Kindergarten writing prompts as warm-ups have been the best addition to my writing block that I have made in the past few years. Writing warm-ups are easy to use, helpful for transitions, and really support children’s literacy and language development. In this blog post, I will explain why teachers should use writing warm-ups, how long they take, what you need to implement them, and how they change over the year. Let’s dive in!
Why use kindergarten writing prompts and warm-ups?
Oral language development is the key foundation of future writing development. Children cannot write a story if they cannot first tell a story to a friend or partner. We cannot ask children to add descriptions to their writing if they can’t first add them to their conversations. Writing warm-ups support oral language development and encourage students to practice verbally the writing they will then do in class. The kindergarten writing warm-ups focus on the unit that they are writing in, so children will practice verbalizing that genre of writing.
Additionally, I don’t know if this is true for you, but my students routinely said, “I don’t know what to write” when they first were sent to their desks to go write after the lesson. The warm-up is the perfect connecting tool for them because they’ve already planned and practiced answering the kindergarten writing prompt! Encourage these students who don’t know what to write, to write what they talked about in the writing warm-up.
Writing warm-ups are also a fantastic tool for transitions. As children transition to the rug from the previous activity, the kindergarten writing prompt warm-up is displayed. Children begin talking and verbalizing their story to their partner as soon as they are both on the rug. It gives children something to do while waiting for the class to be ready.
How long do writing warm-ups take
Writing warm-ups can take anywhere from 2-5 minutes, but don’t take more than that. I like to give my students plenty of time to talk about the kindergarten writing prompt of the day and get settled on the rug. When we are first starting out in a new genre, or at the beginning of the year, I ask a few students to model their warm-ups, and then I ask a few questions to help them add more details and information. By the end, we have an example of the kind of warm-up I am hoping for them to do more independently, and that, in turn, helps improve their writing.
What do I need for writing warm-ups?
All you need is a kindergarten writing prompt! And I have you covered! I have made 4 different sets of writing warm-ups that total 110 different kindergarten writing prompts! There is also a blank set so that you can edit them and add to them as needed. Then, you just need to display the kindergarten writing prompt for the students as they come to the rug! Easy, peasy!
How do kindergarten writing prompts change over the year?
I have made four different sets of kindergarten writing prompts and warm-ups for the different genres you might teach over the year: true story writing, opinion writing, how-to writing, and informational writing. As you progress in your writing curriculum and as your children learn different genres, you will change your kindergarten writing prompts to match.
Conclusion
Kindergarten writing prompts and warm-ups are a wonderful way to help develop children’s oral language skills, and in turn, support their writing development. Writing warm-ups also help transition the children to the rug for the writing lesson. They are easy to set up and use and provide huge benefits to students. Try them today and comment below on how they work for you and your students.
Looking for more ways to spice up your writing lessons? Check out my favorite writing mentor texts from my Amazon shop!
