Writing Books for Children Under 5 Years of Age

There is a misconception that writing for children is easier than writing for adults. I am not sure where this statement originated from, but anyone who has written for children, or indeed has thought about, planned to or drafted a story for out little people will know that it is horribly difficult to write for this age group; and particularly for the under 5's. Why? Well because when it comes to writing for children, every word counts! There is no room for error, there is no possibility of fudging over a difficult storyline, description or characterisation by adding in a couple of extra adjectives here and there every word counts. And when it comes to children under 5 years of age, you've hardly got any words to choose from in the first place!
Children under the age of 5 year will notice adults and other children around them reading and will start to get frustrated that they are unable to participate in this activity. Thus it is important that children of this age have access to books that are interesting and accessible to them. There is a national programme to help children of a young age access books. This programme is called Bookstart and it is funded by Sure Start promoting a lifelong love of books. The programme works through local organisations to give free packs of books to babies and toddlers, as well as guidance materials for parents and carers. There are different types of Bookstart pack available for three different age ranges:
- 0 to 12 months
- 18 to 30 months
- three years plus

Local libraries can help families access local Bookstart programmes. Where programmes do not exist in the local area, Bookstart packs can be ordered online.

If you are looking to write a book for children under 5 years of age, or if you are looking to buy books for children within this age group (perhaps you have a child who is under 5 or you work with young children) then there are some key principles that you should keep in mind:
- Children are attracted to colour and shapes. Ensure that you incorporate these principles into the books you write or buy. If you are writing a book for children, think about working out the visual impact or illustrations for the book before you finalise the text
- Children learn through repetition and rhyme. This is where the "every word counts" rule comes into play. Incorporate these principles into your manuscript
- Children find it easier to relate to things that they are aware of in their everyday life. So think about this when you are creating the landscape or characters for your text
- Children like to be read to this is a crucial part of their learning. So ensure that the words you write can be read well aloud having characters with different tones or voices is a great way to do this. It also ensures that the story becomes fun for the parent or carer who is reading the book aloud too!

Do you need help with editing or proofreading your creative writing? Then use the professional editorial services from Words Worth Reading Ltd.

Grab The Bookmarketer For Your Site