37 Writing Prompts for First Grade

Writing Prompts for First Grade Students—The first grade is a special year for many students. They’re finally in the same area as the older kids and many children are attending school all day long for the first time. The following 37 fabulous writing prompts for first-grade students are geared toward kids in this special phase of their lives.

Yes, we have wonderful writing ideas for you and your first graders.

With Our First Grade Writing Prompts & Topic Ideas

You will…

Stretch the imaginations of your first-graders with creative questions about their ideal superhero names and secret backyard fortresses.

Then, you’ll…

Encourage them to reflect on the things that matter most in life by having them write about their parents, experiences that make them feel safe, and the most important qualities of friendship.

Writing prompts help students better understand their feelings—an important skill that can serve kids well throughout the rest of their lives. Writing is also a powerful way for kids to grow more aware of themselves.

In these wonderful writing prompts for first grade students, your class will make great use of their imaginations and creative spirits.

So get to it and use these writing prompts for first-grade students today to help them learn how to express their opinions and ideas through journaling.

37 Writing Ideas and Prompts for First Graders

Here is our list of exciting writing starters that were written especially for 1st grade writers!

1. What is your earliest memory?

2. Would you rather be a pirate or a jungle explorer? Why?

3. What is your favorite thing about your house? Why?

4. What would the world be like if we had a purple sky and orange grass?

5. Write about your parents. Where were they born? What do they like?

6. What have your parents told you about the day you were born? Write a brief summary of it.

7. What would you do if your parents told you that you were going to move?

8. Last year on Halloween, I was _________ because ___________.

9. What do you like to do when it gets warm outside?

10. Who is the best cartoon character? Why?

11. What do you do when one of your friends is sad?

12. What Crayola crayon describes you best? Why?

13. Who is the nicest person you know? What makes him or her so special?

14. What do you like best about living in our city?

15. Would you rather be really tall or really small?

16. I feel safe when _________ because __________.

17. What is your favorite thing to pretend? Why?

18. What is your favorite animal? Why?

19. If you could be a dessert, what would you be? Why?

20. Write about your last Christmas vacation. What did you do?

21. How do you feel when you do well on a quiz?

22. Have you ever been somewhere far away on vacation? What was it like?

23. What is your favorite thing to do in the snow?

24. I feel loved when _________.

25. Write a story about a secret backyard fortress.

26. What is special about our class?

27. If you had a secret superhero name, what would it be? Why?

28. What is your favorite kind of vegetable? Why?

29. Write about a time when you were upset about something that happened at school. What did you do?

30. What is something special you do with your grandparents? How do they make you feel?

31. What is the best part of the day? Why?

32. If you could travel to space, what would you want to see?

33. Would you rather ride a giraffe or an elephant?

34. Write something nice about your best friend. Explain what you like about him or her and what you like to do together.

35. What do you think 2nd grade will be like? Why?

36. What’s the first thing you do when you wake up?

37. What is the most important quality for a good friend to have?

We hope you use this list of journal prompts in your classroom lesson plans. By doing so you’ll support the writing skills development of your students and increase their writing fun (perhaps even for those reluctant writers!).

In case you need even more fun writing prompts for young writers, take a look at this list of 31 more Fun Writing Prompts and Ideas for kids.

The Favorites Prompts List

Oh, and there is always what I like to call “the old faithful” list of writing ideas to help get the creativity flowing for your 1st graders. Have students write about their: