Process (Set A)
Number these writing steps 1, 2, 3, 4 to show the correct order.
My Family
Draw your family. Write each person's name underneath.
Draw your family:
Names: ___________________________
Tip: Say It Before You Write It!
Here is a top writing tip: always SAY your sentence out loud before you write it. This helps you remember what to write. Try it: say a sentence about your pet, toy or friend. Now write it down!
My sentence: ___________________________
Draw and Write (Set A)
Draw something you did today. Then write one sentence about it.
Draw what you did:
I ________________________
Which Is a Sentence?
A sentence is a complete thought. Circle which one is a sentence.
Which is a sentence?
Which is a sentence?
Which is a sentence?
Write a Sentence About a Picture (Set A)
Draw an animal. Then write a sentence about it.
Draw an animal:
The ______ is ________________________
Sort: Labels vs Sentences
Is it a label (just a word) or a sentence (a complete thought)?
Writing Spark: You Are a Writer!
You are a writer! Every time you write a label, a sentence or even just your name, you are writing. What is your favourite thing to write? Why do people write?
I am a writer! My favourite thing to write is: ______
People write because: ___________________________
Write About Your Day (Set A)
Draw and write about something that happened today.
Draw what happened:
Today ________________________
My News
Draw a picture of something that happened recently. Then write about it.
Draw your news:
Write about it: ___________________________
Capital Letters
Circle the sentence that uses capital letters correctly.
Which is correct?
Which is correct?
Which is correct?
Write Two Sentences (Set A)
Write TWO sentences about your favourite food.
Sentence 1: ___________________________
Sentence 2: ___________________________
Match Sentence Starters to Endings
Draw a line to match each sentence start to a sensible ending.
Write a List (Set A)
Write a list of your three favourite foods.
My favourite foods: 1. ______ 2. ______ 3. ______
Write a List (Set B)
Write a list of three things you can see right now.
I can see: 1. ______ 2. ______ 3. ______
Full Stop Check
A sentence ends with a full stop. Which sentence has the full stop in the right place?
Which is correct?
Which is correct?
Which is correct?
Draw and Write (Set B)
Draw your family at dinner time. Write two sentences about the picture.
Draw dinner time:
Sentence 1: ___________________________
Sentence 2: ___________________________
Tip: Finger Spaces!
When you write words, leave a finger space between each word. This makes your writing easy to read! Put your finger down after each word to leave a gap. Try it: write 'I am happy' with finger spaces.
I am happy (practise with finger spaces):
Now write your own sentence with finger spaces:
Write a Message (Set A)
Write a short message to someone in your family.
Dear ______,
___________________________
From ______
Write About Your Pet or Favourite Animal
Draw your pet or favourite animal. Write two sentences about it.
Draw your animal:
Sentence 1: ___________________________
Sentence 2: ___________________________
Sentence or Not?
Circle SENTENCE if it is a complete sentence, or NOT if it is not.
I like dogs.
big and red
The sun is shining.
my cat
We went to the park.
Write Three Sentences (Set A)
Write THREE sentences about your family.
Sentence 1: ___________________________
Sentence 2: ___________________________
Sentence 3: ___________________________
Match Sentence Starters to Topics
Draw a line from each sentence starter to the topic it goes with.
Write a Shopping List
Pretend you are going shopping. Write a list of five things you need to buy.
Shopping list:
Draw and Write (Set C)
Draw your favourite place to play. Write about it.
Draw your favourite place:
My favourite place to play is ________________________
I like it because ________________________
Writing Checklist
Good writing has these things. Circle TRUE or FALSE.
Good writing starts with a capital letter.
Good writing ends with a full stop.
Good writing has finger spaces.
Good writing does not need to make sense.
Write About a Friend
Write about your best friend.
My friend's name is: ______
We like to: ___________________________
My friend is special because: ___________________________
Writing Spark: Why Do We Write?
Writing is powerful! We write to share ideas, tell stories, remember things, send messages and express feelings. What would YOU like to write to someone? A letter? A story? A note? Write anything you want!
I want to write: ___________________________
Write a Thank You Note
Write a thank you note to someone who has done something nice for you.
Dear ______,
Thank you for ___________________________
From ______
Write About What You Can Do
Write three things you are good at.
I can ________________________
I can ________________________
I can ________________________
Sort: Types of Writing
Sort each type of writing into the correct column.
Write an Invitation
Write an invitation to a pretend party.
You are invited to: ______
When: ______
Where: ______
From: ______
Tip: A Capital Letter and a Full Stop!
Every sentence needs two things: a capital letter at the start and a full stop at the end. Capital letter → words → full stop. Practise checking every sentence you write: does it start with a capital? Does it end with a full stop?
Fix this sentence: i like dogs → ______
Fix this sentence: the cat is big → ______
Write About the Weekend
Write about what you did on the weekend.
On the weekend I ________________________
The best part was ________________________
Fix the Sentence (Set A)
Which version of the sentence is correct?
Choose the correct sentence.
Choose the correct sentence.
Choose the correct sentence.
Write About a Feeling
Write about a time you felt happy, sad, scared or excited.
I felt ______ when ________________________
Draw and Write (Set D)
Draw something funny that happened. Write two sentences about it.
Draw the funny thing:
What happened: ___________________________
Writing Steps Revisited
Put these steps in order for writing a great sentence.
Write About Your Morning
Write about what you did this morning. Write at least three sentences.
This morning: ___________________________
Write a Letter (Set A)
Write a short letter to a friend or family member.
Dear ______,
___________________________
Love from ______
Writing Purpose Check
What kind of writing would you use for each purpose?
To remember what to buy at the shop, you write a...
To tell grandma about your holiday, you write a...
To make up an adventure, you write a...
Write About Your Favourite Game
Write about your favourite game. How do you play it?
My favourite game is: ______
You play it by: ___________________________
I like it because: ___________________________
Write Instructions (Set A)
Write instructions for making a sandwich. Write each step.
How to make a sandwich:
Step 1: ___________________________
Step 2: ___________________________
Step 3: ___________________________
Match Writing Types to Examples
Draw a line to match each type of writing to an example.
Write About What Makes You Happy
Write about three things that make you happy.
1. ______ makes me happy because ________________________
2. ______ makes me happy because ________________________
3. ______ makes me happy because ________________________
Write a Sign
Make a sign for your bedroom door. Write and decorate it.
My sign says:
Fix the Sentence (Set B)
Which sentence is written correctly?
Choose the correct sentence.
Choose the correct sentence.
Choose the correct sentence.
Writing Spark: A Letter to Your Future Self!
Write a letter to yourself in the future! Tell your future self what you like, what you are learning, and what you hope to do when you grow up. Seal it in an envelope and open it next year!
Dear Future Me,
Right now I am _____ years old. I like ___________________________
When I grow up I want to ___________________________
From, Me
Writers at Home
Encourage early writing through meaningful, real-life activities.
- 1Write a shopping list together — your child writes the first letter of each item.
- 2Write a birthday card or letter to a family member.
- 3Keep a drawing and writing journal — draw one thing each day and write about it.
- 4Leave notes for each other around the house.
Write About a Special Day
Write about a special day you remember (birthday, holiday, outing).
The special day was: ______
What happened: ___________________________
How I felt: ___________________________
Write a Question
Write three questions you would like to ask someone.
Question 1: ___________________________?
Question 2: ___________________________?
Question 3: ___________________________?
Sort: Capital Letter Needed?
Sort these: does the word need a capital letter or not?
Write About Your Hero
Write about someone you admire. It could be a family member, a teacher, or a character.
My hero is: ______
I admire them because: ___________________________
Write a Mini Story (Set A)
Write a mini story with a beginning, middle and end. It can be about anything!
Beginning: ___________________________
Middle: ___________________________
End: ___________________________
Types of Sentences
Circle what type of sentence each one is.
I like cats.
Do you like cats?
Wow, what a big cat!
Write a Poem (Set A)
Write a simple poem about something you love. It does not need to rhyme.
My poem:
Write Directions (Set A)
Write directions from your bedroom to the kitchen. Use words like first, then, next.
First, ___________________________
Then, ___________________________
Next, ___________________________
Finally, ___________________________
Write About Your Dream
Write about a dream you had or a dream you would like to have.
In my dream: ___________________________
Write a Review (Set A)
Write a review of your favourite book, movie or game.
I am reviewing: ______
What it is about: ___________________________
I rate it _____ out of 5 because: ___________________________
Match Sentence Starters to Purposes
Draw a line to match each sentence starter to what you would write.
Write a Birthday Card
Write a birthday card for someone.
Happy Birthday ______!
Message: ___________________________
From: ______
Write About What You Wonder
Write three things you wonder about. Start each one with 'I wonder...'
I wonder ________________________
I wonder ________________________
I wonder ________________________
Tip: Add More Detail!
Good writers add detail to make their writing interesting. Instead of 'I have a dog', try 'I have a big, fluffy, brown dog called Max.' Adding WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN and WHY makes your writing come alive!
Simple: I went to the park. Better: ___________________________
Simple: I ate food. Better: ___________________________
Write With Detail (Set A)
Write about what you had for breakfast today. Include lots of detail.
This morning I ate ________________________
Write an Opinion
Write your opinion about something. Start with 'I think...' and say why.
I think ________________________ because ________________________
Sort: Sentence Endings
Sort each sentence: does it end with a full stop, question mark or exclamation mark?
Write a Page for a Book
Pretend you are writing a book. Write one page with a drawing and at least three sentences.
My book is called: ______
Draw the picture for this page:
Write the text:
Writing Spark: A Message to the World!
If you could share one message with everyone in the world, what would it be? Write your message and decorate it like a poster!
My message to the world:
I want to say this because: ___________________________
Write a Mini Story (Set B)
Write a longer mini story (at least 5 sentences) with a beginning, middle and end.
My story:
Write About What You Learned
Write about something new you learned recently.
I learned that ___________________________
I learned it from ___________________________
It was interesting because ___________________________
Writing Improvement Check
Which is the BETTER version of each sentence?
Choose the better sentence.
Choose the better sentence.
Choose the better sentence.
Write About Your Future
Write about what you want to be when you grow up.
When I grow up I want to be ________________________
I want to do this because ________________________
To get there I need to ________________________
Write a Letter (Set B)
Write a letter to a friend telling them about something exciting.
Dear ______,
___________________________
Your friend, ______
Write a Poem (Set B)
Write a poem about the weather. Use describing words.
My weather poem:
Sort: My Writing Skills
Sort each skill: am I good at this or do I need more practice?
Write About a Kind Thing You Did
Write about a time you were kind to someone.
I was kind when ___________________________
It made them feel ________________________
Write About Your Favourite Book
Write about your favourite book. What happens? Why do you like it?
My favourite book is: ______
It is about: ___________________________
I like it because: ___________________________
Tip: You Are an Author!
You have written sentences, stories, letters, lists, poems, signs, invitations, reviews and messages. That makes you a real author! Every time you write, you get better. Keep writing every day — even just one sentence. Your ideas matter and the world needs to hear them!
I am an author! My best writing so far is: ___________________________
Write Your Own Book Plan
Plan a book you would like to write. Write the title, characters and what happens.
Title: ______
Characters: ______
What happens: ___________________________
Write a Diary Entry
Write a diary entry for today.
Date: ______
Dear Diary, ___________________________
Writing Grand Quiz
Test your writing knowledge!
Every sentence starts with a...
Every sentence ends with a...
Between words you leave...
Before you write, you should...
Write About Something You Are Proud Of
Write about something you are proud of.
I am proud of ___________________________
Because ___________________________
Write a Mini Story (Set C)
Write your best mini story yet! Make it exciting and interesting.
My best story:
Write a Letter (Set C)
Write a letter to your teacher, a grandparent, or someone you admire.
Dear ______,
___________________________
From ______
Write About What You Wish
Write about three wishes you have.
I wish ________________________
I wish ________________________
I wish ________________________
Writing Champion Challenge
You are a writing champion! Keep writing every day.
- 1Start a daily writing journal — just one sentence a day is enough!
- 2Write letters to family members who live far away.
- 3Make your own books with drawings and words.
- 4Write labels, signs and lists around the house.
Writing Self-Assessment
Rate yourself on each writing skill. Write: great, good, or still learning.
Writing my name: ______
Using capital letters: ______
Using full stops: ______
Writing sentences: ______
Adding detail: ______
Writing stories: ______
Writing Spark: Your Author's Chair!
Sit in a special chair (the Author's Chair!) and share your best piece of writing with someone. Read it aloud with expression. You are a real author with important ideas to share! Draw yourself as an author.
I shared my writing about: ______
My audience said: ___________________________
Draw yourself in the Author's Chair: