Discover fresh, fun, new writing games and bonus FREE Printables and use them to help students improve their writing skills while also enjoying themselves! (Psst… Scroll down the page for the two free writing game printable!)
Writing Games for Students
Writing games can be incorporated into just about any subject or course, making them a versatile tool for teachers in every type of classroom. By integrating writing fun and games into your teaching strategy, you can help students develop and hone their writing skills in playful and enjoyable ways.
Best of all…
Once you get your students going with these fun writing games, you will certainly hook their interest in their writing practice which is one of the most powerful outcomes of using games to teach writing skills to kids.
From the First Sentence to the Last Line
Writing games make writing, well… fun! This is why we are thrilled to share with you 8 fun writing games that you can use in your classroom or with your homeschool kids.
Not only are the writing games outlined below ones that students will enjoy, but each game also consists of different elements that will enhance the learning process.
- Writing Games Idea #1 — Interview and Report
- Writing Games Idea #2 — Telephone Pictionary
- Idea #3 — Write a Communal Story
- Idea #4 — Word Drawing Writing Game (Free Printable)
- Idea #5 — Focus on the Details
- Idea #6 — Re-Write the Ending Writing Game
- Idea #7 — Draw What You Hear (Free Printable)
- Idea #8 — Write a Secret Letter
For example, in the “Interview and Report” writing game, your students will learn about the importance of who, what, where, when, and why while also learning how to transform interview dialogue into an objective report. So while playing games, they are also practicing their writing skills. How’s that’s for a fabulous win-win? That’s really awesome if you ask us.
These writing games are perfect for 4th – 6th grade students although they may certainly be used with younger elementary kids as well as with older middle school students. We hope you and your students enjoy these writing game ideas.
8 Excellent Writing Games for Students
Writing Games Idea #1 — Interview and Report
In Interview and Report, your students will become full-fledged reporters. Explain to them that the journalists who write articles for news publications or who create broadcasts for TV have to conduct interviews with sources prior to completing their assignments. For their school assignment, each student should interview at least one person about an event and then subsequently write a report about it.
For instance, a student could interview the school principal about the upcoming school charity fun run. They could ask important questions about the event and then create a report to provide other students with the information that they need to know. This game helps keep students engaged in their school community while learning about a practical way to apply their writing skills.
Writing Games Idea #2 — Telephone Pictionary
Telephone Pictionary is a great game to play as an entire class and can complement any curriculum topic that you are currently covering.
To play this game, every student in the class needs to start with a blank sheet of paper. At the top of their sheet, they write a phrase or word of their choice.
Once they have written their first word or phrase, they pass their sheet to the player at their left. That player is required to draw a picture that matches the phrase. Then, they fold the paper down so that only the picture shows.
Again, they pass the paper to the left. The next player looks at the picture and writes a phrase to describe it. They fold the paper down so that only the new phrase shows, and once again pass the paper.
At the end of the game, the class will see how quickly the written word can transform.
Idea #3 — Write a Communal Story
This game is fun for students to work on in small groups or as a class. Use a notebook, large sheet of paper, or the chalkboard and have students take turns writing sentences. (A student writers the first line, another the second line and so on through to the bottom of the page or the end of the story).
You can do this activity during a set period of time in class, or keep the story out in a common area where students can add sentences during free times.
The collaborative effort is fun and engaging for kids and promotes creativity by allowing students to draw inspiration from one another. For students who have trouble writing stories on their own, the game is also a low-pressure way to get more comfortable with creative story writing.
Idea #4 — Word Drawing Writing Game (Free Printable)
Word Drawing is a fun writing game that allows teachers to blend art curriculum with writing curriculum. Best of all, the game is great for writers in kindergarten all the way through High school. You see…
In this game, every student is assigned a word. They then have to take that word and transform it into a work of art.
For example, the world colorful could be drawn in bubble letters where each letter was a different color. Other popular words for the Word Drawing game include:
- Sparkle
- Rainbow
- Rugged
- Peaceful
- Electrifying
Students will have fun getting creative as they learn the context of each word that they are playing with while doing this activity.
===> Writing Game #4 Printable <===
===> Writing Game #4 Printable <===
Idea #5 — Focus on the Details
Students sometimes take the easy way out when describing characters or objects in their writing by using simple, one-word descriptions. In this game, you’ll use a common object and ask students to begin by describing it in one word—“basketball.” Next, students need to use two words to describe the object—“orange basketball.” Then, students will use three words—“new orange basketball.”
Continue until the students have a short list of six or seven adjectives in front of the noun and then have them create a sentence using the description. You’ll get silly answers like, “The athlete tossed the new, round, bouncy, noisy, orange, leathery basketball into the hoop with three seconds left on the clock.”
The idea with this writing game isn’t to inspire students to write purple prose—but rather, to encourage them to come up with creative new ways to describe common objects. Take turns reading the sentences aloud and award prizes for the most unique descriptions.
Idea #6 — Re-Write the Ending Writing Game
Sometimes other books provide us with the greatest sources of inspiration. In this game, have students select a favorite short story or scene from a book and re-write it.
They can try writing the story from another character’s perspective or perhaps tell what would have happened if the main character made a different choice. Students can even change the story so that it takes place in a different setting or time period. The possibilities are endless and kids will love the chance to get creative with their favorite books.
Idea #7 — Draw What You Hear (Free Printable)
Ask your students to think of a family member or a favorite character from a book or movie and have them write a brief, paragraph-long description of that person.
Next, students will take turns reading their descriptions aloud. As each student reads their character description, the rest of the class should draw a picture based on what the student has written.
Give each student the drawn responses to their paragraph. When students receive the varied responses and interpretations to their paragraphs, they’ll quickly begin to see the importance of descriptive writing.
===> Writing Game #7 Printable <===
===> Writing Game #7 Printable <===
Idea #8 — Write a Secret Letter
This game is a popular choice around Valentine’s Day when there are letters circulating around the entire school. In this game, each student is assigned another student in the class to write a secret letter to.
To help facilitate this writing game, students should be given instruction as to how to address letters and sign them properly. This is an ideal way to introduce both the formal and informal style of letter writing. After they have written their letter to a classmate, they have to find a way to secretly deliver it. In the end, everyone gets a pleasant surprise!
Writing is a life skill that children have to master regardless of the field or career that they choose to pursue. Since writing will play a critical role throughout their educational journey and well into their personal and professional lives, it’s important to have your students practice writing as frequently as possible.
While writing is an important activity for students to practice on a regular basis, it should not become a tiresome task for them. Yet, helping kids get inspired to write can sometimes be quite the challenge. When your students are fatigued or experiencing a bit of writer’s block, we suggest implementing writing games into your classroom or homeschool curriculum to reignite your students’ interest in learning to write. No doubt they will be glad you did.
Interested in more writing games? You’ll love sharing Writing Bingo Games for Students in your classroom!
Until next time, write on…
If you enjoyed these Writing Games for Students,
please share them on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest.
I appreciate it!
Sincerely,
Jill
journalbuddies.com
creator and curator
