251 Creative Writing Prompts for Kids

Writing Prompts for Kids and Lots of Ideas for You, PLUS Bonus Support Resources—

There’s no doubt about it, kids love adventures. And, exploring, creating, and questioning are all essential aspects of childhood. Now you can build upon these interests in your students through regular creative writing practice. Oh yeah, you see…

This is why below I’ve published for you some amazing lists of fun writing and journaling prompts for kids with 251 prompts in all (and some bonuses added recently, too!).

Now…

Table of Contents

List #1 – 47 Creative Writing Prompts for Kids
251+ More FREE Creative Journal Writing Prompts for Kids
See These Excellent Writing Prompts for Kids Resources
BONUS – The Favorites Writing Prompts Lists
A Few Final Thoughts
How You Can Help Support and Encourage Your Kids Creative Writing
5 Creative Writing Support Suggestions
Journal to Support Your Child's Writing Practice

First of all, list #1 is filled with 47 excellent creative writing ideas that you have to see.

Yes!

These ideas go far beyond the standards, “what’s your favorite movie” or “favorite animal” ideas found in many lists.

So you will definitely want to check them out.

Then…

In the second list of creative writing prompt for kids, I originally shared a bunch of creative writing ideas and fabulous prompts and have since combined those two articles into ONE epic blog post for you. This list now has 128 creative writing prompts and ideas for kids and loads of great prompts for writers of all ages. Hooray!

And get this…

In the updated list of 162 Creative Writing Topics I share with you even MORE writing topics that are fun and fabulous for every age writer. PLUS you’ll find some of the best creative writing prompts for kids, and a bonus list of story-starter creative writing topics for students.

Ok, without further ado… here is a that first list of fun creative writing prompts for kids. Enjoy.

List #1 – 47 Creative Writing Prompts for Kids

If you could build a dream house, what rooms would it have?
Write a story about going on an adventure with your best friend.
Who has the best job in the world?
Where do you get your best ideas?
Do women today have equal rights with men?
Have you ever volunteered to help someone? What did you do?
What is your favorite thing to write?
Imagine that you are stuck inside a TV. What will you do? What shows would you visit?
What would you do if you won the lottery?
Would you rather be a pet animal or a toy?
What is your favorite road trip game?
If it rained food, what would you want the forecast to look like?
Write a poem about school.
Do you prefer popsicles or ice cream cones?
Would you ever change your name?
Write a story about someone who tells bad jokes.
If you could read minds, whose mind would you read?
Write a story in which you are a mini marshmallow in a cup of hot chocolate.
What is the best kind of breakfast food?
Write about your favorite sports team.
Write an alternate ending to your favorite book.
What is your favorite thing about living in [hometown]?
Why does the government provide public education?
Are you close with any of your neighbors?
Write about a symbol that represents your family.
Do you like your first name? Does it fit your personality?
Make a list of all the things you’ve accomplished this week. How do you feel?
What is your favorite milkshake flavor?
How do you feel about the Twilight books and movies? Why?
What is your favorite thing to shop for?
Have you ever gone to a concert? What bands did you see?
What is the best sound in the world?
What is the best sight in the world?
If you were a professional singer, what genre would you sing?
Have you ever had a scary dream and laughed about it later?
Write a poem about fall.
What was your favorite toy as a kid?
If you could be a dinosaur, which kind would you be?
What is your favorite thing to do outside?
Write about a memory that makes you happy.
How can you give back to your community?
What would it be like to live on the moon?
Do you prefer chess or checkers?
How does it feel to miss someone or something?
Write about the best party you’ve ever been to.
What is life all about?
If you could visit any single new city in the world, where would you go?

Have your writers shut off those video games and social media and grab their pens and pencils. It’s time to get some inspiration and start writing in their notebooks.

No doubt in the list above, you will find some fabulous ideas to get your kids started writing right now. And, if you want even more ideas to fuel your kids’ creativity, check this out…

251+ More FREE Creative Journal Writing Prompts for Kids

Here are those links again to a whole bunch of creative writing journal prompts for kids. There’s also a list of wonderful story-writing ideas. So get to it and use these ideas to inspire your elementary school kids, your middle school students, or your high school aged writers.

List #2 – 128 Creative Writing Prompts

Here are 30 of the excellent Creative Writing Prompts for Kids you’ll see on the full list of 128 ideas, Yay!

Would you rather be really big or really tiny?
Do you think you’ll go to college someday? Why or why not?
What is your favorite thing to do on vacation?
If your pet could talk, what would he or she say?
Do you ever donate money to people in need?
If you had an invisible magic helper, what would you have him or her do?
Write about a time when you shared with someone.
What is the best decision you ever made?
If you were a movie director, what kind of movies would you make?
What is your favorite holiday? Why?
If you could do anything right now, what would you do?
If you hosted a radio show, what would it be called?
Write a short summary of the last book you read.
Do you use Facebook? Why or why not?
What does it mean to be a good friend?
Which of the birds in Angry Birds is your favorite?
Think of three crazy food combinations. Would you ever eat any of these?
Do you prefer 2D or 3D animated movies? Why?
If you could have any superpower, what would you like to be able to do?
Write a story about a flock of rainbow-colored flamingoes.
How many hours do you spend watching TV per week?
What does tradition mean to you?
Who is the scariest Disney villain?
If you were a crayon, what color would you be?
If you were trapped in an igloo during a snowstorm, what would you want to have with you?
If penguins could talk, what do you think they would have to say?
Write about one of your earliest memories.
Write a letter thanking someone who has helped you recently.
What is your favorite time of day?
Who is your favorite video game character?

List #3 – 162 Creative Writing Topics

Find three lists of prompts in one including:

62 More Creative Writing Prompts
61 Fabulous Creative Writing Prompts, and
40 Story Starter Creative Writing Topics for Students

Yes! Here’s a sample of some of the prompts you’ll see on the list #3

What is your favorite thing about yourself?
Write an alternate ending to your favorite book.
What is your favorite thing about living in [hometown]?
Why does the government provide public education?
Are you close with any of your neighbors?
Write about a symbol that represents your family.
Do you like your first name? Does it fit your personality?
Make a list of all the things you’ve accomplished this week. How do you feel?
What is your favorite milkshake flavor?
How do you feel about the Twilight books and movies? Why?
What is your favorite thing to shop for?
Have you ever gone to a concert? What bands did you see?
What is the best sound in the world?
What is the best sight in the world?
What is the best smell in the world?
What is the best taste in the world?
What is the best feeling in the world?
Write an apology to a classmate that you should have been nicer to.
Do you listen to the radio?
Write about something you’re looking forward to.
If you were a Disney princess, who would you be?
Think about some privileges you have that others don’t. How do you feel?
What is your favorite treat at the movies?

This pos used to be 251+ prompts and now it offers you 290 ideas in total. Yippee!

See These Excellent Writing Prompts for Kids Resources

Whether your writers are older kids or younger ones, or they like to write fiction or memoirs, we offer you thousands of free prompts to support their writing skill development.

BONUS – The Favorites Writing Prompts Lists

For those reluctant writers or non-writers, we suggest you use the time-tested favorite writing prompts. They are simple ideas that nearly every writer can answer without much effort. Plus, they are an excellent way to get those creative juices flowing for writers of all skill levels.

Favorite game
Favorite sport
Favorite foods
Favorite place
Favorite book
Favorite toy
Favorite season
Favorite movie
Favorite animal
Favorite pet
Fav Celebrity
Favorite Birthday party
Planet
Superhero
Video game
Adventure
Sibling (or other relative)
School subject
Time of day
Season
Place to visit
Teacher
Hobby
Past time
Thing to think about
Thing to remember
Silly thing to do
Place to go

Creative Journal Prompts and Starters for Kids

A Few Final Thoughts

Writing is a simple yet powerful way for kids to grow more aware of themselves.

Plus…

After writing on a variety of topics, students will be excited to continue exploring. This is why we can not emphasize enough that you should use the prompts in your traditional or homeschool classroom to fuel your students’ curiosity.

An added bonus…

You’ll get your writer’s creative juices flowing with this series of all awesome creative writing prompts.

Now, help your students improve their language arts grade today. For certain… you’ll feel good knowing you are helping them to become better writers.

So get to it and encourage your students to use these writing prompts either in a homework assignment or just to write for fun.

The following article first appeared on our blog in January of 2012 and may be helpful to our readers today.

How You Can Help Support and Encourage Your Kids Creative Writing

We all know that there are many benefits to teaching kids to write, but maybe you are wondering how to encourage more creative writing activity from your child? Below, we offer you some wonderful creative writing ideas that answer this question for you.

Encouraging children to think imaginatively and at the same time allowing them to practice their writing skills can lead to many positive outcomes.

One fabulous example of this is that improved writing skills can help increase the level of success your child will attain throughout their lifetime. There are so many more wonderful benefits of writing, but for now, I’d like to get to those writing support ideas for you to use with your kids.

So, without further ado…

5 Creative Writing Support Suggestions

Kids Creative Writing Idea #1 — Look for creative writing software, apps, programs, and the like.

Children nowadays are not like kids in the past. Computers and technology are a part of their everyday lives, and you will want to use this fact to your advantage. Indeed, you’ll want to help your child learn how to use technology in a balanced way–some use for fun and entertainment and some for learning and growth.

In order to help your child develop their writing skills, you can let them practice on a laptop or an iPad. (Aside from allowing him to practice his writing and imaginative skills, you are also encouraging him improve his typing and keyboard skills.)

Now, there are some really great writing apps for kids out there! If you do not have an iPad or other tablet, check for kids writing technology resources at your public library or school library.

With the use of technology, you will want to limit a child’s exposure, however, as too much computer time may lead to eye strain and poor eyesight. Just remember to send your child outside to play from time to time!

Idea #2 — Formulate writing games for your child.

Children enjoy playing games, and writing games can be a great way to help them engage in and enjoy creative writing on a deeper level.

An example writing game for kids you could do with your child is to share writing ideas or a list of random words and then instruct him to include them in his creative writing. If she is able to string these ideas together successfully and make a story then she has won the game. Give her a compliment or reward for a job well done.

If you prefer online writing games, Scholastic has some great writing games for kids on their site. Check them out!

Idea #3 — Encourage your child to write about something she has experienced.

Personal experiences can be a great way to kick-start a kid’s creative writing process. This can also help them to express their own thoughts and feelings in a safe way, especially in cases when a child experiences difficulty doing so.

Writing creatively and in a fictional way about personal experiences is also considered therapeutic.

On the other hand, in cases where the experiences lean towards a more positive concept, writing about personal experiences can be a great way to keep a memory alive.

Idea #4 — Create an online blog for your child to publish his or her work.

For more tech-savvy and outgoing children, you can create a kid’s blog page for them to publish their ideas. A safe and simple blog for kids resource is kidblog.org.

Publishing a blog will help some children to gain confidence by putting their writing out there for the world to see and to comment on! The mere act of going public with one’s writing helps a child to become proud of their own work.

Oh, and be sure to share the blog with relatives, teachers, and neighbors and ask them to comment and give feedback on your child’s writing.

Idea #5 — Never forget to compliment them for a job well done.

Positive reinforcement plays a big role in a child’s writing confidence. If they feel like they are doing something good and are being appreciated then they are much more likely to continue doing it. In order for your child to appreciate the work and effort they have put into producing a written creation do your best to remember to compliment them. A reward system might also be beneficial.

When your child makes mistakes, be sure to use constructive criticism so that your child does not feel discouraged. Avoid harsh criticism as it tends to severely hinder the creative process.

There are a lot of different ways you can approach a kid’s creative writing in order to make it an enjoyable process for both you and your child.

These 5 great kids creative writing ideas are sure to inspire you in one way or another and to help your child develop and refine his writing ability. Just be sure to make learning to write — creatively or otherwise — fun, enjoyable, and meaningful for your child. By doing so you’ll engage their interest and keep their attention over time.

Now, here’s even more ways to support your child’s creative writing skill development.

Journal to Support Your Child’s Writing Practice

While journaling is certainly a good way to help kids improve their writing skills, it also allows them a new method of expression. Through journaling, students learn how to consider ideas from new angles and come up with creative, new ways of thinking.

Best of all, a student’s journal is a safe place where he or she can write freely without the fear of embarrassment or judgment.

Journal keeping is a fantastic tool you can use to encourage the kids in your life to practice and refine their creative writing skills. We think this is simply fantastic, and hope you do too!

With questions that promote expanded possibilities, students can stretch the limits of reality. Through journaling, a student also develops a deeper understanding of the unique preferences that define him or her as an individual.

Between memorizing math facts and learning about American history, it’s important for students to have regular time for creative writing practice. Writing prompts are a great way to get kids’ minds going, as a short question or idea can inspire all kinds of imaginative reflections and creative solutions. No doubt that you agree!

Ok, that’s all for this blog post.

Until next time, write on…

If you enjoyed these Creative Writing Prompts for Kids,
please share them on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest.
I appreciate it!

Sincerely,
Jill
journalbuddies.com
creator and curator