give me 5 minutes & I’ll tell you how to improve your tween’s writing

Does your middle schooler complain that writing is too stressful? Too boring? Too hard?

I get it. As the mother of four tweens and teens, I’ve heard every excuse in the book. But that never stopped me from insisting they write more at home, especially during the summer months when learning loss is at its highest.

Suppose you’re the parent of a reluctant or struggling middle school writer, and you want to help your tween get excited about the writing process while improving their technical skills simultaneously. You’ll find the fun writing activities for middle school outlined in this post helpful.

Remember: The key to getting better at writing is to craft shorter pieces more often. Get them writing!

Your middle schooler can complete the following tasks in just 10-15 minutes. If your child writes for 15 minutes every day for 90 days (the entire summer), that’s 1,350 minutes they will have spent sharpening their writing skills.

The “3 things” writing activity for middle school challenge

What you need: a journal, a pencil, and a timer.

This fun writing activity for middle school is one of my favorites because it’s an easy setup.

Step 1: Generate three random things (person, place, or item)

Generate three random things (person, place, or item). You can use three things taken from the infographic below or come up with your own. These three things must appear, in some way, within your story.

step 2: write a story that includes three things.

Set the timer for 15 minutes. Write a short story that includes the three things. You shouldn’t worry about editing at this point. Just write!

Step 3: Read your short story aloud!

Have fun with this! Take turns reading aloud the story you wrote. Repeat this exercise if you feel inspired.

The treasure hunt writing activity for middle school exercise

What you need: walking shoes, a journal, a pencil, and a positive attitude!

Step 1: Go for a walk or hike outside.

Go for a walk or hike outside. Find some “treasure.” By treasure, I mean anything you find on your walk that you feel has value. Take your treasure home with you.

Examples of treasure: colorful leaves, beach glass, pretty rocks, flowers, arrowheads, pinecones, etc. The possibilities are endless!

step 2: pick 1-2 items from your treasure.

When you get home, pick 1-2 items from the treasure you collected. Your story will feature these items.

Step 3: Write a story about your treasure

Set your timer for 15 minutes. Grab your pencil and journal. Write a story about your treasure.

How did you find it? Create a narrative around this item. Breathe new life into this object.

Alternative: Use colored pencils or markers to draw a story about your treasure. Your picture can use images or a combination of images and words.

My kids love this fun writing activity because they get out of the house. We’ve gone out of our way to go on beach walks (We live on the coast of Lake Erie), trail hikes, and walks around the city. Trash can be a treasure, too!

Get creative with this one!

The research project writing activity for middle school exercise

What you need: internet or library access, a journal, and a pencil

Step 1: choose a different culture or era from what you know

Choose a different culture or era from what you know. Perform an internet or library search on that culture or time period and see what you can find. Spend no more than 5-10 minutes on research.

step 2: imagine yourself in that culture or era.

Put yourself in that culture or era with your current personality, thoughts, knowledge, and opinions. Think about how you would feel and act. What would you be doing?

Step 3: write a short story about your time spent in your researched culture or era

Set your timer for 15 minutes. Write a short story about your time spent in the culture or era you researched. Don’t worry about factual details here. Get creative! The sky is the limit with this one.

final thoughts

You want to get your middle schooler writing over the summer, right? Then be sure to try one of the fun activities for middle school listed above.

These writing activities will motivate, inspire, and entertain your middle schooler.

Present these activities to your kid next time they sit down to free write. You’ll be glad you did!

For more writing inspiration, check out: Want to Spark your Child’s Creative Writing? Try a Chain Story.

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