essays for 6 year old

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50 Essay Topics for Kids

Hi friends! A while back, after I did a post of story ideas for kids , I got requests for essay topics for kids. I thought it was a little out of my wheelhouse, though, since I’ve never taught children. But then I thought, wait a minute…I’m married to someone who used to teach middle school English! So I invited Mr. Donovan to guest post today. Take it away, honey…

For these, I tried to think about 5th and 6th grade writing topics, but the truth is, most of these writing prompts would also work for kids much younger, and some of them would work for older kids. If you’re a busy teacher or homeschooling parent, I hope you find good ideas you can use.

While this list focuses especially on persuasive writing, it offers a wide range of subjects. I think many students will feel strongly about them since they know about them firsthand, and they may have fun writing about them. Some prompts may encourage students to try to persuade through the use of humor and personal stories, while others may lead them to compare and contrast two things or use logic and/or ethical arguments to support their points of view. Hopefully, their strong feelings will lead student writers to experience persuasive writing as an essential tool for their success.[spacer height=”20px”]

Personal Narrative Essay Ideas

• The three things I can’t live without are…
• In the past year, I’ve changed in the following ways…
• A close call I once had occurred when…
• My favorite hour of the day is…
• I once got lost for a long period of time at…
• One thing I love to shop for is…
• The best sporting event I ever attended was…
• Here’s a time that I was scared but took a chance.
• Here’s what happened when I tried something for the first time.
• The thing I’m most looking forward to this summer is…
• A decision that was very hard to make for me was…
• The last time I laughed really really hard was…
• A time I was really proud of one of my parents/siblings was…
• Describe a favorite family photo and the story it tells.
• One time when I was having dinner with my family…

Persuasive Essay Ideas

• Why It’s Important To Be a Good Winner
• How to Make Friends and Keep Them
• To Be Successful, You Need To…
• How to Disagree With Someone Without Being Rude
• The Best Thing About This School Is….and Here’s Why
• The Best Place to Live Would Be…and Here’s Why
• Why It’s Important to Set Goals
• How to Prevent Bullying
• Students Should Be Allowed to Learn At Their Own Pace
• The Best TV Show On Right Now Is…Because….
• The Best TV Show Ever Made Is….and Here’s Why
• My Favorite Superhero Is…Because…
• Why My Favorite Sport Is the Best Sport
• Students Should/Shouldn’t Have Their Phones at School
• Our Country Would Be Better If We Passed This Law
• No One Should Ever Watch More Than Four Hours of TV, Movies, and Videos a Day
• Why It’s Time to Remove the Penny From Circulation
• It’s Likely that Extraterrestrials Exist
• Taking Photographs of People Without Their Permission Should Be Prohibited
• Telling A Lie Is/Isn’t Always Wrong

Compare and Contrast Essay Ideas

• Baseball and basketball have both similarities and differences.
• Here’s what I would and wouldn’t be willing to do for a million dollars
• The biggest differences between winter and spring are…
• Ways I’m alike and ways I’m different from my parent/sibling are…
• Cats and dogs may be very different, but they’re also alike in some respects.
• My two favorite bands compare and contrast in the following ways.
• Compare and contrast your two favorite superheroes.
• My two favorite restaurants are different in many ways.
• Though very different, the sun and the moon do have a few similarities.
• While my two favorite classes have key differences, they also have much in common
• Skating and running have a lot in common.
• Parent teachers and classroom teachers are different and alike in many ways.
• Poems and stories have some similarities and some differences.
• PCs and Mac computers have less in common than you might think.
• The book and movie version of my favorite story have a lot of similarities, but they’re different in some ways.

If you have other ideas for easy essay topics for middle school, let us know in the comments. And if you liked the list, please share them on Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter—we appreciate it, and busy teachers might appreciate it, too!  Thanks for reading this, and have a great day!

– Gill Donovan

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11 thoughts on “ 50 essay topics for kids ”.

This is a great list for home schooling parents and self-paced learners. Thank you for sharing.

PS Please hit me back sometime with a comment on my blog http://www.naomiplane.com

Hi! Thanks, Naomi! I’ll stop by your blog in just a sec.

These are so great! Thanks for posting Mr. Donovan! This list can also be used to connect with grandkids. If I answer some of these questions about my own life, the answers will likely be something of interest to my grandchildren and wouldn’t it be great to have them write on the same topics for me to read. Thanks again for your experiences with young people that make greater connection possible.

Thanks, Jessie! Interesting take on the list! I suppose I could actually use the list to connect with my own nieces and nephews.

These are fabulous! I often simply want my children to practice handwriting, but I’m at a loss when they ask me what they should write. This takes care of two problems with one awesome solution! Thank you!! 🙂

Hi, Lisa! So glad you can use it in this way. Thanks for letting me know.

as a mom of three boys, I find the list insightful into the minds of kids.

Good to hear this–as I was working on it, I kept circling back to try to decide whether or not the subjects would appeal to kids. So thanks!

Having taught thirty-one years in elementary school (many of those years in 5th and 6th grade), this is an awesome list. I would have used some of these for sure. Teachers are the biggest thieves.?

When we had creative writing time in my class, I always wrote too. I wanted my students to know that I looked forward to this time. Teachers set the atmosphere. After a time, the kids quit asking, “How much do we have to write?” and instead asked, “Mr. Springer, can we write about this?” Giving students time to share is another key to putting a value on the written word.

Thanks, Pete Springer! As someone who taught 6th grade for a year, I know what a fine achievement it is to bring students to want to write in class and to feel comfortable enough to share their writing. Sounds like you taught some wonderful classes. Great to hear you’d have used these.

I have a essay website http://www.tamilsolution.com in tamil language and iam nearly out of content ideas, you give me a new list of essays for my website, thank you

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How to Teach Your Child to Write an Essay – Step by Step

Children are naturally creative, and essay writing should come easy to them. But it usually doesn’t. 

So, how can you teach your child essay writing while making the process enjoyable for both of you?

I’m Tutor Phil, and in this article I’ll show you how to teach your child how to express thoughts on paper, even if some resistance is present.

We’ll first learn three principles that will help you make progress fast. And then we’ll go through the step-by-step process of teaching your child how to write an essay. 

Principle 1. Clarity equals motivation

We’ve all heard the expression: “You can lead the horse to the water, but you can’t make it drink.” One of your concerns can be your child’s motivation. 

You may be convinced that your child hates writing or is really bored with it. Perhaps your child will do anything to avoid sitting down to write. 

And you know what – any or all of the above may be true. But your child can still learn how to write an essay because it is not the lack of motivation per se that is the problem.

In this short video, Dr. Lee Hausner gives some eye-opening advice about motivating a child:

Here are the key points Dr. Hausner makes:

• You cannot create motivation in somebody else.
• Strong parents often mistakenly feel that they can transfer their motivation onto their children.
• Motivation is internal.
• Simplistic formula: “ Activity + Satisfaction = Motivation .”
• Conversely, “ Activity + Stress & Pressure = Avoidance .”
• Create an environment where your child can be successful and enjoy what he does. 
• Encourage and reward any small success and bit of progress. 

Let’s apply these principles to motivating a child in writing an essay. 

How to motivate a child to write

Chances are that if your child would rather not engage in writing, that is primarily because the process is fuzzy in his mind (and I’ll use the pronoun “he” to refer to your child throughout the tutorial, for the sake of elegance and brevity). 

You see, essay writing is not really taught in school. It is taught kind of sort of, but not really. 

Assigning a topic, grading the essays, and making suggestions for improvement is not teaching. It’s only a part of the process. 

To teach is to give the student a method, a step-by-step process, in which every step can be measured and improved. 

That’s what I’m about to give you. And that’s what you will need to effectively teach your child. 

But when a child does not have a step-by-step method, the process is fuzzy in his mind. And whatever is fuzzy is viewed as complicated and difficult because it’s like eating an elephant whole. 

Let’s revisit Dr. Hausner’s formula: “ Activity + Satisfaction = Motivation .”

Activity can be satisfying only if it is successful to some degree. When your child succeeds at something, and you acknowledge him for it, that becomes fun, enjoyable, and satisfying.

But you see, it’s hard to succeed at something without knowing what you’re doing. And even if you succeed, if you did not follow a recipe, then in the back of your mind you suspect that you probably can’t repeat or replicate the success.

Not knowing what to do while being expected to do it is a recipe for avoidance. And guess what – your child probably got his share of fuzzy instructions.

For example, consider this instruction:

“Tie it all together.”  

This statement is meaningless – to a child or even to an adult. What does it really mean to “tie it all together?” And yet, this is how they usually teach how to write a conclusion paragraph, as an example. 

But such a statement only creates fuzziness and demotivates.

So, in this tutorial, we’ll be cultivating clarity. I’ll be giving you crystal clear instructions so you could develop clarity in yourself and help your child develop it, too.

Principle 2. Writing is thinking on paper

An essay consists of sentences. The word “ sentence ” comes from the Latin word “sententia,” which means “thought.” 

Thus, to write literally means to express thoughts on paper. Why is this important?

This is important because by teaching your child how to write an essay, you’re really teaching him how to think . 

Your child will carry this skill through his entire life. It will be useful, even indispensable in:

• Acing standardized tests
• Writing papers in college
• Putting together reports and presentation professionally
• Defending a point of view effectively

You can tell I take essay writing seriously 🙂

But if you ever run out of patience yourself, just remember that you’re really teaching your child how to think. 

Principle 3. Essays are built not written

When you child hears the word “ write ,” he gets that queasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. 

We’ll make it a lot easier for him by thinking of writing an essay and referring to it as just “ building an essay.”

If your child has ever loved playing with Lego, then the method you’re about to learn will feel familiar, both in terms of motivation and developing the skill. 

By the way, if you want to brush up your own essay writing skills before you sit down with your child to teach him, I highly recommend this article: Essay Writing for Beginners . 

All right – without further ado, here are…

Six steps to teaching your child essay writing: 

Step 1. Pick a topic and say something about it

In order to write, your child must write about something . That something is the subject of the essay. In this step, you want to help your child pick a topic and say something about it. 

In essence, you’re asking your child these two questions:

What will your essay be about?

• What about it?

For example, 

“My essay will be about grandma’s lasagna.”

“Okay. What about grandma’s lasagna?”

“It’s my favorite food.”

The result will be a complete main point, also known as the thesis. A thesis is the main point of the entire essay summarized in one sentence: 

“My grandma’s lasagna is my favorite food.”

Boom! Now, the reader knows exactly what this essay will be about. It is also clear that this is going to be a glowing review. 

Here’s my short video explaining what a thesis is:

When teaching a child, it’s important to keep the topic unilateral. In other words, it should be either positive or negative. It should be one simple idea. 

Don’t start out trying to develop a more complex topic that offers a balanced perspective with positives and negatives. Don’t do a compare/contrast, either. Keep it simple for now. 

This is the first step because the main point is the genesis for all other ideas in the essay . 

How to help your child pick a topic

Encourage your child to pick a topic he can get excited about because then he’ll be enthusiastic thinking and talking about it. 

Try to think of some of the things you know he is interested in. He can write an essay about absolutely anything.

It doesn’t have to be a serious or an academic subject. It could be anything from apple pie to Spiderman. 

Of course, the subject should be informed by your child’s age, as well. But once you sit down to work on essay writing, make it clear to your child that he can pick any topic he wants. 

Ask your child what he would like to write about or “build into an essay.” And whatever he chooses, just run with it. That’s what your first essay together will be about. 

Once you’re settled on the topic, just have your child write it down on a piece of paper or type it into the computer.

Here is a list of suggestions for essay topics to give a try:

• What I love the most about the summer
• My favorite thing to do on weekends
• John is my best friend because…
• Essay writing is…
• My least favorite day of the week is…
• My favorite season is…
• It is important to be brave (intelligent, skillful at something, etc.)
• If I could have any animal for a pet, it would be…
• My sister (brother) makes my life (exciting, difficult, etc.)
• Holidays are fun times (or dreadful times).

Remember – this is not the only or the last essay you’ll write together. Just encourage your child to pick a topic and write it down. Now, you’re ready for the next step. 

Step 2. Practice the Power of Three

We’re building our essays, remember? Not writing them. At least at this point, all you’ve done is encouraged your child to pick a topic. No writing involved yet.

In this step, no real writing is involved, either. It’s just a mental exercise, really. 

In writing or building an essay, it is necessary to break things into parts. Young children love to break things because they want to see how something works or what it looks like inside. 

How do you write an essay about an egg?

You must first divide the concept of an egg into parts. How do you do that? I highly recommend this simple technique I call the Power of Three. 

Three is an optimal number for a young brain, and really for adults, as well, to think about and process. Our brain thinks like this: “One, two, three, many.”

One doesn’t help us because you’re not dividing. Two is okay but not quite enough ideas to develop.

Three is easy to deal with while giving your child a challenge. And let’s set the record straight – thinking is not easy. It is challenging. This is why so few people teach it. 

But we’re making it fun by breaking it into steps and providing clear instructions. 

Okay, so back to the egg. Let’s apply the power of three to the idea of an egg:

You see, if we only have a whole egg as an idea, it’s like staring at the blank screen or sheet of paper. Nothing causes the writer’s block better than one solid piece.

But now that we’ve divided this idea into three sub-ideas, or supporting ideas, this makes our life discussing eggs a lot easier. 

Now, if we wanted to write an essay about eggs, we can discuss:

• The yolk and its color, taste, and nutritional content
• The egg white, its color, taste, and nutritional content
• The shell, its color, texture, and shape

Note that when we divide a topic or an idea, each part must be different from the other parts in some important ways. In other words, we want three distinct parts. 

You can use this part of the tutorial and ask your child to think about how to divide an egg into parts. It’s a very intuitive step, and your child will love the challenge. 

And by the way, you child may get very creative about it because the answer is not necessarily the yolks, the white, and the shell. It could be:

• Chicken eggs
• Ostrich eggs
• Boiled eggs

Whatever way to divide eggs into three concepts your child comes up with, approve and praise it. Now, let’s apply the power of three to an actual topic. 

We need a topic that we’ll use for the rest of the tutorial. Here it is:

“If I could have any animal for a pet, it would be a panther.”

Applying the Power of Three to an essay topic

Let’s apply what we just learned to this topic about a panther. Note that we have the entire thesis, a complete main point. Our subject is “a panther as a pet.”

We’re just using this example with an understanding that panthers don’t make good pets and belong in the wild. But since we asked, we should roll with the child’s imagination. 

Now, you want to encourage your child to come up with three reasons why he would choose a panther as a pet.

This is a challenging step. The first one or two reasons will come relatively easily. The third reason usually makes the child, anyone really, scratch his head a little.

Let’s come up with three reasons why a panther might make a great pet. 

Reason 1. Panthers are magnificently beautiful.

Great! That’s a good reason. 

Reason 2. A panther is more powerful than virtually any other pet.

That’s another legitimate reason to want a panther for a pet – you’re the king of the neighborhood, if not the whole town. 

And now, we’re thinking of reason 3, which will be the most challenging, so be ready for that. 

Reason 3. Panthers are loyal.

I’m making this one up because I really have no idea if panthers are loyal to their human owners when they have any. But I need a reason, this is just a practice essay, and anything goes. 

When your child comes up with a reason that is not necessarily true or plausible, let him run with it. What really matters is how well he can support his points by using his logic and imagination. 

Working with facts is next level. Right now, you want your child to get comfortable dividing topics into subtopics. 

The only criterion that matters is whether this subtopic actually helps support the main idea. If it does, it works. 

Step 3. Build a clear thesis statement 

Once you know the topic and the supporting points, you have everything you need to write out the thesis statement. Note that there is a difference between a thesis and a thesis statement.

Here’s a short video with a simple definition and example of a thesis statement:

Once you and your child have completed steps 1 & 2 thoroughly, step 3 is really easy. All you need to do is write out the thesis statement, using the information you already have. 

In fact, at this point, you should have every sentence of your statement and just need to put them all together into one paragraph. Let’s write out our complete thesis statement:

“If I could have any animal for a pet, it would be a panther, for three reasons. Panthers are magnificently beautiful. They are more powerful than virtually any other kind of a pet. And they are loyal.”

Note that we added the phrase “ for three reasons ” to indicate that we are introducing the actual reasons. In other words, we are building an introductory paragraph. We’re just presenting our main and supporting points here. 

When you read this opening paragraph, you unmistakably come away with a clear idea of what this essay is about. It makes a simple statement and declares three reasons why it is true. And that’s it. 

It is so clear that not even the least careful reader in the world can possibly miss the point. This is the kind of writing you want to cultivate in your child. Because, remember, writing reflects thinking. It would be impossible to write this paragraph without thinking clearly. 

Note also that there is no need for embellishments or other kinds of fluff. Elegant writing is like sculpture – you take away until there is no more left to take away. 

And guess what – we now have a great first paragraph going! Without much writing, we have just written the first paragraph. We were mostly building and dividing and thinking and imagining. And the result is a whole opening paragraph. 

Step 4. Build the body of the essay 

The body of the essay is where the main point is supported with evidence. Let’s revisit one of the rules of writing – to write an essay, you need to divide things into parts.

The body of the essay is always divided into sections. Now, since your child is presumably a beginner, we simply call the sections paragraphs. 

But keep in mind that a section can have more than one paragraph. An essay does not necessarily have the standard 5-paragraph structure. It can be as long as your child wants. 

But in this tutorial, each of our sections has just one paragraph, and that’s perfectly sufficient. 

How many sections will our body of the essay have? Well, we used the power of three, we came up with three supporting points, and so the body of the essay should naturally contain three paragraphs. 

How long should the paragraphs be? Let me show you how to gauge word count.

This is just an example of how you can teach your child to distribute the number of words across paragraphs. 

As you can see, our body paragraphs should probably be longer than the introductory paragraph and the conclusion. 

This is how I always teach my students to go about a writing assignment that has a certain word count requirement. The essay above will contain about 400 words.

If your child needs to write 600 words, then the following might be a good distribution:

• Introductory paragraph – 75 words
• Body paragraph 1 – 150 words
• Body paragraph 2 – 150 words
• Body paragraph 3 – 150 words
• Conclusion – 75 words

By doing this kind of essay arithmetic, it is easy to map out how much to write in each paragraph and not go overboard in any part of the essay. 

Body paragraph structure 

A paragraph in the body of an essay has a distinct structure. And this structure is not restrictive but it is rather liberating because your child will know exactly how to build it out.

The first sentence in the body paragraph is always the lead sentence. It must summarize the contents of the paragraph. 

The good news is that this sentence is usually a form of one of the sentences that we’ve already written. How so?

Well, in our thesis statement, we have three supporting points. Each of them is essentially a lead sentence for that section or paragraph of the essay. For example, consider this sentence from our thesis statement:

“Panthers are magnificently beautiful.”

This is the first reason that your child would like a panther as a pet. It is also a very clear standalone sentence. 

It is also an almost perfect lead sentence. I say “ almost ” because we don’t want to repeat sentences in an essay. 

So, we’ll take this sentence as a base and add one or two words to it. We can also change a word or two by using synonyms. That way, we’ll expand it just slightly and turn it into a perfect lead sentence for our first body paragraph:

“ Panthers are very beautiful and graceful animals.”

Okay, so we added the epithet “graceful,” but that’s okay because grace is virtually synonymous with beauty. And now we have a great lead sentence and are ready to proceed. 

Let’s write out the entire first body paragraph and see how it works:

“ Panthers are very graceful and beautiful animals. When portrayed in documentaries about animals, panthers are nicely balanced. They are not as huge as tigers or lions. And their size allows them to be nimble and flexible. Their size and agility make them move very beautifully, almost artistically. When I imagine walking with a pet like that on the street, I can see people staring at my panther and admiring its beauty. It would definitely be the most beautiful pet in my entire neighborhood.”

The first sentence, as we already know, is the lead sentence. The next three sentences explain how panthers’ balanced size and agility make them graceful. 

The following sentence is an explanation of how these qualities make them beautiful through the power of movement. 

And finally comes the most specific bit of evidence – an example. This child paints a perfect picture of himself walking his pet panther on a leash. People admire the animal’s beauty, and the kid gets a tremendous kick out of this experience. 

It is an example because it contains imagery, perhaps even sounds. It is a specific event happening in a particular place and time. 

As you can see, this paragraph proceeds from general to specific. It also follows the structure in the diagram perfectly. 

Guide your child through writing two more of these paragraphs, following the same organization. And you’re done with the body. 

Proceeding from general to specific

Argumentative (expository) essays always proceed from general to specific. Our most general statement is the thesis, and it’s the first statement in the essay. 

Then we have our supporting points, and each of them is more specific than the thesis but more general than anything else in the essay. 

Each lead sentence is slightly more specific than the preceding supporting points in the thesis statement. 

Then, an explanation is even more specific. And finally, examples are the most specific elements in an essay. 

When working with your child, cultivate this ability to see the difference between the general and the specific. And help your child proceed in that manner in the essay. 

This ability is a mark of a developed and mature writer and thinker. 

Step 5. Add the conclusion

I almost always recommend concluding an essay with a simple restatement. Meaning, your child should learn how to say the same things in different words in the conclusion. 

Why did I say, “almost?” Because some teachers will require that your child write a conclusion without repetition. 

In that case, the teacher should instruct the student what she expects to read in the conclusion. A great way to deal with this situation is to approach the teacher and ask what kind of a conclusion she expects. 

And she’ll say what she wants, and your child will simply abide. 

But in the vast majority of cases, simple restatement works just fine. All it really entails is writing out an equivalent of the thesis statement – only using different words and phrases. 

Here is our thesis statement:

And here’s our conclusion:

“I would love to have a panther as a pet. Panthers are such magnificent animals that everyone would admire my pet. People would also respect it and keep some distance because of its power. And the loyalty of panthers would definitely seal the deal.”

All we did was restate the points previously made. Let your child master writing this kind of a conclusion. And if you’d like a detailed tutorial on how to write conclusions, I wrote one you can access here . 

Step 6. Add an introductory sentence

The final step is to add one sentence in the first paragraph. I didn’t use to teach it because it’s perfectly fine to get straight to the point in an essay.

This little introduction is an equivalent of clearing your throat 🙂

However, teachers in school and professors in college expect some kind of an introduction. So, all your child has to do is add one introductory sentence right before the thesis. 

This sentence should be even more general than the thesis. It should kind of pull the reader from his world into the world of the essay. 

Let’s write such a sentence as our introduction:

“Not all pets are created equal, and people have their choices.”

And here’s our complete introductory paragraph:

And this concludes the tutorial. You can keep coming back to it as often as you want to follow the steps, using different topics. 

If you’d like the help of a professional, don’t hesitate and hit me up . 

Tutor Phil is an e-learning professional who helps adult learners finish their degrees by teaching them academic writing skills.

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7 Tips to Teach Essay Writing to Your Children

Writing is one of the most important skills for your child’s education. The unfortunate thing is that classroom settings often don’t provide enough practice time to really hone those writing skills. Experts from Ace Papers can provide good lessons and instruction, but there’s still a lot of slack for parents to pick up. Follow these seven tips to teach essay writing to your children.

Refresh on basic writing skills

Before you dive into essay writing, make sure your child has a good grasp on the basic elements of writing. Make sure they know the importance of things such as proper spelling and the rules of grammar. Remember to teach them these concepts at an age appropriate level, you don’t need to deliver a huge lecture. Be patient and correct them when they make a mistake and explain what the proper way to do things is. These fundamentals are the basic building blocks that you’ll be building their essay skills on. Here is an assortment of ideas to choose research paper help , combine or alter in order to come up with the answer that works best for your kid.

Start with a thesis

“Explaining an abstract concept such as a thesis to child can be challenging, but it’s a necessary understanding if they are to write an essay. Give them clear direction and simple examples to help explain what a thesis is and why it’s so important to an essay. Provide some prompts to get them started or give them some examples of what a good thesis statement is,” writes Carolyn Kirsch, educator at Academized . Try and emphasize that the thesis is the core of an essay, everything else is built out from it.

Show them how to write an outline

Your outline is a master plan for your essay and will include all the important elements. A lot of children aren’t comfortable expressing their thoughts in writing, and an outline is a great way to encourage them and show them the logical context of their essay. Show them the basic structure, including the introduction, main body, and conclusion. Explain to them that the main body is where they will make their arguments and the conclusion should be a thoughtful summary of their main points.

Encourage them to read

One of the best ways for your child to improve their writing is simply by teaching them to love reading. Reading is great because it gives them plenty of good writing examples to soak up and learn from. Reading is also a good way to increase their vocabulary and that is key for improving writing skills. The more your child reads the more they will learn about how sentences work together and the stronger their essay writing skills will be.

Practice lots

Writing practice is very important to building essay writing skills. A lot of kids don’t get very much writing practice in the classroom. Teachers will explain the basics and give them some exercises, but the time spent writing in the classroom is very limited. Encourage your child to write at home. Help them by giving them a theme to write about for the day. The next day, you can build off that theme by having them write an essay about it.

Use technology to help your child

Chances are you associate technology with distracting your child from reading and writing. But used properly, certain technologies can be very helpful to improving your child’s essay writing skills. Don’t be afraid to let them use the tablet if they prefer to read and write using that device. Just remember though to ensure your child doesn’t copy information from other resources online. We asked  online expert  Adam Collins regarding how lenient colleges & schools are when it comes to plagiarism in essays, he said “Most establishments now have comprehensive plagiarism checkers when marking essays, its important children steer clear of the temptation on copy a sentence of two from different resources, as this will now be flagged easily by the tools. Pinterest can also be a great tool because it is very useful for organizing materials, and since essay writing involves research, Pinterest can be very helpful.

Online tools can help teach your kid essay writing

There are a lot of resources on the web that can help you teach essay writing to your child. Here are a few to get started with:

• ViaWriting and WritingPopulist – These grammar resources are great for simplifying the writing process and making grammar a bit more approachable.
• BigAssignments and EssayRoo – Proofreading is something a lot of children struggle with, and it requires a lot of attention to detail. These proofreading tools, suggested by Revieweal , can help.
• StudyDemic and StateofWriting – Read through these blogs with your child and you’ll get access to lots of helpful suggestions on essay writing.
• BoomEssays and UKWritings – These are editing tools that have been reviewed in Boomessays review and are very helpful at catching the mistakes you are likely to miss on your own.
• MyWritingWay and LetsGoandLearn – Check out these academic writing guides for help teaching your child to write an essay. They are simple and will walk your kid through the writing process step by step.

Conclusion The writing skills you teach your kid now will serve them for the rest of their life. Writing is a huge part of success not just in high school, but especially in college and the working world. Use these seven tips to teach essay writing to your children.

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Grace Carter is a mom who works remotely at  Coursework Writing Service  and Paper Fellows websites. There she manages blog posts, works with a team of proofreaders. Also, Grace teaches academic writing at the Elite Assignment Help services

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Essay Writing Topics for Children

A comprehensive list of simple essay writing topics and ideas for kids.

Essays are literary works written in prose, which present an argument or an opinion. Essay writing is a way to express one’s opinion on a topic. It can be about anything, but essays for kids should relate to the topics they learn in class. English essay writing is the process of creating a literary piece that presents an idea, argument or point of view. Typically, this type of work takes time and effort to develop fully. Children must first understand the nature of the essay and plan their writing accordingly. Also, essay writing is a fulfilling task. Writing on a topic and producing a high-quality essay is not easy, but it is worth the effort. Help kids improve their writing and vocabulary by providing various essay topics in English.

Also, refer to the vocabulary worksheets .

List of 100+ Essay Writing Topics

Essays are an excellent way for kids to practise writing skills and learn about different topics. They can focus on a wide range of topics like the environment, animals and birds, technology, proverbs, etc. Essay writing helps children enhance their critical thinking abilities and express their opinions creatively. English essays also help them identify their strengths and weaknesses in the language. This helps them to improve themselves and overcome writing challenges. Below is a list of essay writing topics for kids, which are helpful in improving their language and writing skills.

Essay Topics on Nature and Environment

• Value of Trees Essay
• Planting Trees Essay
• Essay on Banyan Tree
• Apple Tree Essay
• Save Environment Essay
• Trees Our Best Friend Essay
• Causes of Environmental Pollution Essay
• Environmental Pollution Essay
• Population Explosion Essay

Essay Topics on Animals and Birds

• Essay on Dog
• Essay on Elephant

Essay Topics on Technology

• Essay on Mobile Phone
• Social Media Essay

Essay Topics on Proverbs

• A Stitch in Time Saves Nine Essay
• Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover Essay

Essay Topics on Yourself

• School Life Essay

How to Write an Essay?

Little ones might find essay writing quite a challenging task. However, to write a good English essay, one has to spend time researching. Here are some simple steps on how to write good essays for kids.

• Start with a brainstorm of ideas.
• The following step would be to learn how the different parts of the essay should be structured.
• Next, collect notes and other writing materials to outline the main points.
• Then, create a rough draft related to what you want to convey in the paragraphs.
• Edit it by removing unnecessary words and phrases.
• Finally, read it over for any potential inconsistencies and rectify them, if you find any.

Frequently Asked Questions on Essay

What is an essay.

Essays are literary works written in prose, which present an argument or an opinion. Essay writing is a way to express one’s opinion on a topic. It can be about anything.

How to write an essay?

Start with a brainstorming of ideas. Learn how the different parts of the essay should be structured. Next, collect the notes and other writing materials to outline the main points. Then, create a rough draft by writing out what you want to say in the paragraphs. Edit it by taking out unnecessary words and phrases. Read it over for any potential inconsistencies before turning in your piece.

What are some nature and environment essay topics for kids?

Nature and environment essay topics for kids include essays on a tree for Class 1, the save environment essay, the causes of environmental pollution essay, the population explosion essay, etc.

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300 Fun Writing Prompts for Kids: Story Starters, Journal Prompts & Ideas

Are you a parent or teacher? Here are 300 fun and creative writing prompts for kids to spark the imagination of young writers everywhere. Use these kids writing ideas as journaling prompts, story starters or just for fun!

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It’s never too early to start writing, and so we’ve created this fun list of 300 creative kids writing prompts for teacher and parents to use.

You’ll love these fun ideas for kids writing prompts to use as creative sparks to get young imaginations writing in no time!

These are perfect to use as kids journal writing prompts, as short story writing prompts, or just for exercises to help students and children of all ages tap into their creativity. Maybe your kids will write an essay, maybe a poem, or maybe even a whole book!

Whether you are a teacher or parent looking to inspire your kids to write, or maybe even an adult who would like to practice writing with a more playful and young-hearted approach, I hope you find these creative writing prompts inspiring!

Buy the Printable Cards!  We will always have this list of 300 kids writing prompts available for free, but I’m very excited to now also offer an  ad-free printable version of these prompts  in my online Etsy shop. Thank you for your support!

The Ultimate List of 300 Fun & Creative Writing Prompts for Kids

#1. Imagine a giant box is delivered to your front doorstep with your name on it. What’s inside and what happens when you open it?

#2. Write a short story about what it might be like if you woke up one morning with a mermaid tail.

#3. Which is better, winter or summer? Write about the reasons why you think winter or summer is better.

#4. Write about what would it be like if you had an alligator as a pet.

#5. If you had $1,000, what would you buy and why?

#6. Write a story using these 5 words: apple, train, elephant, paper, banjo

#7. What do you want be when you grow up and why?

#8. Who is your favorite person on the planet? What do you like most about that person?

#9. If you could have any secret super power, what would you want it to be and why?

#10. Write about 3 places you would like to travel someday. What do these three places have in common?

#11. Write about a time you felt really happy. What happened? What made you feel happy?

#12. Imagine what would happen if someone shrunk you down to be only 1″ tall. How would your life change?

#13. If you were in charge of the whole world, what would you do to make the world a happier place?

#14. Write a story about what it would be like to climb to the very top of the highest mountain in the world.

#15. If you were in charge of planning the school lunch menu, what foods would you serve each day?

#16. What are some of your favorite animals? What do you like about them?

#17. Imagine that dogs take over the world. What do they make the humans do?

#18. Write a story about flying to outer space and discovering a new planet.

#19. You are a mad scientist and have invented a new vegetable. What is it called? What does it look like? What does it taste like? Most importantly: Is it safe to eat?

#20. You go to school one morning to discover your best friend has been turned into a frog by an evil witch! How do you help your friend?

#21. Describe what it is like when trees lose all of their leaves in the autumn season.

#22. Write about your favorite sport and why you like it so much.

#23. Imagine what it might be like to live on a boat all the time and write about it.

#24. If you had one wish, what would it be?

#25. Write about what you might do if you have the super power to become invisible.

#26. You are walking through the forest when one of the trees starts talking to you. What does it say? What do you do?

#27. The weather forecast is calling for a blizzard in the middle of the summer. What do you do?

#28. What types of transportation will people have in the future?

#29. What were some of your favorite toys when you very little? Do you still enjoy playing with them?

#30. What would a day in your life be like if you were a movie star?

#31. Imagine you’ve invented a time machine! What year do you travel to?

#32. What are your favorite things to do over summer vacation?

#33. What is your favorite holiday and why?

#34. If you could meet any fictional character from a book, who would it be?

#35. You are writing a travel guide for kids visiting your city. What places do you think they should visit?

#36. What is a food you hate? Write about it!

#37. Imagine what it would be like if there was no electricity. What would be different in your daily routine?

#38. You are building a new city! What types of things do you think your city needs? How will you convince people to move to your new city?

#39. What is your favorite movie? Write your review of the movie and why you think people should watch it.

#40. Imagine you get a magic sweater for your birthday. What happens when you wear the sweater? What do you do with these new found magical powers?

#41. You are the security guard at the zoo and someone has stolen a rhinoceros! How do you track down the thief?

#42. You have been invited to have lunch with the queen. What foods do you eat and what topics do you and the queen discuss?

#43. If you could design a school uniform, what types of clothes would you suggest? What colors would they be?

#44. Imagine you are a reporter interviewing a celebrity about their life. What questions do you ask?

#45. You are running a lemonade stand. Describe the steps for how you make lemonade and the types of customers you see during the day.

#46. Write a story about being the ruler of an underwater world.

#47. Write an acrostic poem for the word “treehouse”.

#48. You decide to grow a sunflower, but the sunflower grows so tall it reaches up to the sky! Write about what happens when you decide to climb to the top. What do you discover?

#49. Imagine you look out the window and it is raining popsicles from the sky! Write a story about the experience.

#50. If you could be any animal, which one would you be and why?

#51. If you were on a spaceship, what would you be most excited about seeing?

#52. Do you have any pets at home? Write an essay about how you take care of your pets. If you do not have a pet, what type of pet might you like?

#53. Imagine you are opening a store that only sells items which are blue. What types of items do you sell?

#54. Have you ever lost something that is important to you? Were you able to find it?

#55. Write a story about a kid who is moving to a new school. How do you think they might feel?

#56. Rewrite the ending of your favorite fairy tale. For example, what would have happened if Cinderella never went to the ball?

#57. Have you ever forgotten to do your homework? What happened?

#58. Do you have a favorite song? Write about the type of music you like to listen to.

#59. Imagine your parents wake you up one morning to tell you they will take you to do anything you want to do for the whole day – you don’t even have to go to school or do your chores. What would you choose to do and why?

#60. Do you like amusement parks? What are some of your favorite rides?

#61. Write a story using these three words: detective, piano, and pizza.

#62. Have you ever been to the beach? Write about your favorite things to do. If you have never been to the beach, what would you like to do the first time you visit?

#63. Is there a favorite tv show you like to watch? Write about your favorite character and why they are your favorite.

#64. Write a poem using onomatopoeia , where the words you use are pronounced similar to the sound they make. For example, buzz, bark, sizzle, slam and pop.

#65. Have you ever had to stand in line to wait a long time for something? What did you do while you waited? How did you feel while waiting? How did you feel once the wait was over?

#66. Is it a good idea to keep ALL secrets a secret? Write about examples of when it is okay to spill a secret – and when it isn’t.

#67. Is there something you are good at doing? Write about your best strengths.

#68. What historical time period and location would you go back to live in if you could? Write about it!

#69. Write about 5 things you can do that are important for you to stay healthy and safe.

#70. Do you think thunderstorms are scary? Why or why not?

#71. What would you most like to learn over the next year? Think about things that interest you or questions you might have about the world and make a list!

#72. You are going on a trip to a jungle safari! What items do you pack in your suitcase?

#73. Imagine you are sitting at home one day and you hear someone shrieking in the living room they see a mouse in the house! Write a story about what might happen next.

#74. You are writing a letter to someone who is having a hard time making new friends at school. What do you write? What advice do you give them?

#75. Imagine you just met a magician – but their beloved rabbit who they pull out of a hat for all the tricks has been kidnapped! How do you help find the rabbit?

#76. Do you hear what I hear? Set a timer for 5 minutes and write about all of the sounds you hear in those 5 minutes.

#77. Imagine you go to get a haircut and they accidentally shave your head! How do you feel about that and what would you do?

#78. Do you find it easy to talk to people you don’t know? What are some ways you can start up a conversation with someone you have never met before?

#79. Are there any chores you have to do at home? What are they? What do you like – and not like – about each one?

#80. Open up a random book to any page. Write for 5 minutes about the first word you read.

#81. Pretend you are a writer for your city’s newspaper. Who would you like to interview for a news story and why?

#82. There are many fictional characters who live in unusual houses, such as the old woman who lived in a shoe. What kind of unusual house would you like to live in? Write about what it would be like to live in an unusual house!

#83. Write a list of 10 things you can do to practice kindness to others.

#84. Is there a homework subject you dread? Why do you not like getting homework in that subject?

#85. What is your favorite month of the year? Write about why you like it and some of your favorite things to do during that month.

#86. Imagine you are planning a surprise birthday party for someone. How do you keep it a surprise?

#87. Pretend you walked outside to find a sleeping dragon in the grass! Why is the dragon there? Is it a friendly dragon? What do you do? Write about it!

#88. What are you grateful for today and why?

#89. You were on your way to a very important event when you fell into a puddle. Now what?

#90. Have you ever watched a movie and didn’t like how it ended? Write what you think should happen instead.

#91. Can you answer this riddle from Alice in Wonderland ? How is a raven like a writing desk?

#92. Imagine you are the captain of a pirate ship. Write a diary entry for what your day was like.

#93. If you could start any type of business, what kind of business would you start? What types of products or services would you provide?

#94. Write a sequel to one of your favorite fairy tales. For example, what was Goldilocks’s next adventure after she left the bears?

#95. What is something you are afraid of? What helps you to feel less afraid of something? What would you say to a friend who feels scared to help them feel less afraid?

#96. Write a letter to your future self in 20 years.

#97. In addition to basic survival needs such as food, water, air and shelter, what are 3 things you would you need to be happy?

#98. If you could invent a robot of any type who could do anything you imagine, what types of things would you would have the robot to do?

#99. Which do like better? Apples or Oranges? How are they alike? How are they different?

#100. Why did the chicken cross the road? You are a detective and are assigned to the case. How do solve the mystery?

#101. Write instructions for how to make your favorite snack. Be sure you add your favorite tips and suggestions for how to select the best ingredients!

#102. Imagine you borrowed a friend’s favorite lucky pencil to help you pass a math test – but then it snapped in half! How will you ever tell the news to your friend?

#103. Look around the current room you are sitting in and choose 3 random objects that are nearby. Now write a story or poem that includes those three items!

#104. Write a letter to the author of a book you recently read and tell them what you liked most about the book.

#105. Ernest Hemingway is famous for writing a six word story. Can you write a story in just 6 words?

#106. What do you think will be the future for cell phones? Will people still use them in 25 years or will something else take its place?

#107. Do you want to go to college? Why or why not?

#108. Write a story or poem about a kitten who wanders off and gets lost. How does the kitten find its way home?

#109. Currently, it is required by law that kids go to school. Do you think this is a good or bad idea?

#110. If you could invent a new board game, what would it be called? How is it played? What are the rules? What makes it fun to play? Write about it!

#111. Imagine you come home to discover your entire bedroom is covered in ketchup! What on earth happened? What is your reaction? How do you clean everything up?

#112. What is something you learned today?

#113. Would you rather have a goldfish or shark as a pet?

#114. From A-Z: make a list of something for every letter of the alphabet.

#115. Have you ever gone fishing? If you have, did you like it? Why or why not? If you haven’t, do you think you might want to?

#116. What is one of the most important things you do each and every day?

#117. Write a story about Gretchen the Grouch, a girl who is always angry! Will she ever be happy? Why is she so grumpy all of the time?

#118. How do you feel when someone takes something of yours without asking? What is a good way to deal with it when that happens?

#119. Write a poem that starts with the word “if”.

#120. Write a story about a family of rabbits who live in the woods. What are some of the challenges they face?

#121. What clothes do you think are the most comfortable? What kind of clothes do you like to wear the most? What clothes do you NOT like to wear?

#122. Imagine there are no grocery stores and you must get your own food. What are some of the ways you find food? What types of things do you eat?

#123. What are 3 things you can do that are good for the environment?

#124. If you could meet any famous person today, who would you want to meet and why? What questions might you ask them?

#125. A tongue twister is a quick poem where many of the words start with the same letter and are similar in sound. For example, “Peter picked a peck of pickled peppers.” Try writing your own with this fun kids writing prompt!

#126. What is the first thing you think of when you hear or see the word green?

#127. A hero is someone who is admired for their courage and achievements. What do you think makes someone a hero? Who are some of your heroes?

#128. What did you do during summer vacation last year? What do you want to do for summer vacation this year?

#129. Write a story about a super hero dog who saves the day! Who does the dog help and why?

#130. Would you rather live somewhere that is always cold, or somewhere that is always hot? Write about which one you would rather choose.

#131. Have you ever volunteered to help a charity? If so, write about the experience! If not, what are some charities you think you might like to volunteer for?

#132. What does the word courage mean to you?

#133. What makes you unique? What are some things about you that make you an individual?

#134. Have you ever been to a museum? What is your favorite thing to look at on display?

#135. What can you do to set a good example for others to be kind?

#136. A Tall Tale is a story that exaggerates something that actually happened. Write a tall tale about something that recently happened to you.

#137. What is one of your favorite toys that you think you might still want to have and play with when you are 22 years old?

#138. Oh no! Everyone around you is sick with a nasty cold! Write a silly poem about how you try to avoid catching their germs!

#139. Personification is when a non-living object takes on human characteristics. Write a story where you personify a common electronic gadget in your house, such as the Television or toaster.

#140. Write a poem using similes, which is when you say an object is like something else. Here is an example of a simile: “Her eyes were as blue as the sky.”

#141. Have you ever read a book written by Dr. Suess? Write your own “Suess-style” story, complete with rhymes and made up words.

#142. Do you have any siblings? Think about what it might mean to be a good brother or sister and write about it!

#143. Make a list of questions to interview your parents or grandparents about what it was like when they were growing up as a kid. Then, ask them the questions and write about their answers!

#144. You are in charge of writing a new radio show just for kids! What topics will you talk about? What music do you play?

#145. What do you usually eat for breakfast every day? What, in your opinion, is the greatest breakfast food ever created? What makes it so great?

#146. Write a 12 line poem where every line is about a different month of the year.

#147. What is something you look forward to doing the most when you are an adult?

Use these prompts in your classroom!  Get the  ad-free printable version of these prompts  to inspire your students to write! Thank you for your support!

#148. Do you like to try new things? What is something new you have tried recently or would like to try?

#149. Imagine what it might be like to be alive in Egypt when the pyramids were built. Write about what it was like.

#150. A credo is a statement of personal beliefs. Try writing your own credo for things that you believe in and feel are important.

#151. The circus has come to town but they have no place to perform! How do you help the ringmaster find a place to put on a show?

#152. Do you like to act? What are some of your favorite actors or actresses? What do you think makes someone a good actor or actress?

#153. “Practice makes perfect” is a popular saying. What is something you like to practice so you can become better at it? A sport? A musical instrument? A special skill? Do you like to practice?

#154. Write about what it might be like to be water drops freezing and turning into ice.

#155. Do you think it is important to keep your room clean? What do you like about having a clean room?

#156. Imagine your parents are sending you away for a two week summer camp trip. Would you be excited? Why or why not?

#157. What are you currently learning about in history class? Write a fictional story about someone from the past you are learning about.

#158. Many wars have been fought in the past. Instead of going to war, what do you think countries could do to resolve their differences peacefully?

#159. Every year over 8 billion plastic bottles and cans are thrown away. What are some things you can do to help encourage your family and friends to recycle?

#160. Imagine if you were the principal of the school. What might you do differently? What things would you do that are the same? Write about it!

#161. Pretend that one day you are at your neighbor’s house and you notice a strange noise coming from the basement. You go downstairs to investigate to see a large machine running with many lights and buttons. Why is it there?

#162. Write an essay that starts with the line, “Tomorrow, I hope…”

#163. If you could give one thing to every child in the world, what would you want to give them?

#164. Do you have a piggy bank at home? How do you earn money to add to your savings?

#165. What qualities make a house a home? What are 3 things you think every house should have?

#166. Would you rather go scuba diving or rock climbing? Write about which one you think you would like to do more and why.

#167. Do you think it is a good idea for kids to write a daily journal? What are some of the benefits of writing every day?

#168. Do you like watching fireworks or are they too noisy? Write about a time when you saw fireworks in the sky.

#169. Oh no! Your friend has turned into a statue! How did this happen? What do you do? Does your friend ever turn back into a person again?

#170. If you could be any movie character, who would you be and why?

#171. A mysterious message appears in code on your computer screen. What could it mean?

#172. If you could go to work with one of your parents for a day, what do you think the day would be like? What types of things do your parents do at work all day long?

#173. Imagine you are the President and you are creating a new national holiday. What is your holiday about? How is it celebrated? What day of the year do you celebrate? Write about it!

#174. You won a never-ending lifetime supply of spaghetti noodles! What will you do with all of these noodles?

#175. Would you rather be a bunny rabbit or a hawk? Why did you choose the one you chose?

#176. Your teacher has been acting mysterious lately. After school one day, you notice a weird green light shining through underneath the door of your classroom. What do you do? What is happening with your teacher?

#177. Write an article about tips for how kids can be more organized and study well for tests.

#178. Look at any product in your house and read the ingredients labels. Research what each ingredient is. Do you think these ingredients are good or bad for people?

#179. If you were a doctor, what do you think would be the most important part of your job every day?

#180. The school librarian needs your help! A truck just arrived with 2,000 books and she can’t fit all the books onto the shelves! What do you do? How do you find a place to put all these books?

#181. Do you think it would be fun to plant a garden? What types of plants would you want to grow? Write about your garden ideas.

#182. What is a sport or activity you would like to try playing for the first time?

#183. Do you think kids should be allowed to do the same things as adults? What things do you think kids should be able to do that only grown-ups can?

#184. Imagine you and your parents switch places for a day. Your parents are the kids and you are now in charge! What would you do?

#185. Write a get-well letter to someone who has been sick. What can you say to make them feel better?

#186. If you could visit any planet in the solar system, which planet would you like to visit the most and why? Write about what it might be like.

#187. Have you ever been to a farm? What did you like about it? If you haven’t been to a farm, do you think you might like to visit one? Why or why not?

#188. The mayor of the city has a big problem and needs your help! What is the problem and how will you solve it?

#189. Pretend your little sister ate carrots for dinner and the next morning woke up with rabbit ears!  How did this happen? What do you do? Will she be a rabbit forever?

#190. Imagine you wake up in the morning to find out you get to relive any day of your life again for the whole day. What day would you want to experience again and why?

#191. Do you think you might like to be a firefighter? Why or why not?

#192. You are a lawyer and your client has been accused of stealing a car. How do you convince the jury your client is innocent?

#193. Think of the four elements: fire, air, earth, and water. Which of these four elements do you like the best?

#194. What would you do if you could be invisible for a whole day? Do you think you would enjoy it or be glad to be back to normal the next day? Write about it!

#195. Imagine you are a meteorologist and people are starting to get angry that your weather predictions are always wrong. What do you do?

#196. If you could create any law, what would it be? Why do you think the law is an important one to have?

#197. You are going incognito and need to hide to your identity so you aren’t recognized or discovered while you walk through the city. What type of disguise do you wear?

#198. Write a persuasive letter to your parents explaining why you should get a new pet. Make sure you provide a convincing argument they won’t be able to refuse!

#199. Your friend wants to do something dangerous. What should you do?

#200. How do you think the world would be different if there were no oceans?

#201. What do you do when someone disagrees with your opinions? Is there a better way to handle conflicting opinions?

#202. What do you think you as a kid could do to help encourage more people to read?

#203. Do you have a good luck charm? What makes this item lucky? When do you use it? How do you use it?

#204. What is at the end of a rainbow? Imagine you follow a rainbow to the end. What do you discover? Is it a pot of gold, or something else?

Use these prompts in your classroom!  Get the  ad-free printable version of these prompts  to inspire your students to write! Thank you for your support!

#205. What do you think the consequences should be for someone who is caught cheating on a test at school?

#206. Imagine you are riding your bike one day when you encounter an older kid who wants to steal your bike. What do you do?

#207. You are the lead singer and star of a famous rock and roll band, but there is one problem – your drummer is jealous of your fame! How do you solve this situation?

#208. If you could help a group of kids in any part of the world, what kids would you want to help the most and why? What are some things you think would help these kids?

#209. Everyone knows the house on the end of the street is haunted. What are some of the strange things that happen there? Why is the house haunted?

#210. You notice at school one day there is a door to a secret passage next to the janitor’s closet and decide to explore. Where does it lead? Why is it there? Do you go alone or bring a friend along?

#211. A bucket list is a list of things you want to accomplish in your lifetime. What are 5 things on your bucket list?

#212. Imagine the perfect treehouse or clubhouse for you and all of your friends as a place to hang out. Describe what it is like inside.

#213. Do you get bored easily? Make a list of things you can do whenever you feel like you are bored and there is nothing fun to do!

#214. Now vs. Then: Think about how today is different from one year ago. How have you changed? What things in your life are different?

#215. Write your autobiography about your life.

#216. It’s a heat wave! What do you do when the weather is hot? What are some of your favorite ways to stay cool?

#217. What are three important safety tips every kid should know to stay safe?

#218. What genre of books do you like to read the most? Write about the characteristics of the genre and list some of your favorite books as examples.

#219. Holiday Traditions: How does your family celebrate the different holidays and events? What are some traditions you do each and every year?

#220. Imagine one day in science class a science experiment goes terribly wrong and now you and all of your classmates have superpowers! What are your superpowers and what do you do with them?

#221. Who is favorite teacher? Why are they your favorite?

#222. You are baking a cake, but you accidentally put salt in the cake instead of sugar. Nobody will eat it! How do you feel? What will you do next time?

#223. Do you think it is important to have good table manners? What do you think some good manners to practice might be?

#224. Many schools no longer teach cursive handwriting. Do you think this is a good or bad thing? Do you know how to write cursive handwriting? Would you like to learn if you haven’t?

#225. If you were the owner of a theme park, what types of rides and attractions would have? Describe what they would be like and why people would want to visit your park.

#226. Your parents give you $100 to spend at the grocery store. What do you buy and why?

#227. Some people who are alive today grew up without computers or video games. What would you do if you didn’t have a computer or video games? How would life be different?

#228. You walk into your living room and discover there is a giant elephant standing there. How did the elephant get there? What do you do about it? How do you explain the elephant in the living room to your parents?

#229. Have you ever had a weird dream? What happened in the dream? What do you think it means?

#230. Do you like to draw or paint? Write a story inspired by a painting, doodle, or sketch.

#231. You are being sent on a mission to outer space to live in a space station for 5 years. What supplies do you pack and why?

#232. What is the scariest creature alive on earth? Describe in detail what makes it so horrifying.

#233. What do you think your pet might say if they could talk to you?

#234. Imagine your school is putting on a talent show. What act will you perform? What other acts will be in the show?

#235. If you could breathe under water, what would you do?

#236. What time of day do you think school should start? Write a convincing argument on why or why not the time of day school starts should change.

#237. If you were to start your own YouTube video channel, what would the videos on your channel be about?

#238. Do you like to cook? What are some things you like to make and eat?

#239. Your school is having a field day and you are in charge of planning the activities and games. What types of activities and games would you plan for the event?

#240. If you had a remote control drone that takes video of everything it sees from the sky and you could take it anywhere, what would you film? For example, the inside of a volcano or soar it over the plains of Africa.

#241. The Bermuda Triangle is an area of the ocean where many ships and planes have gone missing. Why do you think this could be? Write a story about what it might be like to travel there.

#242. There are 7 great wonders of the world – which one do you think is the most wonderful?

#243. If you could speak any foreign language fluently, which one would you like to speak and why?

#244. You are inventing a new flavor of ice cream! What is the new flavor called and what ingredients do you need to make it?

#245. Would you rather go to a baseball game or read a good book? What reasons do you have for your choice?

#246. You walk outside to get your mail and your mailbox starts talking to you! What does your mailbox have to say?

#247. Imagine you are a famous person. What are you most famous for? What is it like to be famous?

#248. What do you think would be the most fun job in the world to have? Give examples of why you think it would be a fun job to have.

#249. Write a poem about an object that is shiny and dazzling.

#250. Do you like to watch the Olympics? Why or why not? If yes, what is your favorite Olympic sport?

#251. What kind of car do you want to drive when you are older? Do you think learning to drive will be easy or hard?

#252. What do you think would make for a great gift to give someone on their birthday?

#253. Describe a time when you needed help and someone helped you. What did they help you with and how did it make you feel?

#254. If you could be any type of fruit or vegetable, what would you be and why?

Love these prompts?  Get the  ad-free printable version of these prompts  to use at home or in the classroom!

#255. Do you think it is more important to have a good imagination or have all the facts proven?

#256. Do you have a favorite aunt, uncle, or another relative? Write a story about their life and why you like to be with them.

#257. Think of a time you laughed really, really hard. What was so funny? Why were you laughing? Write about it!

#258. Write a poem about an emotion. For example: happy, sad, angry, embarrassed, guilty.

#259. Do you ever have a hard time falling asleep? What are some things that help you feel sleepy?

#260. If you could drive a car, where would you drive and why?

#261. Imagine you are trading places with your friend for a day. What will it be like to be at their house? What will your friend think while they are at your house? Write about it!

#262. If you could break a world record, what would it be? What do you think would be necessary to be able to break the world record?

#263. Imagine you live in Colonial times. What would it be like to grow up as a kid in Colonial America?

#264. You are building a new city. What is the name of your city? What is the weather like? What buildings will you build?

#265. What do you think it would be like to work as a sailor on big ship in the ocean each day?

#266. Imagine you are the teacher for the day. What types of activities do you make the students in the class do?

#267. How would you feel if your parents told you that you would be getting a new baby brother or sister? Write about it!

#268. Do you know any good jokes? What are some of your favorite jokes? What makes them funny? Do you think you could write your own?

#269. Imagine you are floating down a river on a raft. What types of things can you see from the river that you normally wouldn’t see from the land?

#270. You want to start a new hobby collecting something. What kinds of things would you collect and why?

#271. Your mom announces she is having a yard sale. Would you let her sell any of your things? Why or why not?

#272. Imagine you walk out your front door one morning and it is raining popcorn! What do you do?

#273.  You are camping in the woods one night and hear a scary noise. What do you do? What might be the cause?

#274. What do you think might make kids really happy to go to school? What are some things you think schools should do so that it could be more fun?

#275. Today’s lunch at the cafeteria was unusually horrible. You are a detective on the case to investigate. What do you think is the cause?

#276. If you had a tree that grows money, what would you do?

#277. What would you do if you had a unicorn as a pet?

#278. Would you rather go to the zoo or go to the aviary? Which one would you pick and why?

#279. What are some safety tips you should follow when riding a bike?

#280. You are designing the cover of a magazine. What are some of the headlines on the cover?

#281. Are you afraid of the dark? Why or why not?

#282. If you could learn to play any type of musical instrument, which one would you like to learn how to play and why?

#283. Imagine you are playing a sport that involves a ball, such as soccer, baseball or kickball. What would it be like if the ball could talk?

#284. You come home to discover a friendly alien has been living in your closet. What do you do? Why is there an alien in your closet?

#285. Is there something you are afraid of that you wish you weren’t afraid of? Write about it.

#286. Write about the best party you’ve ever been to. What made the day fun and special?

#287. What makes you feel loved and cared about? What are some ways people can show you that they love and care about you?

#288. There is a kite flying competition coming up and you are going to design your own kite. What will your kite look like? What colors will it be? Will it have any certain shape?

#289. You are given the challenge to drop an egg on the floor – without it breaking! What are some things you might try to make sure the egg won’t break?

#290. What are some of the things you can do every day to stay healthy?

#291. Do you think grown-ups are boring? Why do you think they are so boring all of the time? What is something fun that boring grown-ups could do instead of being so boring?

#292. Write a lyrical poem or song about what kids do while they are at school all day long.

#293. What are the first things you like to do when you are done with school each day? What are some of the activities you like when you are not at school?

#294. Imagine dinosaurs were still alive today. How do you think our lives would be different?

#295. Would you rather visit a volcano or a desert? Which one would you choose and why?

#296. Is there a sound you think is annoying? What types of sounds drive you crazy? Write about them!

#297. What do you think it would be like to be the size of an ant for a day? What types of things would you do?

#298. Imagine one of your stuffed animals comes to life and starts talking to you. What types of things will you talk about? What will you do?

#299. What makes you feel happiest? Write about the things in life that make you feel happy!

#300. Imagine there is no gravity. What kind of things would you do you for fun? How would some of the things you already do for fun be different?

Buy the Printable Cards!  We will always have this list of 300 kids writing prompts available for free, but I’m very excited to now also offer an  ad-free printable version of these prompts  in my online Etsy shop. Thank you for your support!

Parents and teachers, I hope you enjoyed these 300 writing prompts for kids and that you will use them to inspire your children’s creative imaginations.

These prompts of course can be used in a number of different ways and can be adapted for a variety of different styles of writing !

What do you think? Do you think these are good conversation and story starters for kids? Do you have any ideas for writing prompts you would like to share?

And of course, if you’d like to make it super fun and easy to use these prompts at home or in your classroom, be sure to get our ad-free printable version of these kids writing prompt cards now available in my Etsy shop.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on different creative writing ideas and topics for kids to write about! Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Chelle Stein wrote her first embarrassingly bad novel at the age of 14 and hasn't stopped writing since. As the founder of ThinkWritten, she enjoys encouraging writers and creatives of all types.

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48 comments.

These are awesome! I feel like answering the questions myself! Thanks a million!

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed them! 🙂

Lovely and amazing help

I wrote all 300! but my fingers hurt badly now. :l But i got to admit these are exellent questions!

Hi. Thanks for this list. So many great ideas. I will definitely use some of them for my Language Arts class.

hi people THIS WAS SO LONG but so worth it for my class thx mate

This was great for homework

Thank you for the topics. It was really helpful

Your writing prompts are awesome

These are amazing! Thank you so much for sharing. I will definitely be using it with my kids.

Thank you! I hope they enjoy the writing prompts!

I love these, they are awesome and very helpful too. Thank you very much.

these questions hooked me on easily thanks your the best!

They are all good prompts

This is always good and improves the brain.

These are very useful and very enjoyable topics, i enjoy by giving these to my students , their creations are marvelous

It’s was very long but worth it

This is good. I love it. It helps me in my studies. I share it with my friends children that likes the writing. We love it. Please, think of another writing.

Thanks! Worth printing and providing for my middle school students as a first week of the year activity. Must have taken you ages to come up with all 300 of these!

I’m glad to hear you can use them for your students! It did take some time, but it’s well worth it knowing it might inspire kids to write! 🙂

You need a printable version of this!!

Hi Katelyn, we have one! https://gumroad.com/UBnsO Hope you enjoy!

The link doesn’t seem to be working for me… Could you send me a copy of the list, please?

Hi Tori, the printable version of this post is available as an ad-free paid upgrade – you can purchase it through my Gumroad store: https://gum.co/UBnsO

I quite liked your ideas, I’ll try a few, surely!

How long did it take for you guys to make 300 ideas?

Definitely took some time Vilenti, but it was definitely worth writing all of them! Our prompts reach over a million people a year and are used in literacy, poverty, and mental health programs worldwide. 🙂

These were awesome, thanks a TON

i have school work and this is one thing i do.

i do this for school work to

i do this for school work

Hello Chelle, thanks a lot for this. During these tough Covid times, I find your list to be a great idea to engage kids. Have got them started on some today. Hopefully this will be a long term engagement for them.

The prompts are grrrreat

This was really helpful i have looked for a lot of these, that have a lot of topics and only found one other good one and finished it all, i got to 17 and was like are they all this good! And they all are so thanks!

Glad you enjoyed them!

These are awesome

These are amazing! Thank you so much for sharing.

I loved looking at these prompts!! They were very helpful. I am loving writing and supporting my claims with these prompts. You should post more ideas!! Thanks for sharing the prompts.

Do you have any more?

This really was think written

I’d like to use a few of your questions in a journal for adults that I am creating for sale. I will absolutely credit you at the beginning of the book. Is that okay with you or not? I don’t want to infringe on any copyright laws. I think I used about ten of them.

Hi Kristen, you cannot use these prompts for products for sale, that would definitely be an infringement on copyright. These prompts can only be used for non-commercial use.

this is the greatest app ever

I like all the questions

thank you for all the ideas they are so good

OMG These are all very good and many questions i like all these Thankyou soooooooooooo much for these

I’m in class doing this and it is so fun yes every body is doing this

I LOVE these! My daughter and I stumbled across a post full of fun writing prompts on another website but they were more geared for adults. This list is HUGE and perfect for us to tackle together. Thank you! ❤️

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Writing worksheets will supplement any child's education and help them build some of the fundamental skills to help them become good writers. Our collection of free writing worksheets starts with helping build the fine motor skills necessary to become an early writing. They then focus on making sure kids learn to write the letters of the alphabet and numbers. As ages progress, our writing worksheets get into spelling, grammar and some more advanced skills. Our set of "Think, Draw and Write" worksheets are a fun exercise for early writers. All of our writing worksheets are designed to print easily and are free to use over and over again!

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At-Home Reading Activities for 6-Year-Olds

By melissa taylor.

Six-year-old kids are sponges, absorbing tons of information every day. Here’s how you can help your 6-year-old child grow into an expert reader with fun, at-home reading activities.

Of course, it goes without saying that you’ll want to keep on reading to your child every day — it’s critical in their literacy development! And keep a good variety of books available everywhere — in the car, in the bathroom, in the kitchen, well, everywhere.

Now for the activities…

Reading Activities with Words

• Say the Beginning Sound
• Look for Chunks
• Look Inside the Word
• Say It Slowly
• Use the Picture
• Skip It, Go Back
• Ask for Help
• If your child is struggling, suggest a strategy. “How about you try to chunk it up? What does the sh- chunk say?”
• Then compliment the strategy your child uses. “Way to go on using the picture clues to figure out that word!”
• Download the Fry or Dolch sight word lists . Start with the list of words your child does not know yet.
• Write one or two of the sight words on sticky notes or flashcards. Bring them in the car, to dinner, to the playground … make them available throughout the day to look at, say, and remember.
• Print out two sets of sight word cards. Use these to play a memory match game or “Go Fish” with pairs.
• Play games with sight word magnets. For instance, post three sight words. Ask the child to find one of the three sight words. “Can you find the word ‘and’?”
• Hunt for sight words in printable books . Stamp or circle the sight word, then read the sentence out loud.
• Write sight words in rainbow colors using crayons or markers. Get extra fancy and write them in sentences using invented (a.k.a. close-enough) spelling.
• Play Zingo , a sight word Bingo game.
• Play Hangman. This is especially fun(ny) when you have a new reader who can’t spell. Just go with it; it’s pretty awesome.
• Help your child read the signs while you’re driving.
• Rhyme and learn word families, or sets of words that have the same spelling patterns, such as -eep, -at, -op. Build new words in the same family with magnetic letters. (Lists of word families here .)
• Start a word collection of all the words your child can read . Keep in a kid-decorated glass jar or any other fun container. Be proud of those words!

Activities with Short, Easy Reader Books

• Book choice  Let your child choose their own books. But show them how. Explain how to look at the cover, read the back, flip through the pages, and so forth. Then let them practice. A lot.
• Tracking  Follow the words you or your child reads with a finger or reading pointer.
• Reread  Children gain confidence and skill by reading familiar books more than once. Practice makes better.
• Take turns  Take turns reading each page. Or have your child echo read immediately after you say each word or sentence. This will help build confidence and show how fluent readers read with expression.
• Write  Kids love reading what they write. Write a story together or individually. Write poems. Write love letters. Just write. Then read what you wrote.
• Background knowledge The more background knowledge a child has about a subject, the better their comprehension when reading. You can build this. If you’re reading a book on caves, find YouTube videos about caves or go visit a cave. Then read the cave book.
• Add in tech Since kids love technology, try reading with websites like Reading Eggs , Starfall , ABCya! , RazKids , or Lexia Learning . Then check out our recommended reading apps for kids .

Activities with Easy Chapter Books

• Reading nook Make a cozy reading area with your child’s help.
• Listen Listen to audiobooks . They improve a child’s vocabulary and increase their love of story.
• Discuss When you’re reading books together, stop and talk. Discuss the words, the story, what you think will happen next, questions you have, and if you have connections to your own life. This will be a lot of YOU modeling for your child, but before long your child will be jumping in.
• Monitor meaning Some kids read words without thinking what they mean. Avoid this by encouraging your child to frequently stop to answer you about what’s happening or ask themselves, “Am I understanding what’s going on?”
• Headlamps Headlamps really motivate my kids to read. The trick is to set an early bedtime. Then let your kids “stay up late — just this once” (or ten times) so they can read in bed with their headlamps.
• E-Books  Entice more reading practice with a Kindle or an e-Reader. Both my kids have Kindles and one of their favorite things about them is looking up new words.
• Retell  Tell your child about the book you’re reading. This models how to retell and shows that you’re a reader and thinker too. Then, help your child retell what is happening in the book they’re reading. (Don’t worry too much about differentiating between summarizing and retelling just yet.)
• Fluency Model how to read the story with expression. Pause at periods. Use different voices for different characters. Encourage your child to do the same. It’s also fun to read in a voice different from your own: British, cowboy, princess, monster, or baby.

Good readers are thinkers. With these beginning reading activities, you’re helping your child think by learning specific reading strategies so they improve in their overall reading ability. Go, you!

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6-Year-Old Child Development Milestones

Your child’s growth and development at age 6

6-Year-Old Language and Cognitive Milestones

• Movement, Hand, and Finger Milestones
• Emotional and Social Milestones
• Other Milestones

How to Help Your 6-Year-Old Learn and Grow

How to keep your 6-year-old safe.

• When to Be Concerned

Parenting a 6-year-old can be a rewarding and fun experience. Your child is still young enough to want to hang out with you and still needs a lot of your attention and support. At the same time, they are blossoming into their own person. They are adjusting to school and valuing their friendships in more meaningful ways. They are also learning new skills faster than you can keep up with, and growing both physically and emotionally.

Let’s take a look at what to expect when it comes to 6-year-old development, milestones, growth, wellness, and safety—and what to do if you have concerns about any of these aspects.

If you are noticing that your 6-year-old is talking up a storm, and has something to say about, well…everything, you are not alone.

“Six-year-olds are so much fun to spend time with,” says Tiffany Kimbrough, MD , associate professor and pediatrician at Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU. “They really broaden their ability to describe and articulate their thoughts, feelings and experiences.”

At this age, your child should also be able to recount a favorite story or the plot of a favorite TV show. For the most part, they should be able to speak with correct grammar and be easily understood by others.

You will also notice that your child’s cognitive abilities have matured, and they are able to understand more complex ideas. They can understand cause and effect relationships, for example, and they are able to understand the difference between imagination and reality.

Additionally, says Jessica Madden, MD, pediatrician, neonatologist, IBCLC, and Medical Director at Aeroflow Breastpumps , they are starting to develop “higher order” thinking. “They can tell the difference between the past and the present, understand that things that are similar can be grouped together, and the basic math concepts of ‘more’ or ‘less,’” Dr. Madden explains.

Language and Cognitive Checklist

• Understands the concept of “10” and can count out 10 items
• Can concentrate on a task for at least 15 minutes
• Can follow a series of at least three commands
• Is starting to be able to read sight words and write letters and words

6-Year-Old Movement, Hand, and Finger Milestones

Six-year-olds are active little beings, always moving and exploring their new physical skills. At this age, your child should be able to do more with their body than ever before, and should also be able to control and coordinate their movements better.

“Six-year-olds are building on the skills they have mastered and experimenting with their growing confidence,” says Molly O'Shea , MD, official pediatrician of  Goldfish Swim School . “Most can navigate the playground equipment with ease, catch and throw a ball, and if given the opportunity, can learn to ride a two-wheeled bike.”

You will also notice your child’s agility and hand-eye coordination begin to get even more defined, says Dr. O’Shea. “Fine motor skills have matured as well, allowing six-year-olds to write their names, draw pictures of people with body parts, button their shirts, and brush their own teeth pretty well.”

Physical Milestones Checklist

• Are developing the ability to skip
• Is able to jump rope
• Is able to write their name, as well as most letters and numbers
• Can draw a picture of a person with at least eight body parts

6-Year-Old Emotional and Social Milestones

Entering school was a major milestone for your child, and it’s normal if they are still adjusting. They are learning to separate and individuate from you, but some children still have separation anxiety at this age.

Even if your child has moments of seeming very attached to you, this age is marked by a time of self-assertion , and trying to figure out one’s place in the world. This often also means that they are developing deeper and more meaningful friendships, says Dr. Kimbrough.

In doing so, they are learning about empathy and making a greater effort to understand the feelings of others. “They shift their focus off of themselves and start to have increased awareness and concern for others,” Dr. Kimbrough describes.

Other Milestones for Your 6-Year-Old

Although kids this age usually have more developed self-regulation skills, don’t be surprised if your child still has to process their “big feelings,” says Dr. O’Shea. “Temper tantrums and meltdowns are largely over at this age, but managing emotions still takes some support and guidance,” she suggests.

You may also notice that your child has trouble processing frustrating moments , such as when they are having difficulty mastering a new skill in school, or when they lose a board game. Six-year-olds may also be prone to jealousy, including sibling and friend rivalry.

Understanding that these are all common behaviors for this age and part of your child’s learning can help you to be more empathetic with your child, and guide them toward more mature reactions to challenging feelings and conflicts.

As your child develops in new ways, cognitively, emotionally, and socially, there are many things you can do as a parent to support them.

Learning sight words and deepening early reading skills is something that is emphasized at school for 6-year-olds. This is also something you can hone at home. Develop the habit of reading to your child before bed. Consider setting up a cozy “reading nook” in your home with pillows, blankets, and a bookshelf of enticing books. Reading is also a wonderful way for your child to relax and unwind.

Friendships and socializing become pivotal at this age, and there are many ways you can support this. Set up playdates for your child, and encourage them to join activities like sports clubs or art classes. Talk to your children about their friendships, and understand that they have bumpy moments as they learn to play fairly and understand interpersonal boundaries.

Six-year-olds don’t grow quite as quickly as babies and toddlers, but they still do a fair amount of growing. You should expect your child to grow 2-2.5 inches this year and gain 4-7 pounds. Your child may start to have thoughts and feelings about their body, and may start to compare themselves to others. It’s important to be body positive with your child and remind them that normal bodies come in all shapes and sizes.

Being mindful of your child’s general health and wellness is important at this age, especially as they become busier with school and other activities. Your child should be getting enough sleep—anywhere between nine to 12 hours is normal for this age. You should also focus on offering your child a varied diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables and make sure they are physically active for at least one hour per day.

When to Be Concerned About Your 6-Year-Old

All children are different when it comes to growth and development and if your child hasn’t reached every milestone expected of a 6-year-old, that isn’t usually a problem, especially if they are progressing toward it. That said, there are certain “red flags” that might indicate that your child could use some extra support.

Quiara Smith , MOT, OTR/L, a pediatric occupational therapist at Aloha Integrative Therapy, says that there are certain skills and behaviors she looks for when deciding if a child might need interventions.

“I look at the child's sensory system and how it is affecting the child's everyday functional skills, such as eating, sleeping, playing, and learning,” says Smith. She says she would be concerned if a child was eating fewer than 20 foods , covering their ears more than their peers when hearing loud sounds, spinning in place frequently, or not interacting with peers.

The truth is, any time you have a concern about your child’s growth or development, you should discuss this with their pediatrician. They can let you know if what you are observing is within the realm of normal, or if an assessment by a developmental specialist is necessary.

A Word From Verywell

For many of us, parenting gets a little easier by the time our kids turn 6. They are in school and don’t need as much hands-on, constant care as they used to. That being said, there are certainly parenting challenges at this age. It’s common for children to struggle as they adjust to school, and to their expanding social lives.

As a parent, you may be unsure what your role should be—how much you should step back, and how much you should step in to help. Remember that your child still needs you in many ways at this age, and you know your child best in terms of what types of support they need based on their personality and temperament .

If you have any concerns about your child’s development , you shouldn’t hesitate to reach out to their teachers, or check in with their pediatrician.

Mott Children’s Hospital. Milestones for 6-Year-Olds .

National Library of Medicine. School-age children development .

Children’s Health of Orange County. Growth & Development: 6 to 12 Years (School Age) .

American Academy of Pediatrics. Middle Childhood Visits . Guidelines for Health Supervision of Infants, Children, and Adolescents.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Middle Childhood (6-8 years of age) .

American Psychological Association. Cognitive and Social Skills to Expect From 6 to 10 Years .

Nemours Children’s Health. Growth and Your 6- to 12-Year-Old .

By Wendy Wisner Wendy Wisner is a lactation consultant and writer covering maternal/child health, parenting, general health and wellness, and mental health. She has worked with breastfeeding parents for over a decade, and is a mom to two boys.

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Activity: Words to practise in Year 6

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English for children ages 6 to 8

As children grow up, learning English as a second or foreign language becomes a big advantage for their future. It will give them access to opportunities that otherwise would not be available. However, learning English for children ages 6 to 8 is not the same as learning at other ages.

Knowing the different cognitive stages will help parents direct all efforts to find the best topics and materials to make English for Kids   easier.

But, what kind of learning English activities for elementary education should your child use?

There’s no one correct answer to this question! On the contrary, there are several options that you can mix and match to build a suitable learning plan for your little one, like songs in English made to help with pronunciation or games and activities in English that make learning fun.

Introducing English as a Second or Foreign Language to Children in Elementary School

According to a case study carried out by Dr. Eleanore Hargreaves, Reader in Learning and Pedagogy at the UCL Institute of Education in London, UK, children prefer to learn using interesting resources such as visual and audio stimuli .

This result supports the notion that introducing English to a child in primary school should be done through ludic activities that spark a child’s natural curiosity and imagination.

Additionally, Dr. Hargreaves found that children who used technology as a learning aid were able to extend their skills and get more proficient at English , including a considerable improvement in their reading, listening, and writing abilities.

With this information at hand, you can start choosing the best activities for your child to learn English. The trick is to choose the ones that adapt to your child’s age and cognitive level.

How Can You Help Your Child To Learn English When In Primary School?

If your child is learning English during the elementary education period , it’s advisable to keep track of the milestones that should be accomplished at this period’s different stages. These milestones will help you choose content that your child finds engaging and that can also help improve their English skills.

English Learning Milestones for 6-Year-Old Children

Children at this age have a distinctive set of milestones to achieve in language learning. It’s at this moment that they’re likely to make the change from preschool to primary schoo l and they will likely be more eager to learn. At this age, your child should:

• Be more prone to a sking the meaning of unknown words i n English
• Recognize rhyming words and the last sound of words
• Be better at naming and recognizing numbers in English
• Use some basic irregular verbs in English in the past tense
• Identify the third person in English when talking in the simple present
• Recognize the letters and their sounds in English
• Look at some English words and recognize their meaning
• Understand simple concepts to talk about time in English like yesterday , today , or tomorrow .
• Improve their use of adjectives in English

English Learning Milestones for 7-Year-Old Children

Even though the difference with 6-year-old children might seem small , the cognitive milestones at this age vary. It’s at this time that they start to put into practice all the knowledge that they’ve previously learned. At this age, your child will most likely be able to:

• Use the pronouns in English more efficiently than before
• Learn about the use of synonyms in English and efficiently use some of them
• Learn new words in this language through practice and fix the already learned words
• Recognize and use simple time concepts such as the days of the week
• Have a better understanding and use of day-to-day expressions such as saying their name or greeting
• Ask and answer simple yes or no questions in English , and even some wh- questions as well
• Be more proficient at spelling
• Understand what’s being said to them, since their listening skills should be better
• Identify the verb “to be” and use it both in affirmative and in negative sentences

English Learning Milestones for 8-Year-Old Children

At this age, there’s not a huge difference in a child’s vocabulary compared to the previous years, however, by now your child should be able to:

• Use more complex sentences with a more difficult grammatical structure
• Use correctly the majority of English pronouns
• Have a better understanding of grade-level books and audiobooks in English
• Be proficient at creating rhymes with words in English
• Have more fluency reading age-appropriate texts in this language
• Create clearer and more understandable texts in English, especially those where they have to share their personal opinions
• Understand that some words in English can have more than one meaning ( bat as in the animal and bat as in the baseball equipment)
• Use correct pronunciation when speaking in English
• Identify the different parts of a sentence

Best Activities For Children Learning English During Primary School

During primary school children are able to learn and practice complex content while learning English. If you’re looking for activities for your little one, it’s best to choose those that can be challenging but doable and, more importantly, to choose activities that are fun and motivating.

You can dare your child to a word search game in English, this will be a good way to improve their reading skills and even their pronunciation. Also, you can play making up new words based on words your child already knows and get a chance to practice word structure.

Using songs in English and audiobooks you can go over grammar concepts such as prepositions or even the use of different verbs in English. Additionally, this is a great chance to listen to different words and improve pronunciation.

Finally, at these ages, the use of technology and English learning apps for kids can be a fun way for your child to practice English. Make sure to mix this type of activity with games and with books that can spark your child’s imagination, all of this will turn English learning into an immersive and creative experience.

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Developmental milestones: your 6-year-old child

by: The GreatSchools Editorial Team | Updated: March 5, 2024

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In the early school years, you won’t see dramatic changes in motor skills because this is a period of refinement, when coordination improves and fine motor skills are sharpened. But you will notice remarkable changes in social skills and thinking skills. Your child is now building on the base of skills developed during early childhood and moving toward greater independence, both intellectually and emotionally.

Developmental milestones you can expect of a 6-year-old child

Motor development.

• may still be somewhat uncoordinated and gawky
• able to learn to ride a bicycle
• can move in time with music or a beat

Language & thinking development

• moving toward abstract thinking
• develops reasoning skills
• shifts from learning through observation and experience to learning via language and logic
• wants it all; has difficulty making choices

Social & emotional development

• grows more independent, yet feels less secure
• craves affection from parents and teachers
• friendships are unstable; can be unkind to peers
• needs to win and may change rules to suit herself
• may be hurt by criticism, blame, or punishment
• can be rigid, demanding, and unable to adapt
• increasingly aware that others have may have different feelings

Tips for parenting a 6-year-old

At 6, your child is curious, active, and becoming engrossed in school and new friendships.

• Provide consistent structure at home to help your child adapt to the disciplined world of school.
• Give lots of opportunity for physical activity to help develop skills.
• Make a point of attending your child’s school and sports events. It’s important for her to show off her accomplishments .
• Be patient with her selfishness; it will pass.
• Be generous with praise .

Snapshot of a 6-year-old’s developmental milestones

Jenny’s story illustrates the range of skills, interests, and abilities considered typical development for a 6-year-old.

Marilyn laughed and thought of her daughter, Jenny, as she finished the last lines of a poem by A. A. Milne: “But now I am Six, I’m as clever as clever. So I think I’ll be six now for ever and ever.”

A 6-year-old’s developing imagination

The imagination of a 6-year-old is amazing. Marilyn thought about Jenny’s clever and creative thinking to explain the unexplainable. When a frog appeared in our backyard pond, we wondered how he got there. Jenny had no problem explaining it this way: “The frog, desperate for water, asked Mr. Jack Rabbit, who is a really fast runner, ‘Please take me to a place with water.’ Being a good friend, Mr. Jack Rabbit said, ‘Of course. Just jump on my back, and I’ll take you to this nice pond.’ So the frog jumped onto the rabbit’s back, and the rabbit brought him to our pond. He really likes it here, and he’ll be Jack Rabbit’s friend forever,” said Jenny.

Jenny’s father praised for her great story but said he didn’t think it really happened that way. “You know animals can’t talk,” he said.

“Yes, they can! We may not be able to hear them, but they really can!” Jenny said. “Remember all the animals in the Just So Stories? They can talk.”

Dad wanted Jenny to understand the difference between what’s real and what’s pretend without taking away the magic and mystery of childhood beliefs, so a long talk followed. Jenny knows that Santa Claus may not be able to come down the chimney, but she’s positive he exists. And she very aggressively defends her ideas.

A 6-year-old’s developing understanding of following the rules

Like all 6-year-olds, Jenny is dedicated to fairness and makes sure everyone follows the rules. Since she learned to read in first grade this year, she reads all the road signs and informs drivers about whether they’re following the rules. The other day she told her dad that if he didn’t obey the law to go 25 miles an hour, he probably would not be able to live at home. “People who don’t obey the law are bad, and bad people can’t live with good people.” explained Jenny. “Not that you’re bad, Daddy. But people might think you’re bad if you don’t obey the law.” Jenny wanted him to follow the rules, but she didn’t want to hurt his feelings. She’s very sensitive about other people’s feelings. She was probably a little nervous and fearful that something terrible might happen to her dad if he didn’t obey the law. In relaying what she knows about rules, she sometimes gets information confused. Marilyn smiled and a warm feeling spread through her as she thought about her daughter. What a delight she is — always trying to understand and explain her world.

6-year-olds and friends

Just then, Jenny burst into the house with exciting news. She threw her arms around her mother and told her that Sophia had asked her to spend the night.

“Please, please, please, let me, Mom?” asked Jenny. “She is my bestest friend in the whole wide world! Please! Please!”

“That’s exciting,” answered Jenny’s mom. “I think it will be all right, but let me talk to Sophia’s mom and find out all the details. After I talk to her, we can decide what’s going to happen.”

Jenny skipped through the afternoon gleefully planning her first sleep over with her friend.

6-year-olds and fears

Later, Jenny came to her mom and asked a very important question. Would there be monsters in Sophia’s house?

About a year ago, Jenny was very concerned about the monster she was sure was under her bed. Even after many discussions about real and make-believe, she still had fears. She came to me with a plan to get rid of monsters, especially bed monsters. Jenny’s parents held a “Monster, Be Gone!” ceremony and now she’s able to sleep in her bed, certain the monster has left.

Marilyn assured Jenny that she would talk to Sophia’s mom about monsters and make sure that there were none in her house. She gently tried to convince her daughter that monsters weren’t real and there was nothing to worry about.

“But if they do,” said Jenny,” we’ll just perform the “Monster, Be Gone!” ceremony, and everything will be just fine.”

“That’s my Jenny!” beamed Marilyn.

And finally … a note about 6-year-old developmental milestones

Remember that although the developmental milestones mentioned here are typical for a 6-year-old, children pass through these stages at their own pace. Some will be earlier, some a little later. Discuss any concerns you may have about your child’s development with a pediatrician or teacher.

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Important Reading Milestones for Kids Ages 6 to 7

Here's what to expect, plus the tips that will help you raise an avid reader during these formative years..

Reading is one of the most important skills children learn in early elementary school, but every child learns how to do it in their own way and at their own pace. That is, literacy development milestones  are helpful to keep in mind, but may differ from one child to another. This guide will help you know if your child is on the right track to developing important skills like reading comprehension , recounting stories, and reading fluency .

Speak to your child's teacher if you have questions or concerns about the development of their reading skills. 

Here’s what your child may be able to do by the end of kindergarten, first grade, and second grade.

Skills By the End of Kindergarten 

• Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters in the alphabet
• Read basic single-syllable words
• Identify the main topic in a text with prompting and support

Retell familiar stories

Write simple stories using pictures and words

Read their own writing back to you (even if they have some misspellings) 

Write a letter for every sound they hear in a word

Place spaces between words when writing

• Use upper and lower case correctly when writing 

Skills By the End of First Grade

Recognize the distinguishing parts of a sentence, including capitalization and punctuation

• Pronounce unfamiliar but commonly spelled one-syllable words
• Read words with inflectional endings (-ing, -ly, -ed, -tion) 

Skills By the End of Second Grade

Pronounce unfamiliar two-syllable words

Recount stories and say what the lesson or moral is

Identify the beginning, middle, and end of a story

Identify the points of view of different characters

Learning to summarize stories with important facts only, as opposed to retelling the whole story 

Don’t be concerned if these skills develop erratically, unless your child...

has trouble remembering new words

has trouble blending sounds together to say words

says reading is easier for their classmates

avoids reading silently or aloud

If your child is struggling to read at home but you haven’t been informed of an issue at school, check to see if the books they’re reading with you are manageable and enjoyable for them. You can get tips for selecting just-right books in this  reading guide for ages 6-7 . 

“Sometimes kids resist reading at home because the books are too hard,” says Marissa Fraser, an elementary school teacher in Danbury, Conn.

For instance, you may be eager to read the Harry Potter series with your seven-year-old, but the magical crystals and wizards in the Dragon Masters series  may be a better place to start the family’s foray into fantasy.

Make Reading Social and Relaxed

The best thing you can do to raise an avid reader? Promote reading as a joyful hobby. As tempting as it may be to set a timer to make sure your child reads for a certain amount of time each day, that type of strategy may actually be hindering their progress and love of reading.

“Forcing reading in that way doesn’t help,” says Fraser. “It’s best to foster the joy by giving them opportunities to read in various ways.” That might involve giving them less academic books and more texts just to read “for fun,” like comic books and graphic novels . 

You can make reading more fun for your child by turning it into a family activity. Read over a video call with Grandma, sit down for story time with a friendly neighbor, or read the family dog a chapter or two from a favorite book. 

The Best Books for Kids Ages 6 to 7 

There are several books designed for early readers that will help them reach the milestones listed above. These might inlcude phonics sets for younger readers in kindergarten or early chapter books for kids in second grade. 

Shop the best books for kids ages six to seven below! You can find all books and activities at  The Scholastic Store . 

For more tips on finding books at the right level for your child, visit our guide on  reading levels for kids .

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Guided reading sets, early chapter books.

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15 personal and creative expression essay topics for kids, 15 the world around us essay topics for kids, 15 factual and educational essay topics for kids.

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Writing essays is not just an academic exercise; it’s a fundamental tool that helps children develop their language skills, organize their thoughts, and articulate their ideas with clarity. Whether it’s a simple description of their favorite toy or a more complex discussion about their thoughts on environmental conservation, each essay topic offers a unique opportunity for growth and learning. Let’s dive in!

45 Easy Essay Topics for Kids

Let’s explore and discover fun differences and similarities! These compare-and-contrast topics are perfect for young minds to learn and think about the world around them in exciting ways.

For a more hands-on experience, check out these printable compare-and-contrast worksheets for kids that enhance writing and comprehension skills.

1. Cats vs. Dogs- Pets at Home: Discuss the differences and similarities between having a cat and a dog as a pet.

2. Summer Holidays vs. Winter Holidays: Compare and contrast how summer holidays differ from winter holidays, focusing on activities, weather, and family traditions.

3. Books vs. Movies: Explore the differences and similarities in storytelling between reading a book and watching a movie adaptation.

4. Rainy Days vs. Sunny Days: Compare what it’s like to experience rainy and sunny days. They can talk about the activities they do, the clothes they wear, and their feelings about each type of weather.

5. Traditional Games vs. Video Games: Compare playing traditional games like hide-and-seek or hopscotch with playing video games . Look at the social aspects, physical activity , and enjoyment.

6. Eating at Home vs. Eating at a Restaurant: Discuss the experience of eating a home-cooked meal versus dining out at a restaurant, including the atmosphere, food choices, and family interaction.

7. School Learning vs. Learning at Home: Contrast the experience of learning in a school environment with learning at home or homeschooling , focusing on interaction, discipline, and learning styles .

8. Trains vs. Airplanes: Contrast traveling by train with airplane travel. Kids can discuss speed, the scenery they see, the noise level, and what they find exciting about each mode of transportation.

9. Playing Inside vs. Playing Outside: Contrast the activities kids do when playing indoors (like board games or reading) with those they do when playing outdoors (like sports or exploring nature). Discuss the fun aspects and benefits of each.

10. Ice Cream vs. Cake: Kids can compare these two popular desserts, looking at flavors, occasions when they are eaten (like birthdays or hot summer days), and why they might prefer one.

11. Cars vs. Bicycles: Discuss the differences and similarities between these two modes of transportation. Kids can talk about the experience of riding a bike versus being in a car, the speed of travel, and when each mode is useful.

12. Story Books vs. Picture Books: Compare storybooks , which mainly focus on a narrative, with picture books, which use images to tell a story or convey concepts. Discuss the enjoyment of reading each type of book and how the pictures or stories help them understand and imagine.

13. Cartoons vs. Live-Action TV Shows: Discuss the differences and similarities between watching cartoons and live-action TV shows. Kids can talk about the characters, the stories , and what makes each type of show enjoyable.

14. Vegetables vs. Fruits: A great way to discuss healthy eating! Children can compare the taste, textures, and uses of fruits and vegetables and discuss their favorites and why they like them.

15. Storytelling vs. Reading a Book: Kids can contrast listening to a story being told (like a bedtime story ) with reading a book themselves. They might consider aspects like imagination to understand the story, which they find more enjoyable or easier.

Encourage kids to explore their inner world and creativity through these engaging essay topics. Perfect for enhancing imagination and personal storytelling, these prompts are ideal for essay writing for kids.

• My Favorite Day and Why: Describe your most cherished day and why it stands out, making it a memorable essay for kids.
• The Best Dream I Ever Had: Share the details of a wonderful dream and why it was so special to you.
• If I Were an Animal, I Would Be…: Imagine being an animal and describe a day in your life, using creativity and fun details.
• A Magical Adventure in My Backyard: Create a story about a magical adventure right in your backyard, perfect if you are looking for writing topics for elementary students.
• When I Grow Up, I Want to Be…: Talk about your dream job and what makes it exciting.
• My Superpower Wish: If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why? Describe how you would use it.
• A Letter to My Future Self: Write a letter to your future self, sharing your hopes and dreams.
• The Day I Learned to Ride a Bike: Narrate your experience of learning to ride a bike and how you felt.
• My Favorite Holiday Memory: Recount a cherished holiday memory and why it’s important.
• Building My Dream House: Describe what your dream house would look like and what makes it special.
• A Trip to the Moon: Imagine a trip to the moon and describe what you see and do.
• My Best Friend and Why I Cherish Them: Write about your best friend and the qualities that make your friendship special.
• The Most Interesting Thing About My Family: Share something unique or interesting about your family.
• If I Were President for a Day: Describe what you would do if you were the president for a day.
• A World of Talking Animals: Create a story where animals can talk and share their adventures. This is a great choice for easy essay topics.

Discover and learn about our diverse world through these fun essay topics for kids. They are tailored to help kids observe, question, and understand the environment and cultures around them.

• A Trip to the Zoo: What I Saw and Learned: This is a perfect essay topic for 5th graders . Ask them to describe their visit to the zoo and the interesting animals they saw
• My Family’s Traditions and Celebrations: Share about your family’s unique traditions or celebrations and why they are important to you.
• The Life Cycle of a Butterfly: Ask kids to explore and explain the transformation of a butterfly. It is a great prompt if you are looking for short essay topics.
• How to Take Care of Our Planet: Discuss ways we can help protect and preserve our planet Earth.
• A Day in the Life of a Firefighter: Imagine a day in the life of a firefighter and describe the challenges and rewards of their job.
• Visiting a Museum: Write about a museum experience and what you learned.
• The Importance of Recycling: Explain why recycling is important and how it helps our environment.
• Different Cultures Around the World: Choose a culture different from your own and describe its unique customs and traditions.
• Under the Sea: Exploring Marine Life: Dive into the ocean world and describe the fascinating marine life you find there.
• My Favorite Season and Why: Share your favorite season of the year and what makes it special to you.
• A Journey Through Space: Imagine traveling through space and describe what you might see and experience.
• The Process of Making Chocolate: Describe how chocolate is made, from cocoa beans to your favorite chocolate bar.
• Life on a Farm: Explore what life is like on a farm and the different tasks involved in farming.
• The Wonders of the Rainforest: Discover a rainforest’s unique and diverse life and its importance to our ecosystem.
• Celebrating a Festival in My Community: Write about a local festival, its significance, and how it is celebrated.

Explore and learn with these factual and educational essay topics. They are designed to encourage research, curiosity, and a deeper understanding of various subjects.

• The Moon and Its Phases: Learn about the moon and why it looks different during the month.
• Dinosaur Discoveries: Explore the fascinating world of dinosaurs and what they might have looked like.
• Rainbows and How They Appear: Find out what makes rainbows and why they are so colorful.
• Heroes in History: Write about a hero from history and what makes them special.
• From Seed to Plant: Discover how a seed grows into a plant and the role of sun and water.
• Planets in Our Solar System: Take a fun trip through space and learn about the planets.
• Healthy Eating: Talk about your favorite fruits and vegetables and why they are good for you.
• Simple Machines Around Us: Look at simple machines like the wheel and how they make life easier.
• The Four Seasons: Describe the four seasons and what you like about each one.
• The Fascinating World of Insects: Explore the diverse and interesting world of insects and learn about their lives.
• Volcanoes: Mountains That Blow Their Tops: Discover what volcanoes are and why they erupt.
• Our Bodies: Bones and Muscles: Learn about bones and muscles and how they help us move.
• Under the Sea: Exploring Ocean Life: Dive into the ocean and learn about the fish and animals.
• Why Do Stars Twinkle in the Night Sky? : Learn about the science behind the sparkling stars and what makes them look like twinkling from so far away.
• The Secret Life of Ants: Discover how ants live, work together, and build their homes. Learn about the different roles ants have in their colony.

4 Importance of Essay Writing for Kids

Essay writing is more than just a school assignment; it’s a crucial skill that plays a significant role in a child’s development. Here’s why it’s important:

• Improving Language Skills: Writing essays helps children enhance their vocabulary , grammar, and language proficiency. It’s a practical way for them to learn new words and how to use them effectively in sentences. 
• Organizing Thoughts: One of the key benefits of essay writing is that it teaches kids how to organize their thoughts. When they write an essay, they learn to structure their ideas logically, making it easier for others to understand their point of view. 
• Expressing Ideas Clearly: Essays allow children to express their ideas and opinions. This practice helps them articulate their thoughts in a coherent and concise manner. Expressing oneself is a valuable skill that will serve them well throughout their lives, both personally and professionally.
• Academic and Future Career Success: Good writing skills are essential for academic success . Essays are a common part of school assignments; excelling in them can improve grades. Furthermore, writing well is a sought-after skill in many careers. Effective writing is key, whether it’s drafting reports, creating presentations, or communicating with clients.

In conclusion, by embracing the practice of essay writing, we open doors for our children to not only excel academically but also to develop essential life skills . Let’s encourage and support them in this journey, fostering a generation of articulate, thoughtful, and confident communicators.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

At what age should children start practicing essay writing.

Children can start practicing simple essay writing around 6 or 7. Starting with basic sentences and gradually moving to more structured essays helps build their writing skills early on.

How can I make essay writing interesting for my child?

To make essay writing interesting, choose topics that align with your child’s interests or current events in their life. Also, incorporating creative elements like storytelling or illustrations can make the process more engaging.

How long should essays for kids be?

The length of the essay should be appropriate for the child’s age and skill level. For younger children, a paragraph or two is sufficient, while older kids can aim for longer essays with more detailed content.

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‘What Kind of Dad Says That?’: Father Draws Criticism for Shocking Reaction to 6-Year-Old Son Being Rescued from River In Resurfaced Video

A kayaker who rescued a child stranded in the middle of the river is getting a lot of praise online, while many are coming after the child’s father who appeared indifferent to the incident.

Florida-based kayaker David Jones discovered a 6-year-old boy floating in the water of the St. Louis River near Duluth Minnesota, wearing only a lifejacket, crying and yelling for his father.

A resurfaced video from July 2022 that’s drawn more than 10 million views on the Newsner TikTok channel shows Jones calming the child down as he paddles safely to shore with the boy hanging on to his kayak. Jones said that he spotted the child’s dad in a boat nearby, but that he pulled his anchor and went ashore without his son.

Jones is heard asking the boy how long he’s been in the water and the boy says he was in the river for a “long” time.

“He was very strong for a 6-year-old kid,” Jones told one outlet. “I was able to make jokes to kind of keep him distracted, get his mind off what was actually happening. He stopped panicking, he held onto the boat.”

As soon as Jones and the child get to shore, they find a nearby cabin and receive help from a few people. One man retrieves some towels to wrap around the child to warm his body.

Sometime later, the boy’s father arrives and greets Jones who tells him what happened. The father points to his son and casually says, “Sounds like he was a bit nervous.”

“He didn’t really seem as if he was taking the totality of the circumstances seriously,” Jones said. “He blamed the kid, saying, ‘He knows to swim to shore. We’ve been in this situation before.'”

The father is heard on the video telling the boy, “Calm down. Slowly swim to the shore. You’ve got this. We’ve been in this before.”

@newsnercomofficial Kayaker saves Child Credit: @daviidjonessjr #hero #kayak #outdoors #savior #mansaveschild ♬ originalljud – NewsnerCom

When Jones found the child, he said the current was pulling him farther away from land and it looked as if his arms and legs were tired after trying to swim against the flow of the water.

Jones said he saw a lot of negative feedback online against the boy’s dad and that even he was “concerned about the welfare of the child.” The video shows the father thanking Jones and genially saying, “We might be seeing each other again.”

Many commenters also lashed out at the father for appearing callous and dismissive toward his son’s distress and his rescue.

“Is it me or does it sound like the dad tried to ditch the kid?” one TikTok user wrote.

“This boy is not safe with his parents,” one person wrote.

“Wait a second. Guy left his kid in the middle of the river and no one is investigating?” another comment reads.

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The Case for Marrying an Older Man

A woman’s life is all work and little rest. an age gap relationship can help..

In the summer, in the south of France, my husband and I like to play, rather badly, the lottery. We take long, scorching walks to the village — gratuitous beauty, gratuitous heat — kicking up dust and languid debates over how we’d spend such an influx. I purchase scratch-offs, jackpot tickets, scraping the former with euro coins in restaurants too fine for that. I never cash them in, nor do I check the winning numbers. For I already won something like the lotto, with its gifts and its curses, when he married me.

He is ten years older than I am. I chose him on purpose, not by chance. As far as life decisions go, on balance, I recommend it.

When I was 20 and a junior at Harvard College, a series of great ironies began to mock me. I could study all I wanted, prove myself as exceptional as I liked, and still my fiercest advantage remained so universal it deflated my other plans. My youth. The newness of my face and body. Compellingly effortless; cruelly fleeting. I shared it with the average, idle young woman shrugging down the street. The thought, when it descended on me, jolted my perspective, the way a falling leaf can make you look up: I could diligently craft an ideal existence, over years and years of sleepless nights and industry. Or I could just marry it early.

So naturally I began to lug a heavy suitcase of books each Saturday to the Harvard Business School to work on my Nabokov paper. In one cavernous, well-appointed room sat approximately 50 of the planet’s most suitable bachelors. I had high breasts, most of my eggs, plausible deniability when it came to purity, a flush ponytail, a pep in my step that had yet to run out. Apologies to Progress, but older men still desired those things.

I could not understand why my female classmates did not join me, given their intelligence. Each time I reconsidered the project, it struck me as more reasonable. Why ignore our youth when it amounted to a superpower? Why assume the burdens of womanhood, its too-quick-to-vanish upper hand, but not its brief benefits at least? Perhaps it came easier to avoid the topic wholesale than to accept that women really do have a tragically short window of power, and reason enough to take advantage of that fact while they can. As for me, I liked history, Victorian novels, knew of imminent female pitfalls from all the books I’d read: vampiric boyfriends; labor, at the office and in the hospital, expected simultaneously; a decline in status as we aged, like a looming eclipse. I’d have disliked being called calculating, but I had, like all women, a calculator in my head. I thought it silly to ignore its answers when they pointed to an unfairness for which we really ought to have been preparing.

I was competitive by nature, an English-literature student with all the corresponding major ambitions and minor prospects (Great American novel; email job). A little Bovarist , frantic for new places and ideas; to travel here, to travel there, to be in the room where things happened. I resented the callow boys in my class, who lusted after a particular, socially sanctioned type on campus: thin and sexless, emotionally detached and socially connected, the opposite of me. Restless one Saturday night, I slipped on a red dress and snuck into a graduate-school event, coiling an HDMI cord around my wrist as proof of some technical duty. I danced. I drank for free, until one of the organizers asked me to leave. I called and climbed into an Uber. Then I promptly climbed out of it. For there he was, emerging from the revolving doors. Brown eyes, curved lips, immaculate jacket. I went to him, asked him for a cigarette. A date, days later. A second one, where I discovered he was a person, potentially my favorite kind: funny, clear-eyed, brilliant, on intimate terms with the universe.

I used to love men like men love women — that is, not very well, and with a hunger driven only by my own inadequacies. Not him. In those early days, I spoke fondly of my family, stocked the fridge with his favorite pasta, folded his clothes more neatly than I ever have since. I wrote his mother a thank-you note for hosting me in his native France, something befitting a daughter-in-law. It worked; I meant it. After graduation and my fellowship at Oxford, I stayed in Europe for his career and married him at 23.

Of course I just fell in love. Romances have a setting; I had only intervened to place myself well. Mainly, I spotted the precise trouble of being a woman ahead of time, tried to surf it instead of letting it drown me on principle. I had grown bored of discussions of fair and unfair, equal or unequal , and preferred instead to consider a thing called ease.

The reception of a particular age-gap relationship depends on its obviousness. The greater and more visible the difference in years and status between a man and a woman, the more it strikes others as transactional. Transactional thinking in relationships is both as American as it gets and the least kosher subject in the American romantic lexicon. When a 50-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman walk down the street, the questions form themselves inside of you; they make you feel cynical and obscene: How good of a deal is that? Which party is getting the better one? Would I take it? He is older. Income rises with age, so we assume he has money, at least relative to her; at minimum, more connections and experience. She has supple skin. Energy. Sex. Maybe she gets a Birkin. Maybe he gets a baby long after his prime. The sight of their entwined hands throws a lucid light on the calculations each of us makes, in love, to varying degrees of denial. You could get married in the most romantic place in the world, like I did, and you would still have to sign a contract.

Twenty and 30 is not like 30 and 40; some freshness to my features back then, some clumsiness in my bearing, warped our decade, in the eyes of others, to an uncrossable gulf. Perhaps this explains the anger we felt directed at us at the start of our relationship. People seemed to take us very, very personally. I recall a hellish car ride with a friend of his who began to castigate me in the backseat, in tones so low that only I could hear him. He told me, You wanted a rich boyfriend. You chased and snuck into parties . He spared me the insult of gold digger, but he drew, with other words, the outline for it. Most offended were the single older women, my husband’s classmates. They discussed me in the bathroom at parties when I was in the stall. What does he see in her? What do they talk about? They were concerned about me. They wielded their concern like a bludgeon. They paraphrased without meaning to my favorite line from Nabokov’s Lolita : “You took advantage of my disadvantage,” suspecting me of some weakness he in turn mined. It did not disturb them, so much, to consider that all relationships were trades. The trouble was the trade I’d made struck them as a bad one.

The truth is you can fall in love with someone for all sorts of reasons, tiny transactions, pluses and minuses, whose sum is your affection for each other, your loyalty, your commitment. The way someone picks up your favorite croissant. Their habit of listening hard. What they do for you on your anniversary and your reciprocal gesture, wrapped thoughtfully. The serenity they inspire; your happiness, enlivening it. When someone says they feel unappreciated, what they really mean is you’re in debt to them.

When I think of same-age, same-stage relationships, what I tend to picture is a woman who is doing too much for too little.

I’m 27 now, and most women my age have “partners.” These days, girls become partners quite young. A partner is supposed to be a modern answer to the oppression of marriage, the terrible feeling of someone looming over you, head of a household to which you can only ever be the neck. Necks are vulnerable. The problem with a partner, however, is if you’re equal in all things, you compromise in all things. And men are too skilled at taking .

There is a boy out there who knows how to floss because my friend taught him. Now he kisses college girls with fresh breath. A boy married to my friend who doesn’t know how to pack his own suitcase. She “likes to do it for him.” A million boys who know how to touch a woman, who go to therapy because they were pushed, who learned fidelity, boundaries, decency, manners, to use a top sheet and act humanely beneath it, to call their mothers, match colors, bring flowers to a funeral and inhale, exhale in the face of rage, because some girl, some girl we know, some girl they probably don’t speak to and will never, ever credit, took the time to teach him. All while she was working, raising herself, clawing up the cliff-face of adulthood. Hauling him at her own expense.

I find a post on Reddit where five thousand men try to define “ a woman’s touch .” They describe raised flower beds, blankets, photographs of their loved ones, not hers, sprouting on the mantel overnight. Candles, coasters, side tables. Someone remembering to take lint out of the dryer. To give compliments. I wonder what these women are getting back. I imagine them like Cinderella’s mice, scurrying around, their sole proof of life their contributions to a more central character. On occasion I meet a nice couple, who grew up together. They know each other with a fraternalism tender and alien to me.  But I think of all my friends who failed at this, were failed at this, and I think, No, absolutely not, too risky . Riskier, sometimes, than an age gap.

My younger brother is in his early 20s, handsome, successful, but in many ways: an endearing disaster. By his age, I had long since wisened up. He leaves his clothes in the dryer, takes out a single shirt, steams it for three minutes. His towel on the floor, for someone else to retrieve. His lovely, same-age girlfriend is aching to fix these tendencies, among others. She is capable beyond words. Statistically, they will not end up together. He moved into his first place recently, and she, the girlfriend, supplied him with a long, detailed list of things he needed for his apartment: sheets, towels, hangers, a colander, which made me laugh. She picked out his couch. I will bet you anything she will fix his laundry habits, and if so, they will impress the next girl. If they break up, she will never see that couch again, and he will forget its story. I tell her when I visit because I like her, though I get in trouble for it: You shouldn’t do so much for him, not for someone who is not stuck with you, not for any boy, not even for my wonderful brother.

Too much work had left my husband, by 30, jaded and uninspired. He’d burned out — but I could reenchant things. I danced at restaurants when they played a song I liked. I turned grocery shopping into an adventure, pleased by what I provided. Ambitious, hungry, he needed someone smart enough to sustain his interest, but flexible enough in her habits to build them around his hours. I could. I do: read myself occupied, make myself free, materialize beside him when he calls for me. In exchange, I left a lucrative but deadening spreadsheet job to write full-time, without having to live like a writer. I learned to cook, a little, and decorate, somewhat poorly. Mostly I get to read, to walk central London and Miami and think in delicious circles, to work hard, when necessary, for free, and write stories for far less than minimum wage when I tally all the hours I take to write them.

At 20, I had felt daunted by the project of becoming my ideal self, couldn’t imagine doing it in tandem with someone, two raw lumps of clay trying to mold one another and only sullying things worse. I’d go on dates with boys my age and leave with the impression they were telling me not about themselves but some person who didn’t exist yet and on whom I was meant to bet regardless. My husband struck me instead as so finished, formed. Analyzable for compatibility. He bore the traces of other women who’d improved him, small but crucial basics like use a coaster ; listen, don’t give advice. Young egos mellow into patience and generosity.

My husband isn’t my partner. He’s my mentor, my lover, and, only in certain contexts, my friend. I’ll never forget it, how he showed me around our first place like he was introducing me to myself: This is the wine you’ll drink, where you’ll keep your clothes, we vacation here, this is the other language we’ll speak, you’ll learn it, and I did. Adulthood seemed a series of exhausting obligations. But his logistics ran so smoothly that he simply tacked mine on. I moved into his flat, onto his level, drag and drop, cleaner thrice a week, bills automatic. By opting out of partnership in my 20s, I granted myself a kind of compartmentalized, liberating selfishness none of my friends have managed. I am the work in progress, the party we worry about, a surprising dominance. When I searched for my first job, at 21, we combined our efforts, for my sake. He had wisdom to impart, contacts with whom he arranged coffees; we spent an afternoon, laughing, drawing up earnest lists of my pros and cons (highly sociable; sloppy math). Meanwhile, I took calls from a dear friend who had a boyfriend her age. Both savagely ambitious, hyperclose and entwined in each other’s projects. If each was a start-up , the other was the first hire, an intense dedication I found riveting. Yet every time she called me, I hung up with the distinct feeling that too much was happening at the same time: both learning to please a boss; to forge more adult relationships with their families; to pay bills and taxes and hang prints on the wall. Neither had any advice to give and certainly no stability. I pictured a three-legged race, two people tied together and hobbling toward every milestone.

I don’t fool myself. My marriage has its cons. There are only so many times one can say “thank you” — for splendid scenes, fine dinners — before the phrase starts to grate. I live in an apartment whose rent he pays and that shapes the freedom with which I can ever be angry with him. He doesn’t have to hold it over my head. It just floats there, complicating usual shorthands to explain dissatisfaction like, You aren’t being supportive lately . It’s a Frenchism to say, “Take a decision,” and from time to time I joke: from whom? Occasionally I find myself in some fabulous country at some fabulous party and I think what a long way I have traveled, like a lucky cloud, and it is frightening to think of oneself as vapor.

Mostly I worry that if he ever betrayed me and I had to move on, I would survive, but would find in my humor, preferences, the way I make coffee or the bed nothing that he did not teach, change, mold, recompose, stamp with his initials, the way Renaissance painters hid in their paintings their faces among a crowd. I wonder if when they looked at their paintings, they saw their own faces first. But this is the wrong question, if our aim is happiness. Like the other question on which I’m expected to dwell: Who is in charge, the man who drives or the woman who put him there so she could enjoy herself? I sit in the car, in the painting it would have taken me a corporate job and 20 years to paint alone, and my concern over who has the upper hand becomes as distant as the horizon, the one he and I made so wide for me.

To be a woman is to race against the clock, in several ways, until there is nothing left to be but run ragged.

We try to put it off, but it will hit us at some point: that we live in a world in which our power has a different shape from that of men, a different distribution of advantage, ours a funnel and theirs an expanding cone. A woman at 20 rarely has to earn her welcome; a boy at 20 will be turned away at the door. A woman at 30 may find a younger woman has taken her seat; a man at 30 will have invited her. I think back to the women in the bathroom, my husband’s classmates. What was my relationship if not an inconvertible sign of this unfairness? What was I doing, in marrying older, if not endorsing it? I had taken advantage of their disadvantage. I had preempted my own. After all, principled women are meant to defy unfairness, to show some integrity or denial, not plan around it, like I had. These were driven women, successful, beautiful, capable. I merely possessed the one thing they had already lost. In getting ahead of the problem, had I pushed them down? If I hadn’t, would it really have made any difference?

When we decided we wanted to be equal to men, we got on men’s time. We worked when they worked, retired when they retired, had to squeeze pregnancy, children, menopause somewhere impossibly in the margins. I have a friend, in her late 20s, who wears a mood ring; these days it is often red, flickering in the air like a siren when she explains her predicament to me. She has raised her fair share of same-age boyfriends. She has put her head down, worked laboriously alongside them, too. At last she is beginning to reap the dividends, earning the income to finally enjoy herself. But it is now, exactly at this precipice of freedom and pleasure, that a time problem comes closing in. If she would like to have children before 35, she must begin her next profession, motherhood, rather soon, compromising inevitably her original one. The same-age partner, equally unsettled in his career, will take only the minimum time off, she guesses, or else pay some cost which will come back to bite her. Everything unfailingly does. If she freezes her eggs to buy time, the decision and its logistics will burden her singly — and perhaps it will not work. Overlay the years a woman is supposed to establish herself in her career and her fertility window and it’s a perfect, miserable circle. By midlife women report feeling invisible, undervalued; it is a telling cliché, that after all this, some husbands leave for a younger girl. So when is her time, exactly? For leisure, ease, liberty? There is no brand of feminism which achieved female rest. If women’s problem in the ’50s was a paralyzing malaise, now it is that they are too active, too capable, never permitted a vacation they didn’t plan. It’s not that our efforts to have it all were fated for failure. They simply weren’t imaginative enough.

For me, my relationship, with its age gap, has alleviated this rush , permitted me to massage the clock, shift its hands to my benefit. Very soon, we will decide to have children, and I don’t panic over last gasps of fun, because I took so many big breaths of it early: on the holidays of someone who had worked a decade longer than I had, in beautiful places when I was young and beautiful, a symmetry I recommend. If such a thing as maternal energy exists, mine was never depleted. I spent the last nearly seven years supported more than I support and I am still not as old as my husband was when he met me. When I have a child, I will expect more help from him than I would if he were younger, for what does professional tenure earn you if not the right to set more limits on work demands — or, if not, to secure some child care, at the very least? When I return to work after maternal upheaval, he will aid me, as he’s always had, with his ability to put himself aside, as younger men are rarely able.

Above all, the great gift of my marriage is flexibility. A chance to live my life before I become responsible for someone else’s — a lover’s, or a child’s. A chance to write. A chance at a destiny that doesn’t adhere rigidly to the routines and timelines of men, but lends itself instead to roomy accommodation, to the very fluidity Betty Friedan dreamed of in 1963 in The Feminine Mystique , but we’ve largely forgotten: some career or style of life that “permits year-to-year variation — a full-time paid job in one community, part-time in another, exercise of the professional skill in serious volunteer work or a period of study during pregnancy or early motherhood when a full-time job is not feasible.” Some things are just not feasible in our current structures. Somewhere along the way we stopped admitting that, and all we did was make women feel like personal failures. I dream of new structures, a world in which women have entry-level jobs in their 30s; alternate avenues for promotion; corporate ladders with balconies on which they can stand still, have a smoke, take a break, make a baby, enjoy themselves, before they keep climbing. Perhaps men long for this in their own way. Actually I am sure of that.

Once, when we first fell in love, I put my head in his lap on a long car ride; I remember his hands on my face, the sun, the twisting turns of a mountain road, surprising and not surprising us like our romance, and his voice, telling me that it was his biggest regret that I was so young, he feared he would lose me. Last week, we looked back at old photos and agreed we’d given each other our respective best years. Sometimes real equality is not so obvious, sometimes it takes turns, sometimes it takes almost a decade to reveal itself.

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Screen Rant

Alex garland's major career change makes us way more exited for 28 years later.

Alex Garland has announced that he is stepping back from director duties in the future – a decision that could be great news for 28 Years Later.

• Alex Garland's retirement from directing may actually benefit his upcoming horror sequel project, 28 Years Later.
• Garland's focus on writing, his primary strength, could lead to a more impactful and successful film for 28 Years Later.
• Breaking his no-sequels rule, 28 Years Later marks a unique departure for Garland and sets the stage for potential success.

Alex Garland's announcement that he intends to step back from directing duties is disappointing for his many fans, but is great news for his upcoming horror sequel project, 28 Years Later . Since his debut in 2014 with the acclaimed sci-fi thriller Ex Machina , Garland has established himself as one of the most exciting filmmakers in the industry. Subsequent Alex Garland movies like Annihilation , Men , and Civil War have all addressed provocative themes and displayed the director's aptitude for handling complex characters and storylines. While his films haven't always hit the heights of Ex Machina , Garland's projects have helped set the standard – particularly in sci-fi.

However, despite the successful release of 2024's Civil War , it appears Garland has become jaded with the movie-making process. After surprising fans with an announcement while promoting his latest movie, Garland reiterated his decision in an interview with The Guardian , declaring: " Nothing’s changed. I’m in a very similar state. I’m not planning to direct again in the foreseeable future. " For many filmmakers, such a drastic decision would signal the end of their career. However, as far as Garland is concerned, retiring from directing may actually extend his longevity and be a positive step for his zombie sequel, 28 Years Later .

Alex Garland's Retirement Plan Is Terrible News For A 6-Year-Old Unfulfilled Sci-Fi Franchise

Alex garland's directing retirement will help his 28 years later writing.

Although Garland has vowed to avoid directing movies in the future, he has made no such commitment around writing. Given that, before graduating to directing, he was primarily known as a novelist and screenwriter, not having the distraction of direction may actually help him focus on his primary area of strength – especially regarding 28 Years Later . Although details around the project are sketchy, the film will reunite original 28 Days Later director Danny Boyle with star Cillian Murphy and Garland , who will return as screenwriter.

Ordinarily, disillusionment with one aspect of the film industry might jeopardize future involvement in another area. However, as Garland has made clear, his issue is not with bringing stories to screen, but with the pressures of being involved at a directorial level. As he explained to The Guardian , citing Ex Machina 's production as an example:

“The pressure doesn’t come from the money. It comes from the fact that you’re asking people to trust something that, on the face of it, doesn’t look very trustworthy. “Alicia [Vikander] and Sonoya [Mizuno] are trusting that nudity is going to be dealt with thoughtfully and respectfully … [when] cinema leans towards not doing that.”

The fact that Garland has taken the decision to step back from directing duties means that he may feel more positively about 28 Years Later . This way, there is little chance of his antipathy towards other aspects of moviemaking crowding his creative process. Instead, the film will be unfettered by other frustrations and be a fair reflection of Garland's vision. Given how important his ideas were to the first movie, this can only be a good thing for 28 Years Later 's chances of success.

28 Years Later: Confirmation, Trilogy Plans & Everything We Know

Alex garland's best projects have been as a writer.

Although his directing career has been impressive, it's clear that Alex Garland's greatest strengths lie as a writer . Not only did he write all four of his directed projects, but he is also responsible for penning several other successful movies. As well as 28 Days Later , Garland has written beloved sci-fi features like Sunshine and Dredd , and the heartbreaking drama Never Let Me Go . He was also an uncredited writer on the modestly successful 28 Days Later follow-up, 28 Weeks Later , and wrote the acclaimed TV sci-fi series Devs .

(Garland's) scripts have a unique capacity to explore moral ambiguity and obscure philosophy, all well telling a gripping story.

The scale of Garland's success shows that, while he has certainly made a major impact as a director, it is as a writer where he really shines. Especially within the sci-fi space, his scripts have a unique capacity to explore moral ambiguity and obscure philosophy, all well telling a gripping story. By making a clear move away from future directing projects, Garland can give himself the creative space to continue this impressive writing streak without fear of burn-out – something that should excite sci-fi fans in particular.

28 Years Later Needs Alex Garland To Succeed

Ensuring that Garland is in a positive space regarding his attitude to filmmaking is vital to the success of 28 Years Later . While Danny Boyle and Cillian Murphy's involvement is a positive development, it is Garland who gave the original 28 Days Later story a prophetic immediacy that made it such a success on release. The combination of well-realized characters coupled with the innovation of " fast " zombies is widely credited with revitalizing the sub-genre , leading to future hits like Zack Snyder's Dawn of the Dead , I Am Legend , and World War Z .

Considering his impact on the first 28 film, securing Garland's involvement in the follow-up feels essential. However, a further consideration is that 28 Years Later will likely need all hands at the creative pump to achieve success. After a nearly two-decade-long pause in the franchise, the film will have to pull out all the stops to justify itself, with a compelling story being an absolute cornerstone. Having Garland return to writing duties, without having to worry about additional directing projects outside of 28 Years Later , can only help the film in the long run.

28 Years Later Will Break Garland's Sequel Rule

A further point of excitement for Alex Garland fans around 28 Years Later is that it will become the first movie in his resume to break his unofficial rule about sequels. His uncredited work on 28 Weeks Later aside, Garland has never made a sequel to any of his previous movies . In fact, he has historically expressed real skepticism about the prospect of returning to an old project, telling IndieWire in 2018:

" Sequels are just not something I’m interested in doing. It’s like when you don’t like steak, you don’t make the decision not to eat steak, you just don’t eat steak. I just don’t do sequels. "

Given that Garland had already gone back to 28 Weeks Later , his commitment to this rule seems unconvincing at best. However, the fact that he has now retired from directing means that 28 Years Later will be the first movie to officially break the streak of no Alex Garland sequels – something that immediately helps it stand out. Coupled with the fact that he will have no additional director responsibilities to juggle, the situation suggests that 28 Years Later can be a huge hit.

Sources: The Guardian , IndieWire

28 Years Later

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Man guilty of murder after rookie British police officer was killed in an armed robbery in 2005

This undated handout photo issued by West Yorkshire Police shows police officer Sharon Beshenivsky. Piran Ditta Khan has been found guilty at Leeds Crown Court of the murder of the 38 year-old police constable, who was shot during an armed robbery in Bradford in 2005. (West Yorkshire Police via AP)

FILE - Teresa Milburn, center with back to camera, colleague of murdered West Yorkshire police officer Sharon Beshenivsky, follows the horse drawn carriage into the grounds of Bradford Cathedral at the funeral which took place in Bradford, England, Wednesday Jan. 11, 2006. A 75-year-old man was found guilty Thursday, April 4, 2024, of the murder of a recently recruited female police officer nearly two decades ago during an armed robbery at a travel agency that shocked the local community around the city of Bradford in the north of England. Beshenivsky, 38, died after being shot at point-blank range by one of the three men who had carried out the robbery. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson, File)

This undated handout photo issued by West Yorkshire Police shows Piran Ditta Khan, 75, who has been found guilty at Leeds Crown Court of the murder of Pc Sharon Beshenivsky, who was shot during an armed robbery in Bradford in 2005. (West Yorkshire Police via AP)

This undated image from CCTV issued by West Yorkshire Police shows Piran Ditta Khan being taken into custody at Elland Road Police Station in Leeds, England, in April 2023. Khan has been found guilty at Leeds Crown Court of the murder of the 38 year-old police constable, who was shot during an armed robbery in Bradford in 2005. (West Yorkshire Police via AP)

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LONDON (AP) — A man was convicted Thursday of the murder of a British police officer who was shot dead during an armed robbery of a travel agency in northern England nearly two decades ago.

Piran Ditta Khan was convicted by a 10-1 majority after 11 jurors deliberated for almost 19 hours over four days at Leeds Crown Court.

Sharon Beshenivsky, 38, was a recent recruit when she responded to an alert and was shot dead at point-blank range by one of the three men who carried out the robbery at the family-run Universal Express travel agents in the city of Bradford in November 2005. Her colleague, Teresa Milburn, survived after being shot in the chest.

Beshenivsky, who had three children and two stepchildren, was gunned down on her youngest daughter’s fourth birthday and had been an officer for only nine months when she died from her injuries.

Milburn, herself only two years in the job, told police the pair “didn’t have a chance” to get away from the gunman, and that they would have run away if they had been warned.

Police officers in Britain do not carry guns on routine patrols.

Khan, 75, was the last of the seven men involved in the robbery to be convicted and was considered the plot mastermind. He stayed in the lookout car during the robbery.

Khan fled to Pakistan two months after the robbery. He was arrested by local authorities in Pakistan in January 2020 and finally was extradited to the U.K. last year.

“This verdict is the culmination of 18 years of hard work, tenacious grit and determination to bring Khan before the courts,” said West Yorkshire Police Detective Superintendent Marc Bowes. “Sharon went to work to protect the public, she responded to a call for help alongside her colleague Teresa but tragically never came home.”

Prosecutors argued that Khan played a pivotal role in the planning of the robbery and that he knew that firearms were to be used. He denied the allegations.

They said this made him guilty of Beshenivsky’s murder “as surely as if he had pulled the trigger on that pistol himself.”

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Mom divides parents after bringing her 11-year-old son into a women’s changing room: ‘he was taller than me’.

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When it comes to the do’s and don’ts of public changing rooms, a mom has seriously divided opinions online.

It all began when a woman visited her local aquatic center and made a dash to the changing room before a class, only to be greeted by an unexpected sight — an 11-year-old boy.

The woman wrote in a post on Mumsnet, “he was taller than me,” and said he had clearly hit his growth spurt already.

“He’s only 11,” mom says

“He watched me get changed, which left me very uncomfortable,” the woman recalled, adding that there were only benches inside and no cubicles, so you had to get changed in the communal area.

The boy’s mom seemed oblivious to the awkward dynamic, so the woman left as quickly as possible.

“I got in the pool and my friend saw I was a bit upset and asked why,” she explained. “So my friend went over and spoke to the mom who got really angry and said he was entitled to be in there, he’s only 11.”

The pair were unsatisfied with her justification that he was “still a child,” so they complained to the staff when they were leaving. 

“They were a bit horrified. Apparently, the unofficial age limit is seven,” she said, but they didn’t tell off the mother. 

“So is it unreasonable to expect an 11-year-old to use their own sex changing room?”

“This is ridiculous”

Cue the range of opinions from the court of public opinion.

Many echoed the woman’s concern, with one commenter writing: “There is no reason why a male over the age of eight or nine needs to be in the female changing room, especially if there is only public changing available.”

Others also agreed that kids should switch to gender-aligned change rooms around that age. “You were right to complain. This is ridiculous. He should have definitely been in the male-changing areas at that age,” someone claimed. 

“Every pool I’ve been to has had signs up saying anyone over eight has to use the correct changing room for their sex. I thought that was an industry standard of some sort,” shared another. “Other women don’t have to just put up with this sort of thing because women like her feel entitled to make others uncomfortable by bringing in sons old enough to get themselves dressed.”

Then, a fellow boy mom weighed in, saying: “My son is 11, and he always uses the men’s changing rooms alone. He manages fine. He likes independence, actually, and it’s the right thing for everyone.”

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“He would be the more vulnerable one in the male changing room”

Yet, amid this, some argued that the boy wouldn’t be safe going into the men’s changing room alone at that age. 

“I actually think he would be the more vulnerable one in the male changing room,” one user replied before suggesting that perhaps the gym’s lack of private cubicles is the real issue at play.

Another mom agreed: “While I appreciate the OP’s discomfort, I also wouldn’t be comfortable sending my son into a male changing room where I assume there would be a similar set-up with grown males and him being naked in the same space.”

Then, finally, this person provided this balanced take, “Of course, I would rather my nine-year-old son be in the changing room with me, but that isn’t other women’s problem.”

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