Getting the Boys Writing for National Stationery week (REVIEW)

National Stationery Week runs 24 April - 30 April 2017, when the UK will celebrate its passion for handwriting and all things stationery. I think this is an important initiative. Writing is just as important as ever, and to help get involved we have been sent a big box of stationery.

In the big box, we found notebooks, pens, felt-tips, marker pens, gel pens, paints, pens for writing on glass, page markers and more. 

There’s so much stationery choice on the high street, you can look stylish, geeky, fashionable, cool and unique meaning that no two pencil cases are the same! 

I love using my smartphone and tablet as much as many other people. But there is just something about new stationary that makes you want to write. And that is what me and my boys did.

Writing Matters

The hashtag this year for National Stationery Week is #writingmatters. And writing does matter. We live in an increasingly technological world. One, where we now often type words more than actually write them. However, learning to write is an important life skill that all parents and children need to engage with. I really want my boys to understand that computers and handwriting are complementary and that they need to be able to use both if they are to get on in life.

National Stationery Week

Each day during National Stationery Week has been given a different theme. My boys picked the pens they liked the best from our gifted set and started to get involved.

Monday: Pen & Pencil Day

For Monday which is Pen and Pencil Day, they wanted to copy the logo from this blog. They chose paper from their art boxes and used their chosen pens to set about copying the logo from the My Boys Club blog page on my iPhone. Who says pens and technology can’t live side by side!

I totally left it up to their own creativity to how they ‘copied’ the logo.  My eldest chose the red gel pen for his first task. The youngest likes bubble writing and tried to recreate the logo just using a fine liner. Both, really different outcomes from the same task.

Wednesday: World Stationery Day

For world stationery day which is celebrated on Wednesday 26 April, my youngest decided to draw his favourite stationary items and then labelled them.

Thursday: Thank You Thursday

I still like the idea of writing Thank You letters so I encouraged the boys to be creative with this. My eldest came up with a note that could be the design on the card he'd picked a marker pen which he used to write the words then outlined these in the brighter colours, whilst my youngest wanting to thank people for reading our family blog!

Why Writing Matters

I write for a living. I write this blog and I am also a PR & Marketing consultant. It's also a passion. I used to write short stories for fun as a child. I wrote a children's book once (never got it published) but just because I wanted to. When my eldest was a baby we made an interactive book together at Seven Stories in Newcastle - using pictures of his favourite toys - it was really magical reading it together. It's never too early to start developing the skills required to read and write.

Writing is magical. It helps us communicate, connect and create. It gives us an opportunity to learn, grow, and have fun. When children learn to write it helps to develop their emotional growth, critical thinking skills and improves school performance.

Being able to express yourself is a skill and writing will hopefully give my boys an important channel to share their thoughts and ideas with the world in a meaningful way.

There are limitless reasons why writing is important.

• Handwriting will be important to our children when they are older and in jobs
• Handwriting is also important and in developing their creative and personal communication skills when they are young.
• No matter your age, writing matters in all walks of life. 
• The fundamental skill of putting pen to paper is one that lasts a lifetime and is truly enjoyable.
• Handwriting is a fun pastime.whilst committing emotions to a sheet of paper.

In what ways do you encourage your children to write?

Deb x

Disclosure: We were gifted stationary in order to participate in National Stationery Week.