Why kids write “baby sentences” (and how conjunctions fix it)
Early writers often produce short, single‑idea sentences: “I see a dog.” “It runs.” This is a natural stage — children name things before they link ideas.
Conjunctions are the bridge that lets children join ideas and explain reasons. Teaching connectors gently expands thinking and helps writing sound more like spoken language.
Meet the 4 connectors: AND / BUT / BECAUSE / SO (meaning + kid examples)
AND: joins ideas. Example: “I have a ball AND a bat.”
BUT: shows contrast. Example: “I wanted to play BUT it rained.”
BECAUSE: gives a reason. Example: “I stayed home BECAUSE I was sick.”
SO: shows result. Example: “It rained SO we stayed inside.”
The sentence‑strip method (easy DIY at home)
Write short phrases on strips of paper (subject, verb, object). Let the child pick two strips and then choose a connector strip to join them.
This tactile method makes the idea of “joining” concrete and playful — no heavy grammar talk needed.
Week 9 plan (7 days, 10–12 minutes/day)
Daily routine: warm‑up (2 min), sentence strip work + speaking (6–8 min), quick writing (2 min). Use I do → we do → you do. Stop after three clear successes.
Day 1 — AND practice
Model joining two ideas with AND. Use toys and say: “I have a doll AND a car.” Child repeats and makes their own.
Day 2 — BUT practice
Show contrast with pictures: “I like ice cream BUT it is cold.” Child makes two simple sentences then joins with BUT.
Day 3 — BECAUSE practice
Model cause: “I wore a hat BECAUSE it was sunny.” Emphasise the reason with gestures.
Day 4 — SO practice
Show result: “It rained SO we stayed in.” Use story cards to create cause → result pairs.
Day 5 — Mix & match
Let the child pick strips and choose an appropriate connector. Speak first, then write.
Day 6 — Mini writing task
Use a picture prompt and ask the child to speak three sentences joined by at least one conjunction, then write one line together.
Day 7 — Game day + share
Play the conjunction spinner and share favourite joined sentences with family.
Games (8–12): conjunction spinner, connect‑the‑ideas, silly sentence lab
- Conjunction Spinner — spin to pick AND/BUT/BECAUSE/SO and join two strips.
- Connect‑the‑Ideas — draw two pictures and make a sentence with a connector.
- Silly Sentence Lab — pick random strips and make funny joined sentences.
- Role Play — act two short scenes, then join with a connector.
- Chain Story — each child adds a sentence joined by a connector.
- Match the Reason — give outcome, child finds the cause and uses BECAUSE.
- Swap the Connector — change AND to BUT and notice meaning change.
- Two‑word challenge — make a sentence with two cards + connector.
- Conjunction Bank Race — pick correct connector from a bank under time pressure (gentle).
Speaking → writing bridge (say it, clap it, write it)
Have the child say the joined sentence aloud, clap the rhythm (one clap per chunk), then write it. This links oral fluency with written output.
Model first: parent says, child echoes, parent writes, child copies — then child tries independently.
Common mistakes (run‑ons, “because” without reason, too many ANDs)
Run‑ons: teach short joins first and stop; prefer two short sentences before trying complex joins. “Because” without reason: prompt with “Why?” to get a real cause. Too many ANDs: encourage a stronger connector like BUT or SO to vary sentences.
Mini writing tasks (picture prompt, 4‑sentence story with 2 conjunctions)
Prompt: show a picture of a child who lost and found a kite. Task: write 4 sentences using at least two conjunctions, for example: “Ria lost her kite AND she looked for it. She found it BUT it was wet. She dried it SO she could fly it again.”
Keep expectations low: one joined sentence and two extra sentences is a great start.
Done checklist + Week 10 SVA teaser
- Can join two ideas with an appropriate connector.
- Speaks joined sentences before writing them.
- Writes a 2–4 sentence story with at least one conjunction.
When these are true, move to Week 10 where we focus on subject‑verb agreement (SVA) with stick figures and quick checks.
Parent scripts and a mini conjunction bank
Script: “Tell me two ideas. Now choose a connector: AND, BUT, BECAUSE or SO. Say the sentence, clap it, then write it.”
Mini conjunction bank (keep near the table): AND, BUT, BECAUSE, SO — your child can pick a card when joining ideas.