Writing Fiction for Children (And Me)

I have always been interested in writing--and not just for rpgs but writing fiction.  I like to write stories.  I'd like to someday try my hand at writing a novel--if only for myself.  Of course, 100, 200, 250+ thousand words is a lot, and even the thought of that is daunting to me.  But I do want to try to write something longer than ten to fifteen pages.  I think that I have hit upon a way to write a little each day and eventually end up with a sizable story.

My daughter is six.  Each night, my wife and I take turns doing bedtime with her.  It always involves talking about the day for a little while, reading, hugs and kisses, saying goodnight, etc.  My daughter really enjoys being read to, despite the fact that she is a voracious reader in her own right who begins each day reading in her bed before one of us wanders in to tell her it is time to start getting ready for school.  Many of the books that she reads are about horses or ponies, unicorns, fairies, and other fantastical things.  Nice.  (And unlike many out there, I haven't even approached the idea of D&D with her yet.)

What I have decided to do is write her a story.  In addition to whatever other bedtime activities are going on, I will read her one page each night of the story that I am writing for her.  One page every other night equals 500-600 words every two days.  Not too difficult.  Shouldn't be a problem.  And I'll write something fantasy related, so I get some personal pleasure out of it as well.

I haven't thought too much about the story or what it will be about, but over the past three days, we've read the first two pages.  She seems to be enjoying it.  I think that it is a great way for us to bond and for me to work on my writing.  Who knows?  Maybe I have a future in children's literature.