creative writing ideas for 13 year olds

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

#33. What is your favorite holiday and why?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

#112. What is something you learned today?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

#215. Write your autobiography about your life.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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48 comments.

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

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed them! 🙂

Lovely and amazing help

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

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

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

This was great for homework

Thank you for the topics. It was really helpful

Your writing prompts are awesome

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

Thank you! I hope they enjoy the writing prompts!

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

these questions hooked me on easily thanks your the best!

They are all good prompts

This is always good and improves the brain.

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

It’s was very long but worth it

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

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

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

You need a printable version of this!!

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

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

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

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

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

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

These were awesome, thanks a TON

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

i do this for school work to

i do this for school work

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

The prompts are grrrreat

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

Glad you enjoyed them!

These are awesome

These are amazing! Thank you so much for sharing.

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

Do you have any more?

This really was think written

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

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

this is the greatest app ever

I like all the questions

thank you for all the ideas they are so good

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

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

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

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18 Creative Writing Prompts for Kids and Teens

Get students excited about writing with these fun and imaginative prompts! Use them with creative writing workshops, quick-writes, bell ringers, and more! Ultimately, the goal is for students to enjoy the writing process. Each prompt includes a bit of structure to help keep students focused on the specific writing task.

1.  You find a buried treasure with five items. Describe each item.

2.  Invent a new sandwich. Describe the steps to make it.

3. Write about what your life will be like in ten years. Include where you live and what you do for work.

4.  You find a time machine. Where would you go? State three reasons to support your choice.

5.  Describe a day in the life of your favorite animal. Include details about morning, afternoon, and night activities. Click HERE to download the printable and digital activities for this prompt.

6.  Invent a new word, define it, and use it in a sentence. 

7.  You wake up with a superpower. Describe how it works using at least five sentences.

8.  Describe rain to someone who has never seen or touched it. Use at least five adjectives in your description. 

9.  Write a thank you note to someone from history. Include two reasons why the historical figure is important and how they made the world a better place. 

10.  You have your own personal robot. Describe three things you programmed it to do.

11.  Create a new flavor of ice cream. What is the new flavor called and what ingredients do you need to make it?

12.  Write a six word story about a recent gift you were given.

13.  If you could get on an airplane this afternoon, where would you like to go? Support your choice with three reasons.

14.  State a goal you want to achieve. Identify at least three steps you can take to achieve your goal.

15.  Write a friendly letter to someone you admire. Include two reasons why you admire that person and how you have changed because of them.

16.  Invent a new video game. Describe how the game is played using less than ten sentences. 

17.  Write a recipe that explains how to make your favorite food. Include ingredients and directions. 

18.  Make a list of ten things that make you happy. Support each one with a reason.

Click here to preview the Friendly Letter Creative Writing Lesson! Everything you need for a step-by-step writing workshop is included!

Want to add more opportunities for creative writing to your curriculum? Download the FREE printable and digital Writing Prompts Choice Board today!

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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.

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

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

Written by Maria Kampen

• Teacher Resources
• Prodigy English

• Elementary school writing prompts
• Middle school writing prompts
• High school writing prompts
• Social emotional learning jounal prompts
• Math writing prompts

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

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

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

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

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

Writing prompts for kids help students:

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

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

Grade school writing prompts

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

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

Creative writing prompts for elementary schoolers

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

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

Fun writing prompts for grade schoolers

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

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

Persuasive writing prompts for elementary school

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

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

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

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

Creative Writing Prompts for Middle Schoolers

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

Fun Writing Prompts for Middle Schoolers

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

Persuasive Writing Prompts for Middle School

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

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

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

Creative Writing Prompts for High Schoolers

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

Fun writing prompts for high schoolers

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

Persuasive writing prompts for high school

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

Social emotional learning journal prompts

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

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

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

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

Math writing prompts for kids

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

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

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

Final thoughts on writing prompts for kids

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

Where will your students’ imaginations take them?

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The best writing prompts for teens

Are you looking for activity ideas to get kids off social media for half an hour? We've got three words for you: teenage writing prompts. No matter the season, parents and teachers with students in school alike can turn to writing prompts to help your teenager experience growth through writing. Creative writing prompts can help teens engage with their feelings, exercise critical thinking via journaling, and capture daily thoughts about life and the world around them. For immediate impact, this page is chock-full of ideas to get them started!

If you're looking to cut to the chase, here's a top ten list of our favorite writing prompts for teens:

• A "good witch" and a "bad witch" meet for lunch. What do they talk about?
• Start your story with “Today’s the day I change.”
• This was the weekend you'd been waiting for for the past three years.
• Write a story about a character experiencing independence for the first time.
• Finish this sentence: "I strongly believe that..."
• Write a story about a character making a big change.
• Write a story with a Character versus Character conflict. Think of Elizabeth Bennet vs. Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice.
• Write a story with a Character versus Nature conflict. Think of Mark vs. Mars in The Martian.

If you have a teen who’s looking to become an author, check out our free resources on the topic:

Reedsy's guide to novel writing (blog post)— Go from zero to hero with our ten-day course to writing a book. Every book differs depending on your genre, but if you look deeper, they all rely on similar basic principles. We take you through all of those elements of a story, from structuring a plot to choosing a POV.

What is Exposition? Examples of Backstory in Action — When writing fiction, anything goes. So how are you going to drip-feed your reader information? Rather than holding their hand through the story, you will want to provide backstory slowly and subtly. That’s where exposition comes in.

How to Develop Characters (free course) — Your characters could make or break your book. Readers may not finish your story if they're not invested enough in the characters you build! Luckily, we've got just the free resource for you: another free ten-day course that will get you thinking about character development in a new way.

Want to encourage teens to start submitting their story? Check out Reedsy’s weekly short story contest for the chance of winning $250! You can also check out our list of writing contests or our directory of literary magazines for more opportunities to submit your story.

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25 Creative Writing Prompts for Kids

Writing is a transformative skill that nurtures a child's ability to articulate thoughts, understand emotions, and express themselves with confidence. While some children find joy in putting pen to paper, others may need a gentle nudge into the world of writing. Recognizing this, we're committed to providing engaging and enjoyable resources that make the journey of learning to write both accessible and exciting!

We've gathered 25 creative writing prompts created to spark creativity and inspire storytelling adventures. Whether you're navigating the homeschooling landscape or seeking enriching activities for the weekend, these prompts promise endless possibilities for exploration and growth in your child's writing journey:

• You find a door in the school that you have never seen before. You peer through the large keyhole and see something that resembles a time machine… What happens next? Do you try to open the door?
• Write a story about a Monster that shows up at your birthday party.
• Write a story about a magical ring that can grant all your favorite things. Until…
• You are the main character in your favorite video game. What happens?
• Story starter: You’re watching your favorite movie when suddenly, you get pulled into the screen! After a moment of confusion, you discover that you’ve replaced the main character... What happens next?
• You’re building your dream treehouse, but first you need to get all the materials you need to complete it! Can you write a list of everything you need to build your treehouse?
• Your best friend gives you their favorite book, and you find out it has magical powers! What are its magical powers? How will you use them?
• Once upon a time, in a magical forest filled with talking animals, a curious fox discovered a hidden path leading to an enchanted castle. Follow the fox and write about your quest!
• Time for an adventure story: you wake up in a spaceship and a fellow astronaut tells you that you’re there to explore outer space. What happens? Do you discover a new planet? Who do you meet?
• What is your favorite animal, and what is the funniest thing about them? Write a report on this and include as many fun facts as you can!
• As the clock struck midnight, strange glowing lights appeared in the abandoned house at the end of the street, catching your attention... What happens next?
• Can you describe your favorite food? Is it ice cream? A burger? Pasta? Tell us all about it!
• You’re walking through the park when you spot a group of older kids playing your favorite sport. As you approach them to ask if you can join them, you spot a very shiny object by a tree. As you get closer, you can’t believe what you’ve discovered... What is it?
• You find yourself stranded on a desert island. As you search for other people and food, you find a cell phone that seems to be giving you directions to a mysterious location. Are you accepting the quest? What challenges do you face? Do you find a treasure, or something more dangerous? Write an exciting adventure story based on your quest to solve this mystery.
• Write an acrostic poem about your favorite season.
• You discover an animal that you’ve never seen before and it bestows some magical powers on you that change your life! Write a letter to a good friend explaining this.
• In a bustling city where robots were the norm, a young inventor stumbled upon a hidden button that activated something extraordinary. You are that young inventor. Write an exciting story about what happened after activating this button.
• Pretend that you are a “grown-up” who is 70 or 80 years old. Write a complaint about what is wrong with “kids these days”!
• If your favorite holiday is Christmas , we’ve got a secret mission for you: write a story persuading Santa that you could be his very best elf.
• Chindōgu (珍道具) is the Japanese art of inventing useless gadgets. Design a useless gadget and persuade people to buy it!
• What superpower would you NOT want and why?
• If you could create the perfect TV show, what would it be? What would happen?
• Write a story about what you think it’d be like to visit another planet for the first time.
• Can you invent your own company and write about what it would do?
• Journal writing prompt: What are your favorite things about yourself? Write a list of all the things that make you unique and special.

More Writing Resources for Kids

We hope you’ve enjoyed this collection of creative writing prompts for kids! For more creative writing ideas and prompts, check these out:

• Elementary Writing Prompts
• Picture Writing Prompts
• Writing Activities For Kids

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15 Creative Writing Books for Tweens & Teens

Further ignite a passion for writing.

Helping kids build strong literacy skills can also ignite an interest in creative writing. Tweens and teens in particular may crave opportunities to express themselves via silly stories, dramatic narratives, or free-flowing verse. The following creative writing books for teens are excellent resources for middle school and high school students wanting to delve deeper into crafting poetry and prose.  

Creative Writing Books for Tweens

Alphamaniacs: builders of 26 wonders of the word by paul fleischman.

This illustrated biographical anthology explains how famous writers throughout history having played with word structure and phonics.

Brave The Page by Rebecca Stern and Grant Faulkner

National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)’s “how-to” guide for middle school students on crafting characters, plots, and settings.

Create Your Own Graphic Novel: A Guide for Kids by David Wayne Chiu

Young writers will get pro drawing tips along with step-by-step instructions on developing a visual storyboard.

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Find Your Voice: A Guided Journal for Writing Your Truth by Angie Thomas

Bestselling author Angie Thomas instructs tweens on how to tell stories that reflect their lives and communities.

Secrets of Storytelling: A Creative Writing Workbook for Kids by Natalie Rompella

A creative writing book that contains 100 short story prompts for kids aged 8-12.

Write Your Own Poems by Jerome Martin

A beginner’s handbook for budding poets that contains 90 pages of poetry-themed writing activities.

Journal Sparks: Fire Up Your Creativity with Spontaneous Art, Wild Writing, and Inventive Thinking by Emily K. Neuburger

Journaling is the first step in brainstorming a story in this interactive tool for jumpstarting one’s imagination.

Creative Writing Books for Teens

Burn after writing by sharon jones.

A confessional space for teens meant to redirect their attention from social media posts to handwritten musings.

Dear Ally, How Do You Write A Book? by Ally Carter

Over 25 published YA writers share expert insight on taking a book idea from conception to publication.

Big Life Journal – Teen Edition by Big Life Brand

Writing is used as a tool for goal setting and developing a growth mindset in this vibrant notebook filled with affirming graphics.

 Dare to Write: Creative Writing Prompts f or Young People and Word Rebels Everywhere by Kristen Fogle

Themed-exercises help teens experiment with writing in a variety of genres such as sci-fi, crime fiction, romance, and fantasy.

Hope in the Mail: Reflections on Writing and Life by Wendelin Van Draanen

A writing resource woven through personal tales makes this memoir a great selection for young adults with publishing aspirations of their own.

How to Be a Young #Writer by Christopher Edge

Starting off the narrative strong and wrap it up equally as well! That’s the key focal point of this instructive text.

How to Write Poetry: A Guided Journal with Prompts to Ignite Your Imagination by Christopher Salerno

A primer in poetry fundamentals such as rhythm, rhyme, and meter.

Write Yourself a Lantern: A Journal Inspired by The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

National Book Award and Carnegie Medal winner Elizabeth Acevedo created this journal that incorporates includes memorable lines from The Poet X as lyrical prompts for teen poets.

Do you have a favorite creative writing book for teens? Share in the comments field below!

And if you need additional classroom ideas for lesson plans related to storytelling, peruse this list of Our Favorite Videos for Teaching Story Elements .

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The Absolute Best Creative Writing Topics for Kids!

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

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

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

What is Creative Writing?

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

Is Creative Writing Important?

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

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

Creative Writing is fun for All Ages.

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

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

Awesome Creative Writing Prompts for Elementary Students

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

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

When the writing activity is over, split the children into two teams, the superhero team and the villain team.  Have them vs. each other in a game of tag.  Who will champion the superheroes or the villains? 

3. What do I want to be when I grow up and why?

This is a fun topic.  Children can think about having anything in the world.  Will they pick something like peace on earth or go the million-dollar route?  

5. If I could invent a new animal, what animal would it be? 

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

Creative Writing Topics for Kids

6. If I could invent a new toy, what kind of toy would I create and why? Or, If I could improve a toy, which toy would I improve, and how would I make it better?  

Talk to the children about the creative process:  First, you come up with an idea, then you have to get it made. 

Talk to the children about manufacturing toys. 

Here are some questions you can ask the children about improving a toy.  How do you want to make the toy better?  Do you want to make the remote control car faster?  Is the game challenging enough?  Do you want your doll to have more features or do more? 

You can ask the children these questions to get their brains thinking.

7. If I could make something disappear in my life, what would it be and why?

Ask the children if there is something in your life that makes them unhappy.  Is there a problem you are having?  

8 . All About me essay.

Some sample questions the children can ask are:  What are my likes and dislikes?

What is my favorite subject in school? What do I want to be when I group up?  Who is their favorite actress/actor?  Where do they want to visit? They can name the people in their family, talk about any extracurricular activities they do, etc.

9 . In what ways do I help my family?

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

10. How can I be a better friend?  

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

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

11. If you could be invisible, what would you do and why?

Have the children think about what it would be like to be invisible.  Would they use this new power for good or would they try to do something bad?

12. What do you think about bullies and why? 

Have the children define what a bully is to them in their paper.  Do they think they are a bully?  Do they think bullying is wrong?  Remember, these are things the children are feeling, there are no wrong answers.

To them, the children with their writing ask them the following questions. What does it mean to be honest?  Have you ever told a lie that turned into another lie?

14. What would you do if you won a million dollars? 

This question is usually a favorite topic with the children.  Ask them if they think one million dollars is a lot of money. 

Depending on where you live, it might be just enough to buy a small house and a car.  What are some things you would buy?  Would you save some or spend it all?

15. If you could change the world, what would you do and why?

Would they change things, such as ending hate and violence in the world? Would they change things such as making gas or food free for everyone? You will get various answers, making this a fun and interesting topic.

Fun Writing Prompts Ideas

This is a fun topic for both younger and older children.  Activity: Have the children draw their kingdom and a picture of them as king or queen

This topic is also great for older and younger children. While children love playing video games, they may not realize that they can make video games for a living.

Talk to the children about video game developers and the process of creating video games. Have them brainstorm ideas for games and find out what they can come up with.

18. Write about a time when you had to be brave, what did you do, and how did it make you feel?

19. Write about a trip to the moon, how you got there, what you saw, and whether it was fun or scary.

20. Write about something you are good at.

22. Write about a time when you worked hard to get something.

This can be a thing or an accomplishment, like making a team, finally getting that cartwheel, or passing a test.

There is always room for improvement.  Talk to the children about the importance of trying hard and working towards a goal.

24. If you had to give away $1,000, what would you do with it, and who would you give it to?

This is a great question to ask children when talking about being kind and helping others.  

Journal Prompts or Kids

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

This question helps children think about what they’re good at and how they can help others.

Explain what happened and how it made you feel.  

30. Did someone ever hurt your feelings?

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

32. What does it mean to be loyal?

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

34. What famous person would you like to meet?

Self-Esteem Writing Topics

35. Have you ever been friends with someone who was unpopular or not part of the group?  

This is a great question to ask children when teaching them about acceptance and how it feels not to be part of a group.

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

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

Everyone makes mistakes.  This writing topic helps children understand that mistakes are part of the learning experience.

40. Write about a time when you were very angry.  What happened? How did being angry make you feel?  

Did I make a good choice when I was angry? This is a great writing topic when discussing feelings with children.  It is important for them to understand that anger isn’t wrong and that you are allowed to feel angry.

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

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

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

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

Short Story Writing Topics for Kids

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

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

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

58. Challenge the kids to write a scary story.

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

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

Group Writing Prompts for Kids

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

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

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

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

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

Newly Added Creative Writing Prompts

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

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

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

Magical Writing Prompts for Kids

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

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

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• Writing Prompts

250+ Short Story Ideas for Kids

Staring at a blank page is every writer’s nightmare (or writer’s block )! To combat a blank page, here are 250 short story ideas to spark up your imagination. These short story prompts can make great daily writing exercises or can be used to write your next best-selling short story . 

Random Short Story Idea Generator

Unlike thousand-page novels, short stories (or flash fiction and one-shots ) can be really difficult to write. Their general word limit of around 1,000 words or fewer means that you need a brilliant idea and story plot to keep your readers hooked from beginning to end. With this in mind, we have created an ultimate collection of short story ideas that will keep your readers engaged. Whether you’re writing a sci-fi book or a series of modern-day fairy tales, click the links in the table of contents below to find the perfect idea for your next story! 

Love writing stories? Take part in our weekly short story challenge . Each week you’ll be given a random short story prompt to write about. Can you complete the challenge in time?

Reflecting back on your life experiences can be a great source of inspiration. Whether you’re thinking about a bad moment in your life or a funny one, here are 20 life story prompts to get you started:

• The worst day of your life just happened. Write about how things keep going wrong all day until the very end of the day it turns around.
• It’s your 12th birthday and your favourite uncle gives you a gift that really surprises you. 
• Think about how your self-image has changed over the past few years. Has your confidence grown or withered away? Use this as your inspiration for your next short story.
• Is your family wealthy or short on money? Money can be a strong motivator and a source of conflict for many people. How does money make you feel?
• Who raised you the most when growing up? What lessons did they teach you? How do they inspire you?
• What is the greatest lesson you learned so far in your life and how did you learn it?
• Write a short story inspired by a recent argument you had. 
• Think about a difficult decision you had to make recently. For example, did you have to choose between going to your best friend’s birthday party or visiting your dad in another country?
• Write about a recent achievement or goal you accomplished. 
• Think about an object that you had your whole life, like a piece of jewellery or a teddy bear. Write a short story centred around this object.
• Look through some old family photos and pick one at random. Use this photo as inspiration for your next story.
• Have you ever felt pressured to do something? Write about this peer pressure from the perspective of your future self in 5 years time. 
• Loneliness is a strong emotion. Write about a time when you felt alone and what did you do to cheer yourself up?
• Write a story dedicated to your best friend. Think about what you like most about them.
• Think about your greatest fear and write about overcoming it.
• Write about something that brings you great joy in your life.
• What hobby do you enjoy the most and how did you get into it?
• Write a story dedicated to the best teacher or mentor you ever had so far in your life. 
• Think about the funniest thing that happened in your life and use it as an inspiration for your next short story.
• Write a short story dedicated to your mother , father or someone else who looks after you.

Sci-fi (science-fiction) is one of the most popular genres of books out there. It can cover everything from aliens taking over a planet to futuristic robots losing control. Not to mention mad scientists and human mutation. Here are 20 sci-fi short story ideas to inspire you:

• A meteorite from deep outer space lands on Earth covered in strange alien bacteria. This bacteria grows and takes over the local plant life creating a swarm of aliens. 
• A space shuttle heading to the moon gets invaded by a team of space pirates. They then use this space shuttle to invade Earth disguised as humans.
• Write a short story about a mad scientist who has found a way to combine human DNA with animal DNA to create superhumans. 
• A computer hacker accidentally releases a deadly computer virus causing all machines to attack humans. 
• It’s the year 2135, every household has their own robot servant. After years of learning from human behaviour, the robot servants develop a mind of their own and start to attack humans. 
• A cure for a rare disease mutates humans into flesh-eating zombies.
• In a small town in Australia, a farmer discovers a strange chicken egg. It turns out to be an alien egg which fell from a UFO. 
• For centuries humans have evolved. From apes to modern-day men and women. This evolution has not stopped. In the year, 2200, some humans have special abilities or superpowers, such as mind-reading powers or the ability to fly. This has caused great destruction on Earth. 
• You are an astronaut studying life on the moon. Your Space ship breaks down there, leaving you stranded on the moon. How will you survive? 
• Your best friend died years ago and was replaced by a cyborg. And you only just found out recently. 
• Scientists invent a teleportation machine which allows people to travel all over the world within a few seconds. However, the machine goes bust and starts sending people into different dimensions. 
• Back in the 1960’s aliens abducted some people and planted some alien eggs inside them. Fast forward to the year 2020, you just discovered that your best friend is an alien and their parents were born aliens. 
• It’s the year 2070 and crime is at an all-time high. To combat crime, one town has completely replaced its police officers with robot officers. However, the robot police officers malfunction and start thinking that all humans are criminals.
• A physics professor at a top university creates a gadget that can turn back time. He starts using it for his own personal gain, such as winning the lottery. Then he realises that he has created multiple timelines, where multiple versions of himself have been created. 
• After being involved in a car accident, you wake up in a strange pod on an alien spaceship. The spaceship looks like it has crashed and there is no-one around.
• Write a short story from the perspective of an alien living on Mars. You can use the following sentence as inspiration, “Humans are real! We are not alone! Humans are real” Chanted the crowd. 
• Overpopulation has become a big problem in the future. To deal with the rising population, half of the world’s population is forced to live in space pods floating around space. Only when the population on Earth is controlled can these people return to Earth. 
• In the year 2080, the government banned all brightly coloured objects from all households and public locations to boost productivity. Now in the year 2181, you live in a greyscale world. People work all the time, there is no fun and no colour in their life. Until one day you discover something buried underground, a bright red t-shirt. 
• Everything will be automated in the future. Humans won’t even need to walk or get up. The robots can do that for them. In fact, humans don’t do anything, apart from just exist in the world. This gives aliens from a nearby planet, the perfect opportunity to invade and take over planet Earth.
• The gap between the rich and poor in the future means that the poor are forced to live in the sewers. While the rich live above ground, building more and more towers to show off their wealth. But now the poor have finally had enough of living in the sewer and want a taste of the rich life. 

For more science fiction ideas, check out this list of over 110 science fiction writing prompts . You might also be interested in our cosmic planet name generator and our amazing space writing prompts for more ideas and inspiration.

Everyone loves a good old adventure book. A bunch of kids heading out to solve a mystery or a family holiday gone bad. All adventure books have one thing in common: They are all about travelling and going to new or faraway places. Here are some adventure prompts to get you started:

• While cleaning up your basement you find a mysterious key that can open up portals to new worlds. 
• During a family camping trip, you find a backpack containing a strange-looking map, compass and a solid gold snake ring. What do you do next?
• Your main character goes on a fishing trip. Instead of catching fishes, he pulls out a mysterious chest. What happens when they open this chest?
• During a rescue mission in the North Pole, you lose all your teammates in the extreme weather conditions and dangerous animals. You have to find a way to get home safely. 
• A family camping trip gets dangerous when a pack of wolves start circling your tents in the middle of the night. 
• While on a deep-sea fishing expedition, you find the remains of an old pirate ship . Along with the pirate ship, you find a locked treasure chest and open it to release the most dangerous ghost pirate of all time.   
• You wake up in the morning to discover that your pet German Shepard has run away. You search all over town until you finally find him in the forest near a pile of bones. 
• During a road trip across America, you notice a mysterious red truck following you. Who is it and what do they want?
• From the outside, the tree looked normal. But when you start climbing it, it seems to never end like a huge beanstalk. After a few hours of climbing the tree, you reach a mysterious destination above the clouds. What happens next?
• During a historic school trip to Machu Picchu, you find yourself in a dark cave. When you turn back around, you realise that you are lost. How will you get out of the cave and find the others?
• You and your best friend find a beautiful sports car parked outside your home. The keys are inside and the door has been left open. 
• Your main character is on the hunt to catch a rare fish, which can only be found at night in the middle of the ocean. However, during the fishing trip sharks start surrounding your boat stopping you from reaching the middle of the ocean.
• An expedition in the Amazon rainforest gets deadly when you and your team encounter a group of warriors protecting the rainforest from outsiders. 
• While on a family holiday at the beach , you find a message in a bottle . The message tells you to take a boat to a nearby island where you will find everything you desire. 
• You and your family have just moved into a new home. At night you hear a strange ringing sound coming from the attic. You follow the sound to discover a magical wardrobe into the attic, which takes you to a new world. 
• A hard-working lawyer decides to leave the city life behind to start a new life in the country. As he ventures off to the country he realises that country life is not as calm or as relaxing as he thought it would be.
• A group of hunters searching for an endangered wolf in the mountains get more than what they bargained for when they finally find the wolf’s den. 
• During a cruise ship holiday, the ship starts sinking. You end up stranded on an island, where you have to survive until someone rescues you.
• Write a short story from the perspective of a young stray cat looking for her mother who is a house cat. 
• You are going to visit your grandma. It’s a two-hour car drive to get and the traffic is extra busy today. While stuck in the traffic you have some funny, yet strange encounters with other drivers. 

See this list of 110+ adventure writing prompts for further inspiration.

Fantasy is a genre that relies on the writer’s imagination. The more creative you are, the better your fantasy story will be. Try to think outside the box and create new worlds that no-one has ever thought of. Humans can have magical powers, animals can talk and monsters lurk around every corner. Here are 20 fun fantasy prompts to get your imagination going:

• Dragons are at war with humans. While foraging for food near the mountains you find a small ice dragon that helps hunt for food. Together you end the war between dragons and humans. 
• During a football game , the ball falls into the forest behind your school. When you go to find the ball, you discover small fairy-like creatures in the forest. No-one believes you when you try telling them, but you know the truth.
• A new magic shop has just opened in town. You decide to get your brother a magic play set for his birthday from this shop. Instead of just playful magic, the magic set turns your brother into a warlock capable of turning humans into frogs and more!
• During certain times of the day, a castle appears in the sky. Using your telescope, you discover the latest location of this secret castle and decide to pay it a visit.
• A vain high school girl gets sucked into a mirror, to discover that she has entered the dark world from her nightmares. 
• You were born with the gift of being able to cast any spell you like. After abusing your powers, a witch curses you by turning you into a powerless human being. 
• On your 12th birthday, you’ll be old enough to join any of the four clans: Steel Warriors, Earth Souls, The Healers or the Wise Ones. But a secret group living underground called the Dark Assassins want to recruit you. What will happen next? (If you like cats and warriors, take a look at the Imagine Forest Warrior Cat name generator .)
• You were a brave warrior and the Queen’s lead knight in battle. But one day both your legs were eaten by a ferocious beast. Now you have to prove yourself to the Queen that you are just as strong and as powerful as before. What will you do?
• In a world where anyone can do magic and mythical beasts are real. You belong to a family of powerful witches and are the youngest of five sisters. Each one of your sisters has the power to control the elements, such as wind, water, fire, earth. But being the youngest you have no clue on what you can control or even if you can control anything. 
• Your main character is a street thief and a shapeshifter. They can change into any human or animal. As the lowest ranking member of society, your main character is tired of being treated like dirt, so they decide to impersonate the king and take over the kingdom. 
• There’s an old ancient belief that the ocean is alive. When pirates pollute it with rubbish and hurt the sea creatures it makes the ocean angry. Write a short story from the perspective of the ocean.
• Your main character follows a street cat and ends up in a world where cats rule the planet and humans are their pets. 
• You find an old pen in a magic shop. Every time you write something down using that pen it becomes true. 
• For centuries it was thought that all dragons were dead. Until one night, the evilest and most legendary dragon of all rises from the Volcano. Write a short story from the perspective of this dragon.
• Not everything is rainbows and cotton candy on the planet of unicorns. Something deadly lurks underground. 
• Write a short story about a group of garden fairies being at war with the garden gnomes. 
• You are the best dark assassin in the kingdom. The king’s son has hired you to kill the king in secret. What do you do?
• Your main character is a poor farmer’s boy. One day his fortune turns around when he finds a magician’s spellbook deep in the forest.
• The main character of your story has just discovered that she is a mermaid and that there is a whole underwater kingdom for her to rule. 
• You accidentally create a potion which makes people invisible without them knowing. Soon the whole town becomes invisible. People start wondering why they can’t see anyone and why no-one can see them.

Check out our post on Fantasy Writing Prompts for more inspiration.

The horror genre is bound to shock and spook your readers. If you’re not scaring your readers, then you haven’t written a horror book. Go dark and go gory with these spooky horror prompts to scare your readers:

• You thought your best friend was dead, but not anymore!
• After eating a strange-looking vegetable, your pet bunny becomes a disgusting zombie bunny.
• After reading a cursed book, all your nightmares start becoming real. 
• You steal a rare ring belonging to a famous pirate from the museum. When you wear it on your finger it takes over your body and turns you into an evil pirate. 
• You find a spider in your bedroom and lock it inside a jar. When you wake-up the spider has become human-sized.
• It is late at night and you are on a camping trip with your classmates. Suddenly you hear a roaring sound, you get out of the tent to look. All you see is a shadow. As you start walking towards the shadow, you hear a scream. You start running, but this mysterious creature won’t stop chasing you until you trip over…
• For years you wanted to visit the old house down the street. Now you finally found the courage to knock on the door. The door is open, so you just walk in and find…
• Your best friend and you sneak into the school cafeteria after school to steal some food. But as soon as you open the door you hear the dinner ladies chanting some spell over something that looks like a smoking cauldron.
• Camp ghost stories are not always scary unless they start happening for real. 
• It’s Friday the 13th and all over town pets are acting weird. Your cat is acting more viscous than usually and then suddenly it jumps on you and starts attacking you.
• This Halloween you decide to go as a simple ghost. What you didn’t realise is that by wearing the costume, you actually became a ghost. And your best friend dressed up as a vampire, is now actually a vampire!
• You look in the mirror and see nothing – not even a reflection of yourself.
• Your little sister is always bugging you to play with her dolls, but you’re too old to play with dolls. Until one day you actually become a doll. Your parents think you ran away, but really you are in your sister’s bedroom on a shelf with all the other dolls. 
• It’s late at night and you hear a scream outside. You run over to the window and notice that one-by-one the lights inside the houses across the street are getting switched off. Your turn is coming soon. 
• You always believed that monster lived under your bed, but never really saw it. Until one night an arm grabs you from under the bed. 
• It’s Halloween night and you just finished carving a pumpkin with your parents. Later that night when you are alone in the house, the pumpkins start talking to you with the mouth you carved on them. 
• Every night the same whispers. Every night the same cries. Who could this be and what do they want?
• For your birthday, your parents buy you a black kitten. You never believed in superstition until you start to get bad luck every time the black kitten is around. 
• A strange boy joins your school. He never comes to school on sunny days, just on cloudy or rainy days. It turns out that he is a vampire and he wants to drink your blood.
• After visiting a magic shop and buying nothing, the owner of the shop curses you. Now everywhere you go, people keep laughing at you and you don’t know why. 

For more spooky prompts, take a look at our Halloween writing prompts post and our Halloween image prompts for inspiration.

It’s fun playing along to solve a mystery. Just imagine the old “who done it” style books. Keep your readers hooked and sprinkle in some shocking news about the real criminals or victims. Here are 10 mystery prompts to help you write your own mystery story:

• There’s a sock thief on the loose. The thief goes into homes stealing one sock from each pair. Why is the thief doing this and who will stop them?
• All around town cats have been sneaking off to a secret location each night. Your job is to find out where they are going and what they are up to you.
• Known as the Floral Slayer, there is a serial killer on the loose. They are going around town destroying all flowers in public places, people’s gardens and front yards. Why are they doing this and who can stop them?
• Complete the following story starter: The music stops, everyone turns around and they see…
• “Master Jewel Thief Caught And Locked Up!” – That’s what the newspaper headline read on Saturday morning. It’s now Wednesday morning and another diamond robbery took place last night. 
• You come home from school to find scattered papers all over your living room floor and your family is missing.
• The main character of your story finds a letter from their long-lost dad who they haven’t seen in years. The letter has a secret message encoded in it telling your character to find a mysterious door in town. 
• One by one students from your class are going missing. It’s up to you to find out what happened to them. 
• Mysterious symbols are appearing all over town. It is up to your main character to decipher the code and find out the meaning of these symbols. 
• You get an unknown phone call from someone. The person tells you that someone will knock at your door very soon and that you should not open it. You hear a knock at the door – What do you do?

Want more mystery prompts? Check out this list of over 70 mystery writing prompts .

Generations and generations of children have read fairy tales. In today’s modern world it gets harder to come up with a unique idea for a fairy tale. So most writers just put a modern twist on a famous old fairy tale or folk tale. Here are 10 prompts to help you write a modern fairy tale:

• On her 13th birthday, Cassie was cursed to never speak again. She was such a loud, outgoing girl, now she’s almost invisible.
• A young Prince has locked himself in his castle to avoid eye contact with any human person. One look could turn them to stone. 
• Princess Kiara was the prettiest girl in the whole kingdom. Her beauty meant that she could get away with anything. Until one day a witch turns her into a rose – nothing but a beautiful delicate rose.
• After being locked up in prison for over 20 years, the big bad wolf is out for revenge. And he’s starting with the three little pigs. 
• Three brothers are fighting with each other to be the next king of their kingdom – who will win?
• Write a short story of a modern-day sleeping beauty. This time about a girl who was in a coma for over 10 years after a horrific car accident left her paralyzed. 
• What if Cinderella had no fairy godmother and one of her ugly stepsisters married Prince Charming? How else could Cinderella change her life for the better?
• Little Red Riding meets the wolf in the forest. Instead of being scared of him, they become close friends.
• In the story of Hansel and Gretal, write from the perspective of the witch that lives in the Gingerbread house. 
• A kind princess gets locked in a tower which once belonged to a powerful wizard. Instead of waiting for a prince or knight to save her, she creates her own spells to get out. Soon the spells start taking over and turn her into an evil witch.

For more fairy tale inspiration, read our post on retelling fairy tales and our list of fairy tale ideas . You might also want to check out our guide on how to write a fairytale .

Everyone loves a good laugh. Humour or comedy books are a great way to cheer up your readers and go wacky with your ideas. Don’t just think about normal, everyday things – Go wild with your imagination and ask yourself, “What if?”. Here are 20 funny writing prompts to get your funny bones going:

• Cats and dogs rule the world and humans are their pets.
• The world’s unluckiest boy has the worst day ever.
• Johnny has always prided himself on being the best athlete at his school. However, in reality, he is the worst athlete at school, maybe in the whole world.
• The world richest man loses all his money and is forced to work as a cleaner at a company he once owned.
• A five-star Michelin chef loses all their reputation after serving a meal with a hair in it to a famous celebrity. They are now forced to work at a fast-food diner serving burgers and fries to everyday people.
• Jason is scared of everything, including his own shadow! How will he ever cope in the outside world?
• A man obsessed with comic books starts thinking that he is actually a supervillain from one of his favourite comic books. And now he is plotting world domination. 
• To make some extra money on the side, a farmer decides to open a knock-off version of Disneyland.
• A woman with Chaetophobia (fear of hair) gets a job at a hair salon. 
• After watching an action movie, you and your friends start acting like gangsters around school. But you are actually the biggest nerds in school.
• A boy swaps bodies with his pet dog. 
• The world’s longest game of tic-tac-toe – For some reason, it just never seems to end.
• A clown with a fear of balloons has to attend a 6-year-old’s birthday party. 
• The daily lives of a family of cheeseburgers. 
• The son of a mad scientist who rides a snail to school every day.
• The worldwide clown championships are happening. This is where all the best clowns compete to win the golden nose awards for being the funniest clown. 
• A mouse believes that he can talk to cheese. The other mice think he’s crazy – but is he?
• You’re just 100 words away from finishing your essay, but your pencil keeps breaking. You try the computer and it crashes. Then you try a pen and there’s no ink!
• An alien buys planet Earth at an outer space planet auction for $100. He then pays Earth a visit and is disgusted by what he sees. 
• Your family gets kicked out of town for being the messiest people in town. Your lawn hasn’t been mowed in months. The garbage is over the front yard and let’s not get started with the inside of the house.

Monologue or single character prompts are a great way to show your main character’s true personality and put the spotlight entirely on them. Monologue scenes or stories, just have one character normally talking in their head about their experiences or worries. Here are 20 monologue prompts to get you thinking deeper about your main character:

• Your character has a big confession to make to the world.
• Alone sitting at a dinner party fit for 20 people, the main character explains how they lost it all for nothing.
• On a bus ride to an important college interview, your character goes through many self-doubts.
• Sitting alone in the dark, Jesse feared the outside world. She just wants to be alone.
• A vegetarian shark explains how he feels like an outsider and doesn’t fit in anywhere. 
• Your main character is plotting the greatest revenge in history in their own mind. 
• You just faced the most embarrassing moment of your life. Hidden in your bedroom the negative thoughts are taking over. 
• A computer geek is reminiscing about all the ways he can take over the world and be the most powerful human alive. 
• Tabitha the house cat knows there’s a mouse hiding in the kitchen. Write a monologue scene of Tabitha dreaming about catching the mouse.
• Write a monologue scene from the point of view of one of the ugly step-sisters in Cinderella. The scene can be set right after Cinderella’s wedding.
• In a monologue format, describe the struggles of being a snail. Think about all the other insects like spiders and ants and how you as a snail compares to them.
• You are a world-famous celebrity who has been kidnapped by one of your biggest fans. Explain how you feel locked up in a basement somewhere.
• Talk about the struggles of being the most popular girl or boy in school. Think about the peer pressure you face daily.
• Everyone thinks that you’re this big, tough guy, but really you’re struggling on the inside. In a monologue talk about your struggles and the judgement, you face every day.
• Snakes are always getting a bad reputation for themselves. From the perspective of a rattlesnake, talk about how you feel when people and other animals run away from you or attack you.
• You were once the greatest criminal masterminds of all time and now you’re sitting in a retirement home, waiting for the nurse to feed you.
• Each snowflake is unique and delicate. With only a few seconds before you melt, write a short monologue from the perspective of a snowflake falling from the sky.
• The lights turn off, as your master goes to sleep. One dog sits by the bed of his master – What is he wondering about?
• Pick any inanimate object from your room right now. Now write a monologue from the perspective of this object. If this object was alive what would it think about? What is it’s daily struggles?
• In a world where monsters exist, write a monologue from the point of view of a vampire that no longer wants to hurt his victims. 

Friendship the ultimate source of all love and pain. Friendship can dissolve overtime or it can grow stronger. Everyone has experienced some sort of friendship in their life, even if it was brief. Here are 10 prompts about friendship to inspire you:

• Jacob is a loner. He hates having to make friends until one day he meets Calvin.
• Socially awkward and really shy, Abigail envies Jessica who makes friends so easily. After a series of embarrassing events, Abigail and Jessica eventually become close friends. 
• Cats and mice can’t be friends. After all, cats love eating mice for dinner. Snowdrop the lonely house cat finds friendship in a dirty street mouse. 
• Everyone wants to be friends with Malcolm. Katie is just one in a thousand kids trying to get close to Malcolm. Is there a chance that Katie and Malcolm can even talk to each other, let alone be friends?
• After years of rejection, Sarah promised herself she would never try being friends with anyone ever again. Then she met Laura. An outgoing, party girl who loves to have fun.
• Bridget has been best friends with Charlie since elementary school. Everything changes when a new girl Chrissy becomes Charlie’s other best friend. 
• Two socially anxious teenagers meet at an after-school club. Both keep on forcing awkward conversations with each other and never actually say what’s truly inside their heads.
• Jake has always been comfortable with his own company and hanging out on his own. Until he experienced true friendship with his best mate. Now he wants to be friends with everyone he meets, but that’s not always possible. 
• One best friend was all Ellen ever wanted. All she ever cared about. Then she found out that her best friend, Katie was moving to another country. Can they keep their friendship going?
• For two whole years, you thought Catelyn was your best friend. So many secrets shared. So many moments shared. But she was just a fake friend – She was never there when you really needed her.

Check out this post for 56+ writing prompts about friendship .

Superheros are really popular today. It’s not only the comic book geeks who love them now. Get on the bandwagon and write your own superhero story or you could even create your own comic series with these 20 prompts:

• You are the most famous superhero of all time. But what you don’t know is that your father is actually a supervillain which you’ll have to take down. 
• All the anger and rage you built up over the years has turned you into a superhuman with super strength. Will you use it for good or evil?
• Everything he touches turns to bananas that must be the worst superpower ever. When will it ever come in handy?
• A retired villain has to come out of retirement when he notices superheroes ruling his town. 
• After abusing her superpowers, Prof. Buzz loses all her electricity powers. She now needs them back to defeat an ultimate villain.
• A superhero and supervillain get taken as hostages by a group of citizens against superheroes. It is now up to an average police detective to save them both.  
• When the world is about to end, a superhero and supervillain must work together to save it.
• After the death of your uncle, you inherit his magical sword. When held in a fighting position, the sword turns you into a legendary superhero, called the crimson knight. 
• Everything James touched turned to darkness. His head is even filled with dark thoughts. Instead of letting the dark thoughts turn him into a villain, James uses his power of darkness for good. 
• All humans eventually get a superpower. However, David is the only kid at school with no superpowers at all. 
• How was the very first superhuman or human with superpowers created?
• A superhero is framed for killing someone and now is locked up in a special facility where he can’t use his superpowers. This leaves his hometown with no superhero to protect it and loads of evil villains start taking over. 
• Everyone looked up to Lava Knight until he accidentally hurt someone with his superpowers. Now all humans are protesting against superheroes. They demand that all superheroes are stripped off their superpowers.
• You become the very first superhuman in the whole world after discovering that you can move objects with just your mind. You decide to keep it a secret and only ever use it when you’re really desperate. But this all changes one day.
• Michael is murdered by his best friend. A few weeks after his funeral, Michael wakes up alive in a dark coffin. Using his newfound power he breaks through and seeks revenge.
• Sarah can move objects with her mind, but her power is super weak. Until she connects with a group of girls from another high school. Together their bond forms the greatest power that anyone has seen.
• David superpower is controlled by his mood. When he is angry, he turns to fire and when he is sad, he can shoot out water. The problem is David has no control over his emotions, so he has no control over his superpower.
• For years you have played the role of a good superhero. Always saving lives and watching the people you love disappear. Now you had enough, it’s time to be the bad guy, it’s time to play the villain. 
• A mastermind supervillain is tired of people always booing him and wishing him to disappear. He decides to become a good guy or a superhero and tries to get people to like him. 
• Having a superpower was cool until Mindy started losing control of her power. It was like the darkness was taking over her whole body. She is now a danger to everyone, including herself. 

Check out our post on superhero writing prompts for more inspiration!

Blood is thicker than water and that’s what makes families so important. You can hate them or love them, in the end, it all works out. The source of many drama, conflict and joy, here are 20 family prompts to get you started on your short story:

• A brother and sister rivalry ends badly when they both end-up expelled from school.
• Your family is hiding a big, dark secret and they’ll do anything to keep it a secret from your other relatives.
• Your long, lost sister who you thought was dead knocks at your door.
• 194. Your main character has just had a baby. But they are worried about not being ready and if they can ever be a good enough parent.
• Jesse’s mother has brought a new man home. She wants Jesse to see this new man as her step-father, but Jesse isn’t ready to let go of her real, biological dad. 
• Your main character hasn’t seen their father in over 10 years. Suddenly out of the blue their father turns up asking for a place to stay.
• A family night dinner goes badly when an uninvited guest turns up to stir trouble. 
• Your main character just found out that the girl next door is her older sister and your father’s first family actually lives next door.
• James is convinced that his older brother Jacob hates. Everyday Jacob beats James up and embarrasses him at school. After a series of events, Jacob ends-up being the best brother, James could ever ask for.
• After years of getting all the attention from your parents. Your parents bring home a baby boy and now it seems like no-one even notices you anymore. It’s all about your baby brother now.
• Sarah is the youngest of 8 siblings. All her brothers and sisters are all good at something. While the only thing she is good at is being the baby or the victim. And now she has had enough of people always treating her like a baby.
• You are researching your family tree for a school project. You thought your family was small until you stumbled upon some old family photos All those aunts, uncles, cousins that you never saw your whole life. Why keep them a secret?
• After a huge argument, you learn your parents are getting a divorce. Your mom wants you to stay with her, while your dad wants you to come with him. What will you do?
• As an orphan child, Cassie always felt alone. Until she joined an art club and met her two best friends, Edwin and Miranda. Now she found a family that she never thought she’ll have. 
• It has always been you and you mom. Until one day your mom introduces you to a lady and tells you that they are getting married. 
• Every year your family goes on a family vacation. But this year, the annual family vacation has been cancelled.
• After going through some old stuff in the attic, you learn that your great grandfather was a war hero.
• It’s ‘Bring a Parent to School Day’. But your main character’s parents are so busy that they can’t make it, so they bring their much older brother to school instead.
• Your main character learns that their grandpa is a great explorer. For one last time, your main character and their grandpa go on one final adventure.
• There are many benefits to being a middle child. You don’t have the responsibility of being the eldest and you aren’t treated like a baby like the youngest. But still, you always feel misunderstood by your family and are always on the outside. 

From stories with morals (like Aesop’s fable) to light-hearted comedies, animals are great in books. give any animal you like a human voice and your readers are automatically hooked. Here are 20 short story ideas about animals to help you write your next furry story:

• A bear locked up in a cage is rescued by a wolf. Together they become the ultimate hunters.
• Goldie, the goldfish has been forced to share her fish tank with a tropical fish that think she’s the best-looking fish in the world.
• Smitty, the stray cat tries to get a job hunting mice in a posh restaurant. 
• A mouse is caught stealing cheese from the food cupboard by a cat that is scared of everything, including mice. 
• All pigeons learn to fly, but not Musky. He loves to walk the streets with the humans, so never cared about flying.
• A rare octopus with nice tentacles is made fun of. Until he realizes his unique talent.
• Robbie the robin thinks that he is the best singer in the world. But all the other birds think he sounds like a broken flute.
• Write a short story about a dog travelling across America to find his mother. 
• A huge eagle kidnaps a young rabbit and wants to keep him as a pet. But the rabbit is desperate to getaway.
• After 30 days straight walking in the desert all alone, a young camel still has no clue how to get back home.
• Pippa, Rodney and Brax are siblings. Together they must build a dam to stop the water from flooding the nearby village. But every time they start building, those annoying otters keep stealing their materials. 
• A group of forest animals must work together against their differences to protect the forest from being destroyed.
• Write a short story about a magpie with a stealing problem. No matter what this magpie does he/she just can’t help stealing shiny things.
• A house cat notices her owner walk into the kitchen holding a large box. The owner opens the box and out comes a small puppy. At first, the cat hates this new puppy, but soon she becomes protective of it.
• Jerome the chameleon hates people staring at him, so he always camouflages. One day he sees a human and wants her to adopt him. But she never sees him. From that moment, Jerome doesn’t want to hide away anymore.
• A group of young puppies are separated at birth. One of them becomes a circus performer. The other, a well-pampered house pet and the final one a stray dog.
• Penelope is a well-pampered poodle. One day her rich master passes away. She is forced to live in a shelter for dogs, along with other stray dogs.
• The Gorilla body-building competition is coming and this time you want to win. But you’re the weakest Gorilla of the pack.
• Write a short story about the life of being a husky dog working in Alaska to help pull equipment and people around in the snowy landscape. 
• An alpha wolf is kicked out of his pack for playing around with humans. Will he ever become alpha again?

The future can be an existing and scary place. You never know what will happen in 100 years from now. As writers, you can use your imagination to take your readers to a new Earth of the future. Will the planet be a dusty no-mans land or an earthy haven for all life-form in the universe. Here are 10 futuristic ideas to get you thinking about the future:

• It’s the year 2,075 and scientists have discovered a way to make humans immortal. But only the rich and important people are offered this treatment.
• Humans expected the world to have robots and flying cars by now. But instead of going forward, evolution starts reversing. Soon people will end up back in the caveman times barely being able to speak. 
• In the year 2,250 Earth has become a giant zoo where humans are locked up like animals. Allens from other planets come to see humans locked up behind bars and even pay to see them. 
• The poor were treated so badly that in the future they all become mutated monsters. And the rich hide away in their big mansions behind lasered security gates and force-field walls. One the power goes down and the poor enter the rich people’s land.
• Global warming causes the Earth’s atmosphere to change unexpectedly. Now all plants and trees are alive. They can walk and talk and what’s even worse is that they are preparing for a war against humans.
• Earth’s weather system has dramatically changed in the future. Now the weather forecast talks about balls of fire falling from the sky and tornadoes made of water flooding random towns.
• Earth was created as a prison for all badly behaved humans. And now that the prison sentence is over, everyone can finally go home to their real planet.
• After years of horrific weather conditions and natural disasters, humans have learned to adapt to the various environmental changes.
• In the future, there has been a serious drop in the human population. After viruses, war and human nature have killed the majority of Earth’s population. Now humans are considered an endangered species .
• With Earth nearly fully wiped out, a group of survivors discover the location of Area 51 (a secret government facility).

It is only by remembering the past, can humans fully grow and develop. Bad or good, the past of impacted so many lives and needs to be remembered. Go back in time to a year of your choice and imagine how it would be like to live there. To help you out, here are 10 historic short story ideas about the past:

• It’s the 1930s and you are making your first debut as a circus clown. However on the first night of the circus opening things end very badly.
• In the year 1512, the island of Seram was discovered in Indonesia by an explorer named, “António de Abreu” and his team. Write a story from the perspective of one of his team members. 
• The plague, known as the Black Death arrived in England in the year 1346. It killed over a quarter of the population. Imagine if you and your family were alive then, how would you cope?
• Write a short story about how the first wheeled vehicle was created and what it was used for.
• How was the first-ever newspaper or media company started? Your main character in this story is the first-ever reporter.
• 246. Tell the story from the perspective of a young African slave travelling on a ship from Spain to Haiti in the year 1502.
• Thomas Saint designed the first-ever sewing machine. Write a story from the perspective of Thomas and how he came up with the idea.
• It’s the year 1914 and your father has just set up a telephone in your home. Write a short story of how the telephone changed the lives of your family and friends. 
• Your main character is a spy in the year 1570. They have been hired to protect the queen from a secret league of assassins. 
• Your main character is one of the first female pirates in the year 1702. To be the captain of a ship she dressed up as a man. Write a short story about her adventures out at sea.

A good story idea is difficult to find. We hope that this list of 250 short story ideas inspires you to write the best short story ever written. You can pick one or combine multiple prompts together to create the ultimate idea for your next short story. Once you got your story all mapped out and planned, you can use our story creator to publish and share your story with our online community of writers.

Marty the wizard is the master of Imagine Forest. When he's not reading a ton of books or writing some of his own tales, he loves to be surrounded by the magical creatures that live in Imagine Forest. While living in his tree house he has devoted his time to helping children around the world with their writing skills and creativity.

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127 Story Starters & Writing Prompts for Kids (Ages 10 – 14)

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

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Coming up with story starters for kids can be difficult. This article provides 127 writing prompts that can get kids’ creative writing off to a great start. Download my three great creative writing lesson plans that I use as a supply teacher. They’re easy-to-use lessons that you can teach on the go.

Article Key Points

• Select from the list of 127 writing prompts below for story ideas that you like.
• Put these writing ideas in a hat and have students randomly pick out their assigned story.
• Use the 3 lesson plans provided for a ready-made creative writing lesson. Great for supply teachers!

You can get my printable story starters sheet at the end of this article

A full list of 127 story starters and writing prompts for kids

Writing prompts for adventure stories.

• A princess who needs to rescue a puppy from a river.
• A family on a road trip who got lost and ended up on a whole new adventure.
• Two friends who go on an adventure down a river on a rowboat.

A superhero who lost his superpowers in the middle of a rescue.

• A kid who wakes up one day to find out he / she was turned into a dog.
• The day in the life of an inanimate object (tree, statue, etc.).
• Three friends who can time travel forward in time. What will the world look like when they arrive?

The main character of your story has to escape a pirate ship after being captured in the night.

• Pioneers travelling the whole way across a new land in just a wagon. What challenges will they face?
• You’re a detective trying to uncover a crime: someone stole grandma’s apple pie when it was cooling on the windowsill!
• You walk past a phone booth that is ringing. You answer the phone. Who is on the other end?

You wake up one day to find out that you grew and you’re suddenly 12 feet tall! You try to go to school but you find life’s hard as a giant…

• A giant and a mouse live in a house together and are best friends. Tell a story about them preparing dinner together. What would each eat, and how would their preparations be different?
• You’re half way up Mount Everest when you drop your pack with all your climbing gear off a cliff. What are you going to do about it?
• A dorky kid suddenly develops superpowers and fights crime in the city at night.

A talking dog and his best friend race against time to defuse a bomb.

• A firefighter is in a race against time to put out a fire before it burns down a magical forest full of talking animals (who help him / her to put out the fire!). Help him put out the fire safely !
• You are walking along the beach and find a message in a bottle. The message provides the directions to something special – follow the directions!
• Write a story about a refugee. They have recently had to flee their home to go to a safer place. Explain their journey.

You wake up one day and you’re only 6 inches tall! Write the story of what happens next – will you go on an adventure? Will you go to school? What will your parents say when they see you?

• Write a story about being lost in a maze. How did it make you feel? What did you come across as you turned corners in your attempt to escape?
• You’re going camping but you’re only allowed to bring 5 belongings. What would you bring, and why?
• You’re the only survivor of a plane that has crashed in the wilderness. Describe how you will survive.

You’re a book that keeps getting passed from person to person and bookshop to bookshop. What sorts of people read your book and what crazy places do you end up going?

• You’re 5 feet tall and live in a garden. How will you make your own comfortable little home in amongst the leaves?
• You’ve found yourself trapped in a prison cell. What creative ways will you come up with to escape?
• You dig a hole in your backyard and find a treasure. What is the treasure and what will you do with it?

You have to set up a new colony on Mars. Who would you take with you and what struggles will you have setting up your new colony? Who would be king? What would be the rules?

• You have magical pockets. Every time you put your hand in your pocket, you pull something else out! Write a story of the 5 different, random things you pull out of your pockets. Will some of them be slimy and scary? Will some be alive? Will some be tasty?

Read Also: 25 Central Ideas for Stories

Writing prompts for stories about your life

• Your favorite memory with your family.
• The best vacation or adventure you ever had.
• A time you went to the dentist.

Your two favorite movies (and how they’re similar and different).

• What you think would happen at a dinner party involving any three of your favorite people (living or dead).
• Your hero and why they’re your hero.
• Write a story about your ideal day. Start with your alarm going off to wake you up, and end with you closing your eyes and falling asleep.

The happiest moment of your life. What was it that made you so happy?

• What a day in your life would be like if you had your dream job.
• You have swapped jobs with one of your parents. You have to go to work for the day and they have to go to school. What funny things will happen?
• Write a story about a dream you have had in your past. Was it a logical story, or did your dream defy the rules of the world? If you can’t remember your dream, you can make it up or fill in the gaps.

Write a story about a time you were wrong and how you felt. Were you glad you learned something new? Were you ashamed? Did you apologize?

• Write a story about your favorite place. If you don’t have a favorite place, invent one and explain why it would be your favorite place.
• Write about a skill you recently learned. Was it frustrating? After learning the skill how did you feel? How do you use the skill in your life now?
• Write a story about the things you think about just before you go to sleep at night.

Write about exactly what you’re going to do when you get home from school today.

• Write a story about all the things you’re grateful for and why you’re grateful for each one.
• Write about the moment your parents or grandparents met and how they felt at that time. If you don’t know about it, make it up!
• Write about your first day at high school or university. What will your emotions be? Will you meet anyone?

Read Also: A List of 107 Effective Classroom Teaching Strategies

Writing prompts for imaginative stories

• What you would do if you could travel back in time to hang out with one of your ancestors.
• You have a metal detector and are using it on a beach. What do you turn up? Describe it and what you would do with it.
• You invent your own tree house. Describe it – how do you get into it? How many rooms are there and what is in each room?

You could travel back in time to any time in world history. What is it and why?

• You meet a fairy who gives you any one gift – what would it be and how would you use it?
• You just bought a haunted house and are about to spend your first night in it. It’s run down and creepy. Describe your first night, starting with when you step in the door at 5 pm.
• You’re shipwrecked on a deserted island with only 5 of your belongings. Which would they be and why?

Imagine an older version of you has traveled back in time and has come to give you advice. What advice will they give you and what will your conversation be like?

• Imagine you’re a farmer. Describe the farm animals or plants you would farm and a day in your life.
• Write a story about having fear of the grass, but needing to walk through a park. How will you get across the park without touching the grass!?
• Imagine it’s the world 2100 and climate change has changed the climate where you live. Describe the new climate, the new plants that grow there, and whether it’s extremely hot or extremely cold!

Imagine an ice age has arrived and the whole world is -30 degrees! How will you live? In an igloo? What clothes would you wear? Would the cities be made of ice? Explain a day in the life.

• You have created your own personal robot. What does the robot do and how does this improve your life?
• You wake up one day and the only people left in the world are 3 of your closest friends. How will you survive?
• Your house has been converted into a spaceship and you’re flying to the mysterious planet Obertoron. What is the climate like in this new planet? What challenges do you face settling into this new planet?

You are in the middle of a lesson at school when … suddenly gravity stops working and everything starts floating into the air!

• You can breathe underwater and go on underwater adventures to a city under the sea. You’re on a mission to save the city from an evil octopus.
• You wake up in the morning and suddenly you’re 30 years old. What is a day in the life of the 30 year old version of you?
• Make up the rules of your own sport. You can get inspiration from real sports or a made up sport like Quidditch.

Write a story about the most peaceful place you could imagine. What is surrounding you that makes it so peaceful?

• Peter Pan flies in through the window to teach you to fly. Describe how it feels to fly out the window and look down on the streets below.
• You’re in a garbage dump sifting for goodies. What do you find and what do you do with it?
• You receive a mysterious item in the mail. Describe the item and why you might have received it.

You can read minds. What are the thoughts in the heads of people around you? Are you glad you can read minds, or will you end up regretting it?

• You’re born into royalty and will be the future king or queen. How are people treating you and what will be your responsibilities? Are you happy about being the future monarch, or will you end up just wishing you were a normal person.
• You’re the president, king or prime minister for the day. What will you do today to improve your society or change the world?
• Invent your own movie. What is the main character’s name and what is the movie’s plot? How will the movie end?

Imagine you’re a mermaid for a day. What sea creatures would you talk to? Where would you sleep and live under the sea?

• Imagine you are a teacher. What would you teach and why?
• Imagine you have a secret hatch under your bed that takes you into your own private cave. What will you keep in your cave that makes it the prefect secret room for you?
• Imagine you woke up one morning and there was no electricity for the next year. What would change about your life?

Write a story that involves the following 5 objects: a foot, a lake, a spaceship, a pizza, and a dinosaur.

• Imagine you’re from a tribe that has never had contact with anyone else in the world. You go for a walk and stumble upon a city. Explain how you feel and what you see.
• Everything you touch with your right hand turns to candy. Write about a day in your life and the sorts of issues you might come across during your day.
• You feel the emotions of all the people around you. Write about a day walking through a city, the people you see, and how your emotions go up and down like a roller coaster.
• Imagine your toys have come to life (like in Toy Story!) What sorts of things will they get up to while you’re at school?

Writing prompts for descriptive stories

• Write a story about the weather. Choose one type of weather (thunderstorm, sunny day, humidity, rain) and describe it. Use adverbs, adjectives and superlatives to describe how the weather makes you feel.
• Write a story about a delicious feast you made for your friends. What will be served? Describe its taste in your mouth. Don’t forget to describe the appetizers, main course and dessert!
• Pretend you are the god of your own little world and you can invent an animal. What would its features be? Think about its head, body and limbs. Don’t forget to describe its skin (fur? Scales? hair?), eyes, mouth (or is it a beak or bill?), ears, fingers, etc.

You are on the train observing other people and listening in to their conversations. Describe the people on the train and what they’re doing with their lives.

• You are Santa Claus and you’re reading children’s wish lists. Describe three different children’s wish lists. The children need to have different personalities and this needs to be reflected in their wish list.
• You’ve been given $100 to spend in the supermarket. Start the story of you walking down the aisle trying to pick out what you want. First you’ll describe 7 objects that you find, but then you can only choose 3. Explain your choice.
• Describe the taste of chocolate to someone who has never tasted it before. How will you explain it?

You’ve met someone who has never smiled before. Explain to them how to smile without using the word ‘smile’.

• Describe what it’s like to see to someone who was born blind.
• Describe what it’s like to hear to someone who was born deaf.
• You start your own club. What would the club be, and what would be the conditions for entry to the club?

You’re about to take an exam. Describe your feelings before the exam begins, then your feelings during the exam, and finally your feelings after you leave!

• You’re walking through a refugee camp. Describe what you see.
• Write a story about how you feel on the first warm, sunny day of the year.
• Describe snow to someone who has never seen or touched it.

Write a story about how it feels to be cold to someone who’s from Jamaica and has never felt the cold!

• Write a story about how it feels to be hot to someone from the North Pole who’s never felt the heat!
• You invent your own board game . What is the theme and what are the rules?
• Describe what it feels to walk through a city to someone who has never been in the city before.

Describe what it feels like to be all alone in the forest to someone who’s never been in among trees before.

• You move into a new house and have to set up your new bedroom. What would its theme be? What posters would you put on the walls?
• You’re an architect and can design your dream house. What would it look like? What rooms would there be? What cool things would you include in your new house?
• If there was one thing you could invent, what would it be? Describe it and how it is used.

A fire has started in your home. You can only save 3 of your belongings. What are they and why would you save them?

• You make a new friend. Describe the friend’s personality and why you like them so much.
• You have to plan a birthday party for yourself. What will be the party’s them? Where will it be?
• You can invent your own car. What special features will it have that will make it your ideal car?

You are going to go a full year without creating and trash. Write about the lifestyle changes you will make in order to prevent making trash. How will you get food without wrappings?

• There is a new kid who has arrived at school today. Write about what you will do to make them feel welcome.
• You have to buy Christmas gifts for all of your family members. Describe what the gifts will be and why you think they’re ideal for each family member.
• You can change your style to any style you like: what would you wear, what would your hair look like, and what sort of music would you listen to?

Describe what it’s like to feel hungry to someone who’s never felt hunger before in their life.

• You have $50 to buy food for a week. What foods will you buy and why? Will you focus on health food to keep yourself healthy, or binge on junk that tastes so yummy?
• Imagine you work for the post office. What is a day in your life? What dogs will you come across? What different sorts of letters will you deliver? Happy letters? Sad letters?
• Describe what it feels like to take a shower to someone who’s never had a shower before.

It’s opposite day and you have to lie about everything. What sorts of trouble are you going to get into from all of your lies?

• Explain how you would start a fire without a lighter or matches.
• Describe the feeling of being sticky to someone who has never felt the feeling of being sticky. You can’t use the word ‘sticky’.
• Describe the feeling of being dirty to someone who has never felt being dirty. You can’t use the word ‘dirty’.

Write a story about how it feels to be bullied, and someone who arrives and is kind to you. Describe how it feels to have a friend who is kind after you’ve been bullied.

• You have been asked to create a new game show on TV (Think: Family Feud or Wheel of Fortune). What will be the rules of your new game show?
• You are a genetic scientist and can create a new fruit. Describe the fruit: how it feels, tastes, and looks. What does the tree that it grows on look like? In what climate does it grow?
• You’re an architect and you’ve been asked to design the ideal playground. What sort of cool play equipment will you place in your playground?

3 Great Writing Prompts and Story Starter Lesson Plans

Lesson 1: mix-and-match story starter lesson.

Printable 1: Fun Story Stater and Writing Prompt Mix-and-Match Lesson (Takes you to a Google Doc)

This lesson plan download has a list of mix-and-match story starters. Cut up each story element and put them into three hats: Character, Setting and Plot (you might also want to read my article about about all 8 elements of a story ). The students are blindfolded and must take one story element out of each hat and make a story out of the three elements they get!

Lesson 2: Planning your Creative Story Plot

Printable 2: Story Planning Template (Takes you to a Google Doc)

Teach students about the important elements of a story using this story planning lesson template. Your students need to describe their main character, plot and setting before they tell their story. It’s a great scaffold to ensure your students follow the conventions of story writing.

Lesson 3: Random Creative Writing Story Prompts

Printable 3: A List of 127 Story Starters (Takes you to a Google Doc)

I love this one for an easy afternoon. Simply cut up the 127 creative writing story ideas below, place them in a hat, and have students close their eyes and pick out the story that they will have to write about.  

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12 Best Writing Activities for Kids: The “Write” Way to Fun

1. Online Writing Games

2. feelings journal, 3. personal time capsule letters, 4. use creative writing prompts, 5. picture storytelling, 6. diy comic strips, 7. outdoor observation, 8. letter to a hero, 9. recipe writing, 10. story cubes.

Did you know that many kids today find writing a bit challenging? In fact, studies show that lots of children struggle with putting their thoughts into words. But guess what? We have some super fun and exciting ways to help them become amazing writers!

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We’ll show you how writing activities will make your kids love writing, just like they love their favorite games and toys .

But why is this important? Well, teaching kids to write is not just about school—it’s about expressing yourself, telling stories , and sharing ideas. Plus, it’s a skill that will help them in so many areas of life. Let’s dive right in and discover fun writing activities for kids that will light up their imaginations and help them become confident writers!

12 Fun and Creative Writing Activities for Kids

Writing can be as exciting as a treasure hunt or a fantastic adventure, and it doesn’t have to feel like homework. Here are some ways on how to practice writing:

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In today’s digital age, engaging children in learning can be both fun and educational. Online writing games are an excellent way to foster creativity and enhance writing skills in kids. One such platform that excels in this regard is SplashLearn .

SplashLearn offers a wide array of interactive games and worksheets designed to enhance kids’ writing skills. From letter tracing activities that help strengthen fine motor skills to engaging sight word games that boost reading and writing proficiency, SplashLearn transforms writing practice into an engaging and rewarding experience.

A journal is like a secret friend where kids can pour out their thoughts and feelings. This writing activity is a safe space for self-expression and emotional growth.

Ideas for journaling:

• Ask them to write about their favorite day.
• Let them draw or stick pictures to make it even more personal.

Keeping a journal is like having a personal therapist on paper. It aids in emotional development by encouraging self-reflection and expression of feelings. Additionally, it hones writing skills, vocabulary, and the ability to organize thoughts coherently.

The idea of a time capsule is to capture the present moment for the future. In this activity, kids write letters to their future selves, detailing their current lives, hopes, dreams, and questions they might have for their older selves.

How it works:

• Provide kids with paper, envelopes, and writing tools.
• Ask them to imagine they’re writing to themselves 5 or 10 years in the future.
• They can describe their current life, friends, hobbies, and dreams.
• Once done, seal the letters in envelopes with the date to be opened in the future.
• Store them in a safe place or create a decorative time capsule box.

Writing to one’s future self is a reflective activity that encourages introspection. It helps children articulate their current feelings, aspirations, and uncertainties. As they ponder what the future might hold, they also develop a sense of hope and anticipation. When they eventually open these letters years later, they can see how much they’ve grown, which can be a profound and emotional experience.

Imagine starting with a simple sentence and turning it into an amazing story! That’s what creative writing prompts do—they make writing an adventure.

Examples of prompts:

“If I could go anywhere in the world, I would visit…”

“Once, I found a magical key that opened…”

Creative writing prompts spark imagination and creativity. They prompt children to think outside the box and develop their unique voice. Additionally, it improves their storytelling abilities and vocabulary.

Pictures can speak a thousand words, and when kids write about them, they learn to describe things in detail.

Picture-based prompts:

Show them a picture and ask, “What do you see? Write a story about it.”

Describing pictures in detail improves observational skills and the ability to convey ideas clearly. It encourages children to think critically about visual cues and translate them into written narratives.

Creating comics is like being a superhero! Kids get to draw, write, and think about how stories flow.

Step-by-step guide:

• Draw a series of boxes to make panels.
• In each panel, tell a part of the story with words and pictures.

Creating comic strips nurtures artistic and storytelling talents simultaneously. It teaches visual storytelling, enhances writing skills in a concise format, and encourages the creative interplay between words and images.

Prompt: “What’s a funny incident that happened to you recently? Try turning it into a 3-panel comic strip!

Writing about nature connects kids with the world around them. It’s like taking a walk in the park with a pen.

Outdoor observation prompts:

• “Create an alphabet list using things you see in nature. For each letter, write the word of something you found, and describe it in one sentence.”
• “Draw your favorite tree and write about it.”
• Pick up a fallen leaf and make up a story about where it came from, the tree it belonged to, and its adventures on the ground.
• Look up at the sky and observe a unique shape in the clouds. Write a short story (2-3 sentences) about what this cloud shape resembles and a whimsical tale that could involve this cloud character.

This activity connects children with the natural world. It cultivates an appreciation for the environment, promotes keen observation skills, and sharpens descriptive writing abilities.

Writing a letter to a hero or role model is a way to say thank you and share admiration. It’s all about showing gratitude.

What to write:

• Tell your hero why you admire them.
• Say how they inspire you.

Writing letters to heroes promotes gratitude , empathy, and the articulation of admiration. It helps children develop persuasive writing skills and the ability to express their feelings respectfully.

Writing recipes is like creating magic potions! It’s also a fun way to learn about measurements and following instructions.

Write down a simple recipe, like making a peanut butter or jelly sandwich.

Crafting recipes enhances attention to detail and understanding of the order of operations. It teaches the importance of clear, concise instructions and reinforces basic math and measurement skills.

Story cubes are like dice with pictures. Roll them, and see where your imagination takes you!

How to make and use them:

• Draw pictures on cube-shaped paper or use stickers.
• Roll the cubes and create a story based on the pictures that come up.

Story cubes stimulate the imagination and encourage spontaneous storytelling. They help children think on their feet, connect disparate ideas, and weave them into a coherent narrative. This activity also promotes vocabulary expansion as kids search for the right words to describe the images they see.

11. Newspaper Reporter

Kids can be little reporters and learn about news writing. It’s a sneak peek into how newspapers work!

Activity: Brainstorm: Think of an event like “Aliens Visit Local School” or “Lost City Found in Backyard”.

Details: Answer: Who? What? When? Where? Why? and How?

Headline: Create a catchy title to grab attention.

Draft: Write the story, adding ‘quotes’ from ‘witnesses’ or ‘experts’.

Illustrate: Sketch a related image or scene.

This activity merges news writing with creative storytelling. Kids learn the structure of news while enhancing both their factual and creative writing skills.

12. Book Reviews

Reading is fantastic, but talking about what you’ve read is even better. It helps kids think critically and share their thoughts.

How to do it:

• Pick a book you love and tell others what you liked and didn’t like about it.
• These writing activities are like hidden treasures waiting to be discovered. Pick one, or try them all, and watch your child’s writing skills grow while having a blast!

Writing book reviews enhances critical thinking and analytical skills. It encourages children to form opinions, express them clearly, and engage in thoughtful discussions about literature. It also promotes reading comprehension.

6 Benefit of Writing Activities for Students

Did you know that these fun writing activities can do wonders for your child’s growth? Let’s explore how:

1. Improves Literacy Skills

Engaging in creative writing activities fosters a deeper understanding of language and literacy. This enhanced literacy proficiency not only aids them academically but also equips them with a crucial life skill for effective expression and comprehension.

2. Improves Communication Skills

Through storytelling, journaling, and letter writing, kids learn to articulate their thoughts, feelings, and ideas coherently. They become more adept at conveying their messages, whether in written assignments at school or in everyday conversations. 

3. Boosts Creativity

Creative writing activities are like playgrounds for the imagination. When children engage in storytelling, compose poems , or craft imaginative narratives, they exercise their creative muscles. 

4. Enhances Critical Thinking

Many of these activities encourage children to think critically about the content they create. When they write book reviews, they must analyze the plot, characters, and themes, developing the capacity to assess literature thoughtfully. Storytelling and creative prompts compel them to structure narratives logically, considering cause and effect. These experiences foster analytical thinking, enabling kids to approach complex issues with a more discerning eye.

5. Improves Emotional Well-being

Journaling, in particular, serves as a therapeutic outlet for children to express their emotions, fears, and aspirations. It allows them to process their feelings and gain a better understanding of themselves, helping children manage stress and anxiety more effectively. 

6. Cultivation of a Lifelong Skill

This can lead to a lifelong passion for literature, creative expression, and effective communication—an invaluable skill that serves them well in education, careers, and personal relationships.

In other words, the benefits of these creative writing activities extend far beyond the classroom to nurture well-rounded individuals with enhanced literacy skills, effective communication abilities, heightened creativity, and a deeper understanding of themselves and the world around them. Encouraging children to embrace these activities is an investment in their personal and intellectual growth, providing them with tools that will benefit them throughout their lives.

To wrap it up, these writing exercises for kids make learning fun and beneficial. These activities to improve writing skills help kids become great writers, improve their reading , and boost their creativity. By enjoying these activities, children can express themselves better and learn to tell amazing stories. So, let’s encourage our little ones to dive into this exciting world of writing. It’s not just homework; it’s a lifelong adventure where imagination and self-expression reign.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the 5 minute writing exercise for kids.

The 5-minute writing exercise for kids is a quick and creative activity where they write about anything that comes to mind for just 5 minutes, no rules, just free writing.

What is a fun writing game for kids?

A fun writing game for kids can be “Story Dice” where they roll dice with pictures and create a story using those images, sparking imagination.

How do you make a writing lesson fun?

To make a writing lesson fun, incorporate games, writing worksheets for kids, storytelling, or interactive prompts to engage students and make learning enjoyable.

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These Lunch Ideas Are Simple Enough for Your Child To Make Themselves

Teaching kids how to make nutritious meals, nutritious ingredients to stock up on.

• Recipes 5- to 11-Year-Olds Can Make
• Recipes 12- to 17-Year-Olds Can Make

Leading a healthy lifestyle as a family can often start with teaching kids how to prepare simple foods. This is an important skill for kids to learn when they are young, so they can continue making healthy meal choices in their lifetime.

For younger kids under 10 years old , you can teach simple recipes that require little prep and for kids a bit older the recipes can include more advanced elements such as boiling water for pasta. Below you’ll find best practices for teaching kids how to create nutritious meals , a list of nutritional ingredients to keep stocked in your kitchen, and easy DIY recipes that kids of every age can make on their own.

Rachel Vanni for Parents

When your kids get down and dirty in the kitchen, not only do they learn about food but they also have fun! It’s even more fun when they get to eat what they have prepared with their own two hands. Parents and caregivers can use this moment to show kids how to increase the nutritional value of their lunches. Here are several best practices when showing kids how to create well-rounded meals.

• Add calcium. Pediatric nutrition expert Malina Malkani, MS, RDN, CDN and author of Safe and Simple Food Allergy Prevention reminds parents to include a good source of calcium at lunch. “As kids exit the toddler years, calcium intake tends to decrease. According to data from NHANES, 49% of children between ages 4-18 are not meeting their daily needs for this essential, bone-building nutrient.” Yogurt, cheese, kefir, cottage cheese, edamame, fortified soy milk, and chia seeds all offer a good amount of calcium in lunch foods that are easy to pack.
• Include a combination of protein, fiber, and fat. These three nutrients—whether including all or some of them at a meal—"can help slow the rate of digestion and prevent the dips and spikes in blood sugar that lead to low energy, irritability , and lack of focus,” explains Malkani.
• Let the child choose between two options. Jill Castle, MS, RDN is the founder of The Nourished Child and author of Kids Thrive at Every Size: How to Nourish Your Big, Small, or In-Between Child for a Lifetime of Health and Happiness. Castle recommends providing your child with two options when negotiating foods to pack for lunch. For example, you can include both strawberries and a clementine that way they can select which one they prefer during their lunch.
• Choose at least four food groups to pack for lunch . Castle provides the example of turkey and cheese on whole grain bread paired with grapes and pretzels. There are endless possibilities, but teach your child to count the foods that come from each food group.
• Let your child do the work: Castle says letting your child do most of the work “will encourage their independence , [teach them to] engage with hands-on tasks, and [help them] learn while doing.”
• Use a school lunch planner: Another smart tip from Castle is to create a school lunch planner. “A planner can help you map out a week of lunch meals with input from your child, and make the process of lunch packing easier.”
• Use after-school snack time wisely: Castle says to take advantage of this time for discussing, planning, and preparing for the next day’s lunch ideas.

Start with simple recipes that focus on nutritious ingredients when your kids are younger and build on their skills as they evolve in the kitchen. Consider stocking up on these ten nutritious ingredients that are simple for young kids to meal prep for lunch.

• Frozen, shelled edamame: Thaw and have your kids pack it as a side or snack, they can also use it as a base for “hummus” when they’re ready to use the blender. 
• Chia seeds: Your child can mix chia seeds into yogurt parfaits, use it as a base for a nutrient-rich pudding, toss it into salads, or sprinkle it into nut butter sandwiches.
• Yogurt tubes or pouches: Include this grab-and-go food as a calcium-rich side or base for yogurt parfaits that kids can assemble during lunchtime if they prefer not to assemble in advance. You can also try freezing a yogurt pouch in advance as it helps to keep the rest of the packed foods cold and it will still be chilled by the time kids are ready to eat them.
• Peanut butter or nut-free butter (like sunflower, yellow split pea, soy): Use nut butter for sandwiches or as a topping for toast or bagel. You can also have your child melt nut butter in the microwave and drizzle it on plain yogurt, or they can mix it with soy sauce and toss with warm noodles.
• Eggs: Either purchase hard-cooked eggs for younger kids or older kids can learn to boil them stovetop. Use for an egg sandwich with cheese and ham.
• Pasta or noodles: Pasta is simple to make for older kids who know how to use the stove (or you can pre-cook them for younger kids). Kids can toss the pasta with chopped veggies to create a cold salad, or they can toss with a tomato, Alfredo, or vodka sauce for a hot lunch (and bring it to school in a thermos). You can also show them how to serve it plain or with butter for picky eaters.
• Cheese: Have your child add slices to sandwiches or pack some cheese as a side in their lunchbox. Shredded cheese can be sprinkled over veggies and cubes can be skewered with fruit.
• Carrots: Kids can choose from sliced canned carrots, baby carrots, or peeled and sliced carrots. It’s a simple side to add to lunches, and a veggie that kids love to dip.
• Mandarins or clementines: These easy-to-peel fruit are a simple snack even for the littlest hands and can help add fiber and vitamin C to their diet.
• Raisins: Dried fruit has a long shelf-life and is easy to grab and pack in any lunch box. It can be topped over yogurt or eaten right out of the mini box.

Lunch Recipes 5- to 11-Year-Old Kids Can Make

For elementary and younger middle-school aged kids, Castle says they are likely to “assemble” lunch items. As such, Castle recommends that “parents support them by having some of these things prepared and on hand, like yogurt sticks in the freezer, hard boiled eggs in the fridge.”

A spin on PB&J

Malkani recommends spreading seed butter and smashing raspberries or banana slices on whole grain bread as a spin on the classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Have your child choose from baby carrots, a cheese stick, or roasted corn kernels on the side to balance out the lunch.

Stepped up bagel and cream cheese

Castle’s ideal student lunch starts with a whole grain bagel with plain cream cheese, the lunchbox also includes a hard-cooked egg, a fruit “salad” made from berries and/or clementines, and a frozen vanilla yogurt stick (wrapped in tinfoil to prevent condensation).

Creative avocado toast

Have your child pack a whole grain slice of bread and a single-serve guacamole or mashed avocado that they can spread on the bread. Let them choose between fun toppings such as sliced strawberries or tomato slices and string cheese.

Ham and cheese roll ups

Your child can take a slice of ham or turkey and cheese and roll it up. They can add ketchup, hummus, or mustard on the side for dipping. Compliment the lunch bag with cherry tomatoes, baby cucumber (no cutting needed!), or raisins.

Skewered chicken and cheese

Show your child how to thread grilled or shredded pieces of rotisserie chicken with cheese cubes. They can serve them with a side of carrots and grapes for an easy, protein-packed lunch.

DIY Recipes 12- to 17-Year-Old Kids Can Make

" Teens are busy , social, and often short on time,” explains Castle. Anything that is easy to assemble, such as wraps or salad kits, are perfect for this age group as these options are flexible, easy to make, and mobile.

Yogurt parfait

Malkani recommends showing your tween how to create their own yogurt parfaits with plain yogurt, chopped fruit, granola, chia and pumpkin seeds, and a drizzle of honey. They can even add whole-grain crackers, celery, or bell pepper strips on the side, as well as a single-serve container of hummus for dipping.

Bagged salad kits

Bagged salad kits works well for tweens and teens . They can enhance the nutritional value of the salad by topping it with a hard-cooked egg or grilled or rotisserie chicken for protein. They can complete the lunchbox with a piece of fruit, popcorn or tortilla chips, and a cheese stick.

High protein Mediterranean wrap

Castle recommends a whole grain wrap (like Lavash or Flat Out), then your teen can add hummus, cucumber, feta cheese, Greek olives; and a crunchy side like Hippeas (made from chickpeas). This lunch pairs well with an apple on the side.

Chicken, kale, and white bean salad

This recipe is from The Best Rotisserie Chicken [TA5] Cookbook and uses five ingredients—kale, chicken, white beans, roasted nuts/seeds, and a dressing. Parents can purchase a bottled dressing from the store or an older child can learn to make the dressing from scratch (it’s a good lesson on how oil and vinegar don’t mix until you whisk!).

Your teen can start by mixing bagged baby or shredded kale with shredded rotisserie chicken and drained and rinsed canned cannellini (or other white) bean. They can add chopped walnuts, sunflower seeds, or roasted soy nuts for added crunch. And finish it off with a mandarin orange and cheese stick.

Protein-packed pasta salad

Pre-cook the pasta to save both you and your teen some time and mix it with canned kidney beans, canned peas, and carrots. Then your teen can toss it with a spoonful each of shredded Parmesan cheese and extra-virgin olive and sprinkled with salt and pepper. This lunch is best completed with blueberries for extra fiber.

Key Takeaway

Teaching your child how to make simple meals can not only save time and energy, but it also instills a healthier mindset. You can show your child how to create a nutritious meal by teaching them the components that are necessary to do so. For a child under 11 years old , you can show them how to make simple lunch meals themselves like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. For kids older than 12, you can teach them to make easy, on-the-go options such as bagged salad kits.

Multivitamin/mineral supplement contribution to micronutrient intakes in the United States, 2007-2010 . J Am Coll Nutr. 2014.

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