creative writing prompts primary school

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300 Fun Writing Prompts for Kids: Story Starters, Journal Prompts & Ideas

Are you a parent or teacher? Here are 300 fun and creative writing prompts for kids to spark the imagination of young writers everywhere. Use these kids writing ideas as journaling prompts, story starters or just for fun!

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It’s never too early to start writing, and so we’ve created this fun list of 300 creative kids writing prompts for teacher and parents to use.

You’ll love these fun ideas for kids writing prompts to use as creative sparks to get young imaginations writing in no time!

These are perfect to use as kids journal writing prompts, as short story writing prompts, or just for exercises to help students and children of all ages tap into their creativity. Maybe your kids will write an essay, maybe a poem, or maybe even a whole book!

Whether you are a teacher or parent looking to inspire your kids to write, or maybe even an adult who would like to practice writing with a more playful and young-hearted approach, I hope you find these creative writing prompts inspiring!

Buy the Printable Cards!  We will always have this list of 300 kids writing prompts available for free, but I’m very excited to now also offer an  ad-free printable version of these prompts  in my online Etsy shop. Thank you for your support!

The Ultimate List of 300 Fun & Creative Writing Prompts for Kids

#1. Imagine a giant box is delivered to your front doorstep with your name on it. What’s inside and what happens when you open it?

#2. Write a short story about what it might be like if you woke up one morning with a mermaid tail.

#3. Which is better, winter or summer? Write about the reasons why you think winter or summer is better.

#4. Write about what would it be like if you had an alligator as a pet.

#5. If you had $1,000, what would you buy and why?

#6. Write a story using these 5 words: apple, train, elephant, paper, banjo

#7. What do you want be when you grow up and why?

#8. Who is your favorite person on the planet? What do you like most about that person?

#9. If you could have any secret super power, what would you want it to be and why?

#10. Write about 3 places you would like to travel someday. What do these three places have in common?

#11. Write about a time you felt really happy. What happened? What made you feel happy?

#12. Imagine what would happen if someone shrunk you down to be only 1″ tall. How would your life change?

#13. If you were in charge of the whole world, what would you do to make the world a happier place?

#14. Write a story about what it would be like to climb to the very top of the highest mountain in the world.

#15. If you were in charge of planning the school lunch menu, what foods would you serve each day?

#16. What are some of your favorite animals? What do you like about them?

#17. Imagine that dogs take over the world. What do they make the humans do?

#18. Write a story about flying to outer space and discovering a new planet.

#19. You are a mad scientist and have invented a new vegetable. What is it called? What does it look like? What does it taste like? Most importantly: Is it safe to eat?

#20. You go to school one morning to discover your best friend has been turned into a frog by an evil witch! How do you help your friend?

#21. Describe what it is like when trees lose all of their leaves in the autumn season.

#22. Write about your favorite sport and why you like it so much.

#23. Imagine what it might be like to live on a boat all the time and write about it.

#24. If you had one wish, what would it be?

#25. Write about what you might do if you have the super power to become invisible.

#26. You are walking through the forest when one of the trees starts talking to you. What does it say? What do you do?

#27. The weather forecast is calling for a blizzard in the middle of the summer. What do you do?

#28. What types of transportation will people have in the future?

#29. What were some of your favorite toys when you very little? Do you still enjoy playing with them?

#30. What would a day in your life be like if you were a movie star?

#31. Imagine you’ve invented a time machine! What year do you travel to?

#32. What are your favorite things to do over summer vacation?

#33. What is your favorite holiday and why?

#34. If you could meet any fictional character from a book, who would it be?

#35. You are writing a travel guide for kids visiting your city. What places do you think they should visit?

#36. What is a food you hate? Write about it!

#37. Imagine what it would be like if there was no electricity. What would be different in your daily routine?

#38. You are building a new city! What types of things do you think your city needs? How will you convince people to move to your new city?

#39. What is your favorite movie? Write your review of the movie and why you think people should watch it.

#40. Imagine you get a magic sweater for your birthday. What happens when you wear the sweater? What do you do with these new found magical powers?

#41. You are the security guard at the zoo and someone has stolen a rhinoceros! How do you track down the thief?

#42. You have been invited to have lunch with the queen. What foods do you eat and what topics do you and the queen discuss?

#43. If you could design a school uniform, what types of clothes would you suggest? What colors would they be?

#44. Imagine you are a reporter interviewing a celebrity about their life. What questions do you ask?

#45. You are running a lemonade stand. Describe the steps for how you make lemonade and the types of customers you see during the day.

#46. Write a story about being the ruler of an underwater world.

#47. Write an acrostic poem for the word “treehouse”.

#48. You decide to grow a sunflower, but the sunflower grows so tall it reaches up to the sky! Write about what happens when you decide to climb to the top. What do you discover?

#49. Imagine you look out the window and it is raining popsicles from the sky! Write a story about the experience.

#50. If you could be any animal, which one would you be and why?

#51. If you were on a spaceship, what would you be most excited about seeing?

#52. Do you have any pets at home? Write an essay about how you take care of your pets. If you do not have a pet, what type of pet might you like?

#53. Imagine you are opening a store that only sells items which are blue. What types of items do you sell?

#54. Have you ever lost something that is important to you? Were you able to find it?

#55. Write a story about a kid who is moving to a new school. How do you think they might feel?

#56. Rewrite the ending of your favorite fairy tale. For example, what would have happened if Cinderella never went to the ball?

#57. Have you ever forgotten to do your homework? What happened?

#58. Do you have a favorite song? Write about the type of music you like to listen to.

#59. Imagine your parents wake you up one morning to tell you they will take you to do anything you want to do for the whole day – you don’t even have to go to school or do your chores. What would you choose to do and why?

#60. Do you like amusement parks? What are some of your favorite rides?

#61. Write a story using these three words: detective, piano, and pizza.

#62. Have you ever been to the beach? Write about your favorite things to do. If you have never been to the beach, what would you like to do the first time you visit?

#63. Is there a favorite tv show you like to watch? Write about your favorite character and why they are your favorite.

#64. Write a poem using onomatopoeia , where the words you use are pronounced similar to the sound they make. For example, buzz, bark, sizzle, slam and pop.

#65. Have you ever had to stand in line to wait a long time for something? What did you do while you waited? How did you feel while waiting? How did you feel once the wait was over?

#66. Is it a good idea to keep ALL secrets a secret? Write about examples of when it is okay to spill a secret – and when it isn’t.

#67. Is there something you are good at doing? Write about your best strengths.

#68. What historical time period and location would you go back to live in if you could? Write about it!

#69. Write about 5 things you can do that are important for you to stay healthy and safe.

#70. Do you think thunderstorms are scary? Why or why not?

#71. What would you most like to learn over the next year? Think about things that interest you or questions you might have about the world and make a list!

#72. You are going on a trip to a jungle safari! What items do you pack in your suitcase?

#73. Imagine you are sitting at home one day and you hear someone shrieking in the living room they see a mouse in the house! Write a story about what might happen next.

#74. You are writing a letter to someone who is having a hard time making new friends at school. What do you write? What advice do you give them?

#75. Imagine you just met a magician – but their beloved rabbit who they pull out of a hat for all the tricks has been kidnapped! How do you help find the rabbit?

#76. Do you hear what I hear? Set a timer for 5 minutes and write about all of the sounds you hear in those 5 minutes.

#77. Imagine you go to get a haircut and they accidentally shave your head! How do you feel about that and what would you do?

#78. Do you find it easy to talk to people you don’t know? What are some ways you can start up a conversation with someone you have never met before?

#79. Are there any chores you have to do at home? What are they? What do you like – and not like – about each one?

#80. Open up a random book to any page. Write for 5 minutes about the first word you read.

#81. Pretend you are a writer for your city’s newspaper. Who would you like to interview for a news story and why?

#82. There are many fictional characters who live in unusual houses, such as the old woman who lived in a shoe. What kind of unusual house would you like to live in? Write about what it would be like to live in an unusual house!

#83. Write a list of 10 things you can do to practice kindness to others.

#84. Is there a homework subject you dread? Why do you not like getting homework in that subject?

#85. What is your favorite month of the year? Write about why you like it and some of your favorite things to do during that month.

#86. Imagine you are planning a surprise birthday party for someone. How do you keep it a surprise?

#87. Pretend you walked outside to find a sleeping dragon in the grass! Why is the dragon there? Is it a friendly dragon? What do you do? Write about it!

#88. What are you grateful for today and why?

#89. You were on your way to a very important event when you fell into a puddle. Now what?

#90. Have you ever watched a movie and didn’t like how it ended? Write what you think should happen instead.

#91. Can you answer this riddle from Alice in Wonderland ? How is a raven like a writing desk?

#92. Imagine you are the captain of a pirate ship. Write a diary entry for what your day was like.

#93. If you could start any type of business, what kind of business would you start? What types of products or services would you provide?

#94. Write a sequel to one of your favorite fairy tales. For example, what was Goldilocks’s next adventure after she left the bears?

#95. What is something you are afraid of? What helps you to feel less afraid of something? What would you say to a friend who feels scared to help them feel less afraid?

#96. Write a letter to your future self in 20 years.

#97. In addition to basic survival needs such as food, water, air and shelter, what are 3 things you would you need to be happy?

#98. If you could invent a robot of any type who could do anything you imagine, what types of things would you would have the robot to do?

#99. Which do like better? Apples or Oranges? How are they alike? How are they different?

#100. Why did the chicken cross the road? You are a detective and are assigned to the case. How do solve the mystery?

#101. Write instructions for how to make your favorite snack. Be sure you add your favorite tips and suggestions for how to select the best ingredients!

#102. Imagine you borrowed a friend’s favorite lucky pencil to help you pass a math test – but then it snapped in half! How will you ever tell the news to your friend?

#103. Look around the current room you are sitting in and choose 3 random objects that are nearby. Now write a story or poem that includes those three items!

#104. Write a letter to the author of a book you recently read and tell them what you liked most about the book.

#105. Ernest Hemingway is famous for writing a six word story. Can you write a story in just 6 words?

#106. What do you think will be the future for cell phones? Will people still use them in 25 years or will something else take its place?

#107. Do you want to go to college? Why or why not?

#108. Write a story or poem about a kitten who wanders off and gets lost. How does the kitten find its way home?

#109. Currently, it is required by law that kids go to school. Do you think this is a good or bad idea?

#110. If you could invent a new board game, what would it be called? How is it played? What are the rules? What makes it fun to play? Write about it!

#111. Imagine you come home to discover your entire bedroom is covered in ketchup! What on earth happened? What is your reaction? How do you clean everything up?

#112. What is something you learned today?

#113. Would you rather have a goldfish or shark as a pet?

#114. From A-Z: make a list of something for every letter of the alphabet.

#115. Have you ever gone fishing? If you have, did you like it? Why or why not? If you haven’t, do you think you might want to?

#116. What is one of the most important things you do each and every day?

#117. Write a story about Gretchen the Grouch, a girl who is always angry! Will she ever be happy? Why is she so grumpy all of the time?

#118. How do you feel when someone takes something of yours without asking? What is a good way to deal with it when that happens?

#119. Write a poem that starts with the word “if”.

#120. Write a story about a family of rabbits who live in the woods. What are some of the challenges they face?

#121. What clothes do you think are the most comfortable? What kind of clothes do you like to wear the most? What clothes do you NOT like to wear?

#122. Imagine there are no grocery stores and you must get your own food. What are some of the ways you find food? What types of things do you eat?

#123. What are 3 things you can do that are good for the environment?

#124. If you could meet any famous person today, who would you want to meet and why? What questions might you ask them?

#125. A tongue twister is a quick poem where many of the words start with the same letter and are similar in sound. For example, “Peter picked a peck of pickled peppers.” Try writing your own with this fun kids writing prompt!

#126. What is the first thing you think of when you hear or see the word green?

#127. A hero is someone who is admired for their courage and achievements. What do you think makes someone a hero? Who are some of your heroes?

#128. What did you do during summer vacation last year? What do you want to do for summer vacation this year?

#129. Write a story about a super hero dog who saves the day! Who does the dog help and why?

#130. Would you rather live somewhere that is always cold, or somewhere that is always hot? Write about which one you would rather choose.

#131. Have you ever volunteered to help a charity? If so, write about the experience! If not, what are some charities you think you might like to volunteer for?

#132. What does the word courage mean to you?

#133. What makes you unique? What are some things about you that make you an individual?

#134. Have you ever been to a museum? What is your favorite thing to look at on display?

#135. What can you do to set a good example for others to be kind?

#136. A Tall Tale is a story that exaggerates something that actually happened. Write a tall tale about something that recently happened to you.

#137. What is one of your favorite toys that you think you might still want to have and play with when you are 22 years old?

#138. Oh no! Everyone around you is sick with a nasty cold! Write a silly poem about how you try to avoid catching their germs!

#139. Personification is when a non-living object takes on human characteristics. Write a story where you personify a common electronic gadget in your house, such as the Television or toaster.

#140. Write a poem using similes, which is when you say an object is like something else. Here is an example of a simile: “Her eyes were as blue as the sky.”

#141. Have you ever read a book written by Dr. Suess? Write your own “Suess-style” story, complete with rhymes and made up words.

#142. Do you have any siblings? Think about what it might mean to be a good brother or sister and write about it!

#143. Make a list of questions to interview your parents or grandparents about what it was like when they were growing up as a kid. Then, ask them the questions and write about their answers!

#144. You are in charge of writing a new radio show just for kids! What topics will you talk about? What music do you play?

#145. What do you usually eat for breakfast every day? What, in your opinion, is the greatest breakfast food ever created? What makes it so great?

#146. Write a 12 line poem where every line is about a different month of the year.

#147. What is something you look forward to doing the most when you are an adult?

Use these prompts in your classroom!  Get the  ad-free printable version of these prompts  to inspire your students to write! Thank you for your support!

#148. Do you like to try new things? What is something new you have tried recently or would like to try?

#149. Imagine what it might be like to be alive in Egypt when the pyramids were built. Write about what it was like.

#150. A credo is a statement of personal beliefs. Try writing your own credo for things that you believe in and feel are important.

#151. The circus has come to town but they have no place to perform! How do you help the ringmaster find a place to put on a show?

#152. Do you like to act? What are some of your favorite actors or actresses? What do you think makes someone a good actor or actress?

#153. “Practice makes perfect” is a popular saying. What is something you like to practice so you can become better at it? A sport? A musical instrument? A special skill? Do you like to practice?

#154. Write about what it might be like to be water drops freezing and turning into ice.

#155. Do you think it is important to keep your room clean? What do you like about having a clean room?

#156. Imagine your parents are sending you away for a two week summer camp trip. Would you be excited? Why or why not?

#157. What are you currently learning about in history class? Write a fictional story about someone from the past you are learning about.

#158. Many wars have been fought in the past. Instead of going to war, what do you think countries could do to resolve their differences peacefully?

#159. Every year over 8 billion plastic bottles and cans are thrown away. What are some things you can do to help encourage your family and friends to recycle?

#160. Imagine if you were the principal of the school. What might you do differently? What things would you do that are the same? Write about it!

#161. Pretend that one day you are at your neighbor’s house and you notice a strange noise coming from the basement. You go downstairs to investigate to see a large machine running with many lights and buttons. Why is it there?

#162. Write an essay that starts with the line, “Tomorrow, I hope…”

#163. If you could give one thing to every child in the world, what would you want to give them?

#164. Do you have a piggy bank at home? How do you earn money to add to your savings?

#165. What qualities make a house a home? What are 3 things you think every house should have?

#166. Would you rather go scuba diving or rock climbing? Write about which one you think you would like to do more and why.

#167. Do you think it is a good idea for kids to write a daily journal? What are some of the benefits of writing every day?

#168. Do you like watching fireworks or are they too noisy? Write about a time when you saw fireworks in the sky.

#169. Oh no! Your friend has turned into a statue! How did this happen? What do you do? Does your friend ever turn back into a person again?

#170. If you could be any movie character, who would you be and why?

#171. A mysterious message appears in code on your computer screen. What could it mean?

#172. If you could go to work with one of your parents for a day, what do you think the day would be like? What types of things do your parents do at work all day long?

#173. Imagine you are the President and you are creating a new national holiday. What is your holiday about? How is it celebrated? What day of the year do you celebrate? Write about it!

#174. You won a never-ending lifetime supply of spaghetti noodles! What will you do with all of these noodles?

#175. Would you rather be a bunny rabbit or a hawk? Why did you choose the one you chose?

#176. Your teacher has been acting mysterious lately. After school one day, you notice a weird green light shining through underneath the door of your classroom. What do you do? What is happening with your teacher?

#177. Write an article about tips for how kids can be more organized and study well for tests.

#178. Look at any product in your house and read the ingredients labels. Research what each ingredient is. Do you think these ingredients are good or bad for people?

#179. If you were a doctor, what do you think would be the most important part of your job every day?

#180. The school librarian needs your help! A truck just arrived with 2,000 books and she can’t fit all the books onto the shelves! What do you do? How do you find a place to put all these books?

#181. Do you think it would be fun to plant a garden? What types of plants would you want to grow? Write about your garden ideas.

#182. What is a sport or activity you would like to try playing for the first time?

#183. Do you think kids should be allowed to do the same things as adults? What things do you think kids should be able to do that only grown-ups can?

#184. Imagine you and your parents switch places for a day. Your parents are the kids and you are now in charge! What would you do?

#185. Write a get-well letter to someone who has been sick. What can you say to make them feel better?

#186. If you could visit any planet in the solar system, which planet would you like to visit the most and why? Write about what it might be like.

#187. Have you ever been to a farm? What did you like about it? If you haven’t been to a farm, do you think you might like to visit one? Why or why not?

#188. The mayor of the city has a big problem and needs your help! What is the problem and how will you solve it?

#189. Pretend your little sister ate carrots for dinner and the next morning woke up with rabbit ears!  How did this happen? What do you do? Will she be a rabbit forever?

#190. Imagine you wake up in the morning to find out you get to relive any day of your life again for the whole day. What day would you want to experience again and why?

#191. Do you think you might like to be a firefighter? Why or why not?

#192. You are a lawyer and your client has been accused of stealing a car. How do you convince the jury your client is innocent?

#193. Think of the four elements: fire, air, earth, and water. Which of these four elements do you like the best?

#194. What would you do if you could be invisible for a whole day? Do you think you would enjoy it or be glad to be back to normal the next day? Write about it!

#195. Imagine you are a meteorologist and people are starting to get angry that your weather predictions are always wrong. What do you do?

#196. If you could create any law, what would it be? Why do you think the law is an important one to have?

#197. You are going incognito and need to hide to your identity so you aren’t recognized or discovered while you walk through the city. What type of disguise do you wear?

#198. Write a persuasive letter to your parents explaining why you should get a new pet. Make sure you provide a convincing argument they won’t be able to refuse!

#199. Your friend wants to do something dangerous. What should you do?

#200. How do you think the world would be different if there were no oceans?

#201. What do you do when someone disagrees with your opinions? Is there a better way to handle conflicting opinions?

#202. What do you think you as a kid could do to help encourage more people to read?

#203. Do you have a good luck charm? What makes this item lucky? When do you use it? How do you use it?

#204. What is at the end of a rainbow? Imagine you follow a rainbow to the end. What do you discover? Is it a pot of gold, or something else?

Use these prompts in your classroom!  Get the  ad-free printable version of these prompts  to inspire your students to write! Thank you for your support!

#205. What do you think the consequences should be for someone who is caught cheating on a test at school?

#206. Imagine you are riding your bike one day when you encounter an older kid who wants to steal your bike. What do you do?

#207. You are the lead singer and star of a famous rock and roll band, but there is one problem – your drummer is jealous of your fame! How do you solve this situation?

#208. If you could help a group of kids in any part of the world, what kids would you want to help the most and why? What are some things you think would help these kids?

#209. Everyone knows the house on the end of the street is haunted. What are some of the strange things that happen there? Why is the house haunted?

#210. You notice at school one day there is a door to a secret passage next to the janitor’s closet and decide to explore. Where does it lead? Why is it there? Do you go alone or bring a friend along?

#211. A bucket list is a list of things you want to accomplish in your lifetime. What are 5 things on your bucket list?

#212. Imagine the perfect treehouse or clubhouse for you and all of your friends as a place to hang out. Describe what it is like inside.

#213. Do you get bored easily? Make a list of things you can do whenever you feel like you are bored and there is nothing fun to do!

#214. Now vs. Then: Think about how today is different from one year ago. How have you changed? What things in your life are different?

#215. Write your autobiography about your life.

#216. It’s a heat wave! What do you do when the weather is hot? What are some of your favorite ways to stay cool?

#217. What are three important safety tips every kid should know to stay safe?

#218. What genre of books do you like to read the most? Write about the characteristics of the genre and list some of your favorite books as examples.

#219. Holiday Traditions: How does your family celebrate the different holidays and events? What are some traditions you do each and every year?

#220. Imagine one day in science class a science experiment goes terribly wrong and now you and all of your classmates have superpowers! What are your superpowers and what do you do with them?

#221. Who is favorite teacher? Why are they your favorite?

#222. You are baking a cake, but you accidentally put salt in the cake instead of sugar. Nobody will eat it! How do you feel? What will you do next time?

#223. Do you think it is important to have good table manners? What do you think some good manners to practice might be?

#224. Many schools no longer teach cursive handwriting. Do you think this is a good or bad thing? Do you know how to write cursive handwriting? Would you like to learn if you haven’t?

#225. If you were the owner of a theme park, what types of rides and attractions would have? Describe what they would be like and why people would want to visit your park.

#226. Your parents give you $100 to spend at the grocery store. What do you buy and why?

#227. Some people who are alive today grew up without computers or video games. What would you do if you didn’t have a computer or video games? How would life be different?

#228. You walk into your living room and discover there is a giant elephant standing there. How did the elephant get there? What do you do about it? How do you explain the elephant in the living room to your parents?

#229. Have you ever had a weird dream? What happened in the dream? What do you think it means?

#230. Do you like to draw or paint? Write a story inspired by a painting, doodle, or sketch.

#231. You are being sent on a mission to outer space to live in a space station for 5 years. What supplies do you pack and why?

#232. What is the scariest creature alive on earth? Describe in detail what makes it so horrifying.

#233. What do you think your pet might say if they could talk to you?

#234. Imagine your school is putting on a talent show. What act will you perform? What other acts will be in the show?

#235. If you could breathe under water, what would you do?

#236. What time of day do you think school should start? Write a convincing argument on why or why not the time of day school starts should change.

#237. If you were to start your own YouTube video channel, what would the videos on your channel be about?

#238. Do you like to cook? What are some things you like to make and eat?

#239. Your school is having a field day and you are in charge of planning the activities and games. What types of activities and games would you plan for the event?

#240. If you had a remote control drone that takes video of everything it sees from the sky and you could take it anywhere, what would you film? For example, the inside of a volcano or soar it over the plains of Africa.

#241. The Bermuda Triangle is an area of the ocean where many ships and planes have gone missing. Why do you think this could be? Write a story about what it might be like to travel there.

#242. There are 7 great wonders of the world – which one do you think is the most wonderful?

#243. If you could speak any foreign language fluently, which one would you like to speak and why?

#244. You are inventing a new flavor of ice cream! What is the new flavor called and what ingredients do you need to make it?

#245. Would you rather go to a baseball game or read a good book? What reasons do you have for your choice?

#246. You walk outside to get your mail and your mailbox starts talking to you! What does your mailbox have to say?

#247. Imagine you are a famous person. What are you most famous for? What is it like to be famous?

#248. What do you think would be the most fun job in the world to have? Give examples of why you think it would be a fun job to have.

#249. Write a poem about an object that is shiny and dazzling.

#250. Do you like to watch the Olympics? Why or why not? If yes, what is your favorite Olympic sport?

#251. What kind of car do you want to drive when you are older? Do you think learning to drive will be easy or hard?

#252. What do you think would make for a great gift to give someone on their birthday?

#253. Describe a time when you needed help and someone helped you. What did they help you with and how did it make you feel?

#254. If you could be any type of fruit or vegetable, what would you be and why?

Love these prompts?  Get the  ad-free printable version of these prompts  to use at home or in the classroom!

#255. Do you think it is more important to have a good imagination or have all the facts proven?

#256. Do you have a favorite aunt, uncle, or another relative? Write a story about their life and why you like to be with them.

#257. Think of a time you laughed really, really hard. What was so funny? Why were you laughing? Write about it!

#258. Write a poem about an emotion. For example: happy, sad, angry, embarrassed, guilty.

#259. Do you ever have a hard time falling asleep? What are some things that help you feel sleepy?

#260. If you could drive a car, where would you drive and why?

#261. Imagine you are trading places with your friend for a day. What will it be like to be at their house? What will your friend think while they are at your house? Write about it!

#262. If you could break a world record, what would it be? What do you think would be necessary to be able to break the world record?

#263. Imagine you live in Colonial times. What would it be like to grow up as a kid in Colonial America?

#264. You are building a new city. What is the name of your city? What is the weather like? What buildings will you build?

#265. What do you think it would be like to work as a sailor on big ship in the ocean each day?

#266. Imagine you are the teacher for the day. What types of activities do you make the students in the class do?

#267. How would you feel if your parents told you that you would be getting a new baby brother or sister? Write about it!

#268. Do you know any good jokes? What are some of your favorite jokes? What makes them funny? Do you think you could write your own?

#269. Imagine you are floating down a river on a raft. What types of things can you see from the river that you normally wouldn’t see from the land?

#270. You want to start a new hobby collecting something. What kinds of things would you collect and why?

#271. Your mom announces she is having a yard sale. Would you let her sell any of your things? Why or why not?

#272. Imagine you walk out your front door one morning and it is raining popcorn! What do you do?

#273.  You are camping in the woods one night and hear a scary noise. What do you do? What might be the cause?

#274. What do you think might make kids really happy to go to school? What are some things you think schools should do so that it could be more fun?

#275. Today’s lunch at the cafeteria was unusually horrible. You are a detective on the case to investigate. What do you think is the cause?

#276. If you had a tree that grows money, what would you do?

#277. What would you do if you had a unicorn as a pet?

#278. Would you rather go to the zoo or go to the aviary? Which one would you pick and why?

#279. What are some safety tips you should follow when riding a bike?

#280. You are designing the cover of a magazine. What are some of the headlines on the cover?

#281. Are you afraid of the dark? Why or why not?

#282. If you could learn to play any type of musical instrument, which one would you like to learn how to play and why?

#283. Imagine you are playing a sport that involves a ball, such as soccer, baseball or kickball. What would it be like if the ball could talk?

#284. You come home to discover a friendly alien has been living in your closet. What do you do? Why is there an alien in your closet?

#285. Is there something you are afraid of that you wish you weren’t afraid of? Write about it.

#286. Write about the best party you’ve ever been to. What made the day fun and special?

#287. What makes you feel loved and cared about? What are some ways people can show you that they love and care about you?

#288. There is a kite flying competition coming up and you are going to design your own kite. What will your kite look like? What colors will it be? Will it have any certain shape?

#289. You are given the challenge to drop an egg on the floor – without it breaking! What are some things you might try to make sure the egg won’t break?

#290. What are some of the things you can do every day to stay healthy?

#291. Do you think grown-ups are boring? Why do you think they are so boring all of the time? What is something fun that boring grown-ups could do instead of being so boring?

#292. Write a lyrical poem or song about what kids do while they are at school all day long.

#293. What are the first things you like to do when you are done with school each day? What are some of the activities you like when you are not at school?

#294. Imagine dinosaurs were still alive today. How do you think our lives would be different?

#295. Would you rather visit a volcano or a desert? Which one would you choose and why?

#296. Is there a sound you think is annoying? What types of sounds drive you crazy? Write about them!

#297. What do you think it would be like to be the size of an ant for a day? What types of things would you do?

#298. Imagine one of your stuffed animals comes to life and starts talking to you. What types of things will you talk about? What will you do?

#299. What makes you feel happiest? Write about the things in life that make you feel happy!

#300. Imagine there is no gravity. What kind of things would you do you for fun? How would some of the things you already do for fun be different?

Buy the Printable Cards!  We will always have this list of 300 kids writing prompts available for free, but I’m very excited to now also offer an  ad-free printable version of these prompts  in my online Etsy shop. Thank you for your support!

Parents and teachers, I hope you enjoyed these 300 writing prompts for kids and that you will use them to inspire your children’s creative imaginations.

These prompts of course can be used in a number of different ways and can be adapted for a variety of different styles of writing !

What do you think? Do you think these are good conversation and story starters for kids? Do you have any ideas for writing prompts you would like to share?

And of course, if you’d like to make it super fun and easy to use these prompts at home or in your classroom, be sure to get our ad-free printable version of these kids writing prompt cards now available in my Etsy shop.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on different creative writing ideas and topics for kids to write about! Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Chelle Stein wrote her first embarrassingly bad novel at the age of 14 and hasn't stopped writing since. As the founder of ThinkWritten, she enjoys encouraging writers and creatives of all types.

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48 comments.

These are awesome! I feel like answering the questions myself! Thanks a million!

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed them! 🙂

Lovely and amazing help

I wrote all 300! but my fingers hurt badly now. :l But i got to admit these are exellent questions!

Hi. Thanks for this list. So many great ideas. I will definitely use some of them for my Language Arts class.

hi people THIS WAS SO LONG but so worth it for my class thx mate

This was great for homework

Thank you for the topics. It was really helpful

Your writing prompts are awesome

These are amazing! Thank you so much for sharing. I will definitely be using it with my kids.

Thank you! I hope they enjoy the writing prompts!

I love these, they are awesome and very helpful too. Thank you very much.

these questions hooked me on easily thanks your the best!

They are all good prompts

This is always good and improves the brain.

These are very useful and very enjoyable topics, i enjoy by giving these to my students , their creations are marvelous

It’s was very long but worth it

This is good. I love it. It helps me in my studies. I share it with my friends children that likes the writing. We love it. Please, think of another writing.

Thanks! Worth printing and providing for my middle school students as a first week of the year activity. Must have taken you ages to come up with all 300 of these!

I’m glad to hear you can use them for your students! It did take some time, but it’s well worth it knowing it might inspire kids to write! 🙂

You need a printable version of this!!

Hi Katelyn, we have one! https://gumroad.com/UBnsO Hope you enjoy!

The link doesn’t seem to be working for me… Could you send me a copy of the list, please?

Hi Tori, the printable version of this post is available as an ad-free paid upgrade – you can purchase it through my Gumroad store: https://gum.co/UBnsO

I quite liked your ideas, I’ll try a few, surely!

How long did it take for you guys to make 300 ideas?

Definitely took some time Vilenti, but it was definitely worth writing all of them! Our prompts reach over a million people a year and are used in literacy, poverty, and mental health programs worldwide. 🙂

These were awesome, thanks a TON

i have school work and this is one thing i do.

i do this for school work to

i do this for school work

Hello Chelle, thanks a lot for this. During these tough Covid times, I find your list to be a great idea to engage kids. Have got them started on some today. Hopefully this will be a long term engagement for them.

The prompts are grrrreat

This was really helpful i have looked for a lot of these, that have a lot of topics and only found one other good one and finished it all, i got to 17 and was like are they all this good! And they all are so thanks!

Glad you enjoyed them!

These are awesome

These are amazing! Thank you so much for sharing.

I loved looking at these prompts!! They were very helpful. I am loving writing and supporting my claims with these prompts. You should post more ideas!! Thanks for sharing the prompts.

Do you have any more?

This really was think written

I’d like to use a few of your questions in a journal for adults that I am creating for sale. I will absolutely credit you at the beginning of the book. Is that okay with you or not? I don’t want to infringe on any copyright laws. I think I used about ten of them.

Hi Kristen, you cannot use these prompts for products for sale, that would definitely be an infringement on copyright. These prompts can only be used for non-commercial use.

this is the greatest app ever

I like all the questions

thank you for all the ideas they are so good

OMG These are all very good and many questions i like all these Thankyou soooooooooooo much for these

I’m in class doing this and it is so fun yes every body is doing this

I LOVE these! My daughter and I stumbled across a post full of fun writing prompts on another website but they were more geared for adults. This list is HUGE and perfect for us to tackle together. Thank you! ❤️

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Writing Prompts for Elementary School Students

Tim Platt/Getty Images

• M.S., Education, Buffalo State College
• B.S., Education, Buffalo State College

Writing is an essential skill and an important part of elementary school studies. However, writing inspiration does not come easily to every student. Like adults, many children experience writer's block , particularly when an assignment is extremely open-ended.

Good writing prompts get students' creative juices flowing , help them write more freely, and ease any anxiety they may feel about the writing process. To integrate writing prompts into your lessons, ask students to choose one writing prompt each day or week. To make the activity more challenging, encourage them to write without stopping for at least five minutes, increasing the number of minutes that they devote to writing over time.

Remind your students that there is no wrong way to respond to the prompts and that they should simply have fun and let their creative minds wander. After all, just as athletes need to warm up their muscles, writers need to warm up their minds.

Elementary School Writing Prompts

• My biggest goal in life is...
• The best book I ever read was...
• The happiest moment in my life was when...
• When I grow up, I want to...
• The most interesting place I have ever been to was...
• Name three things you don't like about school and why.
• The strangest dream I ever had was...
• The person I admire most is...
• When I turn 16, I will...
• Who is the funniest member of your family and why?
• I get scared when...
• Five things I would do if I had more money are...
• What is your favorite sport and why?
• What would you do if you could change the world?
• Dear teacher, I would like to know...
• Dear President Washington, what was it like to be the first president?
• My happiest day was...
• My saddest day was...
• If I had three wishes, I would wish for...
• Describe your best friend, how you met, and why you are friends.
• Describe your favorite animal and why.
• Three things I like to do with my pet elephant are...
• The time a bat was in my house...
• When I become an adult, the first thing I want to do is...
• My best vacation was when I went to...
• The top three reasons that people argue are...
• Describe five reasons that going to school is important.
• What is your favorite television show and why?
• The time I found a dinosaur in my backyard...
• Describe the best present you ever received.
• Describe your most unusual talent.
• My most embarrassing moment was when...
• Describe your favorite food and why.
• Describe your least favorite food and why.
• The top three qualities of a best friend are...
• Write about what you would cook for an enemy.
• Use these words in a story: scared, angry, Sunday, bugs.
• What's your idea of a perfect vacation?
• Write about why someone might be afraid of snakes.
• List five rules that you have broken and why you broke them.
• What is your favorite video game and why?
• I wish someone had told me that...
• Describe the hottest day you can remember.
• Write about the best decision you've ever made.
• I opened the door, saw a clown, and then...
• The last time the power went out, I...
• Write about five things you can do if the power goes out.
• If I were president, I would...
• Create a poem using the words: l o ve, happy, smart, sunny.
• The time my teacher forgot to wear shoes...
• For prompts that ask students to write about a person, encourage them to write two responses—one response about a friend or family member, and another about someone they don't know personally. This exercise encourages children to think outside the box.
• Remind students that their responses can be fantastical. When the confines of realism are eliminated, students are free to think more creatively, which often inspires greater engagement in the project.

If you're looking for more writing ideas, try our lists of journal prompts  or ideas for writing about important people in history like Martin Luther King Jr .

• 24 Journal Prompts for Creative Writing in the Elementary Classroom
• November Writing and Journal Prompts
• Christmas Journal Writing Prompts
• September Writing Prompts
• December Writing Prompts
• October Writing Prompts
• February Writing Prompts
• Fun March Writing Prompts for Journaling
• January Writing Prompts
• May Writing Prompts
• Writing Prompt (Composition)
• The Importance of Answering Questions in Complete Sentences
• Martin Luther King Jr. Writing Prompts
• How to Write a Philosophy of Education for Elementary Teachers
• 50 Topics for Impromptu Student Speeches
• Ice Breakers for the First Day of Elementary School

• Prodigy Math
• Prodigy English

From our blog

• Is a Premium Membership Worth It?
• Promote a Growth Mindset
• Help Your Child Who's Struggling with Math
• Parent's Guide to Prodigy
• Assessments
• Math Curriculum Coverage
• English Curriculum Coverage
• Game Portal

225 Fun & Free Creative Writing Prompts for Kids in All Grade Levels

Written by Maria Kampen

Prodigy English is here! Get your students playing — and learning — today.

• Teacher Resources
• Elementary school writing prompts

Middle school writing prompts

High school writing prompts.

• Social emotional learning jounal prompts
• Math writing prompts

Writing prompts are meant to unlock creativity. They’re story starters designed to inspire creative thinking. They can take you to places you’ve been or recall an important time in your life. 

But mostly, they’re useful tools for teachers to inspire writing growth in students from grade school to high school.

“Once upon a time, in a land far, far away…”

It’s amazing how one simple sentence can send you on a journey to places you’ve never been, filled with untold possibilities. 

Reading is great, but you know what’s even better? Giving your students the power to write stories for themselves. 

Writing prompts for kids help students:

• Express themselves and their creativity
• Grasp lifelong literacy skills and concepts
• Tell their own stories and build self-confidence
• Develop a growth mindset when it comes to their writing skills

Writing is like a muscle — it takes practice to build up skills. Luckily, we put together a list of over 200 writing prompts to help your students get started. We’ve also organized them by middle school, high school and elementary school to help teachers decide whether these prompts are age-appropriate for their students.

Grade school writing prompts

Grade schoolers can definitely begin to address complex ideas when it comes to story writing — but you should seek to keep the prompts simple and straightforward. 

Reluctant writers might be intimidated by complicated writing ideas — and this is an age where we should be encouraging creativity.

Creative writing prompts for elementary schoolers

Whether it’s exploring the furthest reaches of outer space, traveling across the Sahara desert or sticking a little closer to home, these creative writing prompts will have students imagining endless possibilities for their writing.

• Write about what your life would be like if you turned into a squirrel. What would you do every day?
• A strange spaceship just crashed and landed in your backyard. What happens next?
• Make up a story about where thunder comes from.
• You find an old notebook hidden in an attic. What does it say? Who did it belong to?
• You have a magic garden. What magical plants do you grow? How do you take care of them?
• Write a story about running away with the circus when it comes to town.
• Rewrite “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” from the perspective of one of the dwarfs (Happy, Sleepy, Dopey, Doc, Grumpy, Sneezy and Bashful).
• There once was a little boy who ate nothing but oranges. What happened to him?
• Write a story about a magical hat. Where is it from? What does it do? What does it look like?
• You’re exploring the rainforest and come across a flower that no one’s ever seen before. Describe it!
• Tell me a story about a dinosaur living a long, long time ago.
• Tell me a story about an astronaut visiting another planet. Where are they going? How do they get there? What do they take with them?
• You discover a magic portal in the park. Where does it lead to?
• Pick a partner and write a story together! Start by writing the first sentence, then pass it to your partner to write the second sentence.
• You find buried treasure in the park, hidden in a big wooden chest. What kind of treasure is it? Who left it there?
• Write a story about a family that can travel in time. 
• Write a story without using the letter “E”.
• Write the funniest story you can think of. 
• There’s a kangaroo in your classroom. How did it get there? What happens when you find it?
• Write a story about an explorer who keeps getting lost. Where are they trying to go? What do they find along the way?
• Write a story about a wooden door, a can of soda and a blue shoe.
• If there was a magical portal in the back of your closet, where would it lead to? 
• Finish this story: There was a knock on the door. I opened it to find a dog sitting there, and…
• You come home and find that everything in your house is upside down. What happened?
• Describe the color “red” without using the word “red”.
• There’s an old, abandoned house at the end of your street that’s been empty for years. One day, someone moves in.
• Rewrite the story of Cinderella from the perspective of the stepsisters.  
• Write a backstory for Ed, the orange Prodigy mascot. 
• You wake up one morning and find a mermaid in your bathtub. How did they get there? What do you do?
• Write a story about a monster looking for some friends. 
• Oh no — your balloon blew away! Write about what happens from the balloon’s perspective. 
• You and your friends are out for a walk when, out of nowhere, your friends start disappearing! What’s going on?
• Once upon a time, an old inventor built a weather machine. It sat undiscovered for years — until you found it. What happens next?
• You just ate a cookie that turned you 15 feet tall. What do you do next?

Fun writing prompts for grade schoolers

Everyday life is full of great inspiration for writing! Get students thinking with these easy and fun writing prompts.Write about something you are good at. 

• If you could write a book about anything, what would you write about?
• If you could have any animal as a pet, what would it be and why?
• Do you have a favorite animal? Tell me all about it! Why do you like it?
• What would you do if you woke up one morning and everything was pink — including you?
• What food can you not live without? Why?
• If you could add any class to your school schedule, what would it be?
• Invent a new day of the week. What is it called? When is it? What do people usually do on that day of the week?
• If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live? 
• If you could spend a Saturday doing anything you wanted, what adventures would you get up to?
• If you could have any wild animal as a pet, what would you choose? Why?
• What's your favorite, wacky food?
• Where is your favorite place to read? Why?
• What was the coolest day of school for you? What made it exciting?
• Which of your toys do you wish could talk? What would they say?
• If you could only wear one outfit for the rest of your life, what would it look like?
• Invent a machine to do a chore for you. What does the machine do? What does it look like?
• What's your favorite season? What makes it the best?
• What is your favorite math game and why?
• Describe your real-life superpower.
• Finish the story: When I'm older I want to be an expert in…
• If pets could talk to each other, what would they say?
• If you were the captain of a ship, what would you call your ship? What would it look like? Where would you go?
• If your pet could talk to you, what do you think it would say?
• If you were the only person on earth for one day, what would you do?
• Plan the perfect birthday party for yourself. 
• What is your favorite thing to do over summer break?
• Describe your ideal birthday cake. 
• If you could add any type of room to your house, what would it be?
• What’s your favorite movie and why?

Persuasive writing prompts for elementary school

Are your students’ opinions up for debate? Ask them to flex their critical thinking skills with these persuasive writing prompts. Once they’re done, get class discussion flowing with a spirited debate!

• Write a letter convincing your parents to let you get a pet dog. What arguments do you use to persuade them?
• Convince your teacher that you should be allowed an extra 15 minutes of recess.
• Convince your best friend to read your favorite book.
• How would you convince someone to do your chores for you?
• Write a commercial for your favorite breakfast food. What would convince someone else to try it?
• What flavor of chips is the best? Why?
• What would make a better pet — a monkey or a peacock?
• Do you think children should be allowed to stay up as late as they want?
• What’s your favorite holiday and why should it be everyone’s favorite? 
• Convince us that your favorite food should be a staple in everyone’s diet.

As students enter middle school, they’re starting to feel like bigger, older kids. They can start writing original short stories and abstract persuasive essays. 

It’s best to inspire creativity at this age and encourage them to explore their own voice and different writing styles. These prompts will definitely go a long way in inspiring that.

Creative Writing Prompts for Middle Schoolers

• Invent a new type of transportation for the future. Who uses it? Where does it go?
• If you had a time machine, where would you visit first — the past or the future? Why?
• You get on the bus and find a four-piece jazz band giving a concert. What do you do?
• Design and name your own Prodigy pet . What element are they? What’s their special power?
• Finish this story: “Something just touched my foot,” they shouted, swimming frantically towards the shore. 
• Write a silly or scary story to tell around a campfire. 
• Finish this story: Everything was going so well today — until I tripped and fell, right in front of…
• Throughout your adventures as a pirate on the high seas, you’ve seen lots of strange and magical creatures. Which one was the most interesting?
• Deep in the heart of a dark and mysterious cave, there lies a magic stone. Write about your quest to find it. 
• Write an acrostic poem using the word “strawberry.”
• There was an old woman who lived in a shoe. She knit and she baked, but what else did she do?
• Finish this story: “One thing I’ll never do again,” she said, “Is go on vacation with an alpaca.”
• Make up a new planet and describe it. 
• Write a story about a family of penguins living on an iceberg.
• Write a story about a girl who can walk through walls. 
• You’ve been invited to a ball at the Queen’s palace! What is it like?
• Imagine you’re exploring the Amazon jungle. Write a diary entry about your day.
• If you could invent a TV show, what would it be about?
• You discovered an underwater kingdom! What is it like there?
• A lonely trumpet player makes friends with the dancer who lives next door. What happens next?
• You go to the park to fly a kite, but get carried away by the wind! What happens next?
• Write a story about a volcano that’s about to erupt.
• Write a story about visiting an old lady who lives deep in the woods.
• Boom, you’re a superhero! Give yourself an origin story, describe your superpowers and plan what you’ll do to make the world a better place. 
• Write a story using these six words: calendar, headphones, lipstick, mug, bear.
• You wake up to find you’re invisible. How did it happen? What do you do?
• There’s been a robbery at the bank, and you’re in charge of finding the culprit. How do you solve the case?
• Finish the story: Once upon a time, there was a dragon...
• You just joined a super-secret spy organization. What’s your first mission?
• Write a story about being cold without using the word “cold.”
• You’re a scientist and you’ve just discovered a new type of bug. Describe what it looks like, where it’s from and what you’re going to call it. 
• Imagine a world where all the birds can talk. What would they say?
• Write about what happens after the end of your favorite book or movie.
• Finish the story: She sprinted down the driveway to the mailbox. The package was here!
• You’re on a hike and a bird starts talking to you. What do you do? What does it say?
• Write a story using these five words: bubblegum, stapler, spoon, lightbulb, strawberry.
• You ate a magical carrot and your skin turned orange! What happens next?
• Write about what it would be like if you had an elephant for a pet.

Fun Writing Prompts for Middle Schoolers

• If you were in charge of the classroom for a day, what would your class do?
• Tell me about the last dream you had.
• You’re trapped on a desert island. What three things did you bring with you and why?
• What mythical creature would you like to have as a pet? Why?
• Invent a new type of pasta. What does it look like? What does it taste like?
• If you could go on vacation anywhere in the world, where would you go? Make a plan and tell the story of your dream vacation.
• Plan the perfect picnic. Where would it be? What food would you have?
• If you could decorate your bedroom any way you wanted, what would it look like?
• Write a story that sounds loud, using onomatopoeia (words that sound like their meaning, like crash, snort, bang and boom.)
• Invent a new type of cookie. What does it taste like?
• Invent a new sport. What is it called? What are the rules?
• How would you disguise yourself to blend in with a forest?
• You just won a special award from the president. What did you do to earn that award?
• Do you collect anything? What is it and why? If not, what would you like to collect?
• You just found a genie in a bottle. What three things would you wish for? (Remember, no wishing for extra wishes!
• Explain how to play your favorite sport or do your favorite hobby. Make it as exciting as possible!
• Describe the most beautiful sunrise or sunset you’ve ever seen.
• If you could live in any book or movie, which one would you choose and why?
• Imagine that you’re going on a camping trip. What do you pack to make sure the trip is fun?
• If you could invent a robot to do any chore, what chore would it be? How would the robot do it?
• Would you rather it was always raining, or always snowing?
• Imagine you’re a toy inventor. What will you create?
• Would you rather climb to the top of a mountain or go scuba diving?
• Interview a family member about their childhood, then write it as a story.
• What was your favorite toy growing up — why was it so special to you?

Persuasive Writing Prompts for Middle School

• If you could change one thing about your school, what would it be and why?
• Is it better to read the book before you watch the movie, or watch the movie before you read the book?
• Persuade someone to try out your favorite hobby or sport.
• What’s the best way to try and persuade a friend to do what you want to do?
• When is peer pressure good? When is peer pressure bad?
• Is it better to have lots of friends, or just a few really good friends?
• Should students be in charge of what they learn in school?

High school students can either be tasked with more complex writing prompts or breathe nuance into simple story ideas. Students can drive these prompts in a million different ways.

So while not necessarily more complicated than middle school, these prompts can be tweaked, either by the student or teacher, to encourage thought-provoking output.

Creative Writing Prompts for High Schoolers

• Write a story about someone your age who lives on the other side of the world. 
• Pick up the nearest book and turn to page 7. Close your eyes and point to a random word on the page, then write a story about that word.
• Write a story in ten words or less.
• You fell asleep for 100 years. What does the world look like when you wake up?
• Finish the story: “This isn’t what I hoped would happen,” she said….
• You’re walking down the street when you see someone who looks exactly like you.
• Write a story where the main character learns something new about themselves.
• Write a story that takes place in the desert. 
• Write a story about a day where everything seems to go wrong. 
• Write a poem about the color blue.
• How would your life be different if you didn’t have access to a computer, video games or your phone?

Fun writing prompts for high schoolers

• You win a million dollars, but there’s a catch — you have to spend it all in 24 hours, or you lose all the money. What do you do?
• Write about something you or your family does from the perspective of someone from another country.
• If you could make up a new holiday, when would it be and what would it celebrate?
• Go out on a nature walk and find a tree. Write the story of that tree, from the time it was a seed until now.
• What’s the most boring superpower you can think of? How would it be useful?
• If you could pass any law, what would it be?
• You meet yourself in the future, as a grown-up at age 35 — what do you talk about? 
• If you had to show aliens the most important/best things in the world, what would you show them?
• Who is your hero and why?
• Write about the best surprise you ever got. 
• What are three good things you can do for the environment? How can you encourage the people around you to do good things for the environment?
• What is your earliest memory? Write down as many details as you can remember.
• If you could take two people – real or fictional – on a cross-country road trip, who would you take? Where would you go?
• If you could have any job in the world tomorrow, what would you do?
• What is the best thing about living in your city or neighbourhood?
• Write a letter to your 30-year-old self. What do you think you’ll accomplish by then?
• Teach me how to make your favorite recipe.
• Describe the sound of your favorite song using descriptive words.

Persuasive writing prompts for high school

• Should kids be allowed to use social media unsupervised? Why or why not?
• Persuade someone to start a healthy habit, or get rid of a bad one.
• Should all single-use plastics be outlawed? Why or why not?
• Should our school have a dress code? Why or why not?
• Is it more important to be right or to not hurt someone else’s feelings?
• What important historical figure do you think belongs on the ten-dollar bill?
• Do you think you’re born with your personality traits, or do you gain them as you grow up?
• Should mobile apps be responsible for protecting your privacy — why or why not?

Social emotional learning journal prompts

School is about more than just books and quizzes — it’s about preparing students for the rest of their lives. Social emotional learning teaches them how to build good relationships with peers, understand and control their emotions and make healthy life decisions.

Journaling is a great way for students to reflect on their feelings in a safe, private space. Use these journaling prompts as thought starters for more social emotional learning!

Check out our list of the 25 best social emotional learning activities for students here. 

• Tell me about a tradition you have with your family or friends. 
• What’s the best gift you’ve ever received?
• Have you ever found something that you lost? How did you feel when you found it?
• What is something you haven’t learned this school year that you’re still wondering about?
• What do you do when you’re angry? Write about three ways you calm yourself down.
• Where do you feel the safest? Why do you feel safe there?
• Write a poem to make a friend happy.
• When was the last time you were kind to someone? How can you be kind to someone today?
• How are you feeling today? Are you happy, sad, excited or anxious?
• If you could give your best friend a present, what would it be?
• What are the qualities you look for in a friend? Why is it important to be a good friend?
• What does responsibility mean to you?
• Who do you talk to when you’re worried about something? How do they make you feel better?
• If you could make a card for anyone in your life, who would it be for and what would it say?
• What’s your favorite thing about yourself?
• Write about a time you had to make a hard decision. How did you make your decision?
• What do you do to make yourself happy when you’re sad?
• Write about a time you were disappointed. 
• What are three things that make your best friend awesome?
• What do you think empathy means? Why is it important?
• How can you cheer up a friend who is sad?
• What makes you a good friend? How can you be a better friend?
• What’s the best piece of advice a friend, parent or teacher has ever given you?
• Write three goals for the rest of the school year. How are you going to accomplish them?
• What does responsibility mean to you? What are you responsible for at school and at home?
• What person in your life makes you feel confident?
• What scares you? How can you overcome your fears?
• Tell me about a time when you tried something new. How did it feel? Did you do it again?

Math writing prompts for kids

Whether it’s tackling word problems or explaining a new concept, writing is a surprisingly good tool for the math classroom. 

A math journal can help you understand what students already know, while giving them space to work through tricky concepts on their own. Use these writing prompts to promote literacy in every subject — and help students avoid math anxiety .

• Tell me everything you know about ________.
• Explain, in words, how to solve this problem.
• What is and isn’t true about this situation?
• What is _______?
• Explain two different ways to solve this problem. Which one is better?
• What did you get correct in this problem?
• What mistakes did you make while solving this problem?
• What do you not understand about _____?
• Write a word problem using the concept we’re learning about. 
• What did you learn today?
• How do you use math in your everyday life?
• What is the easiest/hardest part of math class?
• What discoveries did you make in math class today?

Final thoughts on writing prompts for kids

Writing prompts aren’t the end of the story — they’re just the beginning. Encourage your students to build a regular writing practice, and soon you’ll see the benefits in every class. 

Where will your students’ imaginations take them?

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, 57 fun creative writing prompts for kids.

General Education

With many kids learning from home due to Covid-19, easy-to-organize educational activities for students are more important than ever. Writing helps improve students' creativity, communication skills, and ability to focus, among other benefits.

Whether you're a teacher, a parent now homeschooling, or a student looking for something new and interesting to write about, these writing prompts are for you. We've collected 57 writing prompts for students of various ages, from elementary school through high school. From spooky story writing prompts to debating how to improve schools, this article has writing prompts that will appeal to all students.

Tips for Using These Writing Prompts

What's the best way to use these creative writing prompts for kids? It depends on a lot of factors, including the student's age, current schooling structure, and their own interests and abilities. Here are some suggestions:

Use as a daily writing prompts exercise. You can assign one of these prompts at the beginning or end of the school day, as a way to prepare for the rest of the day or unwind after schoolwork.

Set up a quiet space to write. Many people have a hard enough time writing even with no distractions, and it can be nearly impossible to respond thoughtfully to a prompt if there's a television on, people talking, etc. Having a distraction-free space can help your student focus on the work at hand and produce their best writing.

Suggest an estimated writing length. Most of these journal writing prompts are designed to be answered both briefly or much more in depth. By giving a number of words/pages to aim for, you'll give your student a better idea of how detailed their response should be.

Consider having students handwrite their responses. Writing by hand can help students be more thoughtful about their responses because they'll typically write slower than they can type. It can also help students improve their handwriting skills.

57 Fun Writing Prompts for Kids

Below are over 50 journal topics for kids, organized into three categories: narrative writing prompts, fiction/creative writing prompts, and argumentative writing prompts for kids.

Narrative Writing Prompts for Kids

#1: What is your favorite holiday or holiday tradition?

#2: If you could go back in time for one day, which time period would you choose?

#3: If you could learn one thing about your future, what would it be? Or, if you prefer not to know anything, why would you make that choice?

#4: Pretend you're writing an autobiography and need to create a table of contents. What would you name each chapter?

#5: What is your earliest memory? Write every detail you can remember about it.

#6: If you had the power to change one thing about school, what would you change and why?

#7: Describe three goals you have for yourself.

#8: Imagine you are creating your dream restaurant. What kind of food would you serve, what would the menu look like, and how would the restaurant be decorated?

#9: If you could build your dream house, what would it look like? What rooms would it have? What would the yard be like?

#10: What is the bravest thing you've done in your life? Why did you make the choice you did? How did you feel during and after the situation?

#11: What is the funniest thing you've ever seen?

#12: What is your dream job?

#13: What is one thing you're really good at?

#14: Pretend you are a professional reviewer and write a review of a book you recently read or a TV show/movie you recently watched. How many stars would you give it? What did you like about it, and what didn't you like?

#15: Write about a time you did something kind for someone else. What did you do, how did it make you feel, and how did it make the person you helped feel?

#16: Imagine your life in ten years. What do you think you will be like? What will you be doing?

#17: Write about the craziest dream you've ever had.

#18: What would your perfect weekend look like? What things would you do? Who would you see? What would you eat?

#19: Do you like your name? If so, why? If not, what would you change it to?

#20: Make a list of your favorite activities for each season.

#21: Write about your least favorite chore. What don't you like about it? What would you invent to make the chore easier?   

#22: What three pieces of advice would you give to your younger self?

#23: If you could be famous for anything, what would it be? 

#24: If you could create a new law, what would it be? Do you think it would be hard to enforce?

#25: Write about a time you think one or both of your parents made a mistake. What did they do, and what do you think they should have done? Did they admit their mistake?

#26: How would your best friend describe you? How would you describe your best friend? (You can also have your friend do this prompt and read each other's responses.)

Fiction and Creative Writing Prompts for Kids

#27: Write a story about a character taking a submarine ride under the sea. What sort of things do you think they would see there? Would they be afraid or excited?

#28: Write a new chapter for your favorite book or new scene for your favorite movie. Which characters would be there, and what would they be doing?

#29: Invent a new pet. What would it look like, and what would you call it? What would it eat, and how would you care for it?

#30: Start a story with a lyric from a song.

#31: Pick something nearby (toy, pet, flower, etc.) and write a haiku about it. Bonus points if it rhymes!

#32: Write a story about a character who gets lost in the woods and discovers a mysterious person there.

#33: Write your own silly internet quiz.

#34: Choose an object in the house and describe it in as much detail as you can without saying what it is. Then, have a parent or sibling try to guess what you described.

#35: Write a scary story that includes: a spooky pumpkin patch, a vampire afraid of garlic, and a black cat.

#36: Do some people watching out your window. Write a story using one or more of them as the characters. Make up backstories and imagine what they're doing.

#37: Write a story about what you think your parents were like when they were younger.

#38: Your character survives a shipwreck and washes up on a mysterious island. What is on the island and how does (s)he get back home?

#39: Imagine you can choose to be any animal for a day. Which animal would you choose? What would you do?

#40: Write a poem about your favorite season.

#41: Imagine you are chosen for the first mission to Mars. What would you bring with you, and what do you think exploring the planet would be like?

#42: Write a sympathetic story from the point of view of the "bad guy." (Think fractured fairy tales like Wicked or The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs! , although the story doesn't have to be a fairy tale.)

#43: Imagine your pet gets a day to roam free before returning home. Where would it go, and what would it see?

#44: If you could have dinner with any three people (real or fictional), who would you choose and what would you talk about? What would you eat?

#45: Look through photographs, drawings, and paintings. Choose one and write a story about it, imagining where it is and the types of people/things there.

#46: Imagine aliens landed on earth. What would they look like, and how would they act? Would they be friendly or not?

Argumentative Writing Prompts for Kids

#47: Are there dangers of teenagers spending too much time on social media?

#48: Does homework actually help students learn?

#49: Should students doing e-learning this year get letter grades, pass/fail, or no grades?

#50: At what age should children get their own cell phone?

#51: Which is best: ebooks, audiobooks, or traditional print books?

#52: What's more important, PE classes or art classes?

#53: Which celebrity is the best role model for kids? Which is the worst?

#54: Should parents or teachers be able to ban certain books from schools?

#55: Which season is the best?

#56: Should students recite the Pledge of Allegiance in school?

#57: Should students go to school year-round and have shorter breaks throughout the year rather than one long summer vacation?

What's Next?

Also looking for science activities for kids?  Check out our 37 science experiments for kids that you can do at home!

Want to make some slime? We tell you how to make slimes without borax and without glue as well as how to craft the ultimate super slime .

Pipe cleaners can provide endless craft ideas. Read our guide for simple instructions for 31 fun pipe cleaner crafts for kids.

Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

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Hundreds of Awesome Creative Writing Topics for kids

Creative writing is a great way for children to express themselves using imagination. At Kids Play and Create, we value young writers, and we are constantly updating our list to bring you new, fun, and imaginative writing prompts for kids.

We have story starters, icebreakers, fiction writing prompts, and fun topics to inspire kids through writing. From young students to middle school students and even high school, we have great writing prompts for all writing styles and even the most reluctant writers.

We started out with 50 creative writing topics for kids but have added many more. Check back regularly for newly added writing topics. 

                Check the end of the article for updated Creative Writing Topics for Teens. Are you looking for Creative Writing topics for 1st grade and 2nd grade with free printables? We have that too!

What is Creative Writing?

Creative writing can be used to explain many types of writing. It is a writing style that lets the writer express themselves.  Some forms of creative writing entertain the reader, while others are therapeutic.  Creative writing lets the writer use their imagination and takes the reader on a journey into their thoughts.

Is Creative Writing Important?

Creative writing is a great way to learn more about the children you work with.  You can find out things about what they like and don’t like.  Depending on the topic you choose, you can also find out things about their personality, what kind of friends they are, how they feel about themselves, and if they set goals and more.  

There are many benefits to writing. Creative writing helps build critical thinking skills and writing skills. These writing prompts will build a child’s confidence to write their own stories.

How do you get kids to want to write without complaining?  Give them fun topics that they will learn about themselves while writing.  On this list, you will find various good topics for both younger and older children.

Creative Writing is fun for All Ages.

Creative writing isn’t just for older children. It can be for the little ones too. Young students as early as Preschool or Kindergarten may not have the ability to write but can express themselves through drawing.

Have young students concentrate less on the writing and more on drawing a picture that goes with the topic. Children are great at expressing themselves through art.

Awesome Creative Writing Prompts for Elementary Students

1. Have the children write on top of the page:  I Am Special Because… This is a good topic to help children express themselves.

Have the children think about why they are special and ask themselves questions, here are some examples: what am I good at? Who have they helped? How have I made a difference? What special talent do I have?

2. If I was a superhero, what kind of superhero would I be, and what powers would I have? (This can also be done using villains)

 Examples of powers they can write about: are flying, super speed, eye lasers, walking through walls, shooting ice, shooting fire, changing the weather, camouflage, shapeshifting (changing shape), and turning invisible. 

Activity:  Keep track of who chose a superhero or a villain. Do not let the children know that another activity will follow after the writing activity. When the writing activity is over, split the children into two teams, the superhero team and the villain team.  Have them vs. each other in a game of tag.  Who will champion the superheroes or the villains? 

3. What do I want to be when I grow up and why? This a great way to get to know children.  By asking what they want to be when they grow up, you can find out what the children like.  It’s also a great way for children to start thinking about the future.

4. If you were given three wishes, what would they be and why? This is a fun topic.  Children can think about having anything in the world.  Will they pick something like peace on earth or go the million-dollar route?  

5. If I could invent a new animal, what animal would it be?  Have the children ask themselves the following questions: What does the animal look like (what color, is it big or small, is it a combination of two animals)?  What sounds does the animal make?  What does it eat?  Where does it live?  Describe the animal’s habitat.

Creative Writing Topics for Kids

6. If I could invent a new toy, what kind of toy would I create and why? Or, If I could improve a toy, which toy would I improve, and how would I make it better?  You can talk to the children about the creative process:  First, you come up with an idea, then you have to get it made.  You can talk to the children about manufacturing toys.  Here are some questions you can ask the children about improving a toy.  How do you want to make the toy better?  Do you want to make the remote control car faster?  Is the game challenging enough?  Do you want your doll to have more features or do more?  These are all questions you can ask the children to get their brains thinking.

7. If I could make something disappear in my life, what would it be and why? Ask the children if there is something in your life that makes them unhappy.  Is there a problem you are having?  

8. All About me essay. Some sample questions the children can ask are:  What are my likes and dislikes? What is my favorite subject in school? What do I want to be when I group up?  Who is their favorite actress/actor?  Where do they want to visit? They can name the people in their family, talk about any extracurricular activities they do, etc.

In what ways do I help my family? Have children write about the ways they help their families.  Do you have chores?  If so, what are they?  Do you help your mom or dad cook?  Do you talk out the garbage? Do you take care of your siblings?  Do you have a job to help pay bills?  

10. How can I be a better friend?  Have children think about what type of friends they are.  Are they good listeners?  Are you kind?  Do you talk about your friends to other people?  Have them think about how they would like to be treated by a friend, do they treat their friends the way they want to be treated?

The Best Creative Writing Topics for 4th and 5th grade

11. If you could be invisible, what would you do and why? Have the children think about what it would be like to be invisible.  Would they use this new power for good or would they try to do something bad?

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12. What do you think about bullies and why? Have the children define what a bully is to them in their paper.  Do they think they are a bully?  Do they think bullying is wrong?  Remember, these are things the children are feeling, there are no wrong answers.

13. Why is it important to be honest and not lie?  To them, the children with their writing ask them the following questions. What does it mean to be honest?  Have you ever told a lie that turned into another lie?

14. What would you do if you won a million dollars?  This question is usually a favorite topic with the children.  Ask them if they think one million dollars is a lot of money.  Depending on where you live, it might be just enough to buy a small house and a car.  What are some things you would buy?  Would you save some or spend it all?

15. If you could change the world, what would you do and why? This is a good question for older children.  Would they change things, such as ending hate and violence in the world? Would they change things such as making gas or food free for everyone? You will get various answers, making this a fun and interesting topic.

Fun Writing Prompts Ideas

16. If you were a king/queen, what would you do and why? This is a fun topic for both younger and older children.  Activity: Have the children draw their kingdom and a picture of them as king or queen

17. If you could invent a video game, what kind of game would you create and why? This topic is also great for older children and young er children.  Children love playing video games, they may not realize that they can make video games for a living.  Talk to the children about video game developers and the process of creating video games.  Have them brainstorm ideas for games, and find out what they can come up with.

18. Write about a time when you had to be brave, what did you do, and how did it feel?  Ask the children if they have ever been afraid. What were they afraid of? Did something scary happen to them?  What did they do to get through it?

19. Write about a trip to the moon, how did you get there, what did you see, it was fun or scary?

20. Write about something you are good at?

21. Write about one thing you want to learn about?

22. Write about a time when you worked hard to get something. This can be a thing or an accomplishment, like making a team, finally getting that cartwheel, or passing a test.

23. Write about five things you could be better at if you worked hard and gave more effort.  There is always room for improvement.  Talk to the children about the importance of trying hard and working towards a goal.

24. If you had to give away $1,000, what would you do with it, who would you give it to? This is a great question when talking to children about being kind and helping others.  

Journal Prompts or Kids

25. What is the best thing someone has ever given to you?

26. What is the nicest thing someone has ever done for you?

27. Write about what you can teach others. Everyone is good at something.  This question helps children think about what they’re good at and how they can help others.

28. Did you ever get into an argument with a friend or family member? How did that make you feel?  

29. Did you ever hurt someone’s feelings?  Explain what happened and how it made you feel.  

30. Did someone ever hurt your feelings? How did it make you feel? Did you talk to that person about it?

31. Is there anyone you would like to switch places with? who and why?

32. What does it mean to be loyal?

33. When was a time you were loyal to a friend or a friend who was loyal to you?

34. What famous person would you like to meet? Write about a day spent with a famous person.

Self-Esteem Writing Topics

34. Has a friend ever betrayed you? How did it make you feel? What do you think your friend should have done differently?

35. Have you ever been friends with someone who was unpopular or not part of the group?  This is a great question to ask children when teaching them about acceptance and how it feels not to be part of a group.

36. When was a time you felt you were treated unfairly? How did it make you feel?

37. Is it fair to give someone a head start in a race?  When is it fair? When is it not fair?

38. Write about a time when you had a strong opinion about something? Why did you feel so strongly about it?

39. Write about a time you made a big mistake.  How did you fix it?  Everyone makes mistakes.  This writing topic helps children understand that mistakes are part of the learning experience.

40. Write about a time when you were very angry.  What happened? How did being angry make you feel? I find that many times children will feel sad when they are angry.  Did I make a good choice when I was angry? This is a great writing topic when discussing feelings with children.  It is important for them to understand that anger isn’t wrong, and you are allowed to feel angry.

41. If you heard a rumor about a friend you knew wasn’t true, what would you do? How would it make you feel?

42. Write about a time when you cheered someone up. What did you do? How did it make you feel? How did it make that person feel?

43. Write about a time you used your inner strength to get through a tough situation.

44. Write about three things that are hard for you and why.

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45. When was the last time you were afraid? What scared you? How did you react?

46. What is the bravest thing you’ve ever done?

47. Who is your hero, and why?

48. What do you think risk-taking is?  Have you ever taken a risk?

49. Write about your best friend. Who are they, how long have you known them, and why are they your best friend?

50. What does it mean to have good character? Do you think you have good character, why?

Short Story Writing Topics for Kids

51. Think about something you are not allowed to do but wish you could.  Write about why you want to do it and why you should be allowed to do it.

52. If you could be on a t.v show, which one would it be and why?  

53. If you had to choose to be one age for the rest of your life which age would you want to be?  Why?

54.  If you could pick the perfect job, what would it be?

55. You just found a treasure map, write about what you would do next.  Do you decide to look for the treasure?  Who is going to help you?  What supplies do you need? Did the map lead you to the treasure, or was it fake?  If you found the treasure, what was it?  What did you do with it?

56. You just built a time machine.  Where in time would you go?  What did you do?  What did you see?  Would you want to stay there or come back to the present time?

57.  You just discovered a new land.  What are you going to call your land?  What kind of animals live there?  Have you discovered anything on your land?  What are you going to build on your new land?

58. Challenge the kids to write a scary story.

59. If you are working with younger children, instead of having them write, you can have them draw and answer questions about their drawing.  Try some of these topics.

1  Create a monster.  Your monster can be silly, scary, funny, big, little, colorful, etc..  What is your monster’s name?  What does your monster eat?  Where does your monster live?  Is your monster nice or mean?  You can write the answers to the questions on the paper for the child or have them come up and share their drawing, while they are showing their picture, ask them questions about their monster.

2.  Create an animal.  This is the same as the monster but just an animal instead.

3. Create new food. What kind of food is it?  Is it a dessert, is it something spicy, is it a combination of both?  Have the children draw a picture of their new food.

Group Writing Prompts for Kids

I’ve been working with kids on group writing and art projects.  The kids enjoyed these topics the best.

58. Create a fairy tale. have each group member write one part of the story. Then have each member of the group draw one part of the story. When the children are finished writing, have them come up in front of the class and retell their story.   

59.  Create an amusement park.  Discuss as a group the name of the park.  Have each member of the group write about the parts of the park. 

A. What is the theme of your park?  Adventure, thrill rides, water rides, safari, etc.

B.  Write about the type of rides in the park.  Are there shows in the park?

C. Describe places to eat at the park and what type of food they serve.

D. Do they have a gift shop?  What do they sell at your park?

Art Project:  On a large poster board, have each group member draw a park map.  List of attractions, games, food, restrooms, gift shops, shows, etc..

 60. Create a planet – Your group has just discovered a new planet.  Have a group discussion about the planet.  What is the name?  Do anyone live on the planet? Is there water on the planet? Did you find fossils, aliens, or animals?  Is there oxygen? Are there plants, trees, or water?  Have each member of the group write something about the planet.

Art Project: Make a planet out of paper mache.  Once dry, paint, and decorate the planet.

Newly Added Creative Writing Prompts

61. Create a new food/or meal and make a recipe to teach others how to make it.  Have the kids draw a picture of the new food/meal.

62. Create a new game and describe how to play.  This writing topic lets children use their imaginations.  Have the children draw out the game on paper.  If creating a  board game, have the children turn the paper into a board game.

63. Write about a time you lost a game, didn’t do well on a test, or made a mistake, what lesson did you learn? This is a great writing topic to use when teaching children about losing.  Everyone loses sometimes.  losing actually makes you better.  Without losing, sometimes, you won’t strive to become better.

64.  Your video just went viral on Youtube.  What did you do in your video? These days children spend so much time looking at videos on Youtube.  Have them imagine what it would be like to become famous overnight with a viral video.

Fabulous Creative Writing Prompts for Kids

65.  Pretend you had an evil twin.  Write about some things your evil twin does.

66. What is the grossest lunch you have ever been served?  Write about this gross meal.  Remember to add many details about what the food looked and tasted like.

67. What is your sorcerer’s name?  What kind of sorcerer would you be?  Would you be evil or nice?  What kind of powers would you have?  What is something that you did as a sorcerer?

68. What are your personal superpowers?  Are you a great friend, are you smart, do you have a hidden talent?  Write about the superpowers that you already have.

See also   Black History Month Writing Prompts for Students .

69. Write about a time when you were proud of your work and did your best.  How did that make you feel?  Do you always try your best?  Why or why not

70. You have been working hard on your schoolwork/project all for a while, and your mind and body are tired, and you need a break.  What are some ways that you like to take a break?  Do you like to color, take deep breaths, play your favorite game, nap, or have a snack?  Tell us about how you like to take a break.

• Invent a new holiday. What would you call your holiday? When is it celebrated? How is it celebrated?
• You became a movie star overnight, what movie were you in? What character did you play?
• Write about your favorite sport. Why is it your favorite? Give directions on how to play.
• What is your favorite thing? Describe it and tell why it is your favorite.
• Who is your favorite teacher? Explain why they are your favorite.

The Best Creative Writing Prompts and Topics for Teens

• Have you ever seen somebody being treated unfairly?  If so, did you do anything about it, or did you ignore it and walk away?
• Do you talk to people the same way in person as you do on social media?
• How do you think social media has changed or is changing the world?
• What kind of America do you want to live in?
• What are your plans after high school?
• What do you think college life is like?
• Do you think it is important to save money at your age?  If so, how do you save money?  Why do you think it is important?
•  Do you know what it means to have good credit?  Do you think it is important to have good credit?  Why?
• Would you ever join the military?  Why?
• Who is your idol, and why?
• What is your favorite childhood memory?

New Creative Writing Prompts for Middle School and High School Students

• If you could take a trip anywhere in the world, where would you go?
• Write about something you would love to try and why
• Write about something you did but then felt guilty about it later.  How did you handle the situation?
• What is the hardest experience you have ever been through?  How did you handle it?
• Have you ever been to a job interview?  Where are you prepared?  Did you get the job? Would you say something different if you could do it over? Would you be better prepared next time?
• How do you think the world will be 50 years from now? How do you think people will treat each other?  How do you think the internet/social media has changed the world?  What kind of cars do you think we will be driving?  Will we still be using gas?
• Write about your dream home.  Would you live in a house or an apartment in the city?  Do you want a big house or something small?  What kind of fun features would your dream home have?
• If you were a parent, would you let your child have a social media account?  Why or why not?
• Would you rather work in a team on a project or alone?
• Write about your favorite song, why is it your favorite?  What is your favorite verse?  How do you feel when listening to it?
• If you were a clothing designer, what kind of clothes would you design?
• You have to spend one year stranded on a deserted island, you can bring five things or people with you, what do you bring?
• You are a superhero, you have to use your powers to make a positive change in the world.  What powers do you have?
• You are given the power to change one thing you don’t like about yourself, would you change anything?  If yes, what would you change and why?
• Write about your future self. What is your life like?

Updated Creative Writing Topics for Middle School and High School

• You are creating a new amusement park.  What kind of park would it be?  What kind of rides does it have?
• Write about the best Christmas gift you have ever received. Explain what it was, why it was your favorite, who gave it to you, do you still have it.  
• You were given 1 million dollars, but you must give it away.  Who would you give it to?  would you give it to one person or a couple of different people?  Would you donate it to an organization? 
• Name 5 of the most important things in your life ( house, family, health, etc..); now you just lost all of them.  How would you feel, what would you do?
• You just became a YouTube sensation.  What did you do that made you famous?  How does it feel to be recognized by people on the street?
• A friend of yours has been depressed and said that they told you they don’t want to live anymore.  What do you do and why?
• How would people describe you and why?
• Do you think that violent video games make people violent?  Do you think there should be age restrictions on video games?
• You have a choice of giving up social media or hanging out with your friends for a week, which one do you choose and why?
• Do you think what you learn in school can help you in the real world?  What topics do you think you should be learning and why?

The Best Creative Writing Prompts for Teens Continued 

• Do you think that money can buy happiness, why or why not?
• Do you think you need higher education to become successful?
• How important is your cell phone with you? I rather give up….blank…. than my cell phone (explain).
•  Describe the perfect day. What would you do?
• Have you ever been faced with discrimination?  Were you the one being discriminated against, or were you a witness to discrimination, How did you feel?
• If you were given the opportunity to meet anyone in the world, living or dead, who would you want to meet and why?
• Why do you think we pay taxes?  Do you believe taxes are necessary?  What do you think our tax money is used for?

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20 Prompts for Narrative Writing That Spark Creativity

Using prompts for narrative writing motivates kids and gets them excited to write. Read on to learn more about narrative writing, mentor texts, ideas, and assessments. Plus you will find 20 fun prompts for narrative and personal narrative writing. These will be sure to spark student’s creativity and imagination!

What’s Narrative Writing?

Narrative writing tells a story using a beginning, middle, and end.  It includes elements such as characters, setting, problem, and solution.  The author’s purpose is usually to entertain or teach a lesson.  Narrative writing can be fact or fiction but the process is the same.  When it’s a real story from the author’s life, it is considered a personal narrative.  

Examples for Narrative Writing

There are so many wonderful examples of narrative writing.  Some are even written as personal narratives.  Below you will find a list of mentor texts for elementary school.  It’s helpful to immerse students in the genre before and during a narrative writing unit.  These books model different strategies that kids can try in their writing.

Narrative Writing Mentor Texts:

• Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
• Come on, Rain! by Karen Hesse
• Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts
• Fireflies! by Julie Brinckloe
• Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems
• Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall
• Enemy Pie by Derek Munson
• Blackout by John Rocco

Narrative Writing Teaching

There are many features to include in narrative writing, but it depends on the grade level being taught.  For the lower grades, it’s important to start with the concept of beginning, middle, and end written in sequential order.  Then you can expand to the introduction, body, and conclusion using details.  Other important elements are character, setting, problem, and solution.  As the student’s abilities increase the number of sentences will grow and expand to paragraphs.

For the older grades, you can introduce plot structure.  It follows the beginning, middle, and end format but on a higher level.  This story arc includes exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.  Use the diagram below to see how these features overlap.

Plot Structure

Topics for Narrative Writing

The possibilities are endless when it comes to narrative writing ideas.  Kids can create a fiction piece or write about an experience in their life.  Check out some writing prompt ideas below for narrative and personal narrative writing. You might also like this blog post about opinion writing prompts: 20 Prompts for Opinion Writing That Motivate Kids

Writing Prompts for Narratives

• I was taking my friend’s picture in front of the volcano when all of a sudden . . .  
• What if you were given 3 wishes but couldn’t use them on yourself.  Tell a story about what you would wish for and why.
• Write a story called, “The Luckiest Day of My Life.”
• Imagine you went to the zoo and could take home any animal for the day.  Tell a story about your time together.
• Write a silly story that uses these words: airplane, grapes, elephant, and book.
• You have just been shrunk down to the size of an ant.  Write a story including the good and bad things about being so small.
• Think about your favorite character from a book.  Tell a story about getting to meet them for the first time.
• What would happen if you lived during a time when there was no electricity?  Write a story about your school day.
• Finish this story: The pirates set sail on their ship in search of . . .
• Suppose you were teacher for a day.  Write a story about the changes you would make.

Writing Prompts for Personal Narratives

• Have you ever been so proud of yourself for learning something new?  Write a story about a time this happened.
• Write a story about a time you felt your heart race.  What happened and how were you feeling at the end?
• What was your most memorable vacation?  Tell a story from part of that trip and why it stands out in your mind.
• Have you ever done something you knew would get you in big trouble?  Write a story about a time this happened and how you felt about it.
• Write a story about the strangest thing that has ever happened to you.  Why was it so unusual?
• What was your most memorable moment from this year?  Write a story telling why it’s so special.
• Tell a story about a time when you were so excited and couldn’t wait for an event to happen.
• Write a small moment story about a time you had with your favorite person.
• Write about a time that you lost something important.  Tell whether or not you found it.
• Think about the worst day you ever had.  What made it so terrible and did it get better by the end?

Rubrics for Narrative Writing

I often hear from teachers that one of the most difficult parts of teaching writing is how to assess it.  Assessments should be accurate and helpful for both the student and teacher.  When it comes to narrative writing, there are many different approaches.  Some teachers prefer to do a more informal assessment for daily writing pieces and then a formal assessment for the final copy.  Informal assessments can be completed with written comments or student-teacher conferences.

It would be very difficult to use a rubric for every narrative writing a student completes in their notebook.  Instead, most teachers prefer to choose one to three writing pieces to assess with a rubric.  These assessments are ideal for benchmarks, progress reports, and report cards.  Below you will find three types of narrative writing rubrics.  Check out this blog post to learn more about student-friendly, teacher-friendly, and time-saving rubrics: 3 Types of Writing Rubrics for Effective Assessments

Narrative writing enables kids to be creative and use their imagination. They can write a fiction story or about a real event from their life. Writing prompts are a helpful tool to get kids engaged and ready to get started. Did you grab your Free Writing Prompt Guide yet? I love using prompts for morning work, writing time, centers, or as a homework assignment. The possibilities are endless! Be sure to try these prompts for narrative writing with your students!

Genre Based Prompts

Related Articles:

• 20 Prompts for Opinion Writing That Motivate Kids
• What is Narrative Writing
• A Complete Guide to Narrative Writing
• Personal Narrative Writing for Elementary School
• Narrative Writing: How to Teach a Story Arc That’s as Exciting as a Roller Coaster

Angela Sutton

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50 Writing Prompts for All Grade Levels

Sometimes students need a little push to activate their imaginations.

The collection of prompts below asks young writers to think through real or imagined events, their emotions, and a few wacky scenarios. Try out the ones you think will resonate most with your students. 

As with all prompts, inform students that their answers should be rated G and that disclosing dangerous or illegal things they’re involved in will obligate you to file a report with the administration or school counselors. Finally, give students the option of writing “PERSONAL” above some entries that they don’t want anyone to read. We all need to let scraggly emotions run free in our prose sometimes.

If your class uses daybooks (an approach recommended in Thinking Out Loud: The Student Daybook as a Tool to Foster Learning ), wait for composition notebooks to go on sale at Target, the Dollar Store, or Walmart for $0.50 a piece. To organize the daybook, direct young writers to leave the first three pages blank and number and date each entry—adding these entries to a table of contents that they create as they work so they can return to specific entries later. 

High School Prompts

• Should cameras on drones watch all public spaces to prevent crime, or is that a violation of privacy? 
• Do Americans have it too easy? Why do you think that?
• What causes racism?
• The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation hires you as a consultant to determine how best to use $20 billion to save the world. What’s your plan?
• What’s the worst thing about the internet? 
• Would you rather be very beautiful or very smart? Explain.
• You can save one object before your house burns down. What is it? What makes that object important to you?
• How much control over your life do you have? What makes you say that? 
• Describe your ideal life 15 years from now. What is something you can do every day to reach that goal?
• What would your friends say is your most lovable quality? Describe that quality. 
• What is something scary that you would like to try? What makes it scary for you? How might you overcome that fear?
• What things do you conscientiously do to feed your brain?
• What are three of your most profound learning experiences? Where and when did they occur?
• By age 18, the average American has seen 200,000 acts of violence on TV, including 40,000 murders. What is it about television violence that is so compelling to people?
• Would you rather be loved or respected? Because?
• Does social media represent individuals authentically? Explain with examples. 
• Imagine that it’s the last day of high school and you’ve been asked by a teacher to say a few words that summarize the events that have occurred over the last four years that are most meaningful to you. What do you say? 

Middle School Prompts

• Which classmate would be the best to lead us through a zombie apocalypse? Why? 
• What real-life situations would work out better for you if you were a different gender? Why?
• How can you tell when someone your age is feeling insecure? Are most people more insecure or anxious than they let on?
• If the internet were to crash forever, what would the benefits be for you? The drawbacks?
• Write a scene that features a) a classmate, b) $100 million, and c) magical shoes. 
• What three features should your future house have? Why?
• If you starred in a television show about your life, what would the show be called? What genre would it be? (Examples: comedy, drama, thriller, romance, action-adventure, fantasy, superhero, soap opera, reality, game show, space adventure, Western, tragedy, etc.) Summarize the plot of an episode. 
• In the future, what extreme sports will people be talking about?
• Is your ethnicity an important part of your identity? How so? 
• You get to take one book, one food item, and one famous person (living or dead) to a deserted island. What and who do you take? Why?
• Write a powerfully supportive email to yourself 10 years from now. Send that email to yourself using FutureMe.org . 
• You have been selected to be king or queen of your school. What are five rules that every kid should follow at your school? What should the punishment be for rule breakers?
• What do the five friends you hang out with most have in common? How are you most like them? How are you different from them?
• What contributes to someone becoming a bully? What can help stop someone from bullying?
• Do you make friends slowly or quickly? Describe how one of your important friendships evolved.
• Should we fear failure? Explain.
• If a wizard could tell you anything about your future, what would you most like to know?
• Do you believe in luck? Are you superstitious? How so? If not, why do you think some people are?

Elementary School Prompts

• I wish my teachers knew that . . .
• What’s the most beautiful person, place, or thing you’ve ever seen? Share what makes that person, place, or thing so special. 
• Which is better, giant muscles or incredible speed? Why?
• What is your most difficult subject in school? Why is it difficult? What can you do to get better at that subject?
• Rewrite “Hansel and Gretel” from the witch’s perspective.
• Describe a scary situation that you’ve experienced.
• What is your first memory? Describe it.
• You wake up tomorrow with a silly superpower that makes you famous. What is that silly power? How does it lead to your becoming an international superstar? 
• Are you a good loser? Explain. 
• What are examples of things you want versus things you need? 
• Last Friday, you were given one wish by a magical panda. You tried so hard to make the wish positive, but after the whacked-out events that unfolded over the weekend, you regret ever meeting that tricky panda. What did you ask for, and what happened?
• I wish my friends . . . 
• Describe a routine that you often or always do (in the morning, when you get home, Friday nights, before a game, etc.).
• What things do all kids know that adults do not?
• What TV or movie characters do you wish were real? Why? 

After they’ve finished an entry, ask students to read their work aloud or exchange daybooks for a read-around. If you give the entries written feedback, show that their work is respected by using a sticky note or scratch paper. 

You might also incorporate background writing music one day a week—say on “Music Monday.” For some examples of music you might use in class, Pitchfork has an article called “ The 50 Best Ambient Albums of All Time .” My favorite album for composing is the Birdy soundtrack by Peter Gabriel—a good one for older kids. Other Edutopia staff and bloggers like writing to Coffitivity , Noisli , Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven by Godspeed You! Black Emperor, and Alcest’s Souvenirs d’un Autre Monde .

Don’t forget to write along with your students. Why should they have all the fun?

What are your students’ favorite writing prompts?