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The best writing prompts for kids
For a child, a couple of pillows can become a magical fort. The very floor beneath them can turn into lava. A cardbox box can become a great voyageur on the choppy seas. The sky is the limit when it comes to the adventures a day might hold — and for that reason, there’s no better time to start writing stories than childhood. If you’re a parent or a teacher looking to help inspire children or students to write, look no further than our list of imaginative writing prompts for kids. Hey, even if you’re an adult simply looking to reconnect with your former sense of childlike wonder or your own history, these writing prompts for kids will be right up your alley.
The creative writing prompts range from ideas that will spark a child’s ability to think outside the box, as well as prompts that will help them self-reflect. Each one is sure to inspire their curiosity and lead to an adventure of the imagination. Not only will these prompts provide fun, but they can also be helpful teaching exercises! Want to help your child practice their grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and sentence structure? Creative writing is the answer.
To get you started, here are our top ten writing prompts for kids.
- Imagine you owned a pet monkey for a day. What would you do with it?
- Describe your happiest memory.
- If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?
- If you found a time machine, would you use it to travel to the past or future? Why?
- You and your family are going on a trip together. Where do you go? What do you do there?
- Imagine what your parents' lives were like as teenagers. Write a story about it.
- What is the holiday that you like the most? Why?
- Imagine you and your best friend hanging out ten years from now. What has changed? What hasn't changed?
- Write about your favorite birthday present. Why is it your favorite?
- What is your dream job? Write a story based on that.
If you’re an adult writing for kids, check out this free resource:
- Children’s Books Writing 101: Writing for the Right Age Group (free course) — Our ten day course for writing for young readers, including tips and tricks for publishing and marketing your book if you want to release your work to the world!
Want more help learning how to write a short story for kids? Check out How to Write a Short Story That Gets Published — a free, ten day course by Laura Mae Isaacman, a full-time editor who runs a book editing company in Brooklyn.
Ready to start writing? Check out Reedsy’s weekly short story contest, for the chance of winning $250! You can also check out our list of writing contests or our directory of literary magazines for more opportunities to submit your story.