Creative Writing at MLC: Sparking a Love of Storytelling
Helping Children Find Their Voice, One Story at a Time
Children are natural storytellers, just listen to the way they describe a dream or retell what happened at break time! But when it comes to putting pen to paper, many freeze. “I don’t know what to write.” “I’m not good at this.”
At Maidstone Learning Centre, we believe that every child has a story to tell and we’re here to help them tell it.
Creative writing isn’t just about good grammar or perfect punctuation. It’s about confidence, expression, and imagination. And yes, it can be fun.
Why Creative Writing Matters
When children explore storytelling, they build more than just English skills. They also develop:
• Imagination and critical thinking
• Vocabulary and sentence structure
• Verbal expression and speaking confidence
• Focus, perseverance, and resilience
• Emotional insight and empathy
Creative writing gives children a safe space to express themselves, take risks, and develop their unique voice.
What Gets in the Way?
Lots of students say they don’t enjoy writing but often, the issue is pressure or lack of structure. Common barriers include:
• Fear of making mistakes
• Trouble starting a story
• Difficulty with handwriting or spelling
• Not knowing what “good” writing looks like
That’s where our approach makes all the difference.
How We Make Creative Writing Enjoyable at MLC
We remove the pressure and replace it with possibility. Here’s how:
Story Starters & Prompts – We provide fun, visual, and imaginative ideas to spark thinking.
Low-Stakes Writing – Not every piece has to be marked. Some are just for joy.
Build-A-Story Activities – Using dice, cards, or group brainstorming to get ideas flowing.
Celebrate Ideas First – Before correcting, we praise creativity and structure.
Writing Challenges – From “60-second short stories” to “write a story in emojis,” we keep it fun and flexible.
Real-World Purposes – Students write poems for displays, articles for the centre newsletter, and letters to future students.
How Parents Can Encourage Storytelling at Home
You don’t have to be a writer to raise one! Here are some simple ways to support your child’s writing journey:
- Read together and talk about characters or endings
• Ask: “What would you do if you were in that story?”
• Let them write birthday cards, shopping lists, or comics
• Use story cubes or word jars for ideas
• Encourage oral storytelling then write it down together
The key is to keep it light and enjoyable.
Every Child Has a Story, We Help Them Tell It
At MLC, we believe creative writing should be expressive, exciting, and empowering.
We don’t expect perfection;we encourage progress, voice, and bravery on the page.
Because when a child says, “I wrote this!” with pride that’s when you know the magic has happened.