essay writing for 7 year olds

How to write a perfect essay

Need to write an essay? Does the assignment feel as big as climbing Mount Everest? Fear not. You’re up to the challenge! The following step-by step tips from the Nat Geo Kids Almanac will help you with this monumental task.

Sometimes the subject matter of your essay is assigned to you, sometimes it’s not. Either way, you have to decide what you want to say. Start by brainstorming some ideas, writing down any thoughts you have about the subject. Then read over everything you’ve come up with and consider which idea you think is the strongest. Ask yourself what you want to write about the most. Keep in mind the goal of your essay. Can you achieve the goal of the assignment with this topic? If so, you’re good to go.

WRITE A TOPIC SENTENCE

This is the main idea of your essay, a statement of your thoughts on the subject. Again, consider the goal of your essay. Think of the topic sentence as an introduction that tells your reader what the rest of your essay will be about.

OUTLINE YOUR IDEAS

Once you have a good topic sentence, you then need to support that main idea with more detailed information, facts, thoughts, and examples. These supporting points answer one question about your topic sentence—“Why?” This is where research and perhaps more brainstorming come in. Then organize these points in the way you think makes the most sense, probably in order of importance. Now you have an outline for your essay.

ON YOUR MARK, GET SET, WRITE!

Follow your outline, using each of your supporting points as the topic sentence of its own paragraph. Use descriptive words to get your ideas across to the reader. Go into detail, using specific information to tell your story or make your point. Stay on track, making sure that everything you include is somehow related to the main idea of your essay. Use transitions to make your writing flow.

Finish your essay with a conclusion that summarizes your entire essay and 5 restates your main idea.

PROOFREAD AND REVISE

Check for errors in spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and grammar. Look for ways to make your writing clear, understandable, and interesting. Use descriptive verbs, adjectives, or adverbs when possible. It also helps to have someone else read your work to point out things you might have missed. Then make the necessary corrections and changes in a second draft. Repeat this revision process once more to make your final draft as good as you can.

Download the pdf .

Homework help

Science lab, (ad) national geographic kids almanac.

Terms of Use
Privacy Policy
Your California Privacy Rights
Children's Online Privacy Policy
Interest-Based Ads
About Nielsen Measurement
Do Not Sell My Info
National Geographic
National Geographic Education
Shop Nat Geo
Customer Service
Manage Your Subscription

BRYN DONOVAN

tell your stories, love your life

Writing Inspiration
Semi-Charmed Life
Reading & Research

50 Essay Topics for Kids

Hi friends! A while back, after I did a post of story ideas for kids , I got requests for essay topics for kids. I thought it was a little out of my wheelhouse, though, since I’ve never taught children. But then I thought, wait a minute…I’m married to someone who used to teach middle school English! So I invited Mr. Donovan to guest post today. Take it away, honey…

For these, I tried to think about 5th and 6th grade writing topics, but the truth is, most of these writing prompts would also work for kids much younger, and some of them would work for older kids. If you’re a busy teacher or homeschooling parent, I hope you find good ideas you can use.

While this list focuses especially on persuasive writing, it offers a wide range of subjects. I think many students will feel strongly about them since they know about them firsthand, and they may have fun writing about them. Some prompts may encourage students to try to persuade through the use of humor and personal stories, while others may lead them to compare and contrast two things or use logic and/or ethical arguments to support their points of view. Hopefully, their strong feelings will lead student writers to experience persuasive writing as an essential tool for their success.[spacer height=”20px”]

50 Essay Topics for Kids | fun creative writing prompts for busy teachers and homeschoolers (image: stack of spiral notebooks)

Personal Narrative Essay Ideas

The three things I can’t live without are…
In the past year, I’ve changed in the following ways…
A close call I once had occurred when…
My favorite hour of the day is…
I once got lost for a long period of time at…
One thing I love to shop for is…
The best sporting event I ever attended was…
Here’s a time that I was scared but took a chance.
Here’s what happened when I tried something for the first time.
The thing I’m most looking forward to this summer is…
A decision that was very hard to make for me was…
The last time I laughed really really hard was…
A time I was really proud of one of my parents/siblings was…
Describe a favorite family photo and the story it tells.
One time when I was having dinner with my family…

Persuasive Essay Ideas

Why It’s Important To Be a Good Winner
How to Make Friends and Keep Them
To Be Successful, You Need To…
How to Disagree With Someone Without Being Rude
The Best Thing About This School Is….and Here’s Why
The Best Place to Live Would Be…and Here’s Why
Why It’s Important to Set Goals
How to Prevent Bullying
Students Should Be Allowed to Learn At Their Own Pace
The Best TV Show On Right Now Is…Because….
The Best TV Show Ever Made Is….and Here’s Why
My Favorite Superhero Is…Because…
Why My Favorite Sport Is the Best Sport
Students Should/Shouldn’t Have Their Phones at School
Our Country Would Be Better If We Passed This Law
No One Should Ever Watch More Than Four Hours of TV, Movies, and Videos a Day
Why It’s Time to Remove the Penny From Circulation
It’s Likely that Extraterrestrials Exist
Taking Photographs of People Without Their Permission Should Be Prohibited
Telling A Lie Is/Isn’t Always Wrong

Compare and Contrast Essay Ideas

Baseball and basketball have both similarities and differences.
Here’s what I would and wouldn’t be willing to do for a million dollars
The biggest differences between winter and spring are…
Ways I’m alike and ways I’m different from my parent/sibling are…
Cats and dogs may be very different, but they’re also alike in some respects.
My two favorite bands compare and contrast in the following ways.
Compare and contrast your two favorite superheroes.
My two favorite restaurants are different in many ways.
Though very different, the sun and the moon do have a few similarities.
While my two favorite classes have key differences, they also have much in common
Skating and running have a lot in common.
Parent teachers and classroom teachers are different and alike in many ways.
Poems and stories have some similarities and some differences.
PCs and Mac computers have less in common than you might think.
The book and movie version of my favorite story have a lot of similarities, but they’re different in some ways.

50 Essay Topics for Kids | image: Open blank notebook and pen

If you have other ideas for easy essay topics for middle school, let us know in the comments. And if you liked the list, please share them on Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter—we appreciate it, and busy teachers might appreciate it, too! Thanks for reading this, and have a great day!

– Gill Donovan

25 Christmas Writing Prompts for holiday inspiration! #fiction #ideas #idea starters #stories #romance

Discover more from BRYN DONOVAN

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Type your email…

Choose Your Test

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.

Student and Parent Forum

Our new student and parent forum, at ExpertHub.PrepScholar.com , allow you to interact with your peers and the PrepScholar staff. See how other students and parents are navigating high school, college, and the college admissions process. Ask questions; get answers.

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

Improve With Our Famous Guides

For All Students

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points

How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 800 on Each SAT Section:

Score 800 on SAT Math

Score 800 on SAT Reading

Score 800 on SAT Writing

Series: How to Get to 600 on Each SAT Section:

Score 600 on SAT Math

Score 600 on SAT Reading

Score 600 on SAT Writing

Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests

What SAT Target Score Should You Be Aiming For?

15 Strategies to Improve Your SAT Essay

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points

How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 36 on Each ACT Section:

36 on ACT English

36 on ACT Math

36 on ACT Reading

36 on ACT Science

Series: How to Get to 24 on Each ACT Section:

24 on ACT English

24 on ACT Math

24 on ACT Reading

24 on ACT Science

What ACT target score should you be aiming for?

ACT Vocabulary You Must Know

ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score

How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League

How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA

How to Write an Amazing College Essay

What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For?

Is the ACT easier than the SAT? A Comprehensive Guide

Should you retake your SAT or ACT?

When should you take the SAT or ACT?

Stay Informed

Get the latest articles and test prep tips!

Looking for Graduate School Test Prep?

Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here:

GRE Online Prep Blog

GMAT Online Prep Blog

TOEFL Online Prep Blog

Holly R. "I am absolutely overjoyed and cannot thank you enough for helping me!”

ThinkWritten

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!

We may receive a commission when you make a purchase from one of our links for products and services we recommend. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for support!

Sharing is caring!

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?

Writing Prompt: What would it be like if your teddy bear came to life?

#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?

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.

42 Fantasy Writing Prompts & Plot Ideas

365 Creative Writing Prompts

7 Creative Writing Exercises For Writers

101 Poetry Prompts & Ideas for Writing Poems

108 Romance Writing Prompts & Love Story Ideas

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! ❤️

How to Teach Your Child to Write an Essay – Step by Step

Children are naturally creative, and essay writing should come easy to them. But it usually doesn’t.

So, how can you teach your child essay writing while making the process enjoyable for both of you?

I’m Tutor Phil, and in this article I’ll show you how to teach your child how to express thoughts on paper, even if some resistance is present.

We’ll first learn three principles that will help you make progress fast. And then we’ll go through the step-by-step process of teaching your child how to write an essay.

Principle 1. Clarity equals motivation

We’ve all heard the expression: “You can lead the horse to the water, but you can’t make it drink.” One of your concerns can be your child’s motivation.

You may be convinced that your child hates writing or is really bored with it. Perhaps your child will do anything to avoid sitting down to write.

And you know what – any or all of the above may be true. But your child can still learn how to write an essay because it is not the lack of motivation per se that is the problem.

In this short video, Dr. Lee Hausner gives some eye-opening advice about motivating a child:

Here are the key points Dr. Hausner makes:

You cannot create motivation in somebody else.
Strong parents often mistakenly feel that they can transfer their motivation onto their children.
Motivation is internal.
Simplistic formula: “ Activity + Satisfaction = Motivation .”
Conversely, “ Activity + Stress & Pressure = Avoidance .”
Create an environment where your child can be successful and enjoy what he does.
Encourage and reward any small success and bit of progress.

Let’s apply these principles to motivating a child in writing an essay.

How to motivate a child to write

Chances are that if your child would rather not engage in writing, that is primarily because the process is fuzzy in his mind (and I’ll use the pronoun “he” to refer to your child throughout the tutorial, for the sake of elegance and brevity).

You see, essay writing is not really taught in school. It is taught kind of sort of, but not really.

Assigning a topic, grading the essays, and making suggestions for improvement is not teaching. It’s only a part of the process.

To teach is to give the student a method, a step-by-step process, in which every step can be measured and improved.

That’s what I’m about to give you. And that’s what you will need to effectively teach your child.

But when a child does not have a step-by-step method, the process is fuzzy in his mind. And whatever is fuzzy is viewed as complicated and difficult because it’s like eating an elephant whole.

Let’s revisit Dr. Hausner’s formula: “ Activity + Satisfaction = Motivation .”

Activity can be satisfying only if it is successful to some degree. When your child succeeds at something, and you acknowledge him for it, that becomes fun, enjoyable, and satisfying.

But you see, it’s hard to succeed at something without knowing what you’re doing. And even if you succeed, if you did not follow a recipe, then in the back of your mind you suspect that you probably can’t repeat or replicate the success.

Not knowing what to do while being expected to do it is a recipe for avoidance. And guess what – your child probably got his share of fuzzy instructions.

For example, consider this instruction:

“Tie it all together.”

This statement is meaningless – to a child or even to an adult. What does it really mean to “tie it all together?” And yet, this is how they usually teach how to write a conclusion paragraph, as an example.

But such a statement only creates fuzziness and demotivates.

So, in this tutorial, we’ll be cultivating clarity. I’ll be giving you crystal clear instructions so you could develop clarity in yourself and help your child develop it, too.

Principle 2. Writing is thinking on paper

An essay consists of sentences. The word “ sentence ” comes from the Latin word “sententia,” which means “thought.”

Thus, to write literally means to express thoughts on paper. Why is this important?

This is important because by teaching your child how to write an essay, you’re really teaching him how to think .

Your child will carry this skill through his entire life. It will be useful, even indispensable in:

Acing standardized tests
Writing papers in college
Putting together reports and presentation professionally
Defending a point of view effectively

You can tell I take essay writing seriously 🙂

But if you ever run out of patience yourself, just remember that you’re really teaching your child how to think.

Principle 3. Essays are built not written

When you child hears the word “ write ,” he gets that queasy feeling in the pit of his stomach.

We’ll make it a lot easier for him by thinking of writing an essay and referring to it as just “ building an essay.”

If your child has ever loved playing with Lego, then the method you’re about to learn will feel familiar, both in terms of motivation and developing the skill.

By the way, if you want to brush up your own essay writing skills before you sit down with your child to teach him, I highly recommend this article: Essay Writing for Beginners .

All right – without further ado, here are…

Six steps to teaching your child essay writing:

Step 1. Pick a topic and say something about it

In order to write, your child must write about something . That something is the subject of the essay. In this step, you want to help your child pick a topic and say something about it.

In essence, you’re asking your child these two questions:

What will your essay be about?

What about it?

For example,

“My essay will be about grandma’s lasagna.”

“Okay. What about grandma’s lasagna?”

“It’s my favorite food.”

The result will be a complete main point, also known as the thesis. A thesis is the main point of the entire essay summarized in one sentence:

“My grandma’s lasagna is my favorite food.”

Boom! Now, the reader knows exactly what this essay will be about. It is also clear that this is going to be a glowing review.

Here’s my short video explaining what a thesis is:

When teaching a child, it’s important to keep the topic unilateral. In other words, it should be either positive or negative. It should be one simple idea.

Don’t start out trying to develop a more complex topic that offers a balanced perspective with positives and negatives. Don’t do a compare/contrast, either. Keep it simple for now.

This is the first step because the main point is the genesis for all other ideas in the essay .

How to help your child pick a topic

Encourage your child to pick a topic he can get excited about because then he’ll be enthusiastic thinking and talking about it.

Try to think of some of the things you know he is interested in. He can write an essay about absolutely anything.

It doesn’t have to be a serious or an academic subject. It could be anything from apple pie to Spiderman.

Of course, the subject should be informed by your child’s age, as well. But once you sit down to work on essay writing, make it clear to your child that he can pick any topic he wants.

Ask your child what he would like to write about or “build into an essay.” And whatever he chooses, just run with it. That’s what your first essay together will be about.

Once you’re settled on the topic, just have your child write it down on a piece of paper or type it into the computer.

Here is a list of suggestions for essay topics to give a try:

What I love the most about the summer
My favorite thing to do on weekends
John is my best friend because…
Essay writing is…
My least favorite day of the week is…
My favorite season is…
It is important to be brave (intelligent, skillful at something, etc.)
If I could have any animal for a pet, it would be…
My sister (brother) makes my life (exciting, difficult, etc.)
Holidays are fun times (or dreadful times).

Remember – this is not the only or the last essay you’ll write together. Just encourage your child to pick a topic and write it down. Now, you’re ready for the next step.

Step 2. Practice the Power of Three

We’re building our essays, remember? Not writing them. At least at this point, all you’ve done is encouraged your child to pick a topic. No writing involved yet.

In this step, no real writing is involved, either. It’s just a mental exercise, really.

In writing or building an essay, it is necessary to break things into parts. Young children love to break things because they want to see how something works or what it looks like inside.

How do you write an essay about an egg?

You must first divide the concept of an egg into parts. How do you do that? I highly recommend this simple technique I call the Power of Three.

Three is an optimal number for a young brain, and really for adults, as well, to think about and process. Our brain thinks like this: “One, two, three, many.”

One doesn’t help us because you’re not dividing. Two is okay but not quite enough ideas to develop.

Three is easy to deal with while giving your child a challenge. And let’s set the record straight – thinking is not easy. It is challenging. This is why so few people teach it.

But we’re making it fun by breaking it into steps and providing clear instructions.

Okay, so back to the egg. Let’s apply the power of three to the idea of an egg:

You see, if we only have a whole egg as an idea, it’s like staring at the blank screen or sheet of paper. Nothing causes the writer’s block better than one solid piece.

But now that we’ve divided this idea into three sub-ideas, or supporting ideas, this makes our life discussing eggs a lot easier.

Now, if we wanted to write an essay about eggs, we can discuss:

The yolk and its color, taste, and nutritional content
The egg white, its color, taste, and nutritional content
The shell, its color, texture, and shape

Note that when we divide a topic or an idea, each part must be different from the other parts in some important ways. In other words, we want three distinct parts.

You can use this part of the tutorial and ask your child to think about how to divide an egg into parts. It’s a very intuitive step, and your child will love the challenge.

And by the way, you child may get very creative about it because the answer is not necessarily the yolks, the white, and the shell. It could be:

Chicken eggs
Ostrich eggs
Boiled eggs

Whatever way to divide eggs into three concepts your child comes up with, approve and praise it. Now, let’s apply the power of three to an actual topic.

We need a topic that we’ll use for the rest of the tutorial. Here it is:

“If I could have any animal for a pet, it would be a panther.”

Applying the Power of Three to an essay topic

Let’s apply what we just learned to this topic about a panther. Note that we have the entire thesis, a complete main point. Our subject is “a panther as a pet.”

We’re just using this example with an understanding that panthers don’t make good pets and belong in the wild. But since we asked, we should roll with the child’s imagination.

Now, you want to encourage your child to come up with three reasons why he would choose a panther as a pet.

This is a challenging step. The first one or two reasons will come relatively easily. The third reason usually makes the child, anyone really, scratch his head a little.

Let’s come up with three reasons why a panther might make a great pet.

Reason 1. Panthers are magnificently beautiful.

Great! That’s a good reason.

Reason 2. A panther is more powerful than virtually any other pet.

That’s another legitimate reason to want a panther for a pet – you’re the king of the neighborhood, if not the whole town.

And now, we’re thinking of reason 3, which will be the most challenging, so be ready for that.

Reason 3. Panthers are loyal.

I’m making this one up because I really have no idea if panthers are loyal to their human owners when they have any. But I need a reason, this is just a practice essay, and anything goes.

When your child comes up with a reason that is not necessarily true or plausible, let him run with it. What really matters is how well he can support his points by using his logic and imagination.

Working with facts is next level. Right now, you want your child to get comfortable dividing topics into subtopics.

The only criterion that matters is whether this subtopic actually helps support the main idea. If it does, it works.

Step 3. Build a clear thesis statement

Once you know the topic and the supporting points, you have everything you need to write out the thesis statement. Note that there is a difference between a thesis and a thesis statement.

Here’s a short video with a simple definition and example of a thesis statement:

Once you and your child have completed steps 1 & 2 thoroughly, step 3 is really easy. All you need to do is write out the thesis statement, using the information you already have.

In fact, at this point, you should have every sentence of your statement and just need to put them all together into one paragraph. Let’s write out our complete thesis statement:

“If I could have any animal for a pet, it would be a panther, for three reasons. Panthers are magnificently beautiful. They are more powerful than virtually any other kind of a pet. And they are loyal.”

Note that we added the phrase “ for three reasons ” to indicate that we are introducing the actual reasons. In other words, we are building an introductory paragraph. We’re just presenting our main and supporting points here.

When you read this opening paragraph, you unmistakably come away with a clear idea of what this essay is about. It makes a simple statement and declares three reasons why it is true. And that’s it.

It is so clear that not even the least careful reader in the world can possibly miss the point. This is the kind of writing you want to cultivate in your child. Because, remember, writing reflects thinking. It would be impossible to write this paragraph without thinking clearly.

Note also that there is no need for embellishments or other kinds of fluff. Elegant writing is like sculpture – you take away until there is no more left to take away.

And guess what – we now have a great first paragraph going! Without much writing, we have just written the first paragraph. We were mostly building and dividing and thinking and imagining. And the result is a whole opening paragraph.

Step 4. Build the body of the essay

The body of the essay is where the main point is supported with evidence. Let’s revisit one of the rules of writing – to write an essay, you need to divide things into parts.

The body of the essay is always divided into sections. Now, since your child is presumably a beginner, we simply call the sections paragraphs.

But keep in mind that a section can have more than one paragraph. An essay does not necessarily have the standard 5-paragraph structure. It can be as long as your child wants.

But in this tutorial, each of our sections has just one paragraph, and that’s perfectly sufficient.

How many sections will our body of the essay have? Well, we used the power of three, we came up with three supporting points, and so the body of the essay should naturally contain three paragraphs.

How long should the paragraphs be? Let me show you how to gauge word count.

This is just an example of how you can teach your child to distribute the number of words across paragraphs.

As you can see, our body paragraphs should probably be longer than the introductory paragraph and the conclusion.

This is how I always teach my students to go about a writing assignment that has a certain word count requirement. The essay above will contain about 400 words.

If your child needs to write 600 words, then the following might be a good distribution:

Introductory paragraph – 75 words
Body paragraph 1 – 150 words
Body paragraph 2 – 150 words
Body paragraph 3 – 150 words
Conclusion – 75 words

By doing this kind of essay arithmetic, it is easy to map out how much to write in each paragraph and not go overboard in any part of the essay.

Body paragraph structure

A paragraph in the body of an essay has a distinct structure. And this structure is not restrictive but it is rather liberating because your child will know exactly how to build it out.

The first sentence in the body paragraph is always the lead sentence. It must summarize the contents of the paragraph.

The good news is that this sentence is usually a form of one of the sentences that we’ve already written. How so?

Well, in our thesis statement, we have three supporting points. Each of them is essentially a lead sentence for that section or paragraph of the essay. For example, consider this sentence from our thesis statement:

“Panthers are magnificently beautiful.”

This is the first reason that your child would like a panther as a pet. It is also a very clear standalone sentence.

It is also an almost perfect lead sentence. I say “ almost ” because we don’t want to repeat sentences in an essay.

So, we’ll take this sentence as a base and add one or two words to it. We can also change a word or two by using synonyms. That way, we’ll expand it just slightly and turn it into a perfect lead sentence for our first body paragraph:

“ Panthers are very beautiful and graceful animals.”

Okay, so we added the epithet “graceful,” but that’s okay because grace is virtually synonymous with beauty. And now we have a great lead sentence and are ready to proceed.

Let’s write out the entire first body paragraph and see how it works:

“ Panthers are very graceful and beautiful animals. When portrayed in documentaries about animals, panthers are nicely balanced. They are not as huge as tigers or lions. And their size allows them to be nimble and flexible. Their size and agility make them move very beautifully, almost artistically. When I imagine walking with a pet like that on the street, I can see people staring at my panther and admiring its beauty. It would definitely be the most beautiful pet in my entire neighborhood.”

The first sentence, as we already know, is the lead sentence. The next three sentences explain how panthers’ balanced size and agility make them graceful.

The following sentence is an explanation of how these qualities make them beautiful through the power of movement.

And finally comes the most specific bit of evidence – an example. This child paints a perfect picture of himself walking his pet panther on a leash. People admire the animal’s beauty, and the kid gets a tremendous kick out of this experience.

It is an example because it contains imagery, perhaps even sounds. It is a specific event happening in a particular place and time.

As you can see, this paragraph proceeds from general to specific. It also follows the structure in the diagram perfectly.

Guide your child through writing two more of these paragraphs, following the same organization. And you’re done with the body.

Proceeding from general to specific

Argumentative (expository) essays always proceed from general to specific. Our most general statement is the thesis, and it’s the first statement in the essay.

Then we have our supporting points, and each of them is more specific than the thesis but more general than anything else in the essay.

Each lead sentence is slightly more specific than the preceding supporting points in the thesis statement.

Then, an explanation is even more specific. And finally, examples are the most specific elements in an essay.

When working with your child, cultivate this ability to see the difference between the general and the specific. And help your child proceed in that manner in the essay.

This ability is a mark of a developed and mature writer and thinker.

Step 5. Add the conclusion

I almost always recommend concluding an essay with a simple restatement. Meaning, your child should learn how to say the same things in different words in the conclusion.

Why did I say, “almost?” Because some teachers will require that your child write a conclusion without repetition.

In that case, the teacher should instruct the student what she expects to read in the conclusion. A great way to deal with this situation is to approach the teacher and ask what kind of a conclusion she expects.

And she’ll say what she wants, and your child will simply abide.

But in the vast majority of cases, simple restatement works just fine. All it really entails is writing out an equivalent of the thesis statement – only using different words and phrases.

Here is our thesis statement:

And here’s our conclusion:

“I would love to have a panther as a pet. Panthers are such magnificent animals that everyone would admire my pet. People would also respect it and keep some distance because of its power. And the loyalty of panthers would definitely seal the deal.”

All we did was restate the points previously made. Let your child master writing this kind of a conclusion. And if you’d like a detailed tutorial on how to write conclusions, I wrote one you can access here .

Step 6. Add an introductory sentence

The final step is to add one sentence in the first paragraph. I didn’t use to teach it because it’s perfectly fine to get straight to the point in an essay.

This little introduction is an equivalent of clearing your throat 🙂

However, teachers in school and professors in college expect some kind of an introduction. So, all your child has to do is add one introductory sentence right before the thesis.

This sentence should be even more general than the thesis. It should kind of pull the reader from his world into the world of the essay.

Let’s write such a sentence as our introduction:

“Not all pets are created equal, and people have their choices.”

And here’s our complete introductory paragraph:

And this concludes the tutorial. You can keep coming back to it as often as you want to follow the steps, using different topics.

If you’d like the help of a professional, don’t hesitate and hit me up .

Tutor Phil is an e-learning professional who helps adult learners finish their degrees by teaching them academic writing skills.

7 Tips to Teach Essay Writing to Your Children

Writing is one of the most important skills for your child’s education. The unfortunate thing is that classroom settings often don’t provide enough practice time to really hone those writing skills. Experts from Ace Papers can provide good lessons and instruction, but there’s still a lot of slack for parents to pick up. Follow these seven tips to teach essay writing to your children.

Refresh on basic writing skills

Before you dive into essay writing, make sure your child has a good grasp on the basic elements of writing. Make sure they know the importance of things such as proper spelling and the rules of grammar. Remember to teach them these concepts at an age appropriate level, you don’t need to deliver a huge lecture. Be patient and correct them when they make a mistake and explain what the proper way to do things is. These fundamentals are the basic building blocks that you’ll be building their essay skills on. Here is an assortment of ideas to choose research paper help , combine or alter in order to come up with the answer that works best for your kid.

Start with a thesis

“Explaining an abstract concept such as a thesis to child can be challenging, but it’s a necessary understanding if they are to write an essay. Give them clear direction and simple examples to help explain what a thesis is and why it’s so important to an essay. Provide some prompts to get them started or give them some examples of what a good thesis statement is,” writes Carolyn Kirsch, educator at Academized . Try and emphasize that the thesis is the core of an essay, everything else is built out from it.

Show them how to write an outline

Your outline is a master plan for your essay and will include all the important elements. A lot of children aren’t comfortable expressing their thoughts in writing, and an outline is a great way to encourage them and show them the logical context of their essay. Show them the basic structure, including the introduction, main body, and conclusion. Explain to them that the main body is where they will make their arguments and the conclusion should be a thoughtful summary of their main points.

Encourage them to read

One of the best ways for your child to improve their writing is simply by teaching them to love reading. Reading is great because it gives them plenty of good writing examples to soak up and learn from. Reading is also a good way to increase their vocabulary and that is key for improving writing skills. The more your child reads the more they will learn about how sentences work together and the stronger their essay writing skills will be.

Practice lots

Writing practice is very important to building essay writing skills. A lot of kids don’t get very much writing practice in the classroom. Teachers will explain the basics and give them some exercises, but the time spent writing in the classroom is very limited. Encourage your child to write at home. Help them by giving them a theme to write about for the day. The next day, you can build off that theme by having them write an essay about it.

Use technology to help your child

Chances are you associate technology with distracting your child from reading and writing. But used properly, certain technologies can be very helpful to improving your child’s essay writing skills. Don’t be afraid to let them use the tablet if they prefer to read and write using that device. Just remember though to ensure your child doesn’t copy information from other resources online. We asked online expert Adam Collins regarding how lenient colleges & schools are when it comes to plagiarism in essays, he said “Most establishments now have comprehensive plagiarism checkers when marking essays, its important children steer clear of the temptation on copy a sentence of two from different resources, as this will now be flagged easily by the tools. Pinterest can also be a great tool because it is very useful for organizing materials, and since essay writing involves research, Pinterest can be very helpful.

Online tools can help teach your kid essay writing

There are a lot of resources on the web that can help you teach essay writing to your child. Here are a few to get started with:

ViaWriting and WritingPopulist – These grammar resources are great for simplifying the writing process and making grammar a bit more approachable.
BigAssignments and EssayRoo – Proofreading is something a lot of children struggle with, and it requires a lot of attention to detail. These proofreading tools, suggested by Revieweal , can help.
StudyDemic and StateofWriting – Read through these blogs with your child and you’ll get access to lots of helpful suggestions on essay writing.
BoomEssays and UKWritings – These are editing tools that have been reviewed in Boomessays review and are very helpful at catching the mistakes you are likely to miss on your own.
MyWritingWay and LetsGoandLearn – Check out these academic writing guides for help teaching your child to write an essay. They are simple and will walk your kid through the writing process step by step.

Conclusion The writing skills you teach your kid now will serve them for the rest of their life. Writing is a huge part of success not just in high school, but especially in college and the working world. Use these seven tips to teach essay writing to your children.

View the discussion thread.

Grace Carter is a mom who works remotely at Coursework Writing Service and Paper Fellows websites. There she manages blog posts, works with a team of proofreaders. Also, Grace teaches academic writing at the Elite Assignment Help services

Other Bloggers You May Like

Latest Articles

KITH Voices

Create Account
Top Products
Parent 2 Parent
ALL PARENTS
SPECIAL NEEDS
Law & Money
Other Specialties
Safety & Security
Special Needs
Premium Subscription

Read and write

Writing practice

Do you like writing in English? In this section you can practise writing different types of texts with an example to help you. Read, write, play games, print activities and post comments!

Level 1 writing

Read, write, play games, print activities and post comments! For learners at level 1.

Level 2 writing

Read, write, play games, print activities and post comments! For learners at level 2.

Level 3 writing

Read, write, play games, print activities and post comments! For learners at level 3.

English courses for children aged 6-17

Sign up to our newsletter for free learning tips and resources

We will process your data to send you our newsletter and updates based on your consent. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of every email. Read our privacy policy for more information.

How to Teach Kids Persuasive Writing: Books & Teaching Tips

This post may contain affiliate links.

Imagine being able to change someone’s mind with written words! Teaching children persuasive writing will help them become better thinkers. Not to mention, teaching children to spot persuasive arguments in the world (writing, media, etc.) will help them become critical thinkers.

Persuasive writing is a form of writing in which the writer influences the reader’s opinion and uses persuasive arguments to convince the reader of their point of view.

Writing persuasive arguments conveys to the audience what the author thinks the readers need to know in order to be persuaded about the author’s opinion.

Persuasive writing is not to be confused with opinion writing, however, which uses language such as “I believe” and does not provide evidentiary support. Opinion writing is subjective. While persuasive writing is also someone’s point of view, it’s not opinions without evidence. In persuasive writing, writers use persuasive arguments to defend their position with statements supported by facts.

Persuasive writing teaches:

how to state a viewpoint
how to disagree in an agreeable manner
how to see different opinions
a development of critical thinking skills
how to gather and state factual information

Persuasive Writing: Mentor Texts

Mentor texts are a great way to introduce persuasive writing. Before you read, ask children to predict what they think the story will try to persuade someone to do. After you read, confirm or change what the persuasive topic was in the story.

Ask readers if they felt like the persuasive arguments were successful and why.

Make a list of topics from these mentor text choices.

The Big Bed written by Bunmi Laditan, illustrated by Tom Knight A little girl presents amusing and persuasive arguments to her father, offering her reasons for why she should get Mommy’s bedtime cuddles and not him.

I Wanna Iguana written by Karen Kauffman Orlaff, illustrated by David Catrow A boy desperately wants an iguana as a pet. Through letter writing between mom and son, each gives arguments for their side. Whose persuasive writing will be more convincing?

One Word from Sofia written by Jim Averbeck, illustrated by Yasmeen Ismail It’s Sofia’s birthday, and she wants a pet giraffe. She uses persuasive arguments to convince her family—a judge, a businessman, a politician, and Grand-mama—in a manner that would appeal to each in particular through a slideshow, a graph, charts, and a surprising “one word.”

President Squid written by Aaron Reynolds, illustrated by Sara Varon A squid decides to be president and presents five reasons why he would make a good president. Are these reasons good enough?

Who Would Win?: Killer Whale vs. Great While Shark by Jerry Pallotta, illustrated by Rob Bolster (or another book from the Who Would Win? series) In this nonfiction series, facts are presented about opposing animals leading up to a battle. Who will win? Read to find out.

I’m Trying to Love Spiders written and illustrated by Bethany Barton Learn interesting spider facts from a different, hilarious perspective as the author tries to persuade herself to go from a fear of spiders to loving spiders.

After reading, discuss what the main characters wanted, what their arguments were, how they supported their arguments, who their audiences were, and if their persuasive arguments were effective or not.

How to Teach Persuasive Paragraph and Essay Writing

Everything you teach children needs to be modeled first. You will show students exactly the steps as you write in front of them your own example essay or two. A “write aloud.”

Step 1: Students will brainstorm and select a topic.

Help students brainstorm topics. Start with the topics from the mentor text and add more to that list. What is something they are passionate about? What do they want others to believe in, also?

Teaching Tip: Once students have picked a topic, you can add additional criteria to a topic to allow students to think about it in different ways. For example, instead of asking who is the best superhero, try one of these questions: Which superhero is the most interesting? Which superhero is the most useful?

Combine writing topics with other school subjects:

Who is the most influential president, Lincoln or Washington?

Which insect is the most interesting pollinator?

Which renewable resource is the most beneficial?

Step 2: Students will select their point of view on the topic. In other words, what stance does the student take on the topic?

Step 3: Students will identify their audience. Who is their reader, and what will it take to persuade them to change their mind or agree with the student?

Step 4: Students will write a beginning sentence that states their point of view and grabs their reader’s attention. (If an essay, this is a paragraph.)

Step 5: Students will choose a meaningful argument, generating at least three reasons and finding facts to support those reasons. (If an essay, one paragraph for each reason.) This is the most important part of the persuasive essay. Why? What are the arguments for their position? And what support can they find for their reasons?

Remember to model this before asking students to get started. You can use a silly example, such as why teachers should always chew bubble gum, with silly reasons like jaw health and cool bubbles. Then, you can talk about how to find evidence — and what to do if they can’t find evidence. (Change topics!) Do another topic that kids won’t use and show them how to think through what would support their reasons.

Help students evaluate supportive evidence. Is it persuasive if their neighbor agrees? How about 75% of American 3rd graders? Or 2% of all dogs?

Step 6: Students will conclude their essay with a sentence that restates their position and hooks or a call to action. (If an essay, this is a paragraph.)

Step 7: Students will revise their writing for reasoning, transition words , and a convincing argument. Be sure to provide a rubric for what you’re grading for both the essay, revision, and editing.

Step 8: Students will edit their writing for punctuation, spelling, and grammar.

Get the Transition Word List!

This form collects information we will use to send you book lists and news. We will not share or sell your personal information. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Persuasive Writing Extended Activities

What other learning activities can you do to teach children the art of persuasion?

Have a debate.
Make a commercial.
Create an advertisement or a brochure.

When you teach students the power of someone else seeing your viewpoint, even if they may not agree, it is empowering!

Persuasive Writing Additional Resources

Writing to Persuade: Minilessons to Help Students Plan, Draft, and Revise, Grades 3-8 written by Karen Caine This teacher resource book offers readily available daily or year-long lesson plans for teaching the ins and outs of persuasive writing.

Help your students organize their persuasive writing with graphic organizers on the Scholastic website .

KEEP READING

Cause and Effect Examples

Text Features

Wordless Books

Christmas Books

Ann Kelley, a member of SCBWI and Courage to Create, holds a M.S. Ed in counseling and a certificate in Gifted and Talented education. When not writing or reading armloads of books (picture books are her favorite), Ann can be found exploring nature, devising cookie recipes, and volunteering at her local library.

Children’s Picture Books Winter 2015

Hands-On Dr. Eureka!

Tugie – Fun Coordination Game for the Family

Struggling readers read your own writing.

50 Best Science Fiction Books for Kids

How to Prevent the Summer Slide in Reading and Writing

Creative Writing Ideas For 7 And 8 Year Olds

We are finally turning a huge corner in our homeschool when it comes to writing! This year, my 1st and 2nd grader (pretty equal in their writing abilities) are starting to write more on their own. I’m excited to share some creative writing project ideas we’ve been doing that don’t feel like school! They’ve actually improved their writing and I can see their confidence growing.

Below you’ll find short, natural, unschooly (just made that a word…) ways we’ve snuck in more writing this year. Some of these are so easy the kids don’t seem to think I’m checking that mental handwriting box off their daily to do list!

If you have a late writer, a sloppy writer, or a kid who avoids writing in the early elementary stages…this post is for you! Be sure to check out my homeschool resource page too! And if you are new to homeschooling, be sure to check out how to start homeschooling for the total beginner .

A handful of writing projects including mad libs, book bingo, a spinner, and mini books created by a 1st and 2nd grader.

My goal for 1st and 2nd grade writing

It’s been hard for me as a homeschool mom to trust the process…to believe they will write more when they are ready.

I’ve seen a huge leap in ability this year for both kids. My 7 year old has more stamina and desire to write, but lacks the spelling intuition because she’s a new reader. My 8.5 year old can spell quite a few things (or get close) because he is older and an avid reader. But he lacks the desire to write.

My goal for our homeschool writing at this stage:

Know what they have to say is important and can be put on paper!
Not worry so much about spelling perfection that they don’t write at all. (This is very hard for one of my kids.)
Find writing useful.
Write something every day , either in our handwriting books or creative writing projects.

This is largely inspired by Julie Bogart, author of Brave Learner .

What we’ve done to strengthen their hands up to this point

Before I tell you how I’ve seen my kids start to do more creative writing, I want to mention how they’ve learned to physically write letters.

Around preschool or kindergarten age we begin to do some letter tracing . (My oldest son was 5.5 and my daughter was 4). Totally different kids.

We had to back off of any pencil work with my son for a while and just encourage hand strengthening play like Legos, Play Doh, etc till he didn’t struggle so much.

My 3rd child just turned 5 and I’m going to hold off till he’s about 6 as well. So he’ll technically be in kindergarten when he learns to write his letters. It’s just SO much easier to wait.

Handwriting Without Tears as the foundation before writing projects

At the start of my kids 1st and 2nd grade year , I decided to have them start a formal handwriting curriculum (Handwriting Without Tears). I felt we needed a refresher on carefully writing letters. They were getting sloppy.

You can watch my YouTube video here on picking a level and what’s different about the kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade handwriting levels.

Levels we have:

1st grade (My Printing Book)
2nd grade (Printing Power)

Here’s a mid year update of how 1st and 2nd grade year has been going for all subjects if you want to read.

I love having a workbook so I can send them to do one page a day. I only have them do this if we don’t do any other writing for the day.

Copywork daily, except the days we do any other kind of writing

Handwriting Without Tears actually contains most of the copywork we do. We also copy 1-2 sentences from whatever book we are reading through the Brave Writer Darts , and we skip Handwriting Without Tears on those days.

As they’ve trained their hand to do the motions neatly, through copywork, it’s made writing on their own easier. They don’t have to think so hard about how to form an e, how to spell “the”, or how to space their words apart just right. It’s becoming automatic.

We don’t usually draw a picture with our copywork, but if you provide them with a space for it, like the one pictured below, I’m sure they’ll draw a picture more often!

Ok, onto writing projects I’ve asked them to do this year that don’t feel overwhelming!

copywork from Trumpet of the Swan plus pictures above.

Creative Writing Ideas for 7 And 8 Year Olds

1. making lists.

We’ve asked our 1st and 2nd grader to make a lot of lists this year. Christmas lists, birthday lists, lists of things to bring to the ocean, etc. You get the idea!

Lists are short, easy, and help them to group items.

2. Scavenger Hunts

My husband made a short little scavenger hunt for the kids outside, with a piece of candy hidden with the last clue. They LOVED it. (Yes, he’s so fun like that!)

Anyways, it got their creative juices going because they’ve made their own too.

We’ve done it two ways.

One, they tell me what clues to write on strips of paper and I write it word for word.
They write the clues down and make up their own spelling or ask me here and there how to spell something.

I’ve learned from our Jot It Down curriculum by Brave Writer, that it’s ok to write for them if it’s their voice I’m writing. Contrary to what I’d believed, that they wouldn’t ever write if I do it for them, they have actually started writing their own with no coercion from me.

3. Book bingo from the library

Our library does this genius thing and makes a book bingo card every 3 months. The kids can fill in book titles they’ve read and turn it in for a change to win $50. Have we ever won? Nope. Are my kids motivated to fill theirs out? Yes!

Since my kids CAN write, I ask them to write the book titles in. It’s things like “Name of a book you read under a tree” or “Name of a book based on a true story”. Things like that.

book bingo papers written on by kids with book titles in the bingo squares.

4. Mini books

These are SO cute and the small size makes them less scary to the kids. We take a piece of printer paper, fold it in half and half again. Then cut the folds, stack, staple, and ta-da, you have a mini book.

My 2nd grader made a bug book, and my 1st grader made an animal book! We did this project maybe once a week, twice if I could remember.

Each time they’d pick ONE creature. They’d draw it (or cut it out of a magazine), and write something interesting about it from our Golden Books or from memory.

Whatever they wanted. No rules. Except sometimes I’d make them write a little more or add some color to the page. This will probably be the highlight keepsake for their homeschool records I keep this year!

BTW, I LOVE our Golden Guide Books for things like this, and also nature study. We have older ones, but the newer ones are very similar with updated covers. Here’s a few:

Reptiles and Amphibians
Butterflys and Moths
Rocks, Gems, and Minerals

5. Making a spinner

It’s super easy to make a spinner! To make this a writing project, your kids can be in charge of writing down what’s on the spaces.

We did this randomly one day when my son needed a prize for his sister for a game he made up. (I didn’t have any candy to his disappointment). So he made a spinner with cool prizes she could get. It melted my heart, not gonna’ lie.

a homemade paper spinner with a brad in the middle.This is a creative writing project perfect for 7 and 8 year olds!

How to make a spinner:

Trace something round on thick cardstock paper, (we used a bowl). Then, using a ruler draw your lines making as many sections as you like. Put a brad through the middle, with a paperclip (not pictured below) on the brad as the spinner.

What else could you make a spinner for? Here’s a few ideas:

Activities for a game like Simon Says.
Physical activity spinner where there’s actions on it like “10 jumping jacks” or “run around the house once”.
An “I’m bored” spinner with things to do on it.
Shows they like to watch but seem to argue over choosing…hmmm….this could be a good one!

6. Writing letters to family

Writing grandma or a cousin a letter is the perfect way to practice handwriting. I wish we did this more regularly.

Think of all they are learning here, while finding a PURPOSE in writing!

Caring about someone
Handwriting
Where the stamp goes
Their address
Drawing a picture

It’s also fun to put a little flat surprise in a letter if you can. The kids love it! A piece of gum, a sticker, a picture, origami, a photo, or even a dollar bill if it’s to another kid.

a handwritten letter by a 1st grader as a creative writing project idea for 7 and 8 year olds.

7. Labeling pictures

If you keep a nature journal, have your kids learn and label what they draw. Plus the date, and where they found it! These are short, small bursts of writing but they can do it and it has a purpose!

You could also trace their body outline on a long paper roll and have them label things like arms, legs, hair, etc.

Feel free to let them sound it out and guess spelling, help them spell it as they ask, or just write words down for them on a scratch piece of paper that they can copy onto their project.

A picture hand drawn by a small child and labeled in child's handwriting.

8. Mad Libs

We do this 2 ways.

I write while they practice thinking of verbs, nouns, adjectives, etc.
They write while I answer what verbs, nouns, adjectives which is where handwriting comes in.

This is SO fun. They ask to do this because it’s funny, doesn’t feel like school, and I love that it practices language arts and handwriting in such a natural way.

mad libs written by a 2nd grader for creative writing

9. Birthday cards

I have the kids make homemade birthday cards for any friend’s party they go to. I’ve found it’s easiest to write something they can copy so I don’t have to sit around.

Do I correct their spelling? Not unless they ask…here’s why.

There was a ton of “Mom, how do you spell —” for all these projects.

I used to stress over if I should do this or not. Would I create a dependence on me by helping them spell so much? Meh. For these projects…If they ask, I tell them. If they don’t ask and do creative spelling…I let them.

What I’ve found is they ask less as they get more familiar with common words . Also, the more they read, the better they get at spelling . Someday I may even do that teacher-y thing and get a poster up with a bunch of common words they can reference.

My oldest spells much better as he’s read TONS of books. He was an early reader, and can see the word’s spelling in his head often times. My 7 year old is just starting to read more, so spelling is farther off for her.

How I help them with spelling when they ask

With these creative writing projects for 7 and 8 year olds, I’m NOT concerned with perfection. I do want them to think about the sounds they know a word makes, like “black”.

If they write it on their own and spell it “blak” I’m ok with that for now. I’m also ok asking them, “How do you think you spell the sound bl in black?” They can often get that. Then I’ll help them finish the word if needed.

If I absolutely don’t want to be available to help with their spelling, I’ll tell them to write it how they think it sounds, and we can edit later if they want to. This *usually* satisfies them.

101 Interesting Persuasive Essay Topics for Kids and Teens

Use your words to sway the reader.

Persuasive Essay Topics: Should we allow little kids to play competitive sports?

Persuasive writing is one of those skills that can help students succeed in real life. Persuasive essays are similar to argumentative , but they rely less on facts and more on emotion to sway the reader. It’s important to know your audience so you can anticipate any counterarguments they might make and try to overcome them. Try reading some mentor texts to show kids great examples of opinion writing. Then use these persuasive essay topics for practice.

School and Education Persuasive Essay Topics

Life and ethics persuasive essay topics, science and technology persuasive essay topics, sports and entertainment persuasive essay topics, just for fun persuasive essay topics.

Do you think homework should be required, optional, or not given at all?

Persuasive Essay Topics: Do you think homework should be required, optional, or not given at all?

Students should/should not be able to use their phones during the school day.
Should schools have dress codes?
If I could change one school rule, it would be …
Is year-round school a good idea?
Should we stop giving final exams?
Is it better to be good at academics or good at sports?

Is it better to be good at academics or good at sports?

Which is better, private schools or public schools?
Should every student have to participate in athletics?
Do you think schools should ban junk food from their cafeterias?
Should students be required to volunteer in their communities?
What is the most important school subject?
Are letter grades helpful, or should we replace them with something else?

Persuasive Essay Topics: Are letter grades helpful, or should we replace them with something else?

Is it ever OK to cheat on homework or a test?
Should students get to grade their teachers?
Do you think college should be free for anyone who wants to attend?
Should schools be allowed to ban some books from their libraries?
Which is better, book smarts or street smarts?

Which is better, book smarts or street smarts?

Should all students have to learn a foreign language?
Are single-gender schools better or worse for students?
Is it OK to eat animals?
What animal makes the best pet?
Visit an animal shelter, choose an animal that needs a home, and write an essay persuading someone to adopt that animal.
If you find money on the ground, should you try to find the person who lost it, or is it yours to keep?

If you find money on the ground, should you try to find the person who lost it, or is it yours to keep?

Who faces more peer pressure, girls or boys?
Should all Americans be required to vote?
Is it better to be kind or truthful?
Which is better, giving or receiving?
Is it OK to keep animals in zoos?
Should we change the minimum driving age in the United States?

Should we change the minimum driving age in the United States?

Which is more important, happiness or success?
Is democracy the best form of government?
Is social media helpful or harmful?
Should parents be punished for their children’s mistakes or crimes?
Should kids have set bedtimes or just go to bed when they’re sleepy?
Do you think the government should find a way to provide free health care for everyone?

Do you think the government should find a way to provide free health care for everyone?

Is it better to save your allowance or spend it?
Should we ban plastic bags and bottles?
Which is better, living in the city or in the country?
If I could make a new law, it would be …
Is Pluto a planet?
Should human cloning be legal?
Should vaccines be mandatory?
Is it right for countries to still maintain nuclear weapon arsenals?

Is it right for countries to still maintain nuclear weapon arsenals?

Should testing on animals be made illegal?
Will expanded use of artificial intelligence be good for humanity?
Should all people have free Internet access in their homes?
Is there intelligent life on other planets?
Does technology create more jobs than it eliminates?
Should parents use their children’s cell phones to track where they are?
Should scientists try to develop a way for people to live forever?

Should scientists try to develop a way for people to live forever?

What’s the best type of smartphone: Android or iPhone?
Which is better, Macs or PCs?
Do people rely too much on technology in the modern world?
Should cryptocurrencies replace cash?
Should there be a minimum age requirement to own a smartphone?
Is it important to keep spending money on space exploration, or should we use the money for other things?

Is it important to keep spending money on space exploration, or should we use the money for other things?

Should kids under 13 be allowed to use social media sites?
Should we ban cigarette smoking and vaping entirely?
Is it better to be an animal that lives in the water or on land?
Should kids be allowed to watch TV on school nights?
Which is better, paper books or e-books?
Is the current movie rating system (G, PG, PG-13, etc.) effective?
Are video games better than board games?
Should we allow little kids to play competitive sports?

Should we allow little kids to play competitive sports?

Which is better, reading books or watching TV?
Does playing violent video games make people more violent in real life?
Are graphic novels just as valuable as traditional fictional books?
Should everyone play on the same sports teams, regardless of gender?
Choose a book that’s been made into a movie. Which was better, the movie or the book?

Choose a book that's been made into a movie. Which was better, the movie or the book?

Who is the world’s best athlete, present or past?
Are professional athletes/musicians/actors overpaid?
Which is better, fiction or nonfiction?
The best music genre is …
What is one book that everyone should read?
What new sport should be added to the Olympics?

What new sport should be added to the Olympics?

What’s the best video game system?
Does playing video games make you smarter?
Does reality TV actually depict real life?
Should all neighborhoods have free parks and playgrounds?
What’s the best holiday?
The very best food of all time is …
Which is better, artificial Christmas trees or real ones?

Which is better, artificial Christmas trees or real ones?

What’s the best season of the year?
Should you put ketchup on a hot dog?
Is a taco a sandwich?
Does fruit count as dessert?
Should people have to go to school or work on their birthday?
Are clowns scary or funny?
Which is more dangerous, werewolves or vampires?

Which is more dangerous, werewolves or vampires?

The best pizza topping is …
What would be the best superpower to have?
Should everyone make their bed every day?
Which came first, the chicken or the egg?
Should you put pineapple on a pizza?
Should you eat macaroni and cheese with a spoon or a fork?

Should you eat macaroni and cheese with a spoon or a fork?

Describe the world’s best ice cream sundae.
Is Monday the worst day of the week?
Would you rather travel back in time or forward in time?
Is it better to be too hot or too cold?
Are there aliens living among us here on Earth?

What are your favorite persuasive essay topics for students? Come exchange ideas in the We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .

Plus, check out the big list of essay topics for high school (120+ ideas) ..

Need some ideas for practicing persuasive writing skills? These persuasive essay topics provide lots of scope for students of all ages.

The American Crisis historical article, as an instance of persuasive essay examples

40 Strong Persuasive Writing Examples (Essays, Speeches, Ads, and More)

Learn from the experts. Continue Reading

Skip to primary navigation
Skip to main content
Skip to primary sidebar
Skip to footer

Essay Topics for Kids That Help Sharpen Their Writing Skills

Writing essays is often a part of school projects, however, choosing from a variety of topics can be quite challenging. This list provides a range of such essay topics you can choose from.

Importance of Essay Writing

Essays, which can be defined as interpretative or analytical literary compositions are a part and parcel of student life. However, majority of students do not realize the importance of essay writing and consider it to be a worthless activity. They do not understand that essay writing is important for developing their writing skills. Other than this, studies have proved that writing essays are also said to be important for the intellectual development and knowledge internalization in kids.

It not only aids in enhancing their analytical and critical thinking skills, but also their research skills. Hence, it is important to include essay writing for students from a very young age. This will help the kids to understand the basics of essay writing like formatting, sentence construction, organization of thoughts, etc. which will aid them further in the higher classes. Teachers should introduce essay writing to kids with easy topics, gradually moving to more complex topics, like, argumentative, persuasive, etc. which will not only help them in improving their language, but also their writing skills. Let us take a look at some of the school level topics.

Descriptive Topics

It is always good to begin with essays where children can describe something. The topic should be about something that the kids already know, like, their home or family. Such type of essay topics will aid them to learn to organize their thoughts in a constructive manner. After the children select their topic, they can make points about them, before actually writing the main essay. Here are some good essay topics that kids may find easy to write.

~ My Best Friend ~ My Favorite Sport ~ My Last Holiday ~ The Pet that I would Like to Have ~ What if I had Super Powers ~ My Mother/Father ~ Things I Like to do During My Pastime ~ The Most Special Day of My Life ~ The Person I Admire the Most ~ The First Day in My New School

~ Things I Did During Summer ~ A Dream I had Last Night ~ My Most Memorable Birthday ~ Qualities Required to Become a President ~ My Favorite TV Show ~ Things that I am Afraid of ~ A View from my Window ~ Living at a Bus Stop ~ My Favorite Food ~ My Hobby ~ What Will I Do When I Grow Up? ~ If I Became an Animal

~ The Most Interesting Book I have Read ~ If I Became Invisible ~ If I had a Magic Pen ~ If I Become Rich ~ What Makes Me Special? ~ An Eventful Day in My Life ~ If I Had Three Wishes, What Would I Wish For? ~ All The Things I Want to Do ~ What Would I Do If I Became Invisible for a Day? ~ My Space Adventure ~ A Rainy Day I Spent Alone

Argumentative Topics

After descriptive essays, the next step will be argument essay writing. Argumentative essays are those where students have to put forth their point of view about a topic. However, it is important to remember that these essays cannot be based just on personal knowledge, rather kids have to find enough proof to support their opinions and thoughts.

~ Is Praying Beneficial? ~ Effect of Technology on Human Beings ~ Should Smoking in Public Be Banned? ~ Harmful Effects of Plastic Bags ~ How do Humans Affect the Environment ~ Reasons we Love Chocolate ~ Pros and Cons of Zoos

~ Mobile Phones – Necessity or Nuisance? ~ Is Destruction of Forests Affecting the Earth ~ Harmful Effects of Video Games ~ Is it Right to Kill Animals for Food and Clothing? ~ Should Bullying be Supported? ~ Is Learning a Foreign Language Really Important? ~ Global Warming and Deforestation

Persuasive Topics

Persuasive essays are somewhat similar to argumentative essays, where students have to present their opinions on a topic. The difference is that the essay should persuade the readers to change their opinion about something after reading it. Hence, kids have to conduct thorough research before writing a persuasive essay.

~ Bilingual Education in school ~ Should the Government Ban Hunting? ~ 10 Pros and Cons of Capital Punishment ~ Are School Uniforms Good or Bad Idea ~ Are Exams Making Way for Too Much Stress in Children? ~ How Much is too Much homework

~ Why Helmets should be made Compulsory ~ Home is the best place to Spend a Thanksgiving Holiday ~ Cell Phones for Kids – Pros and Cons ~ Should Mothers Work or Stay at Home? ~ Animals Should Not be Caged ~ Can you Live Without Television?

Compare and Contrast Topics

Essays of this type prove to be a good exercise for kids where they learn to compare between two concepts, find the relations between two contrasting ideas, look at all aspects of a subject and understand it in different ways. Compare and contrast topics thus help build analytical skills in children.

~ Reading from Books vs. Reading Online ~ Harry Potter Books vs. Harry Potter Movies ~ American English vs. British English ~ Comparing two video games ~ Comparing two books ~ Comparison between two music genres ~ Comparing two athletes/sports figures

~ Comparison between two sports events (Wimbledon vs. French Open or NASCAR vs. Formula One) ~ Comparing two restaurants ~ Comparison between two ways to spend a holiday (going out vs. staying at home) ~ Urban Living vs. Rural Living ~ Being Rich vs. Being Famous

~ Comparing two similar/comparable feelings (being sad vs. being bored or being happy vs. being content) ~ Childhood vs. Teenage ~ Comparing two famous personalities ~ Your Real Home vs. Your Dream Home ~ Living on campus vs. Living off campus

Autobiographies

This particular branch of essay writing tests the students’ general knowledge and level of imagination. Students are expected to personify a living or non-living thing and write a description of that thing’s life. All these essays are fictitious in nature. Autobiographical essays are not based on any famous personalities. Some popular autobiography topics are:

~ Autobiography of a book ~ Autobiography of a pen ~ Autobiography of a tree ~ Autobiography of an animal/bird ~ Autobiography of a flower ~ Autobiography of a princess ~ Autobiography of a river

Get Updates Right to Your Inbox

Further insights.

Who Are The Most Romantic Literary Figures of All Time?

Privacy Overview

Narrative Writing Plan For Kids

I recently gave a talk about creative narrative writing for 7-9 year olds after a book reading. Below are my talking points, which you can use in your class or homeschool. The kids responded really well to the plan and were able to reiterate the story writing process. They were able to relate to the concepts, so overall it was a great success! Read on to see the plan and you can find my narrative writing plan on TPT , it comes with and awesome poster set to display on walls.

Part 1: Problem/Solution

This is the most basic principle of story writing. The kids really seem to relate if you compare stories to a sandwich. The problem and solution are the meat of the sandwich, and all the other toppings work to enhance the problem and solution. At the end of the day, readers want to bite into a juicy topic that keeps them interested. I purposely kept this page very basic, so as to emphasize the simplicity of this step.

Part 2: Setting

Help students set the scene for their stories by deciding on the time and place that their stories take place. This step helps students from jumping around in their plot lines, and helps them form a more coherent narrative.

Part 3: Character Development

Kids usually understand that their narratives need a problem and a solution; however, they don’t quite realize the importance of a strong character who carries the message of their story. I love encouraging kids to spend some time developing their character and giving them a back story. This helps to enrich the story and make it more cohesive. It also helps little writers to stay consistent within the presentation of their character.

Part 4: The B-M-E Rollercoaster

For the best success with this step, help kids visualize a rollercoaster. Guide them towards the most exciting part of a ride, where you are inching towards the top of the tracks, gripping on to the ride and taking the fun plummet down. This visualization gives little writers a great association with the climax of their story. It helps them understand the concept of keeping readers engaged when planning their stories, and helps to see the progression of the beginning, middle and end.

Part 5: Show…Don’t Tell

The final planning phase for narrative writing involves language choice. Explain to students the importance of showing readers how characters feel, as opposed to telling them how they feel. Students respond very well to a game of charades to help illustrate this point. It’s also helpful to have an anchor chart listing common emotions, as well as how to show them (ex. “upset” = “arms crossed”, “red face”, etc). Students should walk away from this step understanding the importance of descriptive language.

Part 6: Write!

Online Writing Classes for Kids

🎥 Engaging live video chat classes

🥇 Vetted and passionate teachers

🚀 Boost writing confidence and skills

Top rated Writing classes

I can write well a six-week writing program.

College Preparation Writing for High School--Semester I: Research and Writing Basics

Master High School Essay Writing (Full-Curriculum Semester Course)

Homeschool Writing Portfolio Part 1: Semester Long Writing Course

Yale Graduate Hosts (Four) Writing Tutoring Sessions

Be You & Become a Better Writer: Creative Narrative Story Writing, 8-Week Course

Essay Writing Foundations: The Most Critical Skills

Complete 9th Grade English FULL Year Class

Mastering the Five Paragraph Essay: Middle School Writing Pt. I

High School Literature 1: Reading, Comprehension, Writing, & Literary Analysis

Writing for Middle Schoolers- (IEW Units 1-5 Level B)

Let Me Help-Tutoring for Reading, Writing, English, or Math 1:1 (Certified Kg-6)

Mastering Five Paragraph Essay Writing for Middle School

Writing for Middle Schoolers (IEW Units 6-9 Level B)

Middle School English Language Arts: The Essentials A

Writing the IEW Way: A Semester Long Writing Course for Reluctant Writers

Junior Writers - Learn and Practice Writing Short Response Essays

Customized Writing Lessons With a Certified English Teacher | 50 Minutes

Essentials of Writing: Writing Structure and Essays

Homeschool Writing Portfolio Part 2: Semester Long Writing Course

Boost your kids' writing skills [eCourse]

✅ Signs your child needs writing support and or tutoring

✅ Practical things you can do to support their writing

✅ Unique writing clubs & workshops to inspire your kids

✅ Top diverse book picks to encourage a love of reading

✅ How to use gamification to make writing more fun

Reviews for top Writing classes

Parent submitted images.

Reviews for Writing classes

Beginning Creative Writing: Write With the Teacher

Private Writing Tutor: The No Stress Writing Process

1:1 Private Writing Tutoring | Writing Success With Special Ed Teacher

Creative writing

Creative writing inspiration-beginning basics to creative writing flex.

Creative Writing Support

Creative Writing "Camp"

Writing clubs

Writing club.

Weekly Fun Writing Club

Creative Writing Club (5-8 Grade)

Dyslexic learners

Multisensory learning for dyslexia and dysgraphia.

One on One Dyslexia Therapy

Dyslexia Spotlight (2x/Week): 1:1 Games for Working Memory, Attention, & Reading

Find more classes

Popular searches, write on: a middle school writing class.

Write On!: A Middle School Writing Boot Camp

Essay writing

High school essay writing.

Middle School Essay Writing

Middle School Essay Writing Camp!

Help your kids find the right words

Outschool’s writing classes are designed to help your build confidence in writing and learn to enjoy writing in and out of the classroom.

Explore more in writing

Explore more in english, explore more, financial assistance , outschool international , get the app .

More to Explore

Classes by age , classes by grade .

Comparative topics on animals
Titles for a process analysis essay
Online essay writing
Write my essay for me
Getting comparative essay topics
Creating a topic on nuclear energy
4th grade comparative essay ideas
Titles for 7-year olds
Unique comparative topics
8th grade persuasive essay titles
27 moral ethics topics
Getting a title generator
Topics about society
Ideas on childhood obesity
Essay topics of college level
Advertisement in media
18th century literature topics
Comparative essay titles
Argumentative essay topics
Topics on special education
Philosophy paper topics
Narrative paper topics
Prompts on social media
Choosing a writing company
Safe ways to pay for essay
Getting a narrative paper sample
Who can do my essay
Getting a custom essay
Nursing paper samples
How to pay for essay?
Essay writing agencies
Getting essays for money
Tips for the first 5-paragraph essay
Developing writing skills
Creating a perfect outline
How to write my paper better
Getting 3rd grade expository essay samples
Creating a paper on global warming
The rules of writing
Getting 500-words samples
Picking an online writing service
Advice for students who pay for essay
Writing an opinion paper on music
Writing on Charles Disckens
Creating an essay on school bullying
Opinion essay words and phrases
Tips on how to write better
Getting comparative essay examples
Finding samples on ethics
Hints on how to buy essays online
How to write my essay fast?
Improving literary paper writing skills
Writing on disability is not an inability
Writing an essay on two movies
Narrative paper samples
How to organize a proper rough draft
Professional interview essay samples
Advice on the selection of writer
Purchasing essays online
Essays for sale

msa academy

Guides to use.

Finding 6th grade samples
Narrative topics in 5 minutes
Improving writing skills
Writing a literature essay
Expository paper structure
Finding a college essay sample
Great advice on structure
Where I found my essay writer
Finding a writing service quickly
Writing strategies
Hiring an honest academic writer

How To Create Interesting Essay Titles For 7-Year-Olds

7-year-olds are assigned to write every day, so they can learn how to become independent writers. These are usually the students in either first or second grade, which is very much the same since the writing standards for these age groups are rather similar. In first grade, children learn how to write brief expository descriptions of familiar objects, places, people, or experiences and brief narratives about real and imaginary events. In second grade, students write for the same purposes. However, their compositions are more essay-like at this level. Second-graders know how to provide descriptive details, and their papers consist of a beginning, middle, and ending. Whichever grade a 7-year-old is in, he or she should not only write essays on a variety of descriptive and narrative topics but also create good titles for them.

Creating an effective title is a challenging task for an early writer. Parents should help their kids in this process, and the following tips are likely to come in handy:

A complicated title will look strange in a composition by a 7-year-old. Give preference to the same words and phrases that have been used in the paper. Avoid obscure words (which are not necessarily obscure to a dad but are likely to be unfamiliar to a child). Understandable titles are interesting for kids.

Use a minimal number of words to name the paper. The title length should not exceed 10 words, and, sometimes, 3 to 5 words are enough to reflect the essence of the work.

With a creative approach, the essay title of a 7-year-old will be interesting and original. It is unlikely that a first grader will manage to do the task, but the students in second grade may be successful in their attempts. In any case, the assistance of adults is a must. Parents may add humorous notes to the titles of their kids, include catchy phrases, or just rephrase the rough title drafts of early writers to make them sound more original.

Here are several interesting essay titles for 7-year-olds that may be used for reference, as needed:

Things that cheer me up when I am sad.
What do dogs dream about?
The ice-cream flavors I want to taste.
What will I do when I become an adult?
Why is it good to have friends?
My time travel.
Why are my parents special?
If I had superpowers, what would they be?
If I had a pet dragon, what would it look like?
Why is it bad to be an unlucky black cat?

Need a Powerful Topic?

Find here fresh and original ideas that will definitely work out. Pick one you like and make a good essay!

20 persuasive essay writing ideas
College persuasive paper topics

Learn the Difference

Don't know the difference between descriptive and narrative types of essay? Look here.

Getting narrative essay samples
Persuasive and informative essay tips

Look For More

You want to work with professional writer or need advice from editor? Find them below.

Good essay writing guide

Math for Kids
Parenting Resources
ELA for Kids
Teaching Resources

How to Teach Skip Counting to Kids in 9 Easy Steps

10 Best Math Intervention Strategies for Struggling Students

How to Teach Division to Kids in 11 Easy Steps

How to Teach Place Value in 9 Easy Steps

8 Math Division Tricks: Making Division Fun & Accessible

Simple & Stress-Free After School Schedule for Kids of All Ages

When Do Kids Start Preschool: Age & Readiness Skills

Kindergarten Readiness Checklist: A Guide for Parents

How to Choose Best School For Your Kid: 12 Best Tips

Why Kids Get Bored at School: 10 Tips to Keep Them Interested

6 Effective Ways to Improve Writing Skills

40 Four Letter Words That Start With A

What Are the Stages of Spelling Development: Ultimate Guide

48 Rhyming Words for Kindergarten Kids

How to Teach Vowels to Kids: A Step-by-Step Guide

15 Best Innovative Tech Tools for Teachers

What is Teachers Professional Development: Strategies & More

11 Best Ways to Create a Positive Learning Environment for Kids

How to Encourage Creativity in the Classroom – 9 Best Tips

25 Best Websites for Teachers

60 Best Essay Topics for Kids: Nurturing Young Minds

15 Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for Kids

15 personal and creative expression essay topics for kids, 15 the world around us essay topics for kids, 15 factual and educational essay topics for kids.

In today’s world, where communication and expression are key, writing effectively is invaluable. This post aims to provide parents and educators with a list of essay topics for kids keen on nurturing this essential skill in their young ones.

SplashLearn: Most Comprehensive Learning Program for PreK-5

$Product logo$

SplashLearn inspires lifelong curiosity with its game-based PreK-5 learning program loved by over 40 million children. With over 4,000 fun games and activities, it’s the perfect balance of learning and play for your little one.

Writing essays is not just an academic exercise; it’s a fundamental tool that helps children develop their language skills, organize their thoughts, and articulate their ideas with clarity. Whether it’s a simple description of their favorite toy or a more complex discussion about their thoughts on environmental conservation, each essay topic offers a unique opportunity for growth and learning. Let’s dive in!

45 Easy Essay Topics for Kids

Let’s explore and discover fun differences and similarities! These compare-and-contrast topics are perfect for young minds to learn and think about the world around them in exciting ways.

For a more hands-on experience, check out these printable compare-and-contrast worksheets for kids that enhance writing and comprehension skills.

1. Cats vs. Dogs- Pets at Home: Discuss the differences and similarities between having a cat and a dog as a pet.

2. Summer Holidays vs. Winter Holidays: Compare and contrast how summer holidays differ from winter holidays, focusing on activities, weather, and family traditions.

3. Books vs. Movies: Explore the differences and similarities in storytelling between reading a book and watching a movie adaptation.

4. Rainy Days vs. Sunny Days: Compare what it’s like to experience rainy and sunny days. They can talk about the activities they do, the clothes they wear, and their feelings about each type of weather.

5. Traditional Games vs. Video Games: Compare playing traditional games like hide-and-seek or hopscotch with playing video games . Look at the social aspects, physical activity , and enjoyment.

6. Eating at Home vs. Eating at a Restaurant: Discuss the experience of eating a home-cooked meal versus dining out at a restaurant, including the atmosphere, food choices, and family interaction.

7. School Learning vs. Learning at Home: Contrast the experience of learning in a school environment with learning at home or homeschooling , focusing on interaction, discipline, and learning styles .

8. Trains vs. Airplanes: Contrast traveling by train with airplane travel. Kids can discuss speed, the scenery they see, the noise level, and what they find exciting about each mode of transportation.

9. Playing Inside vs. Playing Outside: Contrast the activities kids do when playing indoors (like board games or reading) with those they do when playing outdoors (like sports or exploring nature). Discuss the fun aspects and benefits of each.

10. Ice Cream vs. Cake: Kids can compare these two popular desserts, looking at flavors, occasions when they are eaten (like birthdays or hot summer days), and why they might prefer one.

11. Cars vs. Bicycles: Discuss the differences and similarities between these two modes of transportation. Kids can talk about the experience of riding a bike versus being in a car, the speed of travel, and when each mode is useful.

12. Story Books vs. Picture Books: Compare storybooks , which mainly focus on a narrative, with picture books, which use images to tell a story or convey concepts. Discuss the enjoyment of reading each type of book and how the pictures or stories help them understand and imagine.

13. Cartoons vs. Live-Action TV Shows: Discuss the differences and similarities between watching cartoons and live-action TV shows. Kids can talk about the characters, the stories , and what makes each type of show enjoyable.

14. Vegetables vs. Fruits: A great way to discuss healthy eating! Children can compare the taste, textures, and uses of fruits and vegetables and discuss their favorites and why they like them.

15. Storytelling vs. Reading a Book: Kids can contrast listening to a story being told (like a bedtime story ) with reading a book themselves. They might consider aspects like imagination to understand the story, which they find more enjoyable or easier.

Encourage kids to explore their inner world and creativity through these engaging essay topics. Perfect for enhancing imagination and personal storytelling, these prompts are ideal for essay writing for kids.

My Favorite Day and Why: Describe your most cherished day and why it stands out, making it a memorable essay for kids.
The Best Dream I Ever Had: Share the details of a wonderful dream and why it was so special to you.
If I Were an Animal, I Would Be…: Imagine being an animal and describe a day in your life, using creativity and fun details.
A Magical Adventure in My Backyard: Create a story about a magical adventure right in your backyard, perfect if you are looking for writing topics for elementary students.
When I Grow Up, I Want to Be…: Talk about your dream job and what makes it exciting.
My Superpower Wish: If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why? Describe how you would use it.
A Letter to My Future Self: Write a letter to your future self, sharing your hopes and dreams.
The Day I Learned to Ride a Bike: Narrate your experience of learning to ride a bike and how you felt.
My Favorite Holiday Memory: Recount a cherished holiday memory and why it’s important.
Building My Dream House: Describe what your dream house would look like and what makes it special.
A Trip to the Moon: Imagine a trip to the moon and describe what you see and do.
My Best Friend and Why I Cherish Them: Write about your best friend and the qualities that make your friendship special.
The Most Interesting Thing About My Family: Share something unique or interesting about your family.
If I Were President for a Day: Describe what you would do if you were the president for a day.
A World of Talking Animals: Create a story where animals can talk and share their adventures. This is a great choice for easy essay topics.

Discover and learn about our diverse world through these fun essay topics for kids. They are tailored to help kids observe, question, and understand the environment and cultures around them.

A Trip to the Zoo: What I Saw and Learned: This is a perfect essay topic for 5th graders . Ask them to describe their visit to the zoo and the interesting animals they saw
My Family’s Traditions and Celebrations: Share about your family’s unique traditions or celebrations and why they are important to you.
The Life Cycle of a Butterfly: Ask kids to explore and explain the transformation of a butterfly. It is a great prompt if you are looking for short essay topics.
How to Take Care of Our Planet: Discuss ways we can help protect and preserve our planet Earth.
A Day in the Life of a Firefighter: Imagine a day in the life of a firefighter and describe the challenges and rewards of their job.
Visiting a Museum: Write about a museum experience and what you learned.
The Importance of Recycling: Explain why recycling is important and how it helps our environment.
Different Cultures Around the World: Choose a culture different from your own and describe its unique customs and traditions.
Under the Sea: Exploring Marine Life: Dive into the ocean world and describe the fascinating marine life you find there.
My Favorite Season and Why: Share your favorite season of the year and what makes it special to you.
A Journey Through Space: Imagine traveling through space and describe what you might see and experience.
The Process of Making Chocolate: Describe how chocolate is made, from cocoa beans to your favorite chocolate bar.
Life on a Farm: Explore what life is like on a farm and the different tasks involved in farming.
The Wonders of the Rainforest: Discover a rainforest’s unique and diverse life and its importance to our ecosystem.
Celebrating a Festival in My Community: Write about a local festival, its significance, and how it is celebrated.

Informative essay topics written on white background

Explore and learn with these factual and educational essay topics. They are designed to encourage research, curiosity, and a deeper understanding of various subjects.

The Moon and Its Phases: Learn about the moon and why it looks different during the month.
Dinosaur Discoveries: Explore the fascinating world of dinosaurs and what they might have looked like.
Rainbows and How They Appear: Find out what makes rainbows and why they are so colorful.
Heroes in History: Write about a hero from history and what makes them special.
From Seed to Plant: Discover how a seed grows into a plant and the role of sun and water.
Planets in Our Solar System: Take a fun trip through space and learn about the planets.
Healthy Eating: Talk about your favorite fruits and vegetables and why they are good for you.
Simple Machines Around Us: Look at simple machines like the wheel and how they make life easier.
The Four Seasons: Describe the four seasons and what you like about each one.
The Fascinating World of Insects: Explore the diverse and interesting world of insects and learn about their lives.
Volcanoes: Mountains That Blow Their Tops: Discover what volcanoes are and why they erupt.
Our Bodies: Bones and Muscles: Learn about bones and muscles and how they help us move.
Under the Sea: Exploring Ocean Life: Dive into the ocean and learn about the fish and animals.
Why Do Stars Twinkle in the Night Sky? : Learn about the science behind the sparkling stars and what makes them look like twinkling from so far away.
The Secret Life of Ants: Discover how ants live, work together, and build their homes. Learn about the different roles ants have in their colony.

4 Importance of Essay Writing for Kids

Essay writing is more than just a school assignment; it’s a crucial skill that plays a significant role in a child’s development. Here’s why it’s important:

Improving Language Skills: Writing essays helps children enhance their vocabulary , grammar, and language proficiency. It’s a practical way for them to learn new words and how to use them effectively in sentences.
Organizing Thoughts: One of the key benefits of essay writing is that it teaches kids how to organize their thoughts. When they write an essay, they learn to structure their ideas logically, making it easier for others to understand their point of view.
Expressing Ideas Clearly: Essays allow children to express their ideas and opinions. This practice helps them articulate their thoughts in a coherent and concise manner. Expressing oneself is a valuable skill that will serve them well throughout their lives, both personally and professionally.
Academic and Future Career Success: Good writing skills are essential for academic success . Essays are a common part of school assignments; excelling in them can improve grades. Furthermore, writing well is a sought-after skill in many careers. Effective writing is key, whether it’s drafting reports, creating presentations, or communicating with clients.

In conclusion, by embracing the practice of essay writing, we open doors for our children to not only excel academically but also to develop essential life skills . Let’s encourage and support them in this journey, fostering a generation of articulate, thoughtful, and confident communicators.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

At what age should children start practicing essay writing.

Children can start practicing simple essay writing around 6 or 7. Starting with basic sentences and gradually moving to more structured essays helps build their writing skills early on.

How can I make essay writing interesting for my child?

To make essay writing interesting, choose topics that align with your child’s interests or current events in their life. Also, incorporating creative elements like storytelling or illustrations can make the process more engaging.

How long should essays for kids be?

The length of the essay should be appropriate for the child’s age and skill level. For younger children, a paragraph or two is sufficient, while older kids can aim for longer essays with more detailed content.

Most Popular

15 Best Report Card Comments Samples

A working mom and her daughter in the bedroom, Mom is working while daughter is playing with her toys.

101 Best Riddles for Kids (With Explanation)

40 Best Good Vibes Quotes to Brighten Your Day

15 Best Listening Activities for Kids to Enhance Auditory Skills

Math & ela | prek to grade 5, kids see fun., you see real learning outcomes..

Watch your kids fall in love with math & reading through our scientifically designed curriculum.

Parents, try for free Teachers, use for free

Games for Kids
Worksheets for Kids
Math Worksheets
ELA Worksheets
Math Vocabulary
Number Games
Addition Games
Subtraction Games
Multiplication Games
Division Games
Addition Worksheets
Subtraction Worksheets
Multiplication Worksheets
Division Worksheets
Times Tables Worksheets
Reading Games
Writing Games
Phonics Games
Sight Words Games
Letter Tracing Games
Reading Worksheets
Writing Worksheets
Phonics Worksheets
Sight Words Worksheets
Letter Tracing Worksheets
Prime Number
Order of Operations
Long multiplication
Place value
Parallelogram
SplashLearn Success Stories
SplashLearn Apps
[email protected]

Make study-time fun with 14,000+ games & activities, 450+ lesson plans, and more—free forever.

Parents, Try for Free Teachers, Use for Free

Online Calculus Tutors
Online Geometry Tutors
Online Algebra Tutors
Online Trigonometry Tutors
Online Statistics Tutors
Online Chemistry Tutors
Online Macroeconomics Tutors
Online English Tutors
Online Physics Tutors
Online Computer Science Tutors
Online Accounting Tutors
Online Biology Tutors
Online Business Studies Tutors
Online Finance Tutors
Online Programming Tutors
Online Management Tutors
Online Science Tutors
Year 2 Maths
Year 3 Maths
Year 4 Maths
Year 5 Maths
Year 6 Maths
Year 2 English
Year 3 English
Year 4 English
Year 5 English
Year 6 English
Year 7 Maths
Year 8 Maths
Year 9 Maths
Year 10 Maths
Year 10 Advance Maths
Year 7 English
Year 8 English
Year 9 English
Year 10 English
Year 11 General Maths
Year 11 Chemistry SA,NT
Year 11 General Mathematics VIC
Year 11 Mathematical Methods
Year 11 Mathematics Standard
Year 11 Chemistry ACT
Year 11 Mathematics Extension 1
Year 11 Mathematical Methods SA, NT
Year 11 Mathematical Methods VIC
Year 11 Mathematical Applications
Year 11 Chemistry QLD
Year 11 Literature ATAR
Year 11 English - QLD
Year 11 English Advanced NSW
Year 11 EALD Level 3
Year 11 English Language
Year 11 Essential English M
Year 11 Essential Skills TAS
Year 11 Essential English
Year 11 Bridging EAL
Year 11 EALD Level 1
Year 11 Stage 1 Essential English
Year 11 English General
Year 11 Mathematics Advanced
Year 11 EAL
Year 11 English Standard
Year 11 EALD ATAR
Year 12 Mathematics Standard
Year 12 Further Mathematics
Year 12 Mathematics Applications
Year 12 Mathematics Extension 1
Year 12 Mathematics Methods
Year 12 Mathematics Advanced
Year 12 Mathematics Methods VIC
Year 12 Mathematics Methods - TAS
Year 12 General Mathematics TAS
Year 11 English T
Year 12 Mathematical Methods - QLD
Year 12 General Mathematics SA, NT
Year 11 Foundation English
Year 11 English Studies
Year 11 Literacy Short Course
Year 11 English Preliminary
Year 12 English ATAR
Year 11 EAL/D
Year 12 English Extension 2
Year 12 EAL/D
Year 12 EALD ATAR WA
Year 12 English Foundation
Year 12 English Extension 1
Year 12 Literature
Year 12 Stage 2 Essential English
Year 12 English Literature ATAR
Year 12 Stage 2 English
Year 12 EALD Level 2 - TAS
Year 12 English Advanced NSW
Year 12 Chemistry VIC
Year 12 English Language
Year 12 English Literature T - ACT
Year 12 English Foundation WA
Year 12 English Standard NSW Learning Programs
Year 11 Chemistry WA
Year 11 Chemistry - VIC
Year 12 Chemistry - QLD
Year 12 Chemistry - TAS
Year 12 Chemistry - WA
Year 12 Chemistry - NSW
Year 12 Chemistry - ACT
Online Tutors in Sydney
Online Tutors in Melbourne
Online Tutors in Brisbane
Online Tutors in Gold Coast
Online Tutors in Perth
Online Tutors in Canberra
Online Tutors in Adelaide
Online Tutors in Newcastle
HSC Papers 2019
HSC Papers 2018
HSC Papers 2017

50 English Essay Creative Writing Topics for Kids in Middle School

50-essay-writing-topics-list-school-crunchgrade

Wondering which topic to pick up for your next essay? Essay writing is nowadays an essential task given to students of all grades. No matter how daunting it may appear to you essay writing allows students to build up a disciplined, logical and rational communication approach towards a topic. Before picking up an ideal essay topic, it is important for you to understand the characteristics of the essay.

What are Essays?

An essay is a formal piece of writing that may describe, analyze, argue, or present a writer’s opinion on a particular topic. An essay has three parts –

Introduction – It presents the essay topic to the readers. The last sentence of the essay is generally the thesis statement that states the writer’s perspective about the topic.

Body Paragraph(s) – There are generally one or more body paragraphs written in an essay which explain the topic introduced earlier in the introductory paragraph. The writer can provide examples, facts, and evidence to prove their points.

Conclusion – It presents a short summarized version of the essay and concludes what the writer expressed in the essay. A conclusion includes something for the readers that they may take up from the essay.

We understand writing essays could be an overwhelming task. Learn how to fight with procrastination and develop time management skills here!

Types of Essays

An essay can be categorized differently based on its purpose, whether a writer wants to present their opinion, an argument, an explanation or convince the readers. No matter what type of essay you write you must be aware of the topic and to gain that knowledge you must research well. English essays for students are generally of four types –

Narrative Essays – These types of essays follow the concept of storytelling. As the name suggests, the writer narrates their experience in a narrative essay. There can be a number of fun essay topics in this category where you can explain bizarre incidents happened with you.

Descriptive Essays – These types of essays are explanatory in nature. They describe a place, object or any other concept. It is just like painting a picture – including the details and giving complete information about the topic to the readers.

Persuasive Essays – If you are a beginner in essay writing choose a simple essay topic for kids and follow the above-stated format for writing the essay. These types of essays are written to convince the readers about a particular idea or opinion of the writer. The writer needs to present a logical approach and support their arguments with facts and evidence.

Expository Essays – These essays provide a rational analysis of a topic. These essays can be argumentative, comparison-based or problem-solution based. The writer needs to include facts and evidence to support their arguments here. They do not involve the personal opinions of the writer but theories and facts.

Learn to write leave applications & personal letters here !

English Essay Topics for Kids

Do you know how important it is to choose an interesting essay topic? It can straightway put a good first impression on your teacher as they assess your essay. Moreover, it will be much easier for a student to prepare an essay if they topic intriguing for them. It’s time to end your search for Essay writing topics in English as we have brought you 50 best essay writing topics.

Our essay writers have brainstormed to come up with topics of English Essays for students and children that are not only informative but engaging.

Should there be Wi-Fi at every public place?
EBooks are better than Traditional Paperback Books
My last Summer Vacation
Internet usage should be limited
Eating animals and birds is Immoral
Christmas Eve with Family and Friends
Global Warming is a Threat to Mother Earth
How can You be a Better Friend
Importance of a Value-Based Life
It is Good to be Bilingual
The Best Reality TV Show
Why learning History is Important
Can Clothes Define a Person’s Character
Eating Healthy
Music My Parent Like
My Favorite City
Helping Family at Home
A View I Would Never Forget
The Scene of a Bus Stop
Video Games make you Smart
Hobbies are Important for Everyone
My Favorite Animal
How Technology Has Affected Us
Harmful Effects of Smoking
How are We Affecting the Environment
Why Kids Love Chocolate
Visiting Zoo for the First Time
Growth of Plants
How Rainfall Occurs
The Dessert I Like the Most
Making New Friends at School
Spring is the Season of Life
A Noisy Evening
Clubhouse of My Society
School Picnic to A Village
How Grandparents Play a Major Role in Child’s Growth
A Funny Incident that Happened with Me
Benefits of Morning Walk
Value of Rivers
A Fair at the Village
New Year Eve With Friends
Why Should Kids Learn Gardening
Homework is Important
Visit a Dentist
Why Hiccups Occur
A Machine I would like to Invent
If I were an Entrepreneur
My Favorite Job
How To Help Animals
Learning From The Globe

Are you ready to begin with your essay? Pick up a topic that interests you the most and begins writing. All you need to do is a little research and give way to your creativity. Do not forget to maintain the format of essay writing. Make sure you write an eye-catching introduction and effective conclusion and we are sure that your teacher will assign you better grades.

If you’re having trouble with English or Math Subjects and you’re looking for an instant grades improvement. Then, find English tutors online and online math tutors at CrunchGrade . To see how it works,

First 30 Minutes FREE!

Book a Session Now!

#e-learning
homeworkhelp
Student life

Book a Free Demo

Math Calculus Geometry Algebra Trigonometry Statistics Chemistry Economics Macroeconomics English Physics Computer Science Accounting Biology Business Studies Finance Programming Management Science Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6 Year 7 Year 8 Year 9 Year 10 Year 11 Year 12 College

Search Here

Writing Program for Kids - Night Zookeeper

The world's first gamified writing curriculum for kids
Thousands of fun writing lessons, games & challenges
Personalized feedback to boost writing skills

How our writing program works

A gamified approach to teaching writing

Interactive lessons & word games that boost writing skills

Inspiring writing prompts that spark a passion for creative writing

" My six year old loves to make up stories. Night Zookeeper gives her an outlet to write them out, and get ideas, suggestions, and corrections. "

" My son has always struggled with writing, and LOATHED any writing assignments. Night Zookeeper has been the key to get him engaged and excited to write. "

" My daughter has never loved writing, but this game has made writing come alive for her. She can't wait to get on it everyday. "

Includes a year's worth of printable activities!

Key Features

Your Child's Writing Adventure

Writing starts with characters

Children are encouraged to start their creative writing journey by using their imaginations to create original magical animal characters to live in their Night Zoo.

Building a rich vocabulary

Our word games have been developed to help your child develop their writing skills by teaching them new words to improve written expression.

Developing grammar skills

With new vocabulary in their minds, your child will come across varied writing lessons, sentence building games, short writing challenges, and many more exciting activities to build grammar skills and help them start writing with ease!

Writing stories

Children are then challenged to try different writing processes to produce short stories, reports, poems and other forms of writing. They’re also encouraged to develop their knowledge of different styles of writing, including narrative, expository, persuasive, and descriptive writing. Their work will be added to a personal portfolio that can be shared with family, friends and fellow users!

An opportunity to collaborate

An innovative approach to teaching reading & writing! Learners have a chance to collaborate on different writing projects, comment on each others’ work, and learn together in a safe and monitored environment. Their work may even be featured in the program!

Fast and effective feedback

Your young writer will get instant feedback on their work, with comments from Night Zookeeper characters and personalized feedback from our team of expert educators. All student writing is carefully reviewed and monitored to keep a safe and positive learning environment.

Perfect for Children Aged 6-12

Hundreds of pre-set writing lesson plans to choose from

Progress tracking showing your child's improvement in real-time

A flexible approach - set your own writing assignments, or let us do it for you

Developed by experienced educators to improve writing skills

Access thousands of online and offline English resources ideal for 6-12 year olds

Receive monthly themed printable worksheets to do handwritten exercises

Recommended by Teachers

Night Zookeeper Price Plans

Night zookeeper awards.

Activity: Story Mountain

Complete the story mountain to plan your sotry with a beginning, middle, and end.

Activity: Character profile

Come up with lots of interesting details about the lead character in your story.

Video: How to develop storytelling skills

Suzy Ditchburn offers practical tips for improving storytelling confidence.

What your child will learn at school

In Year 2 (age 6–7), your child will learn to:

Write simple, coherent narratives about personal experiences and those of others (real or fictional)
Write about real events, recording these simply and clearly
Demarcate most sentences in their writing with capital letters and full stops , and use question marks correctly when required
Use present and past tense mostly correctly and consistently
Use coordinating conjunctions (for example, and , or , and but ) and some subordinating conjunctions (for example, when, if , that , and because ) to join clauses
Segment spoken words into phonemes and represent these by graphemes, spelling many of these words correctly and making phonically-plausible attempts at others
Spell many common exception words
Form capital letters and digits of the correct size, orientation and relationship to one another and to lower-case letters
Use spacing between words that reflects the size of the letters.

Handwriting, spelling, grammar, and punctuation are all important aspects of writing too. You can find out more about them on our dedicated pages:

Handwriting in Year 2 (age 6-7)

Find out more about handwriting in Year 2 at Primary School.

Find out more

Image showing close up of child's hand writing

Spelling in Year 2 (age 6-7)

Find out more about spelling in Year 2 at Primary School.

Grammar and punctuation in Year 2 (age 6-7)

Find out more about grammar and punctuation in Year 2 at Primary School.

Age 5–6 (Year 1)
Age 6–7 (Year 2)
Age 7–8 (Year 3)
Age 8–9 (Year 4)
Age 9–10 (Year 5)
Age 10–11 (Year 6)
Year 1 (age 5–6)
Year 2 (age 6–7)
Year 3 (age 7–8)
Year 4 (age 8–9)
Year 5 (age 9–10)
Year 6 (age 10–11)
Grammar glossary
Grammar books

Trying to Conceive
Signs & Symptoms
Pregnancy Tests
Fertility Testing
Fertility Treatment
Weeks & Trimesters
Staying Healthy
Preparing for Baby
Complications & Concerns
Pregnancy Loss
Breastfeeding
School-Aged Kids
Raising Kids
Personal Stories
Everyday Wellness
Safety & First Aid
Immunizations
Food & Nutrition
Active Play
Pregnancy Products
Nursery & Sleep Products
Nursing & Feeding Products
Clothing & Accessories
Toys & Gifts
Ovulation Calculator
Pregnancy Due Date Calculator
How to Talk About Postpartum Depression
Editorial Process
Meet Our Review Board

7-Year-Old Child Development Milestones

Your child’s growth and development at age 7

Language and Cognitive Milestones
Movement, Hand, and Finger Milestones
Emotional and Social Milestones
Other Milestones

How to Help Your 7-Year-Old Learn and Grow

How to keep your 7-year-old safe.

When to Be Concerned

Parenting a 7-year-old can be a wonderful experience. You are now entering the middle childhood phase with your child. This means that your child is still dependent on you for many things, but is also becoming independent. They are social and crave friendships with their peers, but are also happy to hang out with their parents. Some call this time the “sweet spot” of parenting.

You are going to see a lot of exciting developments in the next year. Your child will be very curious about the world around them—and ask a ton of questions ! Their reading and math skills will become more developed, and they’ll be able to write more legibly, tie their shoes on their own, and ride a two wheel bike.

Read on for what to expect when it comes to 7-year-old development, and what some signs are that your child may be experiencing a developmental delay or other issue that could warrant a call to their pediatrician.

Illustration by Emily Roberts, Verywell

7-Year-Old Language and Cognitive Milestones

By 7-years-old, your child should be speaking in full, complex sentences, and should be able to articulate their ideas clearly and thoughtfully . When your child speaks, they won’t sound like a little kid anymore, and likely you’ll notice that you are able to have more mature conversations with them.

“By the age of seven, grammar skills are mostly mastered,” says Emily Rooker, a speech-language pathologist at Bright SpOT Pediatric Therapy . “Children will regularly use complex sentences when communicating and will sound adult-like.”

Additionally, says Rooker, you may notice that your child is able to answer both factual and inferential questions more thoroughly. They are starting to gain an understanding of figurative language and they are beginning to comprehend that words can have multiple meanings.

At this age, your child is thinking in a more complex manner and can understand more nuanced subjects. They have gained some solid understanding of the reading and math concepts that they were introduced to in early elementary school. Your child should start to be able to read independently and for pleasure and begin to solve basic word problems in math.

All children are different, of course, and some children at this age still struggle with basic reading and math concepts. If you are concerned about your child’s academic abilities, it’s important to stay in touch with their teachers and other school professionals.

Language and Cognitive Checklist

Children ave a more developed sense of time and can understand the concept of minutes, hours, days, and months
They hould be able to articulate thoughts and feelings and be understood by people outside their immediate family
Kids are starting to be able to pronounce words more clearly; the “th” sound no longer sounds like an “f” sound, for example
It’s normal for 7-year-olds to have trouble sounding out harder words while they read, and their spelling is not perfect, but they have mastered the basic skills of reading and writing

7-Year-Old Movement, Hand, and Finger Milestones

Your child is certainly growing at this age, but they aren’t growing as rapidly as they did when they were a baby or a preschooler. Your child will grow about 2.5 inches this year and gain about 7 pounds. They will lose about four of their baby teeth this year as well.

Your child’s gross and fine motor skills should be progressing, and your child should be meeting a few exciting milestones. “Most 7-year-olds should be able to ride a two-wheeled bike, tie shoe laces independently, and write up to five-word sentences and up to five-sentence paragraphs,” says Caitlin Sanschagrin, an occupational therapist at Bright SpOT Pediatric Therapy .

Although things like proper nutrition and sleep might not be at the forefront of your mind like they were when your child was younger, you should still focus on healthy lifestyle choices at this age, says Melitza Cobham-Browne , MD, medical director of pediatrics at UCI Health Family Health Centers.

Dr. Cobham-Browne recommends limiting screen time to two hours a day, except for school work, making sure your 7-year-old eats three healthy meals per day, and that they get at least one hour of physical activity a day. Sleep is very important at this age as well. The CDC recommends you aim for nine to 12 hours a night at this age.

Physical Milestones Checklist

Your child should be more competent at physical skills that require coordination such as climbing and swimming
Their fine motor skills are becoming more refined, and they should be able to use scissors with more ease, and be able to write their name
Your child should be able to dress themselves independently and more easily catch a ball

7-Year-Old Emotional and Social Milestones

At 7, children are starting to individuate, but they are also still very attached to their parents. You will notice that your child’s friendships are more important than they once were, and that they are able to form meaningful relationships with other adults in their lives, such as their extended family members and coaches or teachers.

Still, many children this age still have fears and may have trouble separating from their parents at times, such as when they have to go to school. School anxiety is still somewhat typical at this age.

At this age, children are starting to develop a very important trait—one that they will carry through life: empathy. “They are developing the ability to understand the perspectives of others and learning how to manage their emotions better,” says Rooker. “They are also becoming more empathetic.”

Your child will also begin to care more about what other people think of them, which means that they will try to regulate their moods in public more, and have a higher degree of self-regulation. But they may also develop more self-consciousness and be more vulnerable to criticism.

Dr. Cobham-Browne says that parents have a role in teaching their children self-regulation skills. You can do this by emphasizing that your children use their words to express their feelings, rather than acting out. For example, you can encourage your child to articulate their anger in words rather than by screaming or being physically aggressive.

Speaking of conversations, your child is becoming quite a sophisticated conversationalist at this age, which is another clue that they are learning to socialize in more mature ways. “Seven-year-olds typically start and end conversations appropriately,” says Rooker. “They are able to stay on topic and follow other conversation ‘rules.’”

Your child’s budding ability to interact with others in more meaningful, mature ways will mean deeper friendships and a greater need for social interaction. Children this age also usually start preferring to play with children of the same sex. They may feel comfortable playing in large groups, but still crave time alone.

Dr. Cobham-Browne recommends enrolling your child in group sports so that they can learn important skills like teamwork and cooperation.

Other Milestones for Your 7-Year-Old

By now, your child is capable of handling their own personal hygiene more than they used to be. Your child should be able to dress themselves and also brush and floss their teeth. Your not-so-little-one is losing their baby teeth and starting to get permanent teeth, so it’s important that you emphasize good dental hygiene. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that your child brush their teeth after breakfast and before bed and that they floss once per day.

At 7-years-old, your child may be transitioning from taking a bath to taking a shower, though they will still need help with rinsing the shampoo out of their hair, and might need help turning the shower on and off. Being able to shower saves time, and can make your family’s busy life that much simpler.

You may be in awe of how independent your child has become, but they still need help and guidance from you. Even at this age, children are testing limits and boundaries. Whenever possible, it’s best to practice positive discipline rather than resort to punishment and to model good citizenship for your child.

You’ll also want to be attentive to your child’s emotional world, and continue to be gentle with them if they experience upset feelings, anxiety , or low self-esteem. “Encourage positive self-esteem by reinforcing what your child does well instead of focusing on the negative,” Dr. Cobham-Browne suggests.

Dr. Cobham-Browne also says that kids this age need a strong daily routine and that giving your child age-appropriate chores, and even an allowance, is helpful. “I always tell parents we should supply their 'needs' not their 'wants,’” she says. “The child needs to learn to save and do some extra chores to get extra money to contribute to ‘wants.’”

You may think you are past the days of having to worry about safety hazards left and right since your child is not a baby or toddler anymore. But although your 7-year-old is less likely to hurt themselves or make unsafe choices, there are still several safety tips you should keep in mind.

First of all, car safety is something to be mindful of at this age. Your child should still either be in an appropriate harnessed car seat or a booster seat. Your child should also still sit in the back seat of the car. They won’t be able to ride shotgun until they are about 13 years old.

As your child interacts more with other adults outside their family, it’s important that they learn the basics of “ stranger danger ” and body autonomy and consent. Teach your child never to get into a vehicle or enter the home of someone without your permission.

Your child should know that no other grown-up should ask them to keep a secret from their parents. Your child should also know that it’s never okay if another grown-up asks to see their private parts or shows your child their private parts.

These are uncomfortable conversations, but they are vitally important nonetheless.

When to Be Concerned About Your 7-Year-Old

All children grow and mature at their own pace, and at this age, your child’s individual personality and temperament are going to influence things like how social they are, how easily they can regulate their emotions, and what type of interests they have.

That said, there are several warning signs that your child may not be developing at an age-appropriate level, or that they may need extra support from their school or a health or mental health professional.

“If you have more than one area of concern regarding your child’s skill-building and development, or if your child is feeling frustrated and their self-confidence is being challenged, it may be time to bring your specific concerns to your pediatrician’s attention,” says Sanschagrin.

Specifically, Sanschagrin says there are some warning signs she would consider “red flags” for developmental delays.

“If your 7-year-old is unable to completely dress themselves, feed themselves, complete complex fine motor tasks (lacing, writing, sewing, etc.), or participate in age-appropriate sports or activities due to coordination or similar issues, you should consider a pediatric occupational therapy evaluation,” Sanschagrin describes.

In essence, if your child seems delayed in any way, or if they are struggling academically, socially, or emotionally, you should reach out to your pediatrician for guidance and for a referral for help, if warranted.

A Word from Verywell

As you move into the middle elementary school years, it’s easy to fall into the comparison trap when it comes to parenting. You may hear of other children your child’s age who are more advanced academically, who seem to have more friends, or are more gifted in sports or the arts. It’s important to keep in mind that each child has their own strengths, and that as long as your child is meeting their milestones, and is generally balanced and happy , you are doing everything right.

That said, if your child is struggling in any way, or if you are unsure how to handle your child’s challenges, you should not hesitate to reach out to your pediatrician or your child’s teacher for help. All children need a little extra help sometimes, and reaching out for support is not a sign of a parenting weakness, but rather a sign of a parent who has their child’s best interests at heart.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Middle Childhood (6-8 years of age) .

Mott Children’s Hospital. Milestones for 7-Year-Olds .

American Academy of Pediatrics. Bright Futures Information for Parents: 7 Year Visit .

By Wendy Wisner Wendy Wisner is a lactation consultant and writer covering maternal/child health, parenting, general health and wellness, and mental health. She has worked with breastfeeding parents for over a decade, and is a mom to two boys.

Customer Reviews

IMAGES

My 7 year old's school essay about his favorite food. Made me tear up a
Creative Writing
Writing Prompts For 7 Year Olds
55 Story Writing Prompts for Kids • JournalBuddies.com
Free Narrative Essay Examples
Essay Writing For Kids

VIDEO

ARE WE SMARTER THAN 7 YEAR OLDS
6. BA 3rd year
Preparation Strategy for Essay and Answer Writing
Green Colour Lesson
Essay Writing 7 Proverb Essay
My 7 Year old thought the Leprechauns forgot her 😭 #shorts #family

COMMENTS

How to write a perfect essay
Follow your outline, using each of your supporting points as the topic sentence of its own paragraph. Use descriptive words to get your ideas across to the reader. Go into detail, using specific information to tell your story or make your point. Stay on track, making sure that everything you include is somehow related to the main idea of your ...
50 Essay Topics for Kids
Hopefully, their strong feelings will lead student writers to experience persuasive writing as an essential tool for their success.[spacer height="20px"] Personal Narrative Essay Ideas. The three things I can't live without are… In the past year, I've changed in the following ways… A close call I once had occurred when…
57 Fun Creative Writing Prompts for Kids
#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 ...
300 Creative Writing Prompts for Kids
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.
How to Teach Your Child to Write an Essay
Step 1. Pick a topic and say something about it. In order to write, your child must write about something. That something is the subject of the essay. In this step, you want to help your child pick a topic and say something about it. In essence, you're asking your child these two questions:
How To Improve Writing Skills For Kids: 14 Easy Tips
Create Story Prompts. A fun way to improve kids' creative writing skills is to have them write short stories. Cut out pictures from a magazine with different characters or locations, or write down different words. Place these in a container or glue them to cards to use as writing prompts for creating a unique story.
7 Tips to Teach Essay Writing to Your Children
Follow these seven tips to teach essay writing to your children. Refresh on basic writing skills. Before you dive into essay writing, make sure your child has a good grasp on the basic elements of writing. Make sure they know the importance of things such as proper spelling and the rules of grammar. Remember to teach them these concepts at an ...
Writing practice
In this section you can practise writing different types of texts with an example to help you. Read, write, play games, print activities and post comments! Level 1 writing. Read, write, play games, print activities and post comments! For learners at level 1. Level 2 writing.
Writing skills at different ages
Write some actual letters, especially the letters in their name. May write their name. May try different kinds of writing, like writing a list or a card. May start to draw pictures and label them using letters or letter-like marks. Younger grade-schoolers (ages 5-7 years) Hold pencil correctly and form letters accurately
How to Teach Kids Persuasive Writing: Books & Teaching Tips
How to Teach Persuasive Paragraph and Essay Writing. Everything you teach children needs to be modeled first. You will show students exactly the steps as you write in front of them your own example essay or two. A "write aloud.". Step 1: Students will brainstorm and select a topic. Help students brainstorm topics.
Creative Writing Ideas For 7 And 8 Year Olds
Creative Writing Ideas for 7 And 8 Year Olds. 1. Making lists. We've asked our 1st and 2nd grader to make a lot of lists this year. Christmas lists, birthday lists, lists of things to bring to the ocean, etc. You get the idea! Lists are short, easy, and help them to group items. 2.
101 Interesting Persuasive Essay Topics for Kids and Teens
101 Interesting Persuasive Essay Topics for Kids and Teens. Use your words to sway the reader. Persuasive writing is one of those skills that can help students succeed in real life. Persuasive essays are similar to argumentative, but they rely less on facts and more on emotion to sway the reader.
Essay Topics for Kids That Help Sharpen Their Writing Skills
Here are some good essay topics that kids may find easy to write. ~ My Best Friend. ~ My Favorite Sport. ~ My Last Holiday. ~ The Pet that I would Like to Have. ~ What if I had Super Powers. ~ My Mother/Father. ~ Things I Like to do During My Pastime. ~ The Most Special Day of My Life.
Narrative Writing Plan For Kids
Part 5: Show…Don't Tell. The final planning phase for narrative writing involves language choice. Explain to students the importance of showing readers how characters feel, as opposed to telling them how they feel. Students respond very well to a game of charades to help illustrate this point. It's also helpful to have an anchor chart ...
Online Writing Classes for Kids
13. weeks. Writing the IEW Way: A Semester Long Writing Course for Reluctant Writers. Greater Gains: Reading, Math, Writing, Spelling. 4.9. (692) €22 per week. €11 per class.
Picking The Best Essay Titles For 7-Year-Olds: Simple Tips
Be brief. Use a minimal number of words to name the paper. The title length should not exceed 10 words, and, sometimes, 3 to 5 words are enough to reflect the essence of the work. Be creative. With a creative approach, the essay title of a 7-year-old will be interesting and original. It is unlikely that a first grader will manage to do the task ...
60 Easy Essay Topics for Kids of All Age Groups in 2024
10. Ice Cream vs. Cake: Kids can compare these two popular desserts, looking at flavors, occasions when they are eaten (like birthdays or hot summer days), and why they might prefer one. 11. Cars vs. Bicycles: Discuss the differences and similarities between these two modes of transportation.
50 English Essay Writing Topics List for Kids in School
English essays for students are generally of four types -. Narrative Essays - These types of essays follow the concept of storytelling. As the name suggests, the writer narrates their experience in a narrative essay. There can be a number of fun essay topics in this category where you can explain bizarre incidents happened with you.
Writing Program for Kids
How our writing program works. A gamified approach to teaching writing. Interactive lessons & word games that boost writing skills. Inspiring writing prompts that spark a passion for creative writing. " My six year old loves to make up stories. Night Zookeeper gives her an outlet to write them out, and get ideas, suggestions, and corrections.
Writing in Year 2 (age 6-7)
In Year 2 (age 6-7), your child will learn to: Write simple, coherent narratives about personal experiences and those of others (real or fictional) Write about real events, recording these simply and clearly. Demarcate most sentences in their writing with capital letters and full stops, and use question marks correctly when required.
Writing Prompts for 9, 10, 11, and 12 Year Olds
Compose a song. Write in your journal using colorful markers, colored pencils or even crayons! Cut and paste your favorite pictures from magazines into your journal. I hope you enjoyed these writing prompts for 9 10, 11, and 12 year olds. Ok, if you need even more inspiration then check out….
Development Milestones for Your 7-Year-Old Child
7-Year-Old Language and Cognitive Milestones. By 7-years-old, your child should be speaking in full, complex sentences, and should be able to articulate their ideas clearly and thoughtfully. When your child speaks, they won't sound like a little kid anymore, and likely you'll notice that you are able to have more mature conversations with them.
Essays For 7 Year Olds
Essays For 7 Year Olds | Best Writing Service. Hand-selected US and UK writers. Get Started Instantly. Meet Robert! His research papers on information technology and design earn the highest scores. Robert is a safe pick for everyone who values quality, adherence to requirements, and custom approach. Search for: