The Write Start

Jennifer Hallisy, a pediatric occupational therapist, has written a wonderful resource for parents and early childhood educators entitled The Write Start. In an age of e-mail and texting, the focus on writing has shifted. However, encouraging our children to write gives them a freedom of expression not found elsewhere.

I wasn’t certain what to expect when I began reading the book. The fact that it was written by an OT gave me hope, but I prepared myself for an instructional guide of how to teach your child. Instead, I found a fantastic resource and was delighted with many of her projects.

Hallisy speaks of the importance of play in a developing child and how it affects current and future writing skills. While I could disagree with her statement of the right way to write, her execution of supporting children as they explore both writing and themselves is unquestionable. Throughout the book, she shares wonderful ways to support children in their writing adventures, gives insight into child development as it pertains to writing, and shares numerous fun activities and ways to incorporate writing into your home and lives to support the budding writer in your family.

Disclaimer: A complimentary copy was provided by Shambala Publications.