creative writing in year 1

Writing in Year 1 (age 5–6)

In Year 1, your child will learn to write sentences, discuss their writing, and read their writing aloud.

Read on to discover the National Curriculum expectations for writing in Year 1, and to find out how you can support your child at home.

How to help at home

There are lots of ways you can help your Year 1 child with writing. Here are our top ideas.

1. Read to your child

At this age, your child will only be able to read quite simple books by themselves. You can help expand their vocabulary and their understanding of language by reading them books that they can’t read independently yet.

Be sure to keep your child engaged. You would be surprised at the difference putting on funny voices, asking the occasional question, and pointing out interesting pictures makes to your child’s enjoyment of reading!

For books to read with your child, take a look at our free eBook library .

2. Have your child to read to you

Making time to hear your child read isn’t just good for their reading. Seeing words in print helps them to understand the words, to spell them, and to see how grammar and punctuation are used to make meaning.

When you read, occasionally talk about why the author has decided to include something and how they written it. For example:

‘I wonder why the author has chosen to describe the castle as “gloomy”? I wonder what that tells us about what might happen there?’

3. Try some real-world writing

Writing for a real purpose can be a great way to fit in practice. Writing cards, shopping lists, or letters to relatives can be motivating real life reasons for writing, and can show children how useful it is to be able to write well.

At this age, it is a good idea to keep writing sessions short but frequent. For example, you could get writing into your child’s daily schedule by asking them to write down their favourite part of the day before they go to bed.

If your child keeps a diary like this over an extended period, it won’t be long before you can both see some real improvement in their writing (and you’ll have a lovely record of them growing up too!).

4. Tell stories aloud

Giving your child the opportunity to tell stories orally is a great way to get them used to structuring their ideas and using adventurous language.

If they’re not sure where to start, see if they can retell a story that they already know well, like Little Red Riding Hood or Three Little Pigs .

For more practical tips on helping your child improve their storytelling confidence, watch our storytelling skills video with Suzy Ditchburn:

Video: How to develop storytelling skills

What your child will learn at school

In Year 1 (age 5–6), your child will learn to:

• Saying what they are going to write about out loud
• Composing a sentence orally before writing it
• Sequencing sentences to form short narratives
• Re-reading what they have written to check that it makes sense.
• Discuss what they have written with the teacher or other pupils
• Read aloud their writing clearly enough to be heard by their peers and the teacher.

Handwriting, spelling, grammar, and punctuation are all important aspects of writing too. You can find out more about them on our dedicated pages:

Handwriting in Year 1 (age 5-6)

Find out more about handwriting in Year 1 at Primary School.

Find out more

Spelling in Year 1 (age 5-6)

Find out more about spelling in Year 1 at Primary School.

Grammar and punctuation in Year 1 (age 5-6)

Find out more about grammar and punctuation in Year 1 at Primary School.

• Age 5–6 (Year 1)
• Age 6–7 (Year 2)
• Age 7–8 (Year 3)
• Age 8–9 (Year 4)
• Age 9–10 (Year 5)
• Age 10–11 (Year 6)
• Year 1 (age 5–6)
• Year 2 (age 6–7)
• Year 3 (age 7–8)
• Year 4 (age 8–9)
• Year 5 (age 9–10)
• Year 6 (age 10–11)
• Grammar glossary
• Grammar books

Year 1 Writing

Discover year 1 writing standards.

In Key Stage 1, children are expected to quickly develop foundational English language skills . Some primary school students start with very limited writing ability, mainly using verbal skills to communicate. The key development in Year 1 writing is to bridge the gap between spoken language and printed words.

A great writing activity to try with your young writer is to break down spoken interactions into different types. Being able to identify different types of interactions helps children learn many forms of expression, and how each employs different vocabulary , grammar, and punctuation.

There are three fundamental types of writing (sometimes called "composition") that children will learn about and practice in Year 1:

Opinion Writing

Informative writing, narrative writing.

While your child’s writing will be basic in Year 1, they’ll start to understand the difference between the writing styles listed above. Your child will also learn about correct sentence writing practices, as they’ll be expected to write short compositions displaying their knowledge of each text type and structure. The more they practise writing, the easier it will be for them to identify different styles of text.

Year 1 students will learn that their opinion is linked to their thoughts and feelings about something, and that people can have different opinions on the same thing! When writing about their opinions at this primary education level, they'll be expected to express their thoughts and ideas using correct grammar and punctuation, whilst also supporting their argument with a reason for their opinion. As children are still developing their basic writing skills at this level, it’s always important to remind them to write in complete sentences, using capitalisation and punctuation to help logical articulation.

A simple example of Year 1 opinion writing could be:

• (Title or Question) Which animal is the best?
• (Give your opinion) I think that the lion is the best animal.
• (Give a reason) This is because they rule the savannah.

Informative writing informs its reader through primarily factual content. In Year 1, young children should be able to identify informative writing, distinguish facts from opinions , and write simple yet complete sentences about a variety of topics.

Typically, learners will study simple scientific facts or learn about the environmental world around them. You can encourage this by giving your child many opportunities to read factual scientific books and articles. Even if your child is a struggling reader, this activity will develop a deeper understanding of what it takes to write a great informative text, whilst also adding valuable knowledge that will be helpful for them as they move on to Year 2 .

Practice Tip

Challenge your child to complete one of the report writing lessons on Night Zookeeper . These lessons model examples of great informative writing and ask children to write their own sentences about the animals featured in the lessons.

In Year 1, children are often already aware of narrative devices, structures, and forms, but mainly through non-written mediums, such as watching TV and films, and listening to friends and families recount their experiences. They may not, however, be used to the formal breakdown of this and how to write a story themselves.

This style enables your child to practise their creative writing skills, while learning key writing rules, such as sentence writing and story mapping, while growing their vocabulary list!

Narrative writing is perhaps the best writing style to teach your child all they need to know about sequencing, which relates to the three main components of a story plot: beginning, middle, and end. It also offers Year 1 students the chance to learn how to use appropriate structural and linguistic devices to give a story an arc - such as (but not limited to) "once upon a time", "then", and "happily ever after".

Key Story Features

It's always a good idea to break up these features and work on them separately with your child as they try to make sense of each component.

Your child can build their own writing world on Night Zookeeper . This will provide lots of opportunities for them to practice their character creation skills as they invent new animals for their Night Zoo.

How Night Zookeeper can help

Our writing program for kids focuses on helping children develop their writing skills in a fantastically fun way! It improves your child’s writing skills using non-traditional writing resources such as fun noun games, punctuation challenges (such as how to use commas ), interactive lesson series, creative writing prompts , and more! All our award-winning content follows the English National Curriculum guidelines.

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Free Printable Creative Writing Worksheets for 1st Year

Creative Writing: Discover a world of imagination with our free printable Reading & Writing worksheets for Year 1 students. Enhance their skills and spark their creativity with these fun resources.

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Explore printable Creative Writing worksheets for 1st Year

Creative Writing worksheets for Year 1 are an excellent resource for teachers looking to engage their students in the world of fiction writing. These worksheets provide a variety of activities that help students develop their reading and writing skills while fostering a love for storytelling. By incorporating different elements of fiction writing, such as character development, setting, and plot, these worksheets allow young learners to explore their creativity and imagination. Additionally, these Year 1 worksheets focus on improving students' grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure, which are essential components of effective writing. Teachers can utilize these creative writing worksheets to supplement their lesson plans and provide a fun, interactive way for students to practice their reading and writing skills.

Quizizz is a fantastic platform that offers a wide range of educational resources, including Creative Writing worksheets for Year 1, to help teachers enhance their students' learning experience. This platform not only provides engaging and interactive worksheets but also allows teachers to create quizzes and games that can be customized to suit the needs of their students. By incorporating Quizizz into their lesson plans, teachers can effectively track their students' progress in reading and writing, as well as other subjects. The platform's user-friendly interface and extensive library of resources make it an invaluable tool for educators looking to provide their Year 1 students with a comprehensive and enjoyable learning experience. With Quizizz, teachers can ensure that their students develop a strong foundation in fiction writing and other essential skills needed for academic success.

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100 Fun Writing Prompts for 1st Grade: Journal Prompts

• Narrative Writing Prompts
• Informative Essay Writing Prompts
• Research Writing Prompts
• Funny Writing Prompts
• Self-writing Prompts
• Fiction Writing Prompts
• Animal Writing Prompts
• Journal Writing Prompts For 1st Graders
• Descriptive Writing Prompts

Writing prompts are important tools that parents can use when they want to improve their child’s inherent abilities. The right 1st grade writing prompts can help your kids improve their writing, reading, comprehension, and visual processing abilities.

By having prompts of different themes, styles, and objectives, you can diversify the way that your child approaches writing. You can also enhance their divergent thinking abilities with the right writing prompts. Let’s start with our list of the 100 best writing prompts for 1 st graders.

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Here are more educational resources for your first grader so that they never stop practicing!

10 Narrative Writing Prompts

Narratives can be powerful teaching tools to help kids understand the importance of sequencing in writing. They can practice the core skills of narration, including storytelling, plot design, and conclusion. The best narrative-driven 1st grade journal prompts can help kids refine their writing capabilities. You can use these 1st grade narrative writing prompts to help your young ones develop their storytelling. 

1. What if you had a magical wand? What would you do with it?  

2. What are your favorite after-school activities?

3. Describe a time when you felt lost. What did you do? How did you feel?

4. What superpower would you love to have the most?

5. What are your favorite things about being in the 1 st grade?

6. Describe a difficult time in your life when you had to face some form of adversity.

7. What is your best memory from a vacation that you took with your family?

8. If you could meet one cartoon character in real life, who would it be?

9. Describe your favorite animal. What are its characteristics?

10. What is your favorite holiday? Why do you love that time of the year? 

10 Informative Essay Writing Prompts

Informative prompts help kids understand the value of being accurate, precise, and descriptive. You can have them talk about events, historical figures, and facts in greater detail with the right informative prompts.

1. Write an informative essay about animated movies for kids .  

2. Pick any stationery item from school. Write about the importance of using that tool.

3. Talk about why it is important to consume healthy foods. Why are vegetables good for us?

4. Talk about how you would teach a special skill to someone you’ve never met.

5. Talk about your favorite hobbies. Why do you enjoy participating in them?

6. Think about what you want to be when you grow up. Talk about your plan on how you’re going to achieve it.

7. Explain in detail why reading is important for all 1 st grade kids.

8. Talk about a time when you failed at something. How did you get back up and succeed?

9. What do you like the most about your best friend? Why is your friendship so special?

10. Select a food item that you love eating, and talk about why it is your favorite.

10 Research Writing Prompts

Research writing is an innovative way of instilling the right work ethic in kids at an early age. You can have your kids practice reviewing, researching, and fact-checking when they prepare their writing prompts. The best 1st grade writing prompts are research-driven ones that require extensive analysis and reviewing. 

1. Talk about the origin of alligators.

2. What is the lifecycle of a butterfly? Write about all major stages.  

3. What is germination? Write about the process of germination.

4. Why does the earth have oceans?

5. Why does an elephant have large tuskers?

6. Write down five facts about your favorite teacher.

7. Research your family history. What are some interesting facts that you could find?

8. Find ten facts about your city and what makes the city special.

9. What is a biome? Why do we have biomes?

10. What does an ant eat? Describe its journey.  

10 Funny Writing Prompts

Funny 1st grade writing prompts can be hilarious to work on, giving younger kids a chance to develop their humor. You can have them imagine funny scenarios and come up with jokes that are in the form of long paragraphs. You can talk to them about the idea of a premise, a funny line, and a storytelling joke for kids .

1. Imagine a world where every house is a gingerbread house. What would your living room look like?

2. Write a funny story about going to space and meeting an alien.

3. Write an adventure short story about saving your friend from ghosts.

4. Write a funny story about futuristic methods of transportation.

5. Imagine that you’re permanently stuck on a ship. What would your life be like?

6. Write a story about what would happen if you woke up in a dog’s body.

7. Write a story about diving into the deepest ocean in the world.

8. If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

9. What would you do if you had a tiger as a pet?

10. You have just invented a translation machine to talk to animals. What would you say first? 

10 Self-writing Prompts

Poems for kids can be an excellent form of self-expression. You can introduce poetic 1st grade writing prompts and have your little ones practice their creative thinking skills. Poems can also empower kids to sound letters and words, which helps in cementing phonics and other concepts.

1. Write a poem about your favorite animals. 

2. Talk about your day, but in the form of a poem. Make it rhyme to AABB.    

3. Create a poem about the spring season.   

4. Write a Haiku about the sky.

5. Create a Limerick about how much you love dancing.

6. Write a poem about the tiniest things in the universe.

7. Can you write a poem about words that don’t rhyme? Try it!

8. Write a poem about the letters of the alphabet.

9. Write a short poem about how much you love your family.

10. Write a poem about counting fruit, vegetables, or marbles. 

10 Fiction Writing Prompts

Fiction-based 1st grade writing prompts are also amazing writing tools that can help your child access new areas of their creative thinking. You can help them uncover their true writing potential and improve their problem-solving skills with the right fiction-themed 1st grade writing prompts.

1. You’re suddenly thrust into a game of Island survival and are tasked with saving the people. What would you do?

2. On your next fishing trip, you spot a deep-sea monster. Describe it in detail.

3. You suddenly have wings and are able to fly freely through the sky. Where do you go first?

4. You just slipped on a banana peel and made a mess. How do you clean it up?

5. You left for school and realized that all the streets are made of candy. What happens next?

6. You met Santa’s reindeer in the spring. What kind of questions would you ask it?

7. There are dinosaurs everywhere, and they’re taking control of the city. What happens next?

8. You’re a time traveler and you decided to visit ancient Egypt. What do you see?

9. Start a fairy tale and complete it with the prompt – “There was once a fire-breathing dragon protecting middle earth.”

10. You’re asked to write a completely new language. What would it sound like? 

10 Animal Writing Prompts

Animal-themed 1st grade writing prompts can bring a sense of joy back into practicing writing. Your kids can explore the depths of their imagination with prompts about different habitats and species. With the right animal-based 1st grade writing prompts, you can also improve their visual processing capabilities. 

1. What is your favorite animal in the whole wide world? Why?

2. Describe your last visit to a petting zoo.

3. If you met a talking cat, what would it say?

4. Which dog breed do you love the most?

5. I love dogs because they are _.

6. What magical animal would you like to meet and why? (Unicorn, dragon, etc.)

7. If you could pick up three animal traits, what would they be?

8. Think of a completely new imaginary animal. What would it look like?

9. Who’s the scariest animal in the jungle?

10. What kind of animal makes the best pet? Why? 

10 Prompts to Help Your Kids Understand and Appreciate Emotions

Some of the most impactful 1st grade journal prompts focus on writing about emotions. While opinion writing prompts 1st grade questions are great, you can really get into the mental framework of a child with emotion-driven prompts. 

1. When was the last time you were brave?

2. How do you feel when you goof up? Do you feel angry or sad?

3. What I love about myself is _.   

4. What makes me happy is when I am _.

5. How do you comfort a friend who is feeling scared?

6. Recall the last time you burst out laughing. How did you feel?

7. Sometimes I feel sad about _.

8. If I could change one thing in the world, it would be _.

9. Sometimes I am hard on myself about _.

10. Something I wish I were better at is _.  

10 Journal Writing Prompts For 1st Graders

The best first grade journal prompts are the ones that involve introspection, critical thinking, and active recalling. You can improve their writing and comprehension skills with some fun writing prompts for 1st grade students.

1. How are you feeling today? Talk about what emotions you felt.

2. What are five things that you are grateful for?

3. What is the one thing that surprised you today?

4. I love my mom because she’s _.

5. My idea of a fun vacation is.

6. If I lived on a mountain, my daily routine would be.

7. This spring season, I plan on doing _.

8. I love my sibling because _.

9. Write about your last vacation.

10. My favorite day of the year is.  

10 Descriptive Writing Prompts

When it comes to writing topics for 1st graders, descriptive ones are some of the most fun for little kids. The top writing ideas for 1st grade students can involve describing events, objects, narratives, and storylines, giving them more control on their vision for their answers. You can use these creative writing prompts 1st grade level questions at any time during the year. 

1. Describe a dream walk through a garden.

2. Describe a typical school day in detail.

3. What type of music makes you happy? Describe why you love your favorite artist.

4. Describe the most interesting birthday you’ve had.

5. What’s your favorite hobby? Describe it in detail.

6. How would you describe a smartphone to someone from 1920?

7. What’s your favorite dessert? Why do you love it so much?

8. Which is your favorite memory in the whole wide world?

9. Talk about someone you look up to in detail.

10. Is there a comic book hero you love? Describe their qualities and what makes them special. 

Quick Tips on Helping Your 1st Grader Improve Their Writing Skills

Now that we’ve explored the best writing prompts for 1 st graders, you can help them become better at the craft with the right strategies. You can use the best 1st grade journal prompts and encourage your kids to write with clarity and purpose.

You should also use different types of writing prompts for 1st grade kids. This will help you keep things interesting for your little ones while making them feel joyful when writing. In fact, the best 1st grade journal topics are the ones that are within your kids’ realm of interest.

Additionally, you can continue to reward them for writing extensively. By giving them toys, books, and colorful stationery, you can subtly encourage them to continue improving their writing and comprehension at the 1 st grade level. 

Start With The Best Prompts That Appeal to Your Kids

You can start by mixing around writing prompts for your kids with different styles. You can also prepare your own prompts by referencing the examples mentioned above. The best way to get your kids excited about writing is to give them prompts that make them think outside the box.

So, what are you waiting for? Get your kids writing engaging narratives with these amazing writing prompts!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How do i select the right writing prompts for my 1st grader.

You should start with topics that they enjoy talking about organically.

How do I improve participation and excitement for writing prompts?

You can have them write about their favorite cartoons, movies, and books during the initial stages of writing prompts.

What are some ways to improve my child’s writing?

You can use prompts, worksheets, and tracing sheets, to help your kids improve their writing.

What are some writing activities for 1st graders?

You can have them write letters, poems, stories, and other narrative-driven pieces.

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Creative Writing Tasks for KS1 Students

Subject: Creative writing

Age range: 5-7

Resource type: Worksheet/Activity

Last updated

7 March 2016

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Primary Bliss Teaching

Teaching Made Easy in First Grade

TEACHING BEGINNING OF YEAR FIRST GRADE WRITING HAS NEVER BEEN EASIER

This post may contain affiliate links. You pay the same and I get a small commission. /em>

Does the thought of teaching beginning of the year writing in first grade sound less pleasant than a staff meeting that has gone into overtime?

Teaching first-grade writing is not for the weak . It’s no easy task. Like for real.

Teaching first grade writing at the beginning of the year …even trickier.

I remember my first year as a teacher. So excited and full of energy. Writing was absolutely, without a doubt, the one topic I looked most forward to teaching.

Then… not so much .

• I had students who struggled to hold a pencil.
• Students who ran all their words together. I’m talkin’ absolutely no spaces between words whatsoever .
• I had students who began every. single. sentence . with the word ‘ and’ .
• Worse yet, I had students who wrote an entire paragraph using just one sentence and a whole lot of ‘ ands’ .
• I had students who cried because they didn’t know what to write about, didn’t know how to spell words, or simply didn’t like to write.
• The list goes on. 

Let’s just say that the image of myself being a champion writing teacher on year one was trampled by a gigantic stampede of wildebeests.

BUT NOW…TEACHING FIRST GRADE WRITING AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR

Has never been easier.

Fast forward to today. I can honestly say that writing is easy to teach, and it’s oh so rewarding to watch as my 1st-grade writers’ abilities soar to new heights .

After trying, and failing, to implement a Writers’ Workshop model, my first-grade teaching bestie and I sat down to take a good long look at our standards and what the end writing goals were for our students.

Then we jumped into backward planning. We asked ourselves what we wanted our students’ writing to look like by the end of first grade, and identified all the building blocks students needed in order to achieve our expectations of them.

When this was all said and done, we were able to pinpoint exactly what foundational skills our first graders need to know prior to jumping headfirst into opinion, narrative, and informative writing.

Here’s what we came up with:

• Drawing pictures using basic shapes and lines
• Labeling pictures using best-guess spelling
• Writing a complete sentence with a subject and predicate
• Proper use of capitals , spaces between words, and punctuation
• How to write using a sentence stem
• Learn to write telling sentences (declarative)
• How to write asking sentences (question)
• Teach how to write exclamatory sentences
• Writing lists
• Listing 3 or more things in a sentence using commas
• Respond to questions in writing
• Writing stronger sentences using adjectives, adverbs, who, what, where, when, or how
• Use feedback from teacher  and peers to strengthen writing
• Write more than one sentence on a topic

Now imagine jumping into a narrative, opinion, or informational writing unit knowing your students have all of the above skills mastered . Did the thought of that make your teaching life 1,000 percent easier ?

Introducing a Curriculum that will Truly Bring Joy Back to Teaching Writing

First grade writing – building the foundation.

If you’re still with me, you’re probably wondering what this writing resource is all about. Well, let me show you!

The teaching portion of our First Grade Writing – Building the Foundation unit is DIGITAL. That means no lesson plan pages, instructional pages, or any other pages will waste precious ink! Can I get a hallelujah?

What’s more,  everything you need for the day’s writing lesson is on the slides ! (Okay…full disclosure….except for the one student page you’ll need each day. You can print out the entire 8 weeks’ worth of student work in one little click.)

Here’s a quick overview of what most of the daily 1st-grade writing lessons look like. (There are a few variations based on what students have learned.)

1. share learning targets with students. have students state the “i will” statement with you..

We have chosen to use “I will” statements as we believe students will take more ownership in their learning . This idea came from a presenter in a professional development course we were in, and we loved it.  Why? The shift students mentally make using “I will” statements versus “I can” statements is tremendous.

We can do lots of things (eat healthier, workout every day, quit drinking coffee ). When we change the can to will . …the statement takes on a whole new meaning.

Common Core writing standards for first grade are written on the bottom of each slide.

2. Engage students in a Writing Chat activity.

Some lessons begin with a Writing Chat. The purpose of a Writing Chat is to introduce a new writing concept, develop vocabulary, and build background knowledge for students.

3. Engage Students in the “Watch Me” activity. 

This is where the explicit teaching happens . Students will watch as you model the new teaching target. By modeling your expectations, students have a clear understanding of what it is you expect of them.

4. Engage students in the “Our Turn” portion of the lesson.

The “Our Turn” portion of the lesson is where you and your students will practice the new skill/concept together . This is the time students will be applying, with your help, the skills and strategies that were modeled. Students are being set up for success for the next phase of the lesson.

5. The final stage of the lesson is “Your Turn”.

Finally, students will independently practice the skill/concept taught. Because they have been explicitly taught the learning target for the day, students will have great success with this writing activity.

And there you have it! Writing made EASY! Seriously easy. A snap. A breeze. A cinch. You could alllllmost do it with your eyes closed. #okaymaybenot

In all seriousness, we have truly had great success with teaching our first graders to write and oftentimes are complimented on our abilities to teach writing. We give all the accolades to the students. They did the writing. All we did was break it down to itty bitty steps that made it manageable for them to digest.

Are you ready to get your year off to a GREAT with 8 weeks of explicit lessons that will set your students up for success the rest of the year?

If so, CLICK HERE or on the image below to learn more.

Wishing you joyful days and restful nights. Teaching is tough…take care of yourself and give yourself a whole lotta grace. After all, your superpower is shaping young lives and making our world a better place. Here’s to YOU!

Cindy and Becky

Want to make Beginning of Year Writing in First Grade a SNAP to teach? CLICK HERE to check out that, and our other  Grab-and-Go, NO PREP Writing Resources !

Update, we now have second-grade writing resources available too. CLICK HERE to have a peek.

You may also be interested in these blogs:

5 Easy Steps to Teaching Number Talks in First Grade 

18 Phonological Awareness Activities to Try Today!

5 Number Talks to Try This Week

April 25, 2023 at 9:26 am

I plan on using this in my first grade classroom next year. I have researched the slides in this program and I like how it builds the foundation for second language learners. I feel this is a great program and can not wait to implement it with my children in the new school year.

March 27, 2022 at 1:14 pm

Hello, I have and use your first grade writing curriculum. I absolutely love it!!! And the growth I’ve seen in my students is amazing! Next year I will be teaching kindergarten. Any chance you are writing a bundle for that?? I HATE writer’s workshop in Kinder! Thank you!

April 21, 2022 at 6:55 pm

Hi Jenny! Thank you so much for your kind words. Yes, we are working on a kindergarten curriculum currently. We hope to have it finished by the end of summer before school starts.

January 25, 2022 at 2:09 pm

Hey, I just bought your 1st grade writing yearlong bundle on tpt. Are these units created to be taught in a specific order? Of course, I know to begin with the foundations unit but what order do you recommend teaching the narrative, informative, and opinion units? Thanks so much!

March 19, 2022 at 8:03 am

Hi Jessica! After you teach the Building the Foundation unit, you can teach the remaining units in any order. They are all scaffolded to ensure success for all.

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100 Creative Writing Prompts for Middle & High School – 2024

April 15, 2024

Some high school students dream of writing for a living, perhaps pursuing an English major in college, or even attending a creative writing MFA program later on. For other students, creative writing can be useful for school assignments, in English and other subjects, and also for preparing their Common App essays . In a less goal-oriented sense, daily freewriting in a journal can be a healthy life practice for many high schoolers. Not sure where to start? Continue reading for 100 creative writing prompts for middle school and high school students. These middle/high school writing prompts offer inspiration for getting started with writing in a number of genres and styles.

Click here to view the 35 Best Colleges for Creative Writing .

What are Creative Writing Prompts?

Similar to how an academic essay prompt provides a jumping-off point for forming and organizing an argument, creative writing prompts are points of initiation for writing a story, poem, or creative essay. Prompts can be useful for writers of all ages, helping many to get past writer’s block and just start (often one of the most difficult parts of a writing process).

Writing prompts come in a variety of forms. Sometimes they are phrases used to begin sentences. Other times they are questions, more like academic essay prompts Writing prompts can also involve objects such as photographs, or activities such as walking. Below, you will find high school writing prompts that use memories, objects, senses (smell/taste/touch), abstract ideas , and even songs as jumping-off points for creative writing. These prompts can be used to write in a variety of forms, from short stories to creative essays, to poems.

How to use Creative Writing Prompts

Before we get started with the list, are a few tips when using creative writing prompts:

Experiment with different formats : Prose is great, but there’s no need to limit yourself to full sentences, at least at first. A piece of creative writing can begin with a poem, or a dialogue, or even a list. You can always bring it back to prose later if needed.

Interpret the prompt broadly : The point of a creative writing prompt is not to answer it “correctly” or “precisely.” You might begin with the prompt, but then your ideas could take you in a completely different direction. The words in the prompt also don’t need to open your poem or essay, but could appear somewhere in the middle.

Switch up/pile up the prompts : Try using two or three prompts and combine them, or weave between them. Perhaps choose a main prompt, and a different “sub-prompt.” For example, your main prompt might be “write about being in transit from one place to another,” and within that prompt, you might use the prompt to “describe a physical sensation,” and/or one the dialogue prompts.  This could be a fun way to find complexity as you write.

Creative Writing Prompts for Middle School & High School Students (Continued)

Write first, edit later : While you’re first getting started with a prompt, leave the typos and bad grammar. Obsessing over details can take away from your flow of thoughts. You will inevitably make many fixes when you go back through to edit.

Write consistently : It often becomes easier to write when it’s a practice , rather than a once-in-a-while kind of activity. For some, it’s useful to write daily. Others find time to write every few days, or every weekend. Sometimes, a word-count goal can help (100 words a day, 2,000 words a month, etc.). If you set a goal, make sure it’s realistic. Start small and build from there, rather than starting with an unachievable goal and quickly giving up.

100 Creative Writing Prompts for Middle School & High School Teens

Here are some prompts for getting started with your creative writing. These are organized by method, rather than genre, so they can inspire writing in a variety of forms. Pick and choose the ones that work best for you, and enjoy!

Prompts using memories

• Begin each sentence or group of sentences with the phrase, “I remember…”
• Describe a family ritual.
• Choose an event in your life, and write about it from the perspective of someone else who was there.
• Pick a pathway you take on a regular basis (to school, or to a friend’s house). Describe five landmarks that you remember from this pathway.
• Write about your house or apartment using a memory from each room.
• Write an imaginary history of the previous people who lived in your house or apartment.
• Write about an ancestor based on stories you’ve heard from relatives.
• What’s your earliest memory?
• Who was your first friend?
• Write a letter to someone you haven’t seen since childhood.
• Write about yourself now from the perspective of yourself twenty, or eighty, years from now.
• Write about the best month of the year.
• Write about the worst day of the year.
• Rant about something that has always annoyed you.
• Write about the hottest or coldest day you can remember.
• Visualize a fleeting moment in your life and as though it’s a photograph, and time yourself 5 minutes to write every detail you can remember about the scene.
• Draw out a timeline of your life so far. Then choose three years to write about, as though you were writing for a history book.
• Write about a historical event in the first person, as though you remember it.
• Write about a memory of being in transit from one place to another.

Objects and photographs as creative writing prompts

• Describe the first object you see in the room. What importance does it have in your life? What memories do you have with this object? What might it symbolize?
• Pick up an object, and spend some time holding it/examining it. Write about how it looks, feels, and smells. Write about the material that it’s made from.
• Choose a favorite family photograph. What could someone know just by looking at the photograph? What’s secretly happening in the photograph?
• Choose a photograph and tell the story of this photograph from the perspective of someone or something in it.
• Write about a color by describing three objects that are that color.
• Tell the story of a piece of trash.
• Tell the story of a pair of shoes.
• Tell the story of your oldest piece of clothing.

Senses and observations as creative writing prompts

• Describe a sound you hear in the room or outside. Choose the first sound you notice. What are its qualities? It’s rhythms? What other sounds does it remind you of?
• Describe a physical sensation you feel right now, in as much detail as possible.
• Listen to a conversation and write down a phrase that you hear someone say. Start a free-write with this phrase.
• Write about a food by describing its qualities, but don’t say what it is.
• Describe a flavor (salty, sweet, bitter, etc.) to someone who has never tasted it before.
• Narrate your day through tastes you tasted.
• Narrate your day through sounds you heard.
• Narrate your day through physical sensations you felt.
• Describe in detail the physical process of doing an action you consider simple or mundane, like walking or lying down or chopping vegetables.
• Write about the sensation of doing an action you consider physically demanding or tiring, like running or lifting heavy boxes.
• Describe something that gives you goosebumps.
• Write a story that involves drinking a cold glass of water on a hot day.
• Write a story that involves entering a warm house from a cold snowy day.
• Describe someone’s facial features in as much detail as possible.

Songs, books, and other art

• Choose a song quote, write it down, and free-write from there.
• Choose a song, and write a story in which that song is playing in the car.
• Choose a song, and write to the rhythm of that song.
• Choose a character from a book, and describe an event in your life from the perspective of that character.
• Go to a library and write down 10 book titles that catch your eye. Free-write for 5 minutes beginning with each one.
• Go to a library and open to random book pages, and write down 5 sentences that catch your attention. Use those sentences as prompts and free-write for 5-minutes with each.
• Choose a piece of abstract artwork. Jot down 10 words that come to mind from the painting or drawing, and free-write for 2 minutes based on each word.
• Find a picture of a dramatic Renaissance painting online. Tell a story about what’s going on in the painting that has nothing to do with what the artist intended.
• Write about your day in five acts, like a Shakespearean play. If your day were a play, what would be the introduction, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution?
• Narrate a complicated book or film plot using only short sentences.
• Read a short poem. Then write a poem that could be a “sister” or “cousin” of that poem.

Abstract ideas as creative writing prompts

• Write about an experience that demonstrates an abstract idea, such as “love” or “home” or “freedom” or “loss” without ever using the word itself.
• Write a list of ways to say “hello” without actually saying “hello.”
• Write a list of ways to say “I love you” without actually saying “I love you.”
• Do you believe in ghosts? Describe a ghost.
• Invent a mode of time travel.
• Glass half-full/half-empty: Write about an event or situation with a positive outlook. Then write about it with a miserable outlook.
• Free-write beginning with “my religion is…” (what comes next can have as much or as little to do with organized religion as you’d like).
• Free-write beginning with “my gender is…” (what comes next can have as much or as little to do with common ideas of gender as you’d like).
• Write about a person or character that is “good” and one that is “evil.” Then write about the “evil” in the good character and the “good” in the evil character.
• Write like you’re telling a secret.
• Describe a moment of beauty you witnessed. What makes something beautiful?

Prompts for playing with narrative and character

• Begin writing with the phrase, “It all started when…”
• Tell a story from the middle of the most dramatic part.
• Write a story that begins with the ending.
• Begin a story but give it 5 possible endings.
• Write a list of ways to dramatically quit a terrible job.
• Write about a character breaking a social rule or ritual (i.e., walking backwards, sitting on the floor of a restaurant, wearing a ballgown to the grocery store). What are the ramifications?
• You are sent to the principal’s office. Justify your bad behavior.
• Re-write a well-known fairytale but set it in your school.
• Write your own version of the TV show trope where someone gets stuck in an elevator with a stranger, or a secret love interest, or a nemesis.
• Imagine a day where you said everything you were thinking, and write about it.
• Write about a scenario in which you have too much of a good thing.
• Write about a scenario in which money can buy happiness.
• Invent a bank or museum heist.
• Invent a superhero, including an origin story.
• Write using the form of the scientific method (question, hypothesis, test, analyze data conclusion).
• Write using the form of a recipe.

Middle School & High School Creative writing prompts for playing with fact vs. fiction

• Write something you know for sure is true, and then, “but maybe it isn’t.” Then explain why that thing may not be true.
• Write a statement and contradict that statement. Then do it again.
• Draft an email with an outlandish excuse as to why you didn’t do your homework or why you need an extension.
• Write about your morning routine, and make it sound extravagant/luxurious (even if it isn’t).
• You’ve just won an award for doing a very mundane and simple task. Write your acceptance speech.
• Write about a non-athletic event as though it were a sports game.
• Write about the most complicated way to complete a simple task.
• Write a brief history of your life, and exaggerate everything.
• Write about your day, but lie about some things.
• Tell the story of your birth.
• Choose a historical event and write an alternative outcome.
• Write about a day in the life of a famous person in history.
• Read an instructional manual, and change three instructions to include some kind of magical or otherwise impossible element.

Prompts for starting with dialogue

• Write a texting conversation between two friends who haven’t spoken in years.
• Write a texting conversation between two friends who speak every day and know each other better than anyone.
• Watch two people on the street having a conversation, and imagine the conversation they’re having. Write it down.
• Write an overheard conversation behind a closed door that you shouldn’t be listening to.
• Write a conversation between two characters arguing about contradicting memories of what happened.
• You have a difficult decision to make. Write a conversation about it with yourself.
• Write a conversation with a total lack of communication.
• Write a job interview gone badly.

Final Thoughts – Creative Writing Prompts for Middle School & High School 

Hopefully you have found several of these creative writing prompts helpful. Remember that when writing creatively, especially on your own, you can mix, match, and change prompts. For more on writing for high school students, check out the following articles:

• College Application Essay Topics to Avoid
• 160 Good Argumentative Essay Topics
• 150 Good Persuasive Speech Topics
• Good Transition Words for Essays
• High School Success

Sarah Mininsohn

With a BA from Wesleyan University and an MFA from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Sarah is a writer, educator, and artist. She served as a graduate instructor at the University of Illinois, a tutor at St Peter’s School in Philadelphia, and an academic writing tutor and thesis mentor at Wesleyan’s Writing Workshop.

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‘Ridiculousness' Writers Achieve First Contract After Unionizing Under WGAW

The writers of MTV’s Ridiculousness have officially bargained their first contract.

After the writers voted to organize under the Writers Guild of America West last year, the union announced Wednesday that they had achieved a deal covering all writing staff including creative consultants, supervising producers and the showrunner.

"The writers of  Ridiculousness  have shown incredible unity, courage and resolve throughout their organizing campaign for a Guild contract. I'm proud to welcome them into our union,” WGAW President Meredith Stiehm said in a statement.

According to the WGA, the deal includes:

• Minimum compensation per the WGA Minimum Basic Agreement
• Residuals in basic cable and other reuse markets
• WGA pension and health benefits, including paid parental leave
• Full season employment guarantees
• Regulation of the use of AI-generated written material in accordance with the MBA
• A grievance and arbitration procedure
• Holiday pay

Additionally, all staffers will receive retroactive back pay, pension and health contributions, and residuals from October 23 to the present.

"We're all thrilled with what we’ve won by sticking together and to finally be recognized for the value of our contribution to the show," Ridiculousness writer Ryan Conner said in a statement. "We are excited to join the WGAW and look forward to continuing to do the work we love, alongside host Rob Dyrdek, whose support was instrumental in getting us this deal."

The Ridiculousness writers held an election with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) in September 2023 to unionize under the WGA. At the time, they were seeking better working conditions, including improved pay and residuals.

Ridiculousness  has aired over 1,200 episodes across 34 seasons since its launch in 2011. The clip show is hosted by Dyrdek and co-host Sterling ‘Stello' Brim. It essentially shows various viral videos with Dyrdek and his panelists mocking and reacting to them.

The show has had a number of spinoffs including  Amazingness, Deliciousness , which was hosted by Tiffani Thiessen,  Adorableness , hosted by James Davis, and  Messyness , featuring Nicole ‘Snooki' Polizzi, Tori Spelling, Adam Rippon and Teddy Ray.

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