1 Weeks 1–2
Simple to enriched sentences
Turn flat sentences into vivid ones that bring ideas to life.
- L1Write clear and concise sentences
- L2Expand simple sentences into enriched ones
- L3Connect ideas logically
- L4Use enriched writing for clarity
Ages 9–12 · Grades 4, 5 & 6
Writing help for kids who freeze at the blank page.
Smart Little Writers is an online writing program that takes your child from short, simple sentences to clear, well-organized essays in 6 weeks, with short videos and fun printable practice.
- 8–10 min videos
- Printable practice
- Kids work on their own
- Lifetime access
Week 1 · Before
The dog ran.
Week 1 · After lesson 2
The scruffy dog ran raced across
the muddy field to greet me.
Week 6 · Essay opening
Every dog deserves a big yard,
and here are three reasons why…
Sound familiar?
Your child is smart. Their writing doesn't show it yet.
Around Grade 4, school stops asking for sentences and starts asking for paragraphs and essays. Most kids are never shown how to make that jump.
“I don't know what to write.”
They stare at the page for 20 minutes, then write two lines.
“Add more detail.”
The same teacher comment on every assignment, and nobody explains how.
Ideas all over the place
Good thoughts, but jumbled, with no beginning, middle or end.
Homework turns into a battle
You want to help without rewriting it for them.
Panic on timed tests
They know the answer but run out of time to organize it.
Middle school is coming
Writing gets graded in every subject, and the gap only grows.
Good writing isn't a talent kids either have or don't. It's a set of steps, and Smart Little Writers teaches them in order, one short lesson at a time.
How it works
12 lessons. 3 stages. One confident writer.
Each stage builds on the last, so your child is never asked to write an essay before they can write a strong sentence.
2 Weeks 3–4
Paragraphs that flow
Clear beginnings, middles and ends, joined with transitions.
- L5Form enriched paragraphs
- L6Master writing that flows
- L7Use transitions to keep the flow
- L8Write a multi-paragraph story
3 Weeks 5–6
Essays & exam prep
Plan, write and polish essays, even on the clock.
- L9Narrative, descriptive & argumentative essays
- L10Express an opinion and back it up
- L11Writing under pressure: timed tests
- L12Revise and finalize your writing
What changes
From “it was fun” to writing that says something
Before
My weekend was fun. I went to the park. We played soccer. Then we went home. It was a good day.
After
On Saturday morning, my cousins and I raced to the park with a scuffed-up soccer ball. The game got serious fast, and I scored the winning goal just as the sky turned grey. By the time we jogged home, soaked and laughing, I knew it was the best day of my month.
Illustrative example written to show the skills taught in Lessons 1–8.
One payment · lifetime access
Get instant access
The whole 6-week program costs less than one hour of private tutoring.
12 video lessons, daily printable exercises, answer sheets and self-check walkthroughs for $24.
Free writing resources
Tips, guides and prompts for parents and teachers
Free, step-by-step help with sentences, paragraphs and essays for kids in Grades 4–6.
Practice
15 Best Writing Exercises for Kids Ages 8 to 12
15 fun writing exercises for home or class, from story starters to paragraph puzzles and timed writes.
Essays
How to Teach Kids to Write Essays: 10 Simple Ways to Help
10 simple ways to help, plus a step-by-step plan for teaching essay writing in the right order.
Sentences
Sentence Expansion for Kids: How to Turn Simple Sentences into Rich Ones
The simplest way to fix “add more detail”: a step-by-step method for growing a short sentence into a rich one.
Sentences
Show, Don't Tell: Descriptive Writing Tips for Kids
How to help kids paint pictures with words using the five senses, strong verbs and specific details.
Sentences
Run-On Sentences and Fragments: How Kids Can Spot and Fix Them
Simple tests kids can use to catch run-ons and fragments, and four easy ways to fix them.
Paragraphs
How to Teach a Child to Write a Paragraph (Grades 4–6)
Topic sentence, details, closing sentence: the paragraph recipe that every essay is built on.
Try these tonight
4 quick writing tricks for kids
Tip 1
Ask the 5 W's
Stuck on a flat sentence? Add who, what, where, when or why. “The dog ran” becomes “Our puppy ran across the yard after the ball.”
Tip 2
The hamburger trick
Top bun: topic sentence. Fillings: two or three details. Bottom bun: a closing sentence that wraps it up.
Tip 3
Pick a side and say it
In an opinion essay, the first paragraph should say exactly what your child thinks. No “maybe” or “sort of”.
Tip 4
Praise one specific thing
“I can really picture that muddy field” teaches more than “great job”.
What parents say
Trusted by parents to help kids write better at school
“Simple, structured, and incredibly effective!”A Smart Little Writers parent
Six weeks from now, your child could be the one saying “look what I wrote!”
12 short lessons, daily practice and lifetime access, all for $24.
Start Smart Little Writers today