I love the summer holidays. Slowing down, no alarm clocks, spending quality time together and enjoying the beautiful weather. It’s also the perfect time to have fun with the Dutch language in a playful way.
With a few creative writing activities, children practise their Dutch without even noticing. For families living abroad, these moments are a wonderful addition to online Dutch lessons for children. There is less rush, more quality time and plenty of opportunities for meaningful conversations and creative stories.
Maybe you’re travelling to the Netherlands to visit family this summer. Maybe you’re staying abroad while grandparents come to visit. Or perhaps your children are attending a Dutch summer camp, staying with family or simply speaking much more Dutch than they normally do.
Whatever your plans, these moments are perfect for making writing fun.
Recently, I spoke to a mother from The Gambia. Her family was spending five weeks in the Netherlands and she asked:
“Do you have any fun writing activities we can do on the plane or while we’re waiting somewhere?”
A few days later, a family from Nigeria asked almost the same question. Their children were going to a sports camp in The Hague, and they wanted some easy ways to practise Dutch along the way.
Those conversations inspired this list.
All of the activities below take just a few minutes and can be done almost anywhere: on the plane, at the campsite, during a long car journey, while waiting for food at a restaurant or simply at the kitchen table.
Many families combine these holiday activities with online Dutch lessons, helping their children continue speaking, reading and writing Dutch throughout the summer.
Why creative writing is so valuable
Many children associate writing with school, spelling tests and long assignments.
Creative writing is different.
It helps children:
- expand their vocabulary;
- write longer, more complete sentences;
- organise their thoughts;
- become more confident in Dutch;
- discover that writing can actually be fun.
And that last point may be the most important of all.
Creative writing activities are a wonderful addition to an online Dutch course for children. By writing regularly at home, children continue developing their Dutch, even when they live abroad or attend an international school.
Age 6 (Grade 1): My summer suitcase
Ask your child to draw a suitcase.
Inside the suitcase, they can pack five things they absolutely want to take on holiday.
For each item, they write one sentence.
For example:
- I am taking my swimsuit.
- I am taking my favourite book.
- I am taking my teddy bear.
Extra challenge
Ask your child to explain why each item is so important.
Age 7 (Grade 2): A holiday postcard
Pretend you’re already on holiday.
Write a postcard to Grandma, Grandpa or a friend.
Think about:
- Where are you?
- What are you doing?
- What was the best part of today?
- What will you do tomorrow?
This naturally encourages children to practise both the past and present tense.
Age 8 (Grade 3): What’s inside the treasure chest?
Imagine you’re walking along the beach when you discover an old treasure chest.
What’s inside?
Encourage your child’s imagination.
Maybe it contains:
- an old treasure map;
- a talking parrot;
- a secret diary;
- a golden key;
- a letter from the future.
Then write a short story about the discovery.
Age 9 (Grade 4): My perfect holiday
Ask your child:
“Imagine your perfect holiday. Anything is possible!”
Then have them write about the entire day, from the moment they wake up until bedtime.
The more details they include, the better.
Age 10 (Grade 5): The holiday took an unexpected turn…
Start with this sentence:
“We stepped off the plane and then something completely unexpected happened…”
Let your child finish the story.
Encourage them to add descriptions, conversations and exciting events.
Age 11 (Grade 6): A day without technology
Imagine this:
No internet.
No phone.
No television.
No Wi-Fi.
What happens?
How would you feel?
What would you do?
Would you secretly enjoy it?
Ask your child to explain their opinion with examples.
Age 12 (Secondary school): Write a travel blog
Pretend you’re a famous travel blogger.
Write a blog about your holiday.
Include:
- where you are;
- what you’ve seen;
- the people you’ve met;
- the best food you’ve tasted;
- what you would recommend to others.
Extra fun
Add photos and turn it into a real travel blog.
Even more fun: create a holiday journal
Buy an inexpensive notebook from HEMA.
Challenge your child to fill one page every day.
It doesn’t have to be long.
Ideas include:
- something funny that happened today;
- a memorable conversation;
- a drawing with a short story;
- a list;
- a comic strip;
- an interview with Grandma or Grandpa;
- a favourite recipe;
- a holiday quiz.
By the end of the summer, your child will have created a wonderful keepsake filled with their own stories.
Writing doesn’t have to be perfect
Many parents immediately want to correct spelling mistakes.
That’s completely understandable.
But during creative writing activities, try to focus on the story first.
Let your child write freely without constant corrections.
Once they’ve finished, you can discuss one or two words together.
That way, writing stays enjoyable and children become more confident using Dutch.
Combining creative writing with online Dutch lessons
Creative writing is a fantastic way to keep practising Dutch at home. It is easy, enjoyable and fits naturally into family life during the holidays.
Some children, however, benefit from a little extra guidance. Perhaps you’re moving back to the Netherlands after the summer. Maybe your child attends an international school and you’d like to maintain their Dutch. Or perhaps you simply want Dutch to remain an important part of everyday life.
In that case, these writing activities are a wonderful complement to online Dutch lessons. During our lessons, children also practise speaking, listening, reading, spelling, grammar and vocabulary. Every lesson is personalised to match each child’s level, interests and goals.
Would you like your child to practise more Dutch this summer?
Creative writing activities are a wonderful way to enjoy the Dutch language together during the holidays.
But some children benefit from extra support, especially if they’re returning to a Dutch school, attending a Dutch summer camp, visiting family in the Netherlands or simply want to maintain their Dutch while living abroad.
At Dutch for Kids, we provide online Dutch lessons for children all year round, including throughout the summer holidays. Every child works with their own teacher and follows a personalised programme focusing on speaking, listening, reading, writing, spelling and vocabulary.
Curious whether our online Dutch course is the right fit for your family?
Feel free to schedule a free introductory meeting using the form below. We’d love to explain how we help children around the world grow in confidence and enjoy speaking, reading and writing Dutch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my child need to write perfectly to do these activities?
Not at all. The goal is to make writing enjoyable. Let your child write freely first, then discuss one or two words together afterwards. Confidence grows through practice.
What age are these writing activities suitable for?
These activities are designed for children aged 6 to 12 years and can easily be adapted to different ability levels.
My child lives abroad. Are these activities suitable?
Absolutely. Many children living abroad speak Dutch at home but have fewer opportunities to use it elsewhere. These writing activities help keep Dutch active in a fun and natural way.
Do you offer online Dutch lessons during the summer holidays?
Yes! At Dutch for Kids, our online Dutch lessons continue throughout the summer. Children work with their own teacher and practise reading, writing, speaking, spelling and vocabulary in engaging, personalised lessons.
Curious about what our online Dutch lessons for children look like in practice?
Schedule a free trial lesson and experience it for yourself. Meet one of our teachers, discover our method, and see how much fun your child can have learning Dutch, all from the comfort of your own home.
👉 Schedule a free introduction and trial lesson today – completely free of obligation and personalized, the perfect first step for your child!
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