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

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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!

writing prompts for kids

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?

writing prompt card for kids example

#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.

magic sweater writing prompt for kids

#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?

writing prompts for pets

#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?

story writing ideas for primary school

#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.

kids writing prompts and ideas

#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?

kids journal prompts

#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?

circus lion

#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?

writing ideas for kids

#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?

fire fighter writing prompt

#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?

superheroes writing prompts for kids

#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?

ocean writing prompt

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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48 comments.

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

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed them! 🙂

Lovely and amazing help

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

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

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

This was great for homework

Thank you for the topics. It was really helpful

Your writing prompts are awesome

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

Thank you! I hope they enjoy the writing prompts!

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

these questions hooked me on easily thanks your the best!

They are all good prompts

This is always good and improves the brain.

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

It’s was very long but worth it

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

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

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

You need a printable version of this!!

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

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

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

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

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

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

These were awesome, thanks a TON

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

i do this for school work to

i do this for school work

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

The prompts are grrrreat

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

Glad you enjoyed them!

These are awesome

These are amazing! Thank you so much for sharing.

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

Do you have any more?

This really was think written

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

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

this is the greatest app ever

I like all the questions

thank you for all the ideas they are so good

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

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

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

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Writing Prompts for Elementary School Students

Tim Platt/Getty Images

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

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

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

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

Elementary School Writing Prompts

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

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

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

Literacy Ideas

Short Story Writing for Students and Teachers

short story writing guide

What Is a Short Story?

The clue is in the title!

Short stories are like novels only…well…shorter! They contain all the crucial elements of fully developed stories except on a smaller scale.

In short story writing, you’ll find the key story elements such as characterization, plot development, themes explored, etc., but all within a word count that can usually be comfortably read in one sitting.

Short stories are just one of many storytelling methods; like the others, they help us derive meaning from our world.

Visual Writing Prompts

How Do Short Stories Differ From Novels?

The reduced scale of a short story explains most of the differences the form has with longer forms such as novels.

Short stories usually have a tighter focus on a single main character and rarely shift between perspectives the way we often find in longer works of fiction.

Space is of the essence in this form, so long passages of exposition are usually avoided and the story starting at the last possible moment.

In purely numerical terms, short stories can be anywhere between about 1,000 to around 20,000 words or so, though many would consider even 10,000 too long.

A short novel clocks in at around 60,000 words, with word counts between 20-60,000 words being taken up by that red-headed stepchild of prose, the novella.

THE STORY TELLERS BUNDLE OF TEACHING RESOURCES

short story writing | story tellers bundle 1 | Short Story Writing for Students and Teachers | literacyideas.com

A MASSIVE COLLECTION of resources for narratives and story writing in the classroom covering all elements of crafting amazing stories. MONTHS WORTH OF WRITING LESSONS AND RESOURCES, including:

How to Write a Short Story

Good storytelling is an art. But, luckily it’s a craft too and, like any craft, the skills and techniques can be learned by anyone.

In this article, we’ll first take a look at some ways to kickstart the short story writing process, before taking a look at some of the structural considerations essential for students to understand before they write their short stories.

We’ll also explore some simple practical activities that will help students to draw on their creative resources and personal experiences to help bring their stories to life.

Finally, we’ll look at some general tips to help students put a final polish on their masterpieces before they share them with the world.

How t o begin a story

short story writing | short story writing guide | Short Story Writing for Students and Teachers | literacyideas.com

Create a Dramatic Question

The first thing a student needs to do when writing a short story is to create a dramatic question. Without a dramatic question, readers will have no motivation to read on as there will be no story .

This dramatic question can take many forms, but as it will be the driver of the plot, it will be the single most important element of the story.

Take the movie Rocky as an example. In it, an aging journeyman boxer, Rocky Balboa, answers two dramatic questions:

1. Will Rocky find love?

2. Can he become the Heavyweight Champion of the World?

Often the dramatic question is of this will she/won’t she type. But, whatever form it takes, there must be some obstacles put in the way of answering it.

These obstacles can come in the form of an external obstacle, such as an antagonist or a negative environment, or the form of an internal obstacle, such as heartbreak or grief.

This is the conflict that creates the crucial element of suspense necessary to engage the reader’s interest.

Whatever form a student’s dramatic question takes, it will provide the plot impetus and how the student will explore their story’s theme.

Practice Activity: Identify the Dramatic Question

It is good practice for students to attempt to identify the dramatic question any time they read a book or watch a movie. Ask the students to think of some classic or popular books and movies that they are already familiar with. Can they extract the major dramatic question from each?

Find Inspiration in the World Around

One of the most common complaints from students, when asked to write a short story, is that they don’t know what to write about. This is the age-old curse of writer’s block.

Figuring out what to write about is the first hurdle students will need to overcome. Luckily, the inspiration for stories lies everywhere. We just need to help students to know where to look.

As writers, students must learn to see the world around them with the freshness of the eyes of a young child. This requires them to pay close attention to the world around them; to slow things down enough to catch the endless possibilities for stories that exist all around.

Luckily, we have the perfect activity to help our students to do this.

Practice Activity: Breathe Life into the Story

We can find stories and the details for our stories everywhere.

Students need to tune their ear to the fragments of stories in snatches of overheard daily conversations. They need to pay enough attention to catch their own daydreaming what-ifs on the bus to school or to keep an eye out for all those little human interest stories in the local newspaper.

Once the living details of life are noticed, students need to capture them quickly by recording them in a journal. This journal will become a great resource for the student to dip into for inspiration while writing their stories.

Those half-heard conversations, those anecdotes of street life witnessed through a bus window, the half-remembered dreams scribbled down while gulping down a rushed breakfast. All these can provide jumping-off points and rich detail for a student’s short story.

Outline and Prepare

Preparation is important when writing a short story. Without a doubt. There is, however, a very real danger of preparation becoming procrastination for our student writers.

Students must learn to make their preparation time count. The writing process is much more productive if students invest some time in brainstorming and organizing their ideas at the start.

To organize their short story, students will need to understand the basic elements of structure described in the next section, but the following activity will first help them to access some of the creative gold in their imaginations. The discipline of structure can be applied afterward.

Practice Activity: Dig for Nuggets

For this activity, give each student a large piece of paper, such as a leaf from an artist’s sketchbook, to brainstorm their ideas. Employing a large canvas like this encourages more expansive thinking.

Instruct students to use colored pens to write sentences, phrases, and fragments, even doodles. Anything that helps them to dump the contents of their mind onto the paper. This is all about sifting through the rubble for those nuggets of gold. Students shouldn’t censor themselves, but instead, allow their mind’s free reign.

To help your students get started, you can provide them with some prompts or questions as jumping-off points. For example:

  • What is your basic premise?
  • What is the story about?
  • Who are your main characters?
  • Where is your story set?  

Encourage students to generate their own questions too by allowing their minds ample room to roam. Generating new questions in this way will help them gather momentum for the telling of their tale.

SHORT STORY WRITING STRUCTURE

Even getting off to a great start, students often find themselves in difficulties by the middle of their story, especially if they haven’t achieved a firm grasp of structure yet.

The main elements students will need to master are plot, theme, and character development.

In this section, we’ll take a look at each of these in turn.

short story writing | structuring a short story 1 | Short Story Writing for Students and Teachers | literacyideas.com

Plot refers to the events of the story. This is the what of the tale. It’s useful for students to understand the arc of the plot in five sections: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.

Exposition: This is the introductory part of your story. It should introduce the reader to the central characters and orientate them to the setting.

Rising Action: Here the student begins by introducing the central dramatic question which will be the engine of the story. A series of obstacles must be placed in the way of the main character that will increase suspense and tension as the story moves forward toward the climax.

Climax: The climax is the dramatic high point of the story. This is where interest peaks and the emotions rise to their most intense.

Falling Action: Now the conflict is resolving and we are being led out to the story’s end.

Resolution: The central dramatic question has been answered, usually in either a happy or tragic manner, and many loose ends are tied up.

Practice Activity: Instruct students to use the five-part plot structure above to map an outline for their tale before writing .

If the plot consists of the series of events that constitute the story, then the theme refers to what those events mean.

The theme of a story is the underlying message of the story.

What is the ‘big idea’ behind all the action of the plot? This is open to a certain amount of interpretation on the part of the reader, but usually, a little reflection by the student writer will reveal what the events of the plot mean to them.

If, as described in the introduction, stories are how we derive meaning from the world, the theme will reveal the writer’s perspective on things.

Practice Activity: Organize students into groups and ask them to list their Top 5 movies or books of all time. Instruct them to briefly outline the main plot points using the plot structure above. When they’ve completed that, instruct the students to discuss what they think the main themes of each of the works of fiction were.

A COMPLETE UNIT ON TEACHING STORY ELEMENTS

short story writing | Story Elements Teaching Unit | Short Story Writing for Students and Teachers | literacyideas.com

☀️This HUGE resource provides you with all the TOOLS, RESOURCES , and CONTENT to teach students about characters and story elements.

⭐ 75+ PAGES of INTERACTIVE READING, WRITING and COMPREHENSION content and NO PREPARATION REQUIRED.

Character Development IN SHORT STORY WRITING

short story writing | character development short story writing | Short Story Writing for Students and Teachers | literacyideas.com

No doubt about it, characterization is essential to the success of any short story. Just how important characterization is will depend on whether the story is plot-driven or action-driven.

In the best writing, regardless of genre or length, the characters will be at least plausible. There is a lot that students can do to ensure their stories are populated with more than just cardboard cutouts.

One effective way to do this is to reveal a character through their actions. This is the old show, don’t tell trick at work.

A good short story writer will allow the character to reveal their temperament and personality through their actions.

For example, instead of merely describing a character as putting a mug on the table, perhaps they bring it down with a thud that betrays their anger.

Another great way to reveal character is in the use of dialogue. How characters speak to each other in a story can reveal a lot about their status, mood, and intent, etc.

Our students must learn to draw complex characters. Archetypes may serve us well in some contexts, but archetypes are not real people. They are caricatures. If our students want to people their fictional world with real people, they need to create complex, even contradictory characters, just like you and I are.

If their characters are too consistent, they are too predictable. Predictability kills suspense, which in turn kills the reader’s interest.

Practice Activity: Reveal Mood through Action

For this simple activity, provide the students with a list of emotions. Now, challenge the students to concoct a short scene where a character performs an action or actions that reveal the chosen mood.

To start, you might allow the students a paragraph in which to reveal the emotion. You might reduce this to just a sentence or two as they get better at it. Remind students that they need to show the emotion, not tell it!

HOW TO POLISH AND REFINE A SHORT STORY

Now students have already had a look at how to begin and how to structure a story, we’ll take a look at a few quick tips on how they can polish their stories generally – especially during the editing process.

Write Convincing Dialogue:

For students, investing time in learning how to write great dialogue is time well spent.

Not only is well-written dialogue great for revealing character, but it will break up intimidating walls of text too.

Dialogue is a great way to move the story forward and to provide subtle exposition.

 As mentioned earlier, journals are the perfect place to dump interesting snatches of conversation that become a valuable resource for writing convincing dialogue – except, of course, if you are passing through North Korea or the like!

Vary Sentence Length:

 When finished with their first drafts, encourage students to read their work out loud when editing and rewriting.

Often, students will be surprised to realize just how regular the rhythm of their sentences has become.

Like musicians, writers have chops. It’s easy to fall back on the same few favored structures time and again. Students can do a lot to spice up their writing simply by varying sentence lengths.

Shorter sentences are pacier and punchier while longer sentences can slow things down, calming the reader, then, boom!

Varying sentence length throughout a story prevents the writing from becoming stale and monotonous.

Punctuation:

As with varying sentence length above, the rhythm of a story can be altered through the choice of punctuation.

Students can think of punctuation as musical notation marks. It’s designed to help the reader understand the composer’s intention for how it is to be read and interpreted.

Students should understand punctuation as an imperfect but effective tool. Its use affects not only the work’s rhythm but also the meaning.

It is well worth the student’s time to perfect their use of punctuation.

To Conclude                                                  

There are a lot of moving parts to short stories.

From the nuts and bolts of grammar and punctuation to crafting a plot and exploring big thematic ideas, mastering the art of short story writing takes time and lots of practice.

With so much ground to cover, it’s impossible to address every aspect in a single unit of work on short story writing.

Be sure to offer students opportunities to see the short story in action in the work of accomplished writers, as well as opportunities to practice the various aspects of short story writing mentioned above.

Draw attention to writing best practices when they appear even in work unrelated to the short story.

Lots of time and plenty of practice might just reveal a latter-day O. Henry or Edgar Allen Poe sat in one of the desks right in front of you.

SHORT STORY WRITING CHECKLIST BUNDLE

writing checklists

SHORT STORY WRITING VIDEO TUTORIAL

short story writing | YOUTUBE 1280 x 720 7 | Short Story Writing for Students and Teachers | literacyideas.com

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The content for this page has been written by Shane Mac Donnchaidh.  A former principal of an international school and English university lecturer with 15 years of teaching and administration experience. Shane’s latest Book, The Complete Guide to Nonfiction Writing , can be found here.  Editing and support for this article have been provided by the literacyideas team.

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BRYN DONOVAN

tell your stories, love your life

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50 Story Ideas for Kids

a notebook, scissors, pens, paper clips and other school supplies

Hey friends! For a while now, people have been asking me to do writing prompts for kids. This year, more busy teachers and homeschoolers are looking for easy creative writing lesson plans, and some of them have used my summer writing prompts and my Christmas writing prompts .

So I put together this list of story ideas for kids. They include some story starters, some funny writing prompts, and some mystery and adventure ideas. I hope these are helpful for parents looking for creative writing activities, too…so their kids can learn how fun writing can be. Then again, maybe they already know!

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text: 50 STORY IDEAS FOR KIDS | fun creative writing prompts for busy teachers and parents (background: pens, notebook, scissors)

STORY STARTERS

The writing prompts in this first section are “finish the story prompts”…kids start with the first sentence given, and take it from there.

1. Once upon a time, there was a girl who did something that nobody thought she’d be able to do.

2. Once upon a time, a boy found a suitcase with his name on it and fifty thousand dollars inside.

3. My family’s camping trip didn’t go the way we planned.

4. I packed my suitcase to go on my dream vacation.

5. I packed my suitcase because I was moving with my family to another country.

6. An odd family moved in next to us.

7. George was a friendly snake, and he wanted people to stop being afraid of him.

8. Lila was a duck who hated getting wet.

9. One morning when I woke up, I was invisible.

10. One morning when I woke up, I was only six inches tall.

11. I was so surprised when I realized my new skateboard could fly off the ground.

12. A boy met his guardian angel.

13. A girl met the President.

14. I met a person from one hundred years in the future.

15. I opened the huge birthday present.

16. I was standing in the middle of a dark forest.

17. There once was a boy who painted his horse to look like a zebra.

18. There once was a girl who loved hats more than anything else in the world.

19. I was asked to star in a movie.

20. I got a robot to help me with things.

MYSTERY STORY IDEAS

21. You get an invitation to a secret party.

22. You find a strange map tucked inside a book.

23. You find a fancy key in your backpack.

24. Someone stole your bicycle, and you want to find out who it was.

25. Someone keeps eating all the cookies in the house when everyone else is asleep.

26. There’s glitter all over the living room floor, and nobody knows why.

27. There are animal tracks in your backyard, and you follow them.

28. There’s a house on your block that’s been empty for years, but at night, you can hear music playing inside.

29. At the beach, a bottle washes up on the shore with a mysterious note inside.

30. A girl keeps insisting she’s your sister, but as far as you remember, you’ve never met her before in your life.

ADVENTURE STORY IDEAS

31. You were chosen to be the first kid astronaut and you go into outer space.

32. You wake up on an island. You don’t know how you got there, and you’re the only person there.

33. You and your best friend explore Antarctica.

34. You and your best friend explore a volcano…avoiding the lava.

35. You walk into a store and find yourself in a whole other world.

36. You sail on a sailboat to a faraway place.

37. You go on a cruise, and pirates attack the ship.

38. You take a hike in the rainforest and meet some interesting animals.

39. You travel across the desert on a camel.

40. You explore a cave and make an amazing discovery.

OTHER CUTE WRITING PROMPTS

41. You’re not allowed to have pets, but you’re secretly taking care of a baby unicorn in your room.

42. Your new babysitter is a talking elephant.

43. A puppy tries to go to school like human kids do.

44. An ice cream company hires you to invent new flavors.

45. Your homework assignment is to interview a Disney cartoon character.

46. Someone from your favorite TV show shows up in real life and wants to hang out with you.

47. You get to design your own bedroom. You can have anything in there you want.

48. You become the king or queen of the world. Where would you live? What would you do?

49. Aliens visit Earth and believe you are the king or queen of the world, even though you keep telling them you’re not.

50. You dress up as something for Halloween, and everyone thinks that’s what you really are.

A pencil cup full of pencils, plus paper airplanes

If you liked my story ideas for kids, please share them on Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter—I really appreciate it! And if you don’t want to miss future posts, be sure to subscribe to the blog. Thanks so much for reading, and have a great rest of your week!

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21 thoughts on “ 50 story ideas for kids ”.

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These are great. They could work for adult stories too.

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You know…now that I think about it, you’re totally right, Darlene! I hope you have a good week!

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Hi Bryn, Thanks for this post. I think this is a great idea. Since my grandson always wants me to tell him stories and he always adds to them, I can simply give him one of these and let him create the stories. Also, I have several friends who are teachers. I will share your post with them. I’m sure they will appreciate these.

Hi Cheryl! Aww, I love it that your grandson loves stories…he takes after you! I would so appreciate your sharing. 🙂 Have a good week!

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Hi Bryn, Just what I needed and at the perfect time! How did you guess? Tomorrow morning I am giving a Zoom meeting through Nepris for a class of 4th-graders. The topic is writing fiction. Since I am a Discovery Writer, I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to present “how to write fiction” till I remembered your index card plot illustration from Blank Page to Final Draft page 61. I simplified it a bit. Haha. I’ll bet you didn’t think it could be simpler than what you created. (Don’t worry, I give you credit) I feel confident now, that I will be able to help the students “see” the structure of a story. And then the BIG FINISH. We can let them choose an idea from your list to write their own story. It’s Perfect! Thank you so very much not only for this post, but also for all the tips, ideas, encouragement, and (OK I admit it) LOVE you give and are willing to receive.

Jessie! You’ll probably be done teaching by the time you read this, but that’s so great that this was helpful! I love it. Lucky kids, getting you for a guest teacher! Thanks so much for the kind words…you made my day. 🙂

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I love your prompts! So many wonderful ones! Thanks for sharing!

Thank you, Andrea! You’re so kind. Hope you have a great week!

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YES! This is perfect timing. Both my kids have expressed interest in writing, and the youngest is getting a word processing machine (a Neo2) from Santa (he asked; how can I say no??) so I might have to print out this list for them. Thank you, Bryn!! <3

Hey friend! Ahh, that’s awesome…they’re writers like you! I hope they like these. 🙂

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wonderful prompts. shared.

Aww thanks Denise! Hope you have a great week. 🙂

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Hi there! Thank you so much for this incredible prompts! I have a little cousin who doesn´t like to write, she says that she never gets good ideas and that she gets bored when she’s writing, so I’ll try to use this prompts to increase her writing. There are so many funny and cute ideas in this post so I am sure that she will find something she would love to write about.

Thank you so much! :3 :3 :3

How nice that you’re helping your cousin be creative! I hope she likes one of the ideas. 🙂 Thanks for commenting!

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This is a very generous list! Thank you. Also , it reminded me that my dad always used to make up a story when he tucked me in at night, so good for this too.

Naomi, that is so sweet about your dad. 🙂 What a great memory!

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I’m a retired teacher (thirty-one years in grades 2-6), but I would have used many of these prompts.

Hi Pete! Ah, I’m glad I’m hitting the mark here. Hope everything’s going well with you!

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I’m using one of your prompts to write a story for my granddaughter! Thanks so much!

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thank you for all of these amazing prompts I am planning to enter this years BBC 500 words writing competition

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

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Written by Maria Kampen

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  • Teacher Resources
  • Elementary school writing prompts

Middle school writing prompts

High school writing prompts.

  • Social emotional learning jounal prompts
  • Math writing prompts

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

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

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

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

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

Writing prompts for kids help students:

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

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

Grade school writing prompts

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

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

Creative writing prompts for elementary schoolers

Young child sits at a desk with a notebook and pencil, writing in the notebook.

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

Young child sits at a table in front of a window while writing on a sheet of paper.

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

Top-down photograph of a girl with braids sitting at a desk next to another student and writing in a notebook.

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

Two students sit outside against a brick wall, working in notebooks.

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

A student holds an orange with an equation written on it while working on a math writing prompt.

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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32 Short Story Prompts to Get Students’ Creativity Flowing

Suddenly, they won’t stop writing!

30 Short Story Prompts Guaranteed to Get Your Students' Creating Juices Flowing

Some of my favorite teaching moments come from a unit that culminated with my students writing an original short story. When given the freedom to write fiction, so many of my students came alive. They wanted to write suspense, mystery, horror, or romance. They wanted their characters to feel like real people. Suddenly, after weeks of ignoring my helpfully provided feedback, they were crowding my desk to ask me to read their work. It was glorious. Narrative writing is a wonderful way to allow every student to use the skills they’ve practiced in class to create something new. Getting started, however, can often be tricky. This is where I’ve found short story prompts to be so helpful. Give your students the following list of intriguing short story prompts and watch what they create.

Want this entire set of short story prompts in one easy document? Get your free PowerPoint or Google Slides bundle by submitting your email here .

Suspenseful Short Story Prompts

story writing ideas for primary school

  • The tombstones in the town’s cemetery are going missing.
  • You discover the new student at school looks exactly like you.
  • There are muddy footprints leading up to the front door of the house … but it hasn’t rained for days.
  • An obscure relative passes away and leaves you $500,000 in their will under the condition that you move into their 100-year-old house immediately. Alone.
  • A new app promises to help you get your life together, and it works! If you follow everything it tells you to do, you have an awesome day. If you don’t follow it exactly …

Adventurous Short Story Prompts

story writing ideas for primary school

  • You are obsessed with the ancient Aztecs. When a mysterious corporation that claims to have mastered time travel recruits you to travel back to the 15th century to learn more about what life was like for Aztec children, you agree almost immediately. Will you regret your decision?
  • The school field trip was supposed to be fun. Then, the natural disaster hit.
  • You and your friends decide to hike the Appalachian Trail for the summer.
  • You just found out that your mother/father is a spy for the CIA. In addition to that crazy realization, they tell you they need your help for one very important mission.
  • You lose a bet with your most adventurous friend and for one day have to say “yes” to whatever crazy activities they choose.

Science Fiction Short Story Prompts

story writing ideas for primary school

  • In the future, students go to school virtually. You’ve done this since kindergarten, but a new law is passed stating that virtual school is unhealthy and, next year, all students will go to school in person. You will be meeting friends you’ve known since kindergarten for the first time in real life.
  • Scientists have solved all the world’s problems, and we now live in a utopia … or do we?
  • Your family has been selected to join 24 other families colonizing Mars. At the first meeting, you realize that the kid who has bullied you since elementary school is also on the mission.
  • Due to a computer virus, all social media disappears overnight. It might not ever come back. How does it change things?
  • Like every other kid in the year 2122, you were given your very own robot best friend when you were little, and they’ve grown up with you. One day, your robot friend tells you that the robots are planning on taking over the world and imprisoning the humans.

Scary Short Story Prompts

story writing ideas for primary school

  • While camping on a school field trip, the chaperones all get sick/injured. You and your best friend are the two students chosen to hike back in the dark for help.
  • You were born and raised in a house that’s over one hundred years old and never found it a bit spooky. But when you return home after suffering a concussion during a soccer game, you start to notice shadows that seem to move on their own and the sounds of people walking in empty rooms.
  • You’ve finally convinced your parents to let you stay home alone, but now it’s dark out, and your dog won’t stop growling at the back door, even though no one’s out there.
  • While on vacation, you bought an antique locket from a weird little store you found while sightseeing. Whenever you put it on, it makes you feel more confident and powerful … and angry.
  • The teens didn’t believe in Ouija boards until the things it told them started coming true.

Funny Short Story Prompts

story writing ideas for primary school

  • One day, we woke up, and all of the animals could talk.
  • The teacher had to leave class due to an emergency and left you in charge. That was two weeks ago. The teacher never returned, and the principal hasn’t come in to check on you. How are things going?
  • Your best friend bets you $100 that you can’t make it an entire school day without telling a single lie.
  • Your imaginary friend never went away and pops up at unexpected times to ask you to play, but you are still the only one who can see them.
  • The class realizes the substitute teacher has a phobia of school supplies.

Fantasy Short Story Prompts

A fantasy prompt on a school desk.

  • Rewrite your favorite fairy tale, but make it take place today in your town.
  • Due to a magic spell gone wrong, the young wizard and the dragon have switched bodies. How well will the dragon do at pretending to be a human wizard? How will the wizard figure out how to be a dragon?
  • After watching a video about it on YouTube, you teach yourself how to shape-shift.
  • You are given a ring on your birthday. It allows you to control the weather.
  • You forgot your backpack and run back to get it, only to witness your teacher using magic to tidy up the classroom. She tells you that all teachers can secretly do magic.

Get a PPT or Google Slides version of these short stories.

Looking for more short story prompts?

Instagram page for writing.prompt.s

These sites have tons of great ideas. Give your students time to scroll and jot down ideas that inspire them.

  • @writing.prompt.s
  • Writing Prompts That Don’t Suck
  • 100 Writing Prompts for Grades 4-8

What short story prompts get your students excited about writing? Share it with us in the comments.

Want even more classroom ideas be sure to subscribe to our newsletter, you might also like.

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story writing ideas for primary school

Creative writing prompts – Best activities and resources for KS1 and KS2 English

Schoolboy and teacher in creative writing lesson

Fed up of reading 'and then…', 'and then…' in your children's writing? Try these story starters, structures, worksheets and other fun writing prompt resources for primary pupils…

Laura Dobson

What is creative writing?

How to develop opportunities for writing with choice and freedom, jump to section:.

  • Writing with choice and freedom

Creative writing resources for the classroom

Creative writing prompts.

  • Improving creative writing
  • Overcoming the fear of creative writing

According to the Cambridge English Dictionary, ‘creative’ is ‘producing or using original and unusual ideas’, yet I would argue that in writing there’s no such thing as an original idea – all stories are reincarnations of ones that have gone before.

As writers we learn to be expert magpies – selecting the shiny words, phrases and ideas from other stories and taking them for our own.  

Interestingly, the primary national curriculum does not mention creative writing or writing for pleasure at all and is focused on the skill of writing.

Therefore, if writing creatively and for pleasure is important in your school, it must be woven into your vision for English.

“Interestingly, the Primary National Curriculum does not mention creative writing or writing for pleasure at all”

Creative writing in primary schools can be broken into two parts:

  • writing with choice and freedom
  • developing story writing

Writing with choice and freedom allows children to write about what interests and inspires them.  

Developing story writing provides children with the skills they need to write creatively. In primary schools this is often taught in a very structured way and, particularly in the formative years, can lack opportunities for children to be creative.

Children are often told to retell a story in their own words or tweak a detail such as the setting or the main character.  

Below you’ll find plenty of creative writing prompts, suggestions and resources to help develop both writing for choice and freedom and developing story writing in your classroom. 

Here’s an interesting question to consider: if the curriculum disappeared but children still had the skills to write, would they?

I believe so – they’d still have ideas they wanted to convey and stories they wanted to share.

One of my children enjoys writing and the other is more reluctant to mark make when asked to, but both choose to write. They write notes for friends, song lyrics, stories and even business plans.

So how can we develop opportunities to write with choice and freedom in our classrooms?

Early Years classrooms are full of opportunities for children to write about what interests them, but it’s a rarer sight in KS1 and 2.  

Ask children what they want to write about

Reading for pleasure has quite rightly been prioritised in schools and the impact is clear. Many of the wonderful ideas from The Open University’s Reading For Pleasure site can be used and adapted for writing too.

For example, ask children to create a ‘writing river’ where they record the writing they choose to do across a week.

If pupils like writing about a specific thing, consider creating a short burst writing activity linked to this. The below Harry Potter creative writing activity , where children create a new character and write a paragraph about them, is an example of this approach.

story writing ideas for primary school

If you have a spare 20 minutes, listen to the below conversation with Lucy and Jonathan from HeadteacherChat and Alex from LinkyThinks . They discuss the importance of knowing about children’s interests but also about being a writer yourself.

'The confidence Crisis in Creative Writing.' Lucy and Jonathan chat with Alex from @LinkyThinks https://t.co/VClYxiQhcf — HeadteacherChat (@Headteacherchat) August 9, 2022

Plan in time to pursue personal writing projects 

There are lots of fantastic ideas for developing writing for pleasure in your classrooms on The Writing For Pleasure Centre’s website .

One suggestion is assigning time to pursue personal writing projects. The Meadows Primary School in Madeley Heath, Staffordshire, does this termly and provides scaffolds for children who may find the choice daunting.

Give children a choice about writing implements and paper 

Sometimes the fun is in the novelty. Are there opportunities within your week to give pupils some choices about the materials they use? Ideas could include:

  • little notebooks
  • a roll of paper
  • felt tip pens
  • gel pens  

Write for real audiences 

This is a great way to develop children’s motivation to write and is easy to do.

It could be a blog, a class newsletter or pen pals. Look around in your community for opportunities to write – the local supermarket, a nearby nursing home or the library are often all good starting points.

Have a go yourself

The most successful teachers of story writing write fiction themselves.

Many adults do not write creatively and trying to teach something you have not done yourself in a long time can be difficult. By having a go you can identify the areas of difficulty alongside the thought processes required.  

Treat every child as an author

Time is always a premium in the classroom but equally, we’re all fully aware of the impact of verbal feedback.

One-to-one writing conferences have gained in popularity in primary classrooms and it’s well-worth giving these a go if you haven’t already.

Set aside time to speak to each child about the writing they’re currently constructing. Discuss what’s going well and what they could develop.

If possible, timetable these one-to-one discussions with the whole class throughout the year (ideally more often, if possible).  

Free KS2 virtual visit and resources

Children's authors on Author in your Classroom podcast

Bring best-selling children’s authors directly into your classroom with Author In Your Classroom. It’s a brilliant free podcast series made especially for schools, and there’s loads of free resources to download too.

More than 20 authors have recorded episodes so far, including:

  • Sir Michael Morpurgo
  • Dame Jacqueline Wilson
  • Michael Rosen
  • Joseph Coelho
  • Lauren Child
  • Frank Cottrell-Boyce
  • Benjamin Zephaniah
  • Cressida Cowell
  • Robin Stevens

Creative writing exercises

Rachel Clarke writing templates for primary English

Use these inspiring writing templates from Rachel Clarke to inspire pupils who find it difficult to get their thoughts down on the page. The structured creative writing prompts and activities, which range from writing a ‘ through the portal story ‘ to a character creation activity that involves making your own Top Trumps style cards, will help inexperienced writers to get started.

Storyboard templates and story structures

School pupil drawing a storyboard

Whether it’s short stories, comic strips or filmmaking, every tale needs the right structure to be told well. This storyboard template resource will help your children develop the skills required to add that foundation to their creative writing.

Ten-minute activities 

The idea of fitting another thing into the school day can feel overwhelming, so start with small creative writing activities once a fortnight. Below are a few ideas that have endless possibilities.

Character capers

story writing ideas for primary school

You need a 1-6 dice for this activity. Roll it three to find out who your character is, what their personality is and what job they do, then think about the following:

  • Can you draw them?
  • What questions would you ask them if you met them?
  • What might their answers be?
  • If they were the main character in a story, what might happen?

Download our character capers worksheet .

Setting soup

story writing ideas for primary school

In this activity pupils Look at the four photos and fill in a mind map for one of the settings, focusing on what they’d see, hear, feel, smell and feel in that location. They then write an ingredients list for their setting, such as:

  • A dollop of calmness 
  • A drizzle of a beautiful sunset 
  • A generous helping of a still ocean 
  • Copious amounts of smooth sand 
  • A spattering of lush, green palm trees 

Download our setting soup worksheet .

Use consequences to generate story ideas

story writing ideas for primary school

Start with a game of drawing consequences – this is a great way of building a new character.

story writing ideas for primary school

Next, play a similar game but write a story. Here’s an example . Download our free writing consequences template to get started.

story writing ideas for primary school

Roll and write a story

story writing ideas for primary school

For this quick activity, children roll a dice three times to choose a setting and two characters – for example, a theme park, an explorer and a mythical creature. They then use the results to create an outline for a story.

Got more than ten minutes? Use the outline to write a complete story. Alternatively, use the results to create a book cover and blurb or, with a younger group of children, do the activity as a class then draw or write about the outcome.

Download our roll and write a story worksheet .

Scavenger hunt

Give children something to hide and tell them they have to write five clues in pairs, taking another pair from one clue to the next until the 5th clue leads them to the hidden item.

For a challenge, the clues could be riddles.  

Set up pen pals. This might be with children in another country or school, or it could simply be with another class.

What do pupils want to say or share? It might be a letter, but it could be a comic strip, poem or pop-up book.  

You need a log-in to access Authorfy’s content but it’s free. The website is crammed with every children’s author imaginable, talking about their books and inspirations and setting writing challenges. It’s a great tool to inspire and enthuse.  

There are lots of great resources and videos on Oxford Owl which are free to access and will provide children with quick bursts of creativity.  

Creative writing ideas for KS2

Pie Corbett Ultimate KS2 Fiction Collection

This free Pie Corbett Ultimate KS2 fiction collection is packed with original short stories from the man himself, and a selection of teaching resources he’s created to accompany each one.

Each creative writing activity will help every young writer get their creative juices flowing and overcome writer’s block.

WAGOLL text types

story writing ideas for primary school

​Support pupils when writing across a whole range of text types and genres with these engaging writing packs from Plazoom , differentiated for KS1, LKS2 and UKS2.

They feature:

  • model texts (demonstrating WAGOLL for learners)
  • planning guides
  • writing templates
  • themed paper

Each one focuses on a particular kind of text, encouraging children to make appropriate vocabulary, register and layout choices, and produce the very best writing of which they are capable, which can be used for evidence of progress.

story writing ideas for primary school

If you teach KS2, start off by exploring fairy tales with a twist , or choose from 50+ other options .

Scaffolds and plot types

Creative writing scaffolds and plot types resource pack

A great way to support children with planning stories with structures, this creative writing scaffolds and plot types resource pack contains five story summaries, each covering a different plot type, which they can use as a story idea.

It has often been suggested that there are only seven basic plots a story can use, and here you’ll find text summaries for five of these:

  • Overcoming the monster
  • Rags to riches
  • Voyage and return

After familiarising themselves with these texts, children can adapt and change these stories to create tales of their own.

Use story starters

If some children still need a bit of a push in the right direction, check out our 6 superb story starters to develop creative writing skills . This list features a range of free story starter resources, including animations (like the one above) and even the odd iguana…

Use word mats to inspire

story writing ideas for primary school

Help pupils to write independently by providing them with helpful vocabulary sheets that they can pick and choose from when doing their own creative writing.

Download our free creative writing word mats here , including:

  • Create a spooky atmosphere
  • Write an adventure story
  • Describe a character’s appearance
  • Describe a character’s personality
  • Describe how a character moves
  • Describe how a character speaks
  • Describe a mythical beast

Creative writing pictures

story writing ideas for primary school

Using images as writing prompts is nothing new, but it’s fun and effective.

Pobble 365 has an inspiring photo for every day of the year. These are great inspiration for ten-minute free writing activities. You need to log in to Pobble but access to Pobble 365 (the pictures) is free.  

Choose two pictures as prompts (you can access every picture for the year in the calendar) or provide children with a range of starter prompts.

For example, with the photo above you might ask children to complete one of the following activities: 

  • Continue the story using the story starters on Pobble. 
  • Write down what your dream day would include. 
  • Create a superhero called Dolphin Dude.  
  • If you didn’t need to breath when swimming underwater, what would you do? Write about your dream day. It might include rivers, lakes, swimming pools, the seas or oceans.  
  • If you had a super power, what would it be and why?  

The Literacy Shed

Creative writing prompt of children walking down leafy tunnel

Website The Literacy Shed has a page dedicated to interesting pictures for creative writing . There are winter scenes, abandoned places, landscapes, woodlands, pathways, statues and even flying houses.

The Literacy Shed also hosts video clips for inspiring writing and is choc-full of ways to use them. The Night Zookeeper Shed is well worth a visit. There are short videos, activities and resources to inspire creative writing.

Once Upon a Picture

Creative writing picture prompt featuring flying whale

Once Upon a Picture is another site packed with creative writing picture prompts , but its focus is more on illustrations than photography, so its offering is great for letting little imaginations soar.

Each one comes with questions for kids to consider, or activities to carry out.

How to improve creative writing

Developing story writing .

If you decided to climb a mountain, in order to be successful you’d need to be well-equipped and you’d need to have practised with smaller climbs first.

The same is true of creative writing: to be successful you need to be well-equipped with the skills of writing and have had plenty of opportunities to practise.  

As a teachers you need to plan with this in mind – develop a writing journey which allows children to learn the art of story writing by studying stories of a similar style, focusing on how effects are created and scaffolding children’s writing activities so they achieve success.  

  • Choose a focus When planning, consider what skill you want to embed for children and have that as your focus throughout the sequence of learning. For example, if you teach Y4 you might decide to focus on integrating speech into stories. When your class looks at a similar story, draw their attention to how the author uses speech and discuss how it advances the action and shows you more about the characters. During the sequence, your class can practise the technical side of writing speech (new line/new speaker, end punctuation, etc). When they come to write their own story, your success criteria will be focused on using speech effectively. By doing this, the skill of using speech is embedded. If you chose to focus on ALL the elements of story writing that a Y4 child should be using (fronted adverbials, conjunctions, expanded noun phrases, etc), this might lead to cognitive overload.
  • Plan in chances to be creative Often teachers plan three writing opportunities: one where children retell the story, one with a slight difference (eg a different main character) and a final one where children invent their own story. However, in my experience, the third piece of writing often never happens because children have lost interest or time has run out. If we equip children with the skills, we must allow them time to use them.
  • Utilise paired writing Children love to collaborate and by working in pairs it actually helps develop independence. Give it a go!  
  • Find opportunities for real audiences Nothing is more motivating than knowing you will get to share your story with another class, a parent or the local nursing home.
  • Use high-quality stimuli If your focus is speech, find a great novel for kids that uses speech effectively. There are so many excellent children’s stories available that there’s no need to write your own.
  • Use magpie books This is somewhere where children can note down any great words or phrases they find from their reading. It will get them reading as a writer. 

Below is a rough outline of a planning format that leads to successful writing opportunities.

This sequence of learning takes around three weeks but may be longer or shorter, depending on the writing type.  

Before planning out the learning, decide on up to three key focuses for the sequence. Think about the potential learning opportunities that the stimuli supports (eg don’t focus on direct speech if you’re writing non-chronological reports ).  

Ways to overcome fear of creative writing

Many children are inhibited in their writing for a variety of reasons. These include the all-too-familiar ‘fear of the blank page’ (“I can’t think of anything to write about!” is a common lament), trying to get all the technical aspects right as they compose their work (a sense of being ‘overwhelmed’), and the fact that much of children’s success in school is underpinned by an ethos of competitiveness and comparison, which can lead to a fear of failure and a lack of desire to try.

Any steps we can take to diminish these anxieties means that children will feel increasingly motivated to write, and so enjoy their writing more. This in turn will lead to the development of skills in all areas of writing, with the broader benefits this brings more generally in children’s education.

Here are some easily applied and simple ideas from author and school workshop provider Steve Bowkett for boosting self-confidence in writing.

  • Keep it creative Make creative writing a regular activity. High priority is given to spelling, punctuation and grammar, but these need a context to be properly understood. Teaching the technicalities of language without giving children meaningful opportunities to apply them is like telling people the names of a car engine’s parts without helping them learn to drive.
  • Model the behaviour In other words, when you want your class to write a story or poem, have a go yourself and be upfront about the difficulties you encounter in trying to translate your thoughts into words.
  • Go easy on the grammar Encourage children to write without them necessarily trying to remember and apply a raft of grammatical rules. An old saying has it that we should ‘learn the rules well and then forget them’. Learning how to use punctuation, for instance, is necessary and valuable, but when children try and apply the rules consciously and laboriously as they go along, the creative flow can be stifled. Consideration of rules should, however, be an important element of the editing process.
  • Keep assessment focused Where you do require children to focus on rules during composition, pick just one or two they can bear in mind as they write. Explain that you will mark for these without necessarily correcting other areas of GaPS. Not only will this save you time, but also children will be spared the demotivating sight of their writing covered in corrections (which many are unlikely to read).
  • Value effort If a child tries hard but produces work that is technically poor, celebrate his achievement in making an effort and apply the old ‘three stars and a wish’ technique to the work by finding three points you can praise followed by noting one area where improvements can be made.
  • Leave room for improvement Make clear that it’s fine for children to change their minds, and that there is no expectation for them to ‘get it all right’ first time. Show the class before and after drafts from the work of well-known poets and extracts from stories. Where these have been hand written, they are often untidy and peppered with crossings out and other annotations as the writers tried to clarify their thoughts. If you have the facilities, invite children to word process their stories using the ‘track changes’ facility. Encourage children to show their workings out, as you would do in maths.
  • Don’t strive for perfection Slay the ‘practice makes perfect’ dragon. It’s a glib phrase and also an inaccurate one. Telling children that practice makes better is a sound piece of advice. But how could we ever say that a story or poem is perfect? Even highly experienced authors strive to improve.
  • Come back later Leave some time – a couple of days will do – between children writing a piece and editing or redrafting it. This is often known as the ‘cooling off’ period. Many children will find that they come back to their work with fresh eyes that enable them to pick out more errors, and with new ideas for improving the piece structurally.
  • Try diamond 9 Use the diamond ranking tool to help children assess their own work. Give each child some scraps of paper or card and have them write on each an aspect of their writing, such as creating strong characters, controlling pace and tension, describing places and things, using ‘punchy’ verbs etc. Supply these elements as necessary, but allow children some leeway to think of examples of their own. Now ask each child to physically arrange these scraps according to how effectively they were used in the latest piece of work. So two writing elements that a child thinks are equally strong will be placed side by side, while an aspect of the work a child is pleased with will be placed above one that he / she is not so happy with.
  • Keep it varied Vary the writing tasks. By this I mean it’s not necessary to ask children always to write a complete story. Get them to create just an opening scene for example, or a vivid character description, or an exciting story climax. If more-reluctant writers think they haven’t got to write much they might be more motivated to have a go. Varying the tasks also helps to keep the process of writing fresh, while the results can form resource banks (of characters, scenes, etc) for future use.
  • Help each other Highlight the idea that everyone in the class, including yourself, forms a community of writers. Here, difficulties can be aired, advice can be shared and successes can be celebrated as we all strive to ‘dare to do it and do our best’.

Browse more ideas for National Writing Day .

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100 Writing Prompts for Kids: Ideas and Story Starters to Get Pens Moving Faster Than Ever

story writing ideas for primary school

Stuck for writing prompts that will inspire your students to fill their pages?

We’ve got you covered. Here are 100 writing prompts that will get heads down and pens moving faster than ever.

  • Write about a special bond you have with an animal.
  • Describe your dream bedroom. What would be in it and why?
  • You’re trapped on a desert island with only the things in your schoolbag. What do you do?
  • Your pet is in charge of you for a day. What will they make you do?
  • Write about a place that is important to you.
  • When I discovered there was treasure buried in the backyard I…
  • A friend from another country is going to swap schools with you. Write a letter telling them what to expect.
  • The moment I woke up, I knew something wasn’t right…
  • Write a letter to your teacher telling them why your favourite/favorite book should be studied in class.
  • You get to be your favourite/favorite animal for a day. What do you do?
  • Write a story where all your favourite/favorite characters from books and movies meet up. What do they get up to?
  • Write an alternative ending for your favourite/favorite book or movie.
  • Describe a day in your life if you were famous.
  • Write a story where the main character faces their biggest fear.
  • I looked out the window and couldn’t believe what I saw…
  • You’ve got a magic pen. What can it do and how will you use it?
  • Write a story that includes the sentence, “I should have seen this coming.”
  • You discover a trapdoor in your house. What lies beneath?
  • Describe a mistake you made and what you learned from it.
  • Write a speech that tells the whole school why you should be a student leader.
  • Write a letter to a younger sibling telling them everything they need to know about being in Grade 4.
  • You can choose one new subject or sport to be taught at school. What do you choose and why?
  • Homework should be banned. Explain why you agree or disagree with this statement.
  • If you could travel through time, would you go to the past or the future? Explain why.
  • Write about a famous person and why you admire them.
  • Write about the best gift you’ve ever received. What made it so amazing?
  • The dinosaurs are back, and they’re in your street. What happens next?
  • If I could visit another planet I would go to…
  • You dig the world’s deepest hole. What lies at the bottom?
  • You’re the teacher for the day. What will you do in your lesson?
  • If I could keep any animal as a pet I would choose… because…
  • Your house has a secret and mysterious history. Write a story about what happened before you lived there.
  • If I had a superpower it would be…
  • The most interesting thing I’ve learned this year is…
  • You get to change the school uniform. What would you make everyone wear and why?
  • You get transported into the last video game you played. Where are you?
  • If you could invent anything, what would it be?
  • If I could only eat one food from now on it would be… because…
  • You’re a detective working on a big, important case. What is it and how do you solve it?
  • If I could have any job in the world it would be…
  • Write a story where the main character is hiding a big secret.
  • An alien arrives at your house. What happens next?
  • You climb to the top of the tallest tree in your neighbourhood/neighborhood. What can you see that you couldn’t see from down below?
  • Write a story where a boring, everyday experience gets turned into a big adventure.
  • Describe what you look for in a friend.
  • Who lives in the clouds and what do they do up there?
  • What is your favourite/favorite holiday and why?
  • It started out as just an ordinary day, but then…
  • Write about a family member who has an interesting story to tell.
  • You’re organizing the ultimate birthday for a friend. What have you planned for them?
  • You can breathe underwater and swim like a fish. What will you do with your new power?
  • Write a story about a lost city.
  • What has someone taught you that you will never forget?
  • You get sucked into the pages of your favourite/favorite book. What happens when you join the story?
  • This year my goal is to…
  • Write a thank you letter to a person who has helped you in some way.
  • What is your favourite/favorite season and why?
  • You work at the zoo and the elephants have broken loose! What will you do?
  • “You’ve got the wrong person – it wasn’t me!” Continue this story…
  • Write about a time when you felt a strong emotion (e.g. happy, sad, angry, scared). What made you feel this way?
  • Write a story where a character discovers something surprising.
  • If I could change one thing in the world it would be…
  • Describe the oldest person you know.
  • Imagine your life on a farm. What would be on it and what would you do?
  • Write a story about a journey at sea.
  • What is your favourite/favorite room in your house and why?
  • You have $1000 to spend. What will you buy?
  • You’ve grown wings and now you can fly. Where will you go?
  • What is a food you find really disgusting? Explain why it’s so bad.
  • Write about a journey to the top of a huge mountain.
  • You’re the mayor of a new town, and now you want people to move there. How will you convince them to join you?
  • Would you rather live in a cold, snowy place, or a hot and sunny place? Why?
  • What would be in your dream playground?
  • You’re starting a band. What instruments will you need and what sort of music will you play?
  • Write about the best ride you’ve ever been on.
  • One thing I am really good at is…
  • What is your earliest memory? Describe it in as much detail as you can remember.
  • Write about the most fun holiday you’ve been on.
  • You’re a wildlife photographer trying to get a photo of a rare animal. What animal is it and how will you find it?
  • Write a story where one character must keep an important secret. Will it be discovered?
  • “Don’t look down,” I told myself. But then I…
  • Write a story where two people meet in an unusual way and become fast friends.
  • Write a “quarantine story” set in a single house.
  • Write a recommendation of a book or movie for a friend. Why do you think they would enjoy it?
  • A mystery chest washes up on the shore after a storm. Write a story about what happens when it’s discovered.
  • Turn one of your strangest dreams into a story.
  • Write a “how to play” guide for your favourite/favorite sport.
  • Write about the most delicious OR the most disgusting meal you can think of. Make sure your reader can imagine what it tastes like!
  • Every year a new person is sent to the moon, and now it’s your turn. What happens when you step out of the rocket?
  • If you had a superpower, what would it be and why?
  • Write a story where a holiday goes horribly wrong.
  • I was terrified. Butterflies filled my stomach. But I took a deep breath and finally stepped out onto the stage…
  • You’re handed a letter with your name on it. When you open it up you can’t believe your eyes…
  • Write a story where someone discovers something surprising about their neighbor.
  • You get to create a new holiday that will be celebrated every year. What is it called and what will people do to celebrate on this day?
  • Write a story that takes place in a forest.
  • There’s an old house at the end of the street hidden behind tall, dark trees. No one has been brave enough to enter, until now…
  • Write a story about a snow day.
  • You’re the host of a new game show. Write about what happens in the first episode.
  • Write a story where someone discovers something they aren’t supposed to know.

Looking for more writing prompts for your class?

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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. 

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.

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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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Vibrant Teaching

Vibrant Teaching

Teaching Resources Creator and Blogger

20 Prompts for Narrative Writing That Spark Creativity

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

What’s Narrative Writing?

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

Examples for Narrative Writing

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

Narrative Writing Mentor Texts:

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

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Narrative Writing Teaching

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

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

Plot Structure

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Topics for Narrative Writing

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

Writing Prompts for Narratives

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

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Writing Prompts for Personal Narratives

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

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Rubrics for Narrative Writing

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

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

writing-rubrics-2nd-grade

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

Genre Based Prompts

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Related Articles:

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

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Angela Sutton

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I specialize in helping elementary teachers with writing resources, tips, and ideas. My goal is to save teachers time and energy so they can be vibrant inside and outside of the classroom! Read More

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

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General Education

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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.

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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.)

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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?

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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?

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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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Creative writing prompts for kids

Story writing in primary school

What happens when you ask your child to write a story? It’s a common homework task for primary school kids, and a key part of the English National Curriculum , but while some children are overflowing with inspiration, others find it hard to come up with ideas. That’s where creative writing prompts – any tool that is used to kickstart the writing process, such as a picture, an opening sentence or a piece of music – can come in useful.

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‘Creative writing prompts can be anything that gets children thinking outside the box,’ explains Julia Skinner, founder of the 100 Word Challenge writing programme and The Head’s Office blog. ‘Some children find it hard to get going with creative writing, and really benefit from having a more thought-provoking starting point.’

Creative writing prompts: the benefits

Often, children are given a creative writing task based on a set title, such as: ‘Write a story about a dragon’. ‘This might not be a problem for a child who has lots of imagination, but it can be a challenge for those who find it difficult to come up with ideas and don’t consider themselves to be very creative,’ says Julia.

A creative writing prompt such as a picture or opening sentence can help to fire this creative process. ‘It gives children both the freedom and encouragement to develop their ideas by thinking beyond the obvious and immediate,’ Julia explains. ‘Giving them something specific and concrete can help them to develop their ideas in ways that they would usually struggle with.’

Prompts can help children to come up with a far more diverse set of ideas than they might usually. ‘If you give a whole class a set title, you tend to get a very generic response,’ says Julia. ‘But if they have a prompt, they can use it to take their story in any direction they choose.’

Using prompts also encourages children to use all their senses to inspire their writing. Giving them a title alone is likely to inspire a one-dimensional response, whereas showing them a picture can help them to imagine themselves in the scene and use all five senses to explore what their characters might see, hear, smell, taste and touch.

How to use a creative writing prompt

The key to using a creative writing prompt, says Julia, is to not just put it in front of your child but to spend some time exploring it together before they put pen to paper . ‘Creative writing shouldn’t be something where you leave your child to their own devices,’ Julia explains. ‘It really needs some input to draw out your child’s ideas. Set aside 20 minutes to discuss the story, starting with the prompt and asking questions to build on what your child suggests.’

It’s important to make sure your child knows that there are no boundaries where creative writing is concerned. ‘The testing culture in schools has led children to think that there is always one answer to aim for, but in creative writing, there is no right or wrong,’ says Julia. ‘We need to build children’s confidence to write about whatever they’re seeing or thinking, and prompts are a great way to encourage this.’

It’s also essential to let your child write freely when they’re using a writing prompt, without getting too caught up in spelling, punctuation and grammar. ‘Children need to be able to write creatively and without restriction,’ Julia agrees. ‘They need to feel free to express themselves, knowing that they can come back and put in the capital letters and full stops later.’

Six of the best creative writing prompts

Pictures Pictures are probably the most obvious creative writing prompt. You can use any sort of picture – a cartoon, a photo, a piece of classic artwork – to inspire children’s imagination. ‘One of my favourite picture prompts is a photo of a smashed chocolate egg, surrounded by tiny model workmen,’ Julia says. You can either leave the picture blank, or add a caption to encourage children along the right lines: for example, a speech bubble on a person saying, ‘Where am I going?’

We love Coram Beanstalk's  Make Your Own Story Dice (illustrated by Nick Sharratt) – you can download the templates for free, then colour in, stick together and use for endless storytelling!

Sentences Another good prompt is to give children a sentence – typically the opening sentence of a story – to build their writing on. Giving them a starter such as, ‘How was the dragon going to tell his father what he had done?’ can prompt a huge and varied range of storylines, from adventure to comedy to tragedy.

A page from a book A picture is said to be worth a thousand words, so taking a page from a children’s picture book and removing the text is a great way to kickstart a piece of creative writing.

Music Using music as a prompt can help your child to think about how they use their senses in their writing. Typically, instrumental pieces work best, otherwise the lyrics put words in your child’s mouth, but you can use any genre, from classical to rap. Encourage them to think about how the music makes them feel; what they think is happening; what sort of character would play that music, and so on .

A feely bag Put a selection of small, tactile objects into a bag (for instance, a golf ball, a fork, a comb…) and ask your child to pick one out at random. Use this as the starting point for their piece of writing, building a plot around it.

Challenges For children who are motivated by rewards, taking part in a writing challenge can help to prompt them to write. The 100 Word Challenge, run in association with Night Zookeeper , gives children a weekly writing prompt; they then put together a piece in 100 words and can upload it to the website where other children can read and comment on their, giving them extra motivation to write.

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How to teach … story writing

Some of the most popular summer homework projects involve story writing. The Guardian Teacher Network has resources to help students of all ages to write stories at home over the summer or next term.

The first step is great storytelling, especially before children's writing skills have caught up with their speaking and listening. Sso thanks to primary school teacher Des Hegarty for sharing with us some simple story maps for retelling the classic tales of The Three Little Pigs and Little Red Riding Hood . Also find story openings , an oral activity to help pupils explore different ways to open re-tellings of familiar stories.

Children's author and illustrator Alexis Deacon , creator of primary school classics Beegu and Slow Loris, has shared a really interesting lesson plan aimed at key stage 2 teachers. Ingredients of a story has been based on workshops Alexis does in schools to help children think about what makes a story, the rules and vocabulary of some of the stories they know – and to explore the instinctive way human beings tend to make characters and stories from the world around them.

The Phoenix weekly comic book team has created some really lovely resources that will particularly help reluctant writers get in the swing of story writing. The Thought bubble challenge will help to develop text and dialogue in stories and what makes a good character encourages children to explore their visual literacy and really think about the characters in their stories.

For secondary school-aged story writers, here is some inspiration on the importance of developing great characters: Faulkes on Fiction: a story of the novel in 28 characters is a book by Sebastian Faulks, shared here in PDF form, which examines the most famous and dazzling fictional characters and their impact on British culture, from Sherlock Holmes to Mr Darcy to Emma Woodhouse and James Bond. Can your students create a unique character over the holidays or next term? There's more motivation for older writers from secondary English teacher Alex Frost who has written this poem on story genres .

Inexperienced or less confident writers may need help with structure to stop the curse of the rambling story. A good beginning and good ending are vital ingredients – which is why Primary Leap has created its writing a story series. The Magical Boots , The Lost Island and Super Hero will help students learn how to tie up loose ends and make their stories interesting and engaging.

The craft of writing is further explored in King Onomatopoeia and other stories .

You don't want your students writing stories to a formula, but these handy checklists from Twinkl will help younger writers keep their stories on track. Here's a checklist on writing a great story opening and one on creating tension in stories . Download and print out checklists on story resolution , story problems and on creating the perfect setting for a story . Children can add their own points to the lists. This writing frame on analysing structure problems will also help children to explore possible solutions to their story problems.

Sometimes a picture prompt is all that's needed to spark the imagination – find these creative writing worksheets on a football match , camping holiday and magic potion . Students look at the picture and think of an interesting story to go with it.

These Pie Corbett -inspired story recount frames The Papaya that Spoke and Monkey See, Monkey Do have been designed to improve children's fluency in retelling this story, both in the spoken and written word.

It's amazing what a lovely border in which to write a story can do to get the creative juices flowing. Twinkl has created a whole load for every mood and topic including night time , star and moon , monsters , fruit and veg , Africa , fairies and transport .

Of course readers make writers, so set your students and/or children the summer reading challenge over the holidays. You can find out more from the Reading Agency . This year's theme is Creepy House .

And finally, some great tips for young writers from master storyteller Michael Morpurgo, including the importance of reading stories aloud. These have been put together as part of the Wicked Young Writers Award , which is open from 2 September. Find this guide to the competition – a chance to share those fabulous stories students have written over the summer perhaps?

Join the Guardian Teacher Network for free access to teaching resources and an opportunity to share your own as well as read and comment on blogs. There are also thousands of teaching, leadership and support jobs on the site. Visit http://jobs.theguardian.com/schools .

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Story starters: Creative writing prompts for children

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Story starters

Developing your child's writing skills is a huge part of their education, and ensuring that their imagination and creativity grows with their practical written capacity is essential.

Whether your little one is just beginning to write cohesively or they're writing detailed stories fluently, story starters can be a great way of inspiring them to keep going.

What are story starters?

A story starter is any kind of prompt that helps a child (or adult!) begin to write a story. This can come in many different forms but essentially it directs the child towards a certain theme or gives them a beginning situation that they can build a story around.

Some story starters may just be a selection of words, for example, princess, trap door and forest. From these three (or however many you like) words a child can start to imagine a scenario to build around and eventually make up a whole story starting with those elements.

Another type of story starter is to give an opening sentence, such as, 'He looked off into the distance and could see a figure walking through the mist'. From there, the youngster would continue writing, using that image as their inspiration.

Who uses story starters?

Story starters are sometimes used in schools by teachers when they are encouraging primary aged children to start writing their first stories. They are also often used in children's writing competitions and can be altered to work for younger children or teenagers.

If you want to have fun writing stories with your children or you want to encourage them to develop their writing skills outside of the classroom, why not use story starters yourself? We've got some ideas for you here that you can try with your brood today - learning can be fun, we promise!

Examples of story starters

Depending on the age of your child and how far they have progressed in their writing will mean that some story starters are easier for them to get the hang of than others. Try testing some of these ideas out with your kids, either having fun and pitching in as a whole family or more focused individual stories.

Single word story starters

Story starters

Give your child these words and ask them to think of a scene that involves those three aspects, carrying on from that moment.

For example, 'the ballet dancer was sitting in a cafe writing a poem...' - you can now think about what type of poem they were writing and who for? Where was the cafe and what were they eating? Were they waiting to meet someone or were they alone? It's natural for your child to get stuck at the beginning but prompting them with questions like this will show them how a little inspiration can go a long way.

Single word story starters can work for any age child but the words should be adapted for their age and ability with simpler more positive words being used for younger children and more complicated words for older children.

Young children: These single word story starter examples would be best aimed at children in primary school.

1. Ballet dancer, cafe, poem 2. Sunshine, bus driver, mountains 3. Monster, space station, midnight 4. Pirates, purple flowers, tractor 5. Treasure map, mermaid, island

Pre-teens: These single word story starter examples are a little more sophisticated, but still touch on fairly light-hearted themes and would be best for children in school years seven to nine.

1. Mobile phone, church, silence 2. Young man, motorbike, sunset 3. Roast dinner, house, pet rabbit 4. Park, film star, runaway tiger 5. Theatre, a secret, photographer

Adolescent These single word story starter examples should push your child's English skills and open up the conversation for more poignant topics, giving them the chance to go deeper with their story. Try these with children in school years 10 to sixth form.

1. Botanical gardens, darkness, rustling 2. Unknown figure, hymn book, Tuesday 3. Time portal, projector, young girl 4. Madrid, empty underground bar, classical music 5. Journalist, a scream, ally cat

Opening sentence story starters

Story starters

Ask your child to pick one of the following sentences and write it down. Once they get to the end of that sentence they are on their own to keep going. You can ask them prompting questions such as the above but the idea is to visualise the scene in their head so that they can continue it.

Young children: These sentences can be used for any age but are probably best aimed at children in primary school.

1. The young girl could hear piano music coming from her parents' bedroom... 2. The fluffy duck jumped through the puddle when he noticed his favourite snack sitting on the pavement next to him... 3. The astronaut looked out of the window of his spaceship to see the moon had changed colour... 4. The dog sniffed his owner's hand and then said to him, 'Hello, my name is actually Rufus, not Buddy'... 5. The two best friends walked across the playground when they heard a loud, crashing noise...

Pre-teen: These sentences are a little more sophisticated with more challenging themes and so would be more appropriate for children in school years 7 to 9.

1. As he crumbled his fortune cookie he found a tiny map inside, and realised it was of his neighbourhood... 2. It was Valentine's Day but as her letter box pushed open it wasn't a pink card that fell on to her mat... 3. The three friends sat around the dinner table in disbelief at what had just happened... 4. 'Shh be quiet, or they'll hear us!' hissed the bank robber to the policeman 5. 'One last time' she whispered to herself as she walked through the gates to her old school...

Adolescent These sentences contain more complicated words and have less context which will make your child work harder to imagine a scenario that could be happening. These opening sentence story starters are best used with children in years 10 to sixth form.

1. I didn't mean to kill him... 2. As she looked up in disbelief she watched as the moon appeared to be falling from the sky... 3. It was the summer of 1956 when I first realised I could breathe underwater... 4. The date that he was supposed to die had been tattooed on his right arm for as long as he could remember and that date was yesterday... 5. He looked at her peacefully sleeping face and bent down to kiss her, knowing he would never see her again...

Have you ever used story starters with your kids? Which worked well for you? Let us know in the comments below

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story writing ideas for primary school

The Write Practice

Top 100 Short Story Ideas

by Joe Bunting | 128 comments

Do you want to write but just need a great story idea? Or perhaps you have too many ideas and can’t choose the best one? Well, good news. We’ve got you covered.

Below are one hundred short story ideas for all your favorite genres. You can use them as a book idea, as writing prompts for writing contests , for stories to publish in literary magazines , or just for fun!

Use these 100 story ideas to get your creative writing started now.

Editor’s note: This is a recurring guide, regularly updated with ideas and information.

100 Top Short Story Ideas

If you're in a hurry, here's my 10 best story ideas in brief, or scroll down for the full version.

Top 10 Story Ideas

  • Tell the story of a scar.
  • A group of children discover a dead body.
  • A young prodigy becomes orphaned.
  • A middle-aged woman discovers a ghost.
  • A woman who is deeply in love is crushed when her fiancé breaks up with her.
  • A talented young man's deepest fear is holding his life back. 
  • A poor young boy or girl comes into an unexpected fortune.
  • A shy, young woman unexpectedly bumps into her soulmate.
  • A long journey is interrupted by a disaster.
  • A young couple run into the path of a psychopath.

The Write Structure

Why Creative Writing Prompts Are Helpful

Below, you'll find our best creative writing prompts and plot ideas for every genre, but first, why do we use prompts? Is it just a waste of time, or can they actually help you? Here are three reasons we  love writing prompts at The Write Practice:

1. Practice the Language!

Even for those of us who are native English speakers, we're all on a language journey to go from beginners to skilled writers. To make progress on this language journey, you have to practice, and at The Write Practice, believe it or not, we're really into practice! Creative writing prompts are easy, fun ways to practice.

Use the prompts below to practice your storytelling and use of language. The more you practice, the better of a writer you'll become.

2. When you have no ideas and are stuck.

Sometimes, you want to write, but you can't think up any ideas. You could either just sit there, staring at a blank page, or you could find a few ideas to help you get started. Even better if the list of ideas is curated from our best plot ideas over the last decade that we've been publishing lessons, writing exercises, and prompts.

Use the story ideas below to get your writing started. Then when your creativity is warmed up, you'll start to come up with your own ideas!

3. To develop your own ideas.

Maybe you do have an idea already, but you're not sure it's good. Or maybe you feel like it's just missing some small piece to make it better. By reading other ideas, and incorporating your favorites into your   story, you can fill your plot holes and generate creative ideas of your own.

Use the story ideas below to develop your own ideas.

4. They're fun!

Thousands of writers use the prompts below every month, some at home, some in classrooms, and even a few pros at their writing “office.” Why? Because writing prompts can be fun. They get your creativity started, help you come up with new ideas of your own, and often take your writing in new, unexpected directions.

Use the plot ideas to have more fun with writing!

How to Write a Story

One last thing before we get to the 100 story ideas, let’s talk about how to write a great short story . (Already know how to write a great story? No problem. Just skip down to the ideas below.)

  • First, read stories. If you’ve never read a story, you’re going to have a hard time writing one. Where do you find great stories? There are a lot of places, but check out our list of  46 Literary Magazines  we’ve curated over here .
  • Write your story in a single sitting. Write the first draft of your story in as short a time as possible, and if you’re writing a short story , try to write it in one sitting. Trust me, this works. Everyone hates being interrupted when they’re telling compelling stories. Use that to your advantage and don’t stop writing until you’ve finished telling yours.
  • Read your draft. Read your story through once, without changing anything. This will give you a sense of what work it needs going forward.
  • Write a premise. After reading your first draft, get your head around the main idea behind your story by summarizing your story in a one sentence premise. Your premise should contain four things: a character, a goal, a situation, and a special sauce. Not sure what that means or how to actually do that? Here’s a full premise writing guide .
  • Write, edit, write, and edit. Good writing is rewriting. Use your second draft to fill in the plot holes and cut out the extraneous scenes and characters you discovered when you read the first draft in step #2. Then, polish up your final draft on the next round of edits.
  • Submit! Real writers don’t keep their writing all to themselves. They share it. Submit your story to a literary magazine , an anthology series , enter it into a writing contest , or even share it with a small group of friends. And if it gets rejected, don’t feel bad. You’ll be in good company.

Want to know more? Learn more about how to write a great short story here .

Our 100 Best Short Story Ideas, Plot Ideas, and Creative Writing Prompts

Ready to get writing? Here are our 100 best short story ideas to kickstart your writing. Enjoy!

10 Best General Short Story Ideas

Our first batch of plot ideas are for any kind of story, whether a spy thriller or a memoir of your personal life story. Here are the best story ideas:

  • Tell the story of a scar, whether a physical scar or emotional one. To be a writer, said Stephen King, “The only requirement is the ability to  remember every scar .”
  • A group of children discover a dead body. Good writers don’t turn away from death, which is, after all, the  universal human experience. Instead, they look it directly into its dark face and describe what they see on the page.
  • A young prodigy becomes orphaned. Orphans are uniquely vulnerable, and as such, they have the most potential for growth.
  • A middle-aged woman discovers a ghost. What do Edgar Allen Poe, Ron Weasley, King Saul from the Bible, Odysseus, and Ebenezer Scrooge have in common? They all encountered ghosts!
  • A woman who is deeply in love is crushed when her fiancé breaks up with her. “In life every ending is just a new beginning,” says Dakota Fanning’s character in Uptown Girls.
  • A talented young man’s deepest fear is holding his life back. Your character’s biggest fear is your story’s secret weapon. Don’t run from it, write about it.
  • A poor young boy or girl comes into an unexpected fortune. Not all fortunes are good. Sometimes discovering a fortune will destroy your life.
  • A shy, young woman unexpectedly bumps into her soulmate (literally bumps into him). In film, this is called the “meet cute,” when the hero bumps into the heroine in the coffee shop or the department store or the hallway, knocking her books to the floor, and forcing them into conversation.
  • A long journey is interrupted by a disaster. Who hasn’t been longing to get to a destination only to be delayed by something unexpected? This is the plot of  Gravity ,  The Odyssey , and even  Lord of the Rings .
  • A young couple run into the path of a psychopath. Monsters, whether people who do monstrous things or scaly beasts or a monster of a natural disaster, reveal what’s really inside a person. Let your character fall into the path of a monster and see how they handle themselves.

Now that you have an idea, learn exactly what to do with it.  Check out my new book The Write Structure which helps writers take their ideas and write books readers love. Click to check out  The Write Structure  here.

More Short Story Ideas Based on Genre

Need more ideas? Here are ideas based on whichever literary genre you write. Use them as character inspiration, to start your own story, or borrow pieces to generate your own ideas. The only rule is, have fun writing!

By the way,  for more story writing tips for each these plot types, check out our full guide to the 10 types of stories here .

10 Thriller Story Ideas

A thriller is any story that “thrills” the reader—i.e., gets adrenaline pumping, the heart racing, and the emotions piqued.

Thrillers come in all shapes and forms, dipping freely into other genres. In other words, expect the unexpected!

Here are a few of my favorite thriller story ideas :

Rosa Rivera-Ortiz is an up-and-coming lawyer in a San Diego firm. Held back by her ethnicity and her gender, she works twice as hard as her colleagues, and she’s as surprised as anyone when she’s requested specifically for a high-profile case. Bron Welty, an A-list actor and action star, has been arrested for the murder of his live-in housekeeper. The cop heading the case is older, ex-military, a veteran of more than one war, and an occasional sufferer of PTSD. Rosa’s hired to defend the movie star; and it seems like an easy win until she uncovers some secrets that not only make her believe her client is guilty, but may be one of the worst serial killers in the past two decades… and he knows she found out .

It’s the Cold War. Sergei, a double-agent for the CIA working in Berlin, is about to retire when he’s given one final mission: he’s been asked to “defect” to the USSR to help find and assassinate a suspected double-agent for the Kremlin. Sergei is highly trusted, and he’s given to understand that this mission is need-to-know only between him and very few superior officers. But as he falls deeper into the folds of the Iron Curtain, he begins to suspect that his superior officer might just be the mole, and the mark Sergei’s been sent to kill is on the cusp of exposing the leak.

It is 1800. A lighthouse on a barren cliff in Canada. Two lighthouse keepers, German immigrants, are alone for the winter and effectively cut off from the rest of the world until the ice thaws. Both Wilhelm and Matthias are settled in for the long haul with warm clothes, canned goods, and matches a-plenty. Then Wilhelm starts hearing voices. His personal belongings disappear from where he’d placed them, only to reappear in strange spots—like the catwalk, or dangling beneath the spiral stair knotted in brown twine. Matthias begs innocence. Little by little, Wilhelm grows convinced that Matthias is trying to convince him (Wilhelm) to kill himself. Is the insanity real, or is this really Matthias’ doing? And if it is real, what will he do to defend himself? There are so many months until the thaw. 

thriller story ideas

20 Mystery Story Ideas

Enjoy a good whodunit? Then you’ll love these mystery story ideas .

Here are a few of my favorites:

Ever hear the phrase, “It is not who fired the shot but who paid for the bullet?” This is a philosophy Tomoe Gozen lives by. Brave and clever, Tomoe follows clues until she learns who ordered the murder: Emperor Antoku himself. But why would the emperor of Japan want to kill a lowly soldier?

Mystery writer Dan Rodriguez takes the subway every day. Every day, nothing happens. He wears earbuds and a hoodie; he’s ignored, and he ignores. Then one evening, on his way home from a stressful meeting with his publisher, Dan is startled out of his funk when a frantic Middle-Eastern man knocks him over at a dead run, then races up the stairs—pursued by several other thugs. The Middle-Eastern man is shot; and Dan discovers a mysterious package in the front pocket of his hoodie. What’s inside, and what does he need to do to survive the answer?

A headless corpse is found in a freshly-dug grave in Arkansas. The local police chief, Arley Socket, has never had to deal with more than missing gas cans and treed cats. His exploration of this weird murder digs up a mystery older than the 100-year-old town of Jericho that harkens all the way back to a European blood-feud.

story ideas

20 Romance Story Ideas

Ready to write a love story? Or perhaps you want to create a subplot with a secondary character? We've got ideas for you!

Hint: When it comes to romance, a sense of humor is always a good idea. Have fun! Here are a few of my favorite love story ideas :

She’s a cop. He’s the owner of a jewelry store. A sudden rash of break-ins brings her to his store over and over and over again, until it becomes obvious that he might be tripping the alarm on purpose—just to see her. That’s illegal—but she’s kind of falling for him, too. Write the moment she realizes she has to do something about this crazy illicit courtship.

Colorado Animal Rescue has never been more challenging than after that zoo caught on fire. Sally Cougar (no jokes on the name, or she’ll kill you) tracks down three missing tiger cubs, only to find they’ve been adopted by millionaire Bryce Champion. Thanks to an antiquated law on the books, he legally has the right to keep them. It’s going to take everything Sally has to get those tiger cubs back.

He’s a museum curator with a fetish for perfection. No one’s ever gotten close to him; how could they? They’re never as perfect as the portraits, the sculptures, the art that never changes. Then one day, an intern is hired on—a young, messy, disorganized intern, whose hair and desk are in a constant state of disarray. The curator is going half-mad with this walking embodiment of chaos; so why can’t the he stand the thought of the intern leaving at the end of their assistantship?

20 romance story ideas

20 Sci-Fi Story Ideas

From the minimum-wage-earning, ancient-artifact-hunting time traveller to the space-exploring, sentient dinosaurs, these sci-fi writing prompts will get you set loose your inner nerd.

Here are a few of my favorite sci-fi ideas :

In a future society, neural implants translate music into physical pleasure, and earphones (“jacking in”) are now the drug of choice. Write either from the perspective of a music addict, OR the Sonforce agent (sonance + enforcer) who has the job of cracking down.

It’s the year 5000. Our planet was wrecked in the great Crisis of 3500, and remaining human civilization survives only in a half dozen giant domed cities. There are two unbreakable rules: strict adherence to Life Quality (recycling doesn’t even begin to cover these laws), and a complete ban on reproduction (only the “worthy” are permitted to create new humans). Write from the perspective of a young woman who just discovered she’s been chosen to reproduce—but she has no interest in being a mother.

So yeah, ancient Egypt really was “all that” after all, and the pyramids turn out to be fully functional spaceships (the limestone was to preserve the electronics hidden inside). Write from the perspective of the tourist exploring the ancient society who accidentally turns one on.

sci-fi story ideas

20 Fantasy Story Ideas

Need a dose of sword-in-the-stone, hero and/or heroine packed coming-of-age glory?  We love fantasy stories!

Here are a few of my favorite fantasy story ideas:

Bored teenaged wizards throwing a graduation celebration.

Uncomfortable wedding preparation between a magic wielding family tree and those more on the Muggle side of things.

A fairy prince who decides to abandon his responsibilities to become a street musician.

Just try to not have fun writing (or even just reading!) these fantasy writing prompts.

fantasy story ideas

The Secret to Choosing the Best Story Idea

Stories, more than any other artistic expression, have the power to make people care. Stories have the ability to change people’s lives.

But to write a great story, a life-changing story, don’t just write about what your characters did, said, and saw. Ask yourself, “Where do I fit in to this story? What is my personal connection to this story?”

Robert Frost said this:

If you can connect your personal story to the story you’re writing, you will not only be more motivated to finish your story, you might just be able to change the lives of your readers.

Next Step: Write Your Best Story

No matter how good your idea, writing a story or a book can be a long difficult process. How do you create an outline, come up with a great plot, and then actually  finish  it?

My new book  The Write Structure  will help. You'll learn how to take your idea and structure a strong plot around it. Then you'll be guided through the exact process I've used to write dozens of short stories and over fifteen books.

You can learn more about   The Write Structure  and get your copy here.

Get The Write Structure here »

Have a great short story idea?  We'd love to hear it. Share it in the comments !

Choose one of these ideas and write a short story in one sitting (aim for 1,000 words or less!). When you're finished, share your story in the practice box below (or our latest writing contest ) for feedback from the community. And if you share, please be sure to comment on a few stories by other writers.

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Joe Bunting

Joe Bunting is an author and the leader of The Write Practice community. He is also the author of the new book Crowdsourcing Paris , a real life adventure story set in France. It was a #1 New Release on Amazon. Follow him on Instagram (@jhbunting).

Want best-seller coaching? Book Joe here.

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Free Story Lesson Plans for Teachers

Below you will find a selection of our free story Lesson Plans for teachers. These Lesson Plans are derived from some of our most popular stories. These Lesson Plans are for varying grade levels and explore such literacy topics as setting, characterization, compare/contrast, plot, theme and More! These Lesson Plans are developed by certified english teachers and optimized to meet common core standards.

Our Collection of Free Story Lesson Plans for Teachers:

The empty pot lesson plan.

Grade(s): 4-6 ; Topic: Characterization; Theme(s): Honesty; Includes: Story, Play Script, Decision Map, Lesson Plan

Greyfoot & Princess of England Lesson Plan

Grade(s): 2-4 ; Topic: Characterization; Theme(s): Appreciation; Includes: Story, Decision Map, Lesson Plan

The Bear Feast Lesson Plan

Grade(s): 3-6 ; Topic: Characterization; Theme(s): Acceptance, Kindness; Includes: Story, Lesson Plan

The Goblin Market Lesson Plan

Grade(s): 10-12 ; Topic: Poetry Analysis; Theme(s): Good vs. Evil; Includes: Poem, Lesson Plan, Analysis

Cinderalla & Native American Cinderella Lesson Plan

Grade(s): 2-4 ; Topic: Compare/Contrast; Theme(s): Honesty; Includes: 2 Story Versions, Lesson Plan, Readers Theater Scripts, Activity Guide

Baba Yaga Lesson Plan

Grade(s): 4-6 ; Topic: Plot Development; Theme(s): Honesty, Resolving Conflict; Includes: Story, Play Script, Character Analysis Map

Beauty & The Beast Lesson Plan

Grade(s): 2-6 ; Topic: Characterization; Theme(s): Acceptance, Appreciation; Includes: 2 Story Versions, Lesson Plan

Not Finding What You Need?

We are always striving to provide more for educators. If you would like to see additional content and materials, or maybe even have some of your own you would like to share - drop us a line! You can contact us directly by clicking  HERE.

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More Teaching Resources from  Stories to Grow By

In addition to everything on this page,  Stories to Grow By  also offers a multitude of other  teaching resources!  We provide over 100 free bedtime stories, fairy tales, folk tales, readers theater play scripts, and performance notes!

You are bound to find the stories and materials you need for your classroom with  Stories to Grow By .

Bedtime Stories for Kids

story writing ideas for primary school

Looking for more in Learning resources ?

Creative writing activities for upper primary

The activities in this resource are designed to use a favourite author as a starting point for individual, paired and group work. Activities include:

  • Author research and profile creation (estimated time: 1-2 hours)
  • Character creation (estimated time: 1-2 hours)
  • Sharing stories (estimated time: 30-40mins)
  • DIY kamishibai (estimated time: 2 hours)

Note: Kamishibai is a Japanese storytelling technique.

Top tips for writing

In the video below, Scottish author Alastair Chisholm gives tips and ideas for creative writing. Alastair gives his top tips for planning a written piece, as well as story and world building. This would be a great video to share with a class before starting on a creative writing project.

Video Alastair Chisholm shares his top tips for creative writing

  • Creative writing activities for upper primary (DOC) (this link will open in a new window) 719.6 kb
  • Creative writing activities for upper primary (PDF) (this link will open in a new window) 682.8 kb

Alastair Chisholm's headshot'

Alastair Chisholm

I am a children’s author of picture books and middle-grade (9-12) science fiction.

Find out more about creative writing for schools (this link will open in a new window) .

IMAGES

  1. 49 Story Starters & Writing Ideas for Elementary Kids • JournalBuddies.com

    story writing ideas for primary school

  2. Story Writing Ideas

    story writing ideas for primary school

  3. Writing Short Stories

    story writing ideas for primary school

  4. Story Writing Ideas

    story writing ideas for primary school

  5. 55 Story Writing Prompts for Kids • JournalBuddies.com

    story writing ideas for primary school

  6. Story Writing Ideas for Kids

    story writing ideas for primary school

VIDEO

  1. Write a story!

  2. writing a story #shorts #stories #videos

  3. Story writing

  4. English TLM, Occupation learning creative ideas, primary school TLM, pre-primary class TLM, New TLM

  5. Story Writing

  6. ACTIVITY IN THE CLASS / खेल खेल में पढाई

COMMENTS

  1. 300 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.

  2. Wow! 98 Story Prompts & Creative Story Starters for Kids

    Yeppers. There are 3 wonderful lists of story starters and story-writing prompts and ideas for your writers. All FREE and all fun. Lots of Wonderful Story Writing Prompts to Ignite the Imagination Each idea gives students a starting point from which they can take any number of directions.

  3. 55 Superb Story Writing Topics for Kids » JournalBuddies.com

    Yes… When kids write stories, they get to express their ideas and thoughts in new and spontaneous ways. Nobody and No Student Will be Able to Resist These Fabulous Story Prompt Ideas With these 55 superb story writing topics for kids, young writers will have the chance to write exciting new stories and consider the importance of storytelling.

  4. 50 Writing Prompts for Elementary School Children

    Janelle Cox Updated on March 18, 2020 Writing is an essential skill and an important part of elementary school studies. However, writing inspiration does not come easily to every student. Like adults, many children experience writer's block, particularly when an assignment is extremely open-ended.

  5. Short Story Writing for Students and Teachers

    Short stories are like novels only…well…shorter! They contain all the crucial elements of fully developed stories except on a smaller scale. In short story writing, you'll find the key story elements such as characterization, plot development, themes explored, etc., but all within a word count that can usually be comfortably read in one sitting.

  6. 50 Story Ideas for Kids

    STORY STARTERS. The writing prompts in this first section are "finish the story prompts"…kids start with the first sentence given, and take it from there. [spacer height="20px"] 1. Once upon a time, there was a girl who did something that nobody thought she'd be able to do. 2.

  7. Story Starters: Creative Writing Prompts for Kids

    SCRAMBLER Scholastic's Story Starters kids' writing activity generates creative writing prompts, from general fiction to adventure, fantasy, and science fiction.

  8. 225 Fun & Free Creative Writing Prompts for Kids in All Grade Levels

    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.

  9. 32 Short Story Prompts to Get Students' Creativity Flowing

    Feb 2, 2022 Some of my favorite teaching moments come from a unit that culminated with my students writing an original short story. When given the freedom to write fiction, so many of my students came alive. They wanted to write suspense, mystery, horror, or romance. They wanted their characters to feel like real people.

  10. Creative writing prompts for KS1 and KS2 English

    Developing story writing provides children with the skills they need to write creatively. In primary schools this is often taught in a very structured way and, particularly in the formative years, can lack opportunities for children to be creative.

  11. Step-by-step guide to writing a story

    Firstly, ask your child where the story is going to take place. It could be somewhere fictional or real, it could be a planet, a country, a town or a house - anywhere! Then, ask when the story is taking place - now? In the future? In the past? Finally ask what they think is going to happen.

  12. 100 Writing Prompts for Kids: Ideas and Story Starters to Get Pens

    Write a story that includes the sentence, "I should have seen this coming." You discover a trapdoor in your house. What lies beneath? Describe a mistake you made and what you learned from it. Write a speech that tells the whole school why you should be a student leader.

  13. 250+ Short Story Ideas for Kids

    250+ Short Story Ideas for Kids June 10, 2020 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 .

  14. 20 Prompts for Narrative Writing That Spark Creativity

    Tell a story about what you would wish for and why. Write a story called, "The Luckiest Day of My Life.". Imagine you went to the zoo and could take home any animal for the day. Tell a story about your time together. Write a silly story that uses these words: airplane, grapes, elephant, and book.

  15. 57 Fun Creative Writing Prompts for Kids

    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 ...

  16. 75 Excellent Elementary Writing Prompts » JournalBuddies.com

    30 Creative Journal Prompts for Elementary Kids. Free printable elementary writing worksheets. We have a variety of journal writing prompts, story starters, creative writing prompts for all grade levels - with a little encouragement, writing can become your students' favorite hobby! Journaling is a fun & low-pressure way to ease into writing.

  17. Creative writing prompts for kids

    What happens when you ask your child to write a story? It's a common homework task for primary school kids, and a key part of the English National Curriculum, but while some children are overflowing with inspiration, others find it hard to come up with ideas. That's where creative writing prompts - any tool that is used to kickstart the writing process, such as a picture, an opening ...

  18. How to teach … story writing

    For secondary school-aged story writers, here is some inspiration on the importance of developing great characters: Faulkes on Fiction: a story of the novel in 28 characters is a book by...

  19. Teaching Narrative Writing in the Primary Classroom

    1st Step: Use Mentor Texts Mentor texts are a great way to introduce narrative writing to your little learners. Choose a book with a clear narrative structure like Guji Guji by Chih-Yuan Chen. I love using Storyline Online for read alouds because they are easy to assign to virtual students and the actors they choose are great at telling stories.

  20. Story starters: Creative writing prompts for children

    Single word story starters can work for any age child but the words should be adapted for their age and ability with simpler more positive words being used for younger children and more complicated words for older children. Young children: These single word story starter examples would be best aimed at children in primary school. 1.

  21. Top 100 Short Story Ideas

    Below are one hundred short story ideas for all your favorite genres. You can use them as a book idea, as writing prompts for writing contests , for stories to publish in literary magazines, or just for fun! Use these 100 story ideas to get your creative writing started now. Editor's note: This is a recurring guide, regularly updated with ...

  22. Free Story Lesson Plans for Teachers

    Below you will find a selection of our free story Lesson Plans for teachers. These Lesson Plans are derived from some of our most popular stories. These Lesson Plans are for varying grade levels and explore such literacy topics as setting, characterization, compare/contrast, plot, theme and More! These Lesson Plans are developed by certified ...

  23. Creative writing activities for upper primary

    Age group: 6-8, 9-11. Topics: Creative writing. The activities in this resource are designed to use a favourite author as a starting point for individual, paired and group work. Activities include: Author research and profile creation (estimated time: 1-2 hours) Character creation (estimated time: 1-2 hours) Sharing stories (estimated time: 30 ...