Want to Motivate Kids to Write? Try Bubble Letters!

Are you finding it challenging to get your kids to write? Me, too! Sigh. This is why I’m happy about bubble letters because they can really motivate more writing. I love that– and so will you.

Bubble Letters Lead to More Writing

First of all, bubble letters are the art of lettering or making letters fancy, silly, scary, poofy, etc. Yes, you can make them bubble shaped but that’s only a starting point.

You can change the alphabet letters to become interesting designs and shapes. Make the letters three-dimensional shapes. But then, you can add a shadow on the outside for a more three-dimensional effect. You could add drips or stripes or even shadowing inside the letter. Here are a few tutorials for bubble letters from Design Cuts.

My kids found tons of ideas for different bubble letters in the book How to Be the Best Bubblewriter in the World Ever – from monster letters to caveman letters.

Basically, my kids enjoyed turning their words into ART! Art that got them writing. Hooray and happy dance!

Another great book we like is Hand Lettering and Beginning Calligraphy for Kids.

And calligraphy might interest your child – what do you think? Calligraphy for Kids?

You might like to watch a YouTube video tutorial. Here’s a tutorial from Maira Vial and here’s one from Lettering Daily.

The key is to try a lot of different kinds of bubble letters — and see what your kids like the best.

What will they write? Maybe signs, poems, stories, or cards?

Audrey Wood’s Picture Book Blue Sky

Recently, we read Audrey Wood’s newest picture book, Blue Sky. It’s a simple but lovely story that captures a child’s observations of the sky — blue sky, rain sky, sunset sky.

But the lettering is what I want to point out to you. We LOVED Wood’s text that shows lettering at its best. Each set of words illustrate the sky they describe.

See if your kids will observe the sky. Then, talk about the different types of sky. Can it give them ideas for new ways to write letters?

Show the sky in bubble letters!

It’s entirely possible your kids will still resist writing, even with bubble writing. Writing doesn’t come easily to most kids — you’re using so many systems to think of what to write, to form the letters, to write while thinking about ideas, spelling, punctuation, . . . it’s a lot.

Keep trying. Keep encouraging. Don’t forget to write with them. It’s a special time with you and will keep your own creative energy flowing.

Originally published in 2012, updated in 2023

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