• Story Writing Guides

How to Write a Story for Children in 14 Steps

Where do I even start? That’s the overwhelming thought that comes across most aspiring children’s writers when they want to write their own book. It doesn’t matter if you want to write a picture book or a novel –  the problem is always the same. The goal of this article is to teach beginners how to write a story for kids, from having a simple idea to publishing your complete story. Let’s get started on writing your first children’s story.

Interested in fantasy stories? You might find our guide on how to write a fantasy novel useful.

  • Brainstorm your ideas
  • Develop your ideas
  • Develop your characters
  • Get the setting right
  • Plan the ultimate climax
  • Plan an awesome ending
  • Outline your story
  • Write the opening
  • Use effective dialogue
  • Include sensory elements
  • Write the Ending
  • Read and edit
  • Give your story a title
  • Publish your story

So, to summarise…

Planning Your Story

Before you even begin writing your story, you need to plan out all the important elements. Carry on reading for our amazing tips on how to plan your story.

Inspiration is everywhere, you just need to know how to find it. Sometimes it takes a short walk or a moment to yourself to find inspiration. Other times you could be talking to your friends or just watching TV when inspiration strikes.

Wherever you find inspiration it is important to keep a note of this moment. We really recommend getting into the habit of carrying a notebook and pen with you wherever you go. This way you won’t forget all those amazing ideas that pop up in your head. You can even call it your ideas book! There is no right or wrong way of structuring your ideas book, but if you need help you could try the following:

  • Write a list of words you find funny or interesting
  • Draw or describe different characters
  • Stick newspaper or magazine headlines you find interesting
  • Stick any photos or images you find interesting
  • Make note of any dreams you had and remember

ideas book-inspiration for your story

Another great idea could be to carry a camera with you when you’re out on a walk or on a day trip and take snaps of anything interesting. Photo or image prompts are brilliant for inspiring the imagination and reminding you of past memories. We recommend you read this post on how to use image prompts to see how you can use your old photos as a source of inspiration.

Photos along with your notebook are the perfect source of inspiration for when you’re ready to sit down and start planning your next story.

Now that you have a book full of ideas, the next part is to pick one or combine a couple of ideas to focus on. Then you can start developing your ideas into brilliant stories.

We all know that every story has a beginning, middle and end. In fact, the most basic structure you might notice in stories is that you have a hero who sets off on an adventure. They face a couple of challenges on the way, overcome them and live happily ever after (of course it’s not always a happy ending for some). Knowing this basic structure we can develop our ideas further using the story jigsaw method:

story jigsaw example

Each piece of the puzzle is explained below:

  • Who: Who is your character?
  • Want: What does your character want?
  • Why not: Why can’t your character get what they want?

This sounds simple enough! Let’s take a look at an example: Jimmy the fox wanted to enter the spelling bee, but could not find the money to pay for books.

In the above example, Jimmy the fox is the who. His want is to “enter the spelling bee“ and the why not is that he does not have enough money to pay for books. Our simple puzzle of 3 pieces has created a plot for a possible story. However, to make an even more interesting story, you may add several other pieces, such as another who, want and why not. This is explained in more detail in our free story writing pack .

The advanced writer might be interested in adding plot twists to their story to surprise the reader. This could be a surprise ending or a new character entering your story mid-way through and so on.

Hopefully, by now you should have a clear story idea to work on. The next part is to think carefully about the characters you want to include in your story. Characters are one of the most important elements of a story .

Don’t over-complicate this step by including too many characters. We suggest choosing one or two main characters to focus on in your story. When developing your character/s , you might want to think about the following in detail:

  • What do they want?
  • What are they scared of?
  • What bad memories do they have?
  • What good memories do they have?
  • Have they always been good/bad?
  • What are their strengths?
  • What are their weaknesses?
  • What do they look like? Any unique features?

But why would anyone want to know all these little details about your character? Well… they don’t. You just need to make your characters relatable to your readers. And what makes a character relatable, you ask?

Relatable characters have traits (or features) that an everyday person can understand and believe in. Even if you’re writing a fantasy story about witches and wizards. Your characters may have magical powers, but they could also be kind, come from a poor family, have a bad experience with bullies and so on. These extra pieces of information about a character’s backstory make your character interesting to your readers.

Oh and there’s one more very important thing you need to know about the main characters in stories. And that is…they always change in some way. Your character can start off as someone who is weak and scared of everything. Then by the end, they would overcome their greatest fear and become someone who is brave. This is what makes your story really interesting!

The setting of your story is very important, as this is where everything in your story will happen. You can choose to stick to one setting or move between various settings. Depending on what your story is about, you can choose to set the whole story in someone’s house or even just the school canteen. Or you can go all out on selecting various settings for your story, especially if it’s a story about time-travelling or just normal travelling.

Whatever your setting is remember to explain all the little details so your readers can also imagine being there with the characters. And by little details, we mean even the tiniest detail can make a huge difference. For example, if you chose a bus shelter as one of the key settings in your story, talk about the cracks on the glass or the pieces of litter on the floor. Don’t just stick to the appearance of objects, go further by describing the smell in the air and the sounds you hear. Just think about the five senses, sight, smell, taste, hear and touch for ideas.

The climax of the story is where the actual conflict happens or where your main character’s problems are at their highest point. This is the key moment just before the solution is revealed and normally happens towards the end of the story. To make sure your story has the ultimate climax give your character limited options, so they feel trapped or overwhelmed by recent events. This can then build up to a powerful ending (discussed in the next section).

In the actual climax itself, your main character should use a new skill, piece of information or even friends they made before this point. It is important to remember that without this “new something” your character could never have overcome their problem earlier on in the story. If your readers feel that your main character could have easily overcome their problems at the beginning of the story, then your climax is likely to disappoint your readers

The climax is the perfect place to demonstrate how much your character has grown since the beginning of the story. And to provide a valuable life lesson to your readers. And there are a number of things your character might learn, such as:

  • Discovering what they wanted was bad and now changing their want
  • Having to sacrifice something important to them to help/save someone else
  • Realising the consequences of their past behaviour

It is important to note that the actual climactic scene of your story should feature your character facing their problems alone. Even if your main character received help from other characters throughout the story. The climax must have a moment where only your main character goes ahead and defeats the problem.

Your ending doesn’t need to be very long and drawn out. In fact, it can quickly end after the climax. But that doesn’t mean that you should rush it off without considering your readers. There are a number of ways you can end your story, which include:

  • Happy Ending: The conflict ends, and the hero wins and lives happily ever after with everything they ever wanted.
  • Sad Ending: The conflict ends, but there were some difficulties or consequences because of how this conflict ended.
  • Cliff Hanger: The main conflict ends, but the reader does not know what happened to the main character or another bigger conflict is revealed to the readers.
  • Twist Ending: The most unexpected thing happens at the end, shocking the reader.

It is important when planning the ending that it clearly shows the end of the main conflict your character was facing throughout the story. And that this conflict was resolved through your main character’s actions. For example, if your main character was cursed by an evil witch and now they can’t speak at all. The ending should show that your main character was able to overcome this curse and live their life happily (if this was a happy ending).

When planning your ending you might want to play around with different endings to your story to see which one is the most powerful and exciting for your readers.

Before actually writing your story, we suggest you sit down and write out the basic structure of your story (preferably in one sitting). There are a number of ways you can do this, but the simplest way may be to list everything you know about your story somewhere (See our guide on how to outline a book with a free template ). This will help you to note down every idea you have about your story and make sure nothing interesting gets missed out or forgotten about. Listing out your key scenes can also help you identify any holes in your plot and opportunities to make your story even better. This can even save you time and frustration when it comes to actually writing your story.

Once you have finished listing out all your scene ideas, take a moment to look through your list. If you feel a scene idea is not clear or does not connect you can highlight these ideas. You may also highlight ideas that need further research. Now review all the highlighted ideas again and expand on these until they make sense or maybe just remove them from the story if there is no real connection. Think about alternative scenes that your reader won’t expect. F or example, you might have 3 different ideas for how your story will end.

You might even go a step further and sketch out the main scenes of your story using a storyboard or even some index cards. A storyboard will help you logically layout the key scenes in your story and swap them around to see what works best. A storyboard can also ensure that there are no gaps in your story or even scenes that repeat themselves. Once you are happy with your outline and feel confident that all the key areas of your story have been covered, you can move on to writing your first draft.

story outline example - storyboard

Writing Your Story

Now it’s time to start writing the first draft of your story. We call it the first draft because it is highly likely that you will have to write your story a number of times before it is ready to be published.

The opening sentence is one of the most essential parts of any story. It hooks the reader and encourages them to read on if they like the opening. Let’s all face it, there’s nothing really exciting about a story that starts off like, “One day I went to the park…”.

So what makes a good opening? A good opening should set the scene and get the reader excited about what will happen next. It should give enough information to the reader, so they are faced with a series of questions in their head, such as why did this happen? Some of the information you might include in your opening may be details of a setting, a character description or a significant memory in their life. For example. Danny The Champion Of The World by Roald Dahl starts off by describing the main character’s backstory:

“When I was four months old, my mother died suddenly and my father was left to look after me all by himself.”

Your opening should also set the mood for the entire story. For example, if you are writing a horror story, you might want to set a dark tone at the beginning. But bear in mind just because you are writing a horror story, you can still include humour or change tones slightly throughout the story. You just need to remember the overall mood of your story.

There are a number of ways to open your story, such as:

  • Starting with dialogue: A character in your story could be talking about something.
  • Begin with an action scene: Something might have happened to your main character.
  • Describe the setting: Use sensory details to describe an important setting.
  • Describe the character’s backstory: Your character has an important memory to share.

An extra tip for your opening is that you might want to plan a number of openings for your story to see which one is the most exciting.

Dialogue is speech between two or more characters. This can be expressed internally through thoughts or externally through conversations. Effective dialogue sets the scene, adds drama and develops your character’s personality. Dialogue also breaks up big chunks of descriptive text to add more life to your story and characters.

While using dialogue in your story may seem like a great idea, it can get boring if used wrongly. A mistake some writers make is including long dialogue between characters talking about minor or unnecessary things that have very little relation to the main conflict. While dialogue may seem like an easy way to clarify parts of your story, don’t use it as the only way to describe your story’s plot. Keep your dialogue short and simple, with important and interesting information.

Another common mistake in writing dialogue is not including the character’s emotions or personality in the dialogue. You might use straightforward direct words, but we all know that conversations in real life aren’t always that direct and simple. Try inventing your own words and don’t be afraid of including informal or slang words in your dialogue, as this could add to your character’s personality.

Learn how to write effective dialogue with our guide on how to write dialogue .

Sensory elements is another word for including the five senses throughout your story. When drafting out your story, try to find opportunities to include all the senses (not just sight). For example, if you’re introducing a new character, talk about how they smell, what their voice sounds like as well as any features that stand out. The same goes for when you are describing different settings or scenes in your story (see our section on settings above). Sensory elements make the reader feel like they are experiencing the story for themselves.

Typically taste is the least used sense in any story because it is hard to think about how something tastes unless your character is actually eating something. But a very good way to use the taste sense could be to describe how your character is feeling at a certain moment. For example, if your character is walking through a scary corridor, you can say their mouth felt dry and tasted like dry cement. This gives the reader a feeling of how scared or nervous that character felt at that moment.   

We already touched on the ending above so won’t go into too much detail here. The key to a good ending is to make sure your readers don’t feel disappointed after finishing your book. Make sure you don’t rush the ending by missing out on key details as to why this is the ending. For example, if you are ending on a happy note, don’t forget to tell your readers how and why your character/s are happy now compared to the beginning of the story.

The ending is a good place to close any gaps or things you forgot to mention earlier on, such as side characters which may have disappeared or a minor conflict that was never resolved. Your ending should also feature your main character otherwise the ending would be pointless to the reader.

Finally, no matter how you are ending your story, make sure the main conflict is resolved in some way. Whether this is a good solution or a solution with terrible consequences, you should clearly show the end of the conflict. As a bonus, a good ending almost always has a memorable last line. So when you are writing your ending, you might what to write down several last lines and pick the best one that summarises your story the best.

Publishing Your Story

Your first draft is now complete, it’s time to read and edit your story until you are happy to share it with the world.

If you have written your story on a computer, we suggest you print it out as it will make it easier for you to read a printed version. Once you have your story in hand, find a pen (preferably a red one) to circle or make notes of anything that doesn’t make sense in your story. When reading your story, we suggest reading it out loud, so you can listen to any words that are repeated or sentences that don’t make any sense.  

Read your whole story in one sitting, as you read you can make notes in any white spaces around the story text. While reading lookout for any boring or unnecessary information in your story and highlight it. In your first reading, we suggest that you avoid looking at spelling and grammar errors, instead focus on the content and ideas in your story. Once you have done this, you can edit your first draft. It is likely that your second draft will be slightly shorter, as you would have removed any boring parts of the story. Do the same with your second draft, ask yourself if the plot is clear and interesting? Are the characters interesting? Have I described the setting clearly?

When you are happy with the story concept, you can then move on to editing your story for spelling and grammar mistakes. At this stage, you can also look for opportunities to be more descriptive and sentences that start with the same words. Once you have sorted out these mistakes, you can ask someone else to read your story or even read it out loud to them. Another person will be able to give you feedback on how interesting your story is and whether it makes sense. They may even be able to give ideas on how to improve your story further.

The final step is the edit your final draft with all the changes you identified and then it’s ready for publishing.

Your story is almost ready, but we need to give it an interesting title. When picking a title for your story, you might focus on a particular quote, the name of the main character, or even key objects from your story. In most cases story titles are short and easy to remember, so avoid using long and complicated words in the title.

If you can’t find inspiration from your own story, try doing some research by looking at other book titles or using our book title generator . When researching make note of book titles that interest you and review your list to see what they have in common. You might even draw inspiration from everyday stuff, such as music or a movie you recently saw.

Remember the story title is the first thing your reader will see, therefore it should make them curious to open and read your book.  

So your story is now ready to be shared with the world! You can publish your story for free on many websites, including Imagine Forest . The benefit of publishing your story on this site is that you can share your story with a community of active members and receive feedback from other writers. You can even include images, create a cover for your story and print out your final story to share with friends and family.

create your own story-imagine forest

With a solid story under your belt, you might be ready to write some more stories. To motivate yourself you can enter many story writing competitions for young writers, where you can win awesome prizes for your writing skills.  We also recommend our weekly short story challenge for those who want to practice their creative writing skills.

Writing a good children’s story requires a lot of research and planning before you even actual begin writing it. And even with all your notes and ideas, drafting, rewriting and getting feedback can take a long time. The important thing to remember is to let your imagination run wild and never worry too much about spelling or grammar (or at least not at the beginning).  

If you’re looking for a quick step-by-step on how to write a children’s story, then here is a summary of  all the crucial steps you’ll need from planning to publishing your story:

Are you ready to write a story? Let us know your beginner tips for writing stories and what your next story is about in the comments below.

story writing 7 year old

Marty the wizard is the master of Imagine Forest. When he's not reading a ton of books or writing some of his own tales, he loves to be surrounded by the magical creatures that live in Imagine Forest. While living in his tree house he has devoted his time to helping children around the world with their writing skills and creativity.

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BRYN DONOVAN

tell your stories, love your life

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50 Story Ideas for Kids

a notebook, scissors, pens, paper clips and other school supplies

Hey friends! For a while now, people have been asking me to do writing prompts for kids. This year, more busy teachers and homeschoolers are looking for easy creative writing lesson plans, and some of them have used my summer writing prompts and my Christmas writing prompts .

So I put together this list of story ideas for kids. They include some story starters, some funny writing prompts, and some mystery and adventure ideas. I hope these are helpful for parents looking for creative writing activities, too…so their kids can learn how fun writing can be. Then again, maybe they already know!

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text: 50 STORY IDEAS FOR KIDS | fun creative writing prompts for busy teachers and parents (background: pens, notebook, scissors)

STORY STARTERS

The writing prompts in this first section are “finish the story prompts”…kids start with the first sentence given, and take it from there.

1. Once upon a time, there was a girl who did something that nobody thought she’d be able to do.

2. Once upon a time, a boy found a suitcase with his name on it and fifty thousand dollars inside.

3. My family’s camping trip didn’t go the way we planned.

4. I packed my suitcase to go on my dream vacation.

5. I packed my suitcase because I was moving with my family to another country.

6. An odd family moved in next to us.

7. George was a friendly snake, and he wanted people to stop being afraid of him.

8. Lila was a duck who hated getting wet.

9. One morning when I woke up, I was invisible.

10. One morning when I woke up, I was only six inches tall.

11. I was so surprised when I realized my new skateboard could fly off the ground.

12. A boy met his guardian angel.

13. A girl met the President.

14. I met a person from one hundred years in the future.

15. I opened the huge birthday present.

16. I was standing in the middle of a dark forest.

17. There once was a boy who painted his horse to look like a zebra.

18. There once was a girl who loved hats more than anything else in the world.

19. I was asked to star in a movie.

20. I got a robot to help me with things.

MYSTERY STORY IDEAS

21. You get an invitation to a secret party.

22. You find a strange map tucked inside a book.

23. You find a fancy key in your backpack.

24. Someone stole your bicycle, and you want to find out who it was.

25. Someone keeps eating all the cookies in the house when everyone else is asleep.

26. There’s glitter all over the living room floor, and nobody knows why.

27. There are animal tracks in your backyard, and you follow them.

28. There’s a house on your block that’s been empty for years, but at night, you can hear music playing inside.

29. At the beach, a bottle washes up on the shore with a mysterious note inside.

30. A girl keeps insisting she’s your sister, but as far as you remember, you’ve never met her before in your life.

ADVENTURE STORY IDEAS

31. You were chosen to be the first kid astronaut and you go into outer space.

32. You wake up on an island. You don’t know how you got there, and you’re the only person there.

33. You and your best friend explore Antarctica.

34. You and your best friend explore a volcano…avoiding the lava.

35. You walk into a store and find yourself in a whole other world.

36. You sail on a sailboat to a faraway place.

37. You go on a cruise, and pirates attack the ship.

38. You take a hike in the rainforest and meet some interesting animals.

39. You travel across the desert on a camel.

40. You explore a cave and make an amazing discovery.

OTHER CUTE WRITING PROMPTS

41. You’re not allowed to have pets, but you’re secretly taking care of a baby unicorn in your room.

42. Your new babysitter is a talking elephant.

43. A puppy tries to go to school like human kids do.

44. An ice cream company hires you to invent new flavors.

45. Your homework assignment is to interview a Disney cartoon character.

46. Someone from your favorite TV show shows up in real life and wants to hang out with you.

47. You get to design your own bedroom. You can have anything in there you want.

48. You become the king or queen of the world. Where would you live? What would you do?

49. Aliens visit Earth and believe you are the king or queen of the world, even though you keep telling them you’re not.

50. You dress up as something for Halloween, and everyone thinks that’s what you really are.

A pencil cup full of pencils, plus paper airplanes

If you liked my story ideas for kids, please share them on Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter—I really appreciate it! And if you don’t want to miss future posts, be sure to subscribe to the blog. Thanks so much for reading, and have a great rest of your week!

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21 thoughts on “ 50 story ideas for kids ”.

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These are great. They could work for adult stories too.

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You know…now that I think about it, you’re totally right, Darlene! I hope you have a good week!

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Hi Bryn, Thanks for this post. I think this is a great idea. Since my grandson always wants me to tell him stories and he always adds to them, I can simply give him one of these and let him create the stories. Also, I have several friends who are teachers. I will share your post with them. I’m sure they will appreciate these.

Hi Cheryl! Aww, I love it that your grandson loves stories…he takes after you! I would so appreciate your sharing. 🙂 Have a good week!

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Hi Bryn, Just what I needed and at the perfect time! How did you guess? Tomorrow morning I am giving a Zoom meeting through Nepris for a class of 4th-graders. The topic is writing fiction. Since I am a Discovery Writer, I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to present “how to write fiction” till I remembered your index card plot illustration from Blank Page to Final Draft page 61. I simplified it a bit. Haha. I’ll bet you didn’t think it could be simpler than what you created. (Don’t worry, I give you credit) I feel confident now, that I will be able to help the students “see” the structure of a story. And then the BIG FINISH. We can let them choose an idea from your list to write their own story. It’s Perfect! Thank you so very much not only for this post, but also for all the tips, ideas, encouragement, and (OK I admit it) LOVE you give and are willing to receive.

Jessie! You’ll probably be done teaching by the time you read this, but that’s so great that this was helpful! I love it. Lucky kids, getting you for a guest teacher! Thanks so much for the kind words…you made my day. 🙂

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I love your prompts! So many wonderful ones! Thanks for sharing!

Thank you, Andrea! You’re so kind. Hope you have a great week!

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YES! This is perfect timing. Both my kids have expressed interest in writing, and the youngest is getting a word processing machine (a Neo2) from Santa (he asked; how can I say no??) so I might have to print out this list for them. Thank you, Bryn!! <3

Hey friend! Ahh, that’s awesome…they’re writers like you! I hope they like these. 🙂

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wonderful prompts. shared.

Aww thanks Denise! Hope you have a great week. 🙂

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Hi there! Thank you so much for this incredible prompts! I have a little cousin who doesn´t like to write, she says that she never gets good ideas and that she gets bored when she’s writing, so I’ll try to use this prompts to increase her writing. There are so many funny and cute ideas in this post so I am sure that she will find something she would love to write about.

Thank you so much! :3 :3 :3

How nice that you’re helping your cousin be creative! I hope she likes one of the ideas. 🙂 Thanks for commenting!

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This is a very generous list! Thank you. Also , it reminded me that my dad always used to make up a story when he tucked me in at night, so good for this too.

Naomi, that is so sweet about your dad. 🙂 What a great memory!

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I’m a retired teacher (thirty-one years in grades 2-6), but I would have used many of these prompts.

Hi Pete! Ah, I’m glad I’m hitting the mark here. Hope everything’s going well with you!

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I’m using one of your prompts to write a story for my granddaughter! Thanks so much!

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thank you for all of these amazing prompts I am planning to enter this years BBC 500 words writing competition

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300 Fun Writing Prompts for Kids: Story Starters, Journal Prompts & Ideas

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Are you a parent or teacher? Here are 300 fun and creative writing prompts for kids to spark the imagination of young writers everywhere. Use these kids writing ideas as journaling prompts, story starters or just for fun!

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It’s never too early to start writing, and so we’ve created this fun list of 300 creative kids writing prompts for teacher and parents to use.

You’ll love these fun ideas for kids writing prompts to use as creative sparks to get young imaginations writing in no time!

writing prompts for kids

These are perfect to use as kids journal writing prompts, as short story writing prompts, or just for exercises to help students and children of all ages tap into their creativity. Maybe your kids will write an essay, maybe a poem, or maybe even a whole book!

Whether you are a teacher or parent looking to inspire your kids to write, or maybe even an adult who would like to practice writing with a more playful and young-hearted approach, I hope you find these creative writing prompts inspiring!

Buy the Printable Cards!  We will always have this list of 300 kids writing prompts available for free, but I’m very excited to now also offer an  ad-free printable version of these prompts  in my online Etsy shop. Thank you for your support!

The Ultimate List of 300 Fun & Creative Writing Prompts for Kids

#1. Imagine a giant box is delivered to your front doorstep with your name on it. What’s inside and what happens when you open it?

#2. Write a short story about what it might be like if you woke up one morning with a mermaid tail.

#3. Which is better, winter or summer? Write about the reasons why you think winter or summer is better.

#4. Write about what would it be like if you had an alligator as a pet.

#5. If you had $1,000, what would you buy and why?

#6. Write a story using these 5 words: apple, train, elephant, paper, banjo

#7. What do you want be when you grow up and why?

#8. Who is your favorite person on the planet? What do you like most about that person?

#9. If you could have any secret super power, what would you want it to be and why?

#10. Write about 3 places you would like to travel someday. What do these three places have in common?

#11. Write about a time you felt really happy. What happened? What made you feel happy?

#12. Imagine what would happen if someone shrunk you down to be only 1″ tall. How would your life change?

#13. If you were in charge of the whole world, what would you do to make the world a happier place?

#14. Write a story about what it would be like to climb to the very top of the highest mountain in the world.

#15. If you were in charge of planning the school lunch menu, what foods would you serve each day?

#16. What are some of your favorite animals? What do you like about them?

writing prompt card for kids example

#17. Imagine that dogs take over the world. What do they make the humans do?

#18. Write a story about flying to outer space and discovering a new planet.

#19. You are a mad scientist and have invented a new vegetable. What is it called? What does it look like? What does it taste like? Most importantly: Is it safe to eat?

#20. You go to school one morning to discover your best friend has been turned into a frog by an evil witch! How do you help your friend?

#21. Describe what it is like when trees lose all of their leaves in the autumn season.

#22. Write about your favorite sport and why you like it so much.

#23. Imagine what it might be like to live on a boat all the time and write about it.

#24. If you had one wish, what would it be?

#25. Write about what you might do if you have the super power to become invisible.

#26. You are walking through the forest when one of the trees starts talking to you. What does it say? What do you do?

#27. The weather forecast is calling for a blizzard in the middle of the summer. What do you do?

#28. What types of transportation will people have in the future?

#29. What were some of your favorite toys when you very little? Do you still enjoy playing with them?

#30. What would a day in your life be like if you were a movie star?

#31. Imagine you’ve invented a time machine! What year do you travel to?

#32. What are your favorite things to do over summer vacation?

#33. What is your favorite holiday and why?

#34. If you could meet any fictional character from a book, who would it be?

#35. You are writing a travel guide for kids visiting your city. What places do you think they should visit?

#36. What is a food you hate? Write about it!

#37. Imagine what it would be like if there was no electricity. What would be different in your daily routine?

#38. You are building a new city! What types of things do you think your city needs? How will you convince people to move to your new city?

#39. What is your favorite movie? Write your review of the movie and why you think people should watch it.

magic sweater writing prompt for kids

#40. Imagine you get a magic sweater for your birthday. What happens when you wear the sweater? What do you do with these new found magical powers?

#41. You are the security guard at the zoo and someone has stolen a rhinoceros! How do you track down the thief?

#42. You have been invited to have lunch with the queen. What foods do you eat and what topics do you and the queen discuss?

#43. If you could design a school uniform, what types of clothes would you suggest? What colors would they be?

#44. Imagine you are a reporter interviewing a celebrity about their life. What questions do you ask?

#45. You are running a lemonade stand. Describe the steps for how you make lemonade and the types of customers you see during the day.

#46. Write a story about being the ruler of an underwater world.

#47. Write an acrostic poem for the word “treehouse”.

#48. You decide to grow a sunflower, but the sunflower grows so tall it reaches up to the sky! Write about what happens when you decide to climb to the top. What do you discover?

#49. Imagine you look out the window and it is raining popsicles from the sky! Write a story about the experience.

#50. If you could be any animal, which one would you be and why?

#51. If you were on a spaceship, what would you be most excited about seeing?

#52. Do you have any pets at home? Write an essay about how you take care of your pets. If you do not have a pet, what type of pet might you like?

writing prompts for pets

#53. Imagine you are opening a store that only sells items which are blue. What types of items do you sell?

#54. Have you ever lost something that is important to you? Were you able to find it?

#55. Write a story about a kid who is moving to a new school. How do you think they might feel?

#56. Rewrite the ending of your favorite fairy tale. For example, what would have happened if Cinderella never went to the ball?

#57. Have you ever forgotten to do your homework? What happened?

#58. Do you have a favorite song? Write about the type of music you like to listen to.

#59. Imagine your parents wake you up one morning to tell you they will take you to do anything you want to do for the whole day – you don’t even have to go to school or do your chores. What would you choose to do and why?

#60. Do you like amusement parks? What are some of your favorite rides?

#61. Write a story using these three words: detective, piano, and pizza.

#62. Have you ever been to the beach? Write about your favorite things to do. If you have never been to the beach, what would you like to do the first time you visit?

#63. Is there a favorite tv show you like to watch? Write about your favorite character and why they are your favorite.

#64. Write a poem using onomatopoeia , where the words you use are pronounced similar to the sound they make. For example, buzz, bark, sizzle, slam and pop.

#65. Have you ever had to stand in line to wait a long time for something? What did you do while you waited? How did you feel while waiting? How did you feel once the wait was over?

#66. Is it a good idea to keep ALL secrets a secret? Write about examples of when it is okay to spill a secret – and when it isn’t.

#67. Is there something you are good at doing? Write about your best strengths.

#68. What historical time period and location would you go back to live in if you could? Write about it!

#69. Write about 5 things you can do that are important for you to stay healthy and safe.

#70. Do you think thunderstorms are scary? Why or why not?

#71. What would you most like to learn over the next year? Think about things that interest you or questions you might have about the world and make a list!

#72. You are going on a trip to a jungle safari! What items do you pack in your suitcase?

story writing 7 year old

#73. Imagine you are sitting at home one day and you hear someone shrieking in the living room they see a mouse in the house! Write a story about what might happen next.

#74. You are writing a letter to someone who is having a hard time making new friends at school. What do you write? What advice do you give them?

#75. Imagine you just met a magician – but their beloved rabbit who they pull out of a hat for all the tricks has been kidnapped! How do you help find the rabbit?

#76. Do you hear what I hear? Set a timer for 5 minutes and write about all of the sounds you hear in those 5 minutes.

#77. Imagine you go to get a haircut and they accidentally shave your head! How do you feel about that and what would you do?

#78. Do you find it easy to talk to people you don’t know? What are some ways you can start up a conversation with someone you have never met before?

#79. Are there any chores you have to do at home? What are they? What do you like – and not like – about each one?

#80. Open up a random book to any page. Write for 5 minutes about the first word you read.

#81. Pretend you are a writer for your city’s newspaper. Who would you like to interview for a news story and why?

#82. There are many fictional characters who live in unusual houses, such as the old woman who lived in a shoe. What kind of unusual house would you like to live in? Write about what it would be like to live in an unusual house!

#83. Write a list of 10 things you can do to practice kindness to others.

#84. Is there a homework subject you dread? Why do you not like getting homework in that subject?

#85. What is your favorite month of the year? Write about why you like it and some of your favorite things to do during that month.

#86. Imagine you are planning a surprise birthday party for someone. How do you keep it a surprise?

#87. Pretend you walked outside to find a sleeping dragon in the grass! Why is the dragon there? Is it a friendly dragon? What do you do? Write about it!

#88. What are you grateful for today and why?

#89. You were on your way to a very important event when you fell into a puddle. Now what?

#90. Have you ever watched a movie and didn’t like how it ended? Write what you think should happen instead.

#91. Can you answer this riddle from Alice in Wonderland ? How is a raven like a writing desk?

#92. Imagine you are the captain of a pirate ship. Write a diary entry for what your day was like.

#93. If you could start any type of business, what kind of business would you start? What types of products or services would you provide?

#94. Write a sequel to one of your favorite fairy tales. For example, what was Goldilocks’s next adventure after she left the bears?

#95. What is something you are afraid of? What helps you to feel less afraid of something? What would you say to a friend who feels scared to help them feel less afraid?

#96. Write a letter to your future self in 20 years.

kids writing prompts and ideas

#97. In addition to basic survival needs such as food, water, air and shelter, what are 3 things you would you need to be happy?

#98. If you could invent a robot of any type who could do anything you imagine, what types of things would you would have the robot to do?

#99. Which do like better? Apples or Oranges? How are they alike? How are they different?

#100. Why did the chicken cross the road? You are a detective and are assigned to the case. How do solve the mystery?

#101. Write instructions for how to make your favorite snack. Be sure you add your favorite tips and suggestions for how to select the best ingredients!

#102. Imagine you borrowed a friend’s favorite lucky pencil to help you pass a math test – but then it snapped in half! How will you ever tell the news to your friend?

#103. Look around the current room you are sitting in and choose 3 random objects that are nearby. Now write a story or poem that includes those three items!

#104. Write a letter to the author of a book you recently read and tell them what you liked most about the book.

#105. Ernest Hemingway is famous for writing a six word story. Can you write a story in just 6 words?

#106. What do you think will be the future for cell phones? Will people still use them in 25 years or will something else take its place?

#107. Do you want to go to college? Why or why not?

#108. Write a story or poem about a kitten who wanders off and gets lost. How does the kitten find its way home?

#109. Currently, it is required by law that kids go to school. Do you think this is a good or bad idea?

#110. If you could invent a new board game, what would it be called? How is it played? What are the rules? What makes it fun to play? Write about it!

#111. Imagine you come home to discover your entire bedroom is covered in ketchup! What on earth happened? What is your reaction? How do you clean everything up?

#112. What is something you learned today?

#113. Would you rather have a goldfish or shark as a pet?

#114. From A-Z: make a list of something for every letter of the alphabet.

#115. Have you ever gone fishing? If you have, did you like it? Why or why not? If you haven’t, do you think you might want to?

#116. What is one of the most important things you do each and every day?

#117. Write a story about Gretchen the Grouch, a girl who is always angry! Will she ever be happy? Why is she so grumpy all of the time?

#118. How do you feel when someone takes something of yours without asking? What is a good way to deal with it when that happens?

#119. Write a poem that starts with the word “if”.

#120. Write a story about a family of rabbits who live in the woods. What are some of the challenges they face?

#121. What clothes do you think are the most comfortable? What kind of clothes do you like to wear the most? What clothes do you NOT like to wear?

#122. Imagine there are no grocery stores and you must get your own food. What are some of the ways you find food? What types of things do you eat?

#123. What are 3 things you can do that are good for the environment?

#124. If you could meet any famous person today, who would you want to meet and why? What questions might you ask them?

#125. A tongue twister is a quick poem where many of the words start with the same letter and are similar in sound. For example, “Peter picked a peck of pickled peppers.” Try writing your own with this fun kids writing prompt!

#126. What is the first thing you think of when you hear or see the word green?

#127. A hero is someone who is admired for their courage and achievements. What do you think makes someone a hero? Who are some of your heroes?

#128. What did you do during summer vacation last year? What do you want to do for summer vacation this year?

#129. Write a story about a super hero dog who saves the day! Who does the dog help and why?

kids journal prompts

#130. Would you rather live somewhere that is always cold, or somewhere that is always hot? Write about which one you would rather choose.

#131. Have you ever volunteered to help a charity? If so, write about the experience! If not, what are some charities you think you might like to volunteer for?

#132. What does the word courage mean to you?

#133. What makes you unique? What are some things about you that make you an individual?

#134. Have you ever been to a museum? What is your favorite thing to look at on display?

#135. What can you do to set a good example for others to be kind?

#136. A Tall Tale is a story that exaggerates something that actually happened. Write a tall tale about something that recently happened to you.

#137. What is one of your favorite toys that you think you might still want to have and play with when you are 22 years old?

#138. Oh no! Everyone around you is sick with a nasty cold! Write a silly poem about how you try to avoid catching their germs!

#139. Personification is when a non-living object takes on human characteristics. Write a story where you personify a common electronic gadget in your house, such as the Television or toaster.

#140. Write a poem using similes, which is when you say an object is like something else. Here is an example of a simile: “Her eyes were as blue as the sky.”

#141. Have you ever read a book written by Dr. Suess? Write your own “Suess-style” story, complete with rhymes and made up words.

#142. Do you have any siblings? Think about what it might mean to be a good brother or sister and write about it!

#143. Make a list of questions to interview your parents or grandparents about what it was like when they were growing up as a kid. Then, ask them the questions and write about their answers!

#144. You are in charge of writing a new radio show just for kids! What topics will you talk about? What music do you play?

#145. What do you usually eat for breakfast every day? What, in your opinion, is the greatest breakfast food ever created? What makes it so great?

#146. Write a 12 line poem where every line is about a different month of the year.

#147. What is something you look forward to doing the most when you are an adult?

Use these prompts in your classroom!  Get the  ad-free printable version of these prompts  to inspire your students to write! Thank you for your support!

#148. Do you like to try new things? What is something new you have tried recently or would like to try?

#149. Imagine what it might be like to be alive in Egypt when the pyramids were built. Write about what it was like.

#150. A credo is a statement of personal beliefs. Try writing your own credo for things that you believe in and feel are important.

#151. The circus has come to town but they have no place to perform! How do you help the ringmaster find a place to put on a show?

circus lion

#152. Do you like to act? What are some of your favorite actors or actresses? What do you think makes someone a good actor or actress?

#153. “Practice makes perfect” is a popular saying. What is something you like to practice so you can become better at it? A sport? A musical instrument? A special skill? Do you like to practice?

#154. Write about what it might be like to be water drops freezing and turning into ice.

#155. Do you think it is important to keep your room clean? What do you like about having a clean room?

#156. Imagine your parents are sending you away for a two week summer camp trip. Would you be excited? Why or why not?

#157. What are you currently learning about in history class? Write a fictional story about someone from the past you are learning about.

#158. Many wars have been fought in the past. Instead of going to war, what do you think countries could do to resolve their differences peacefully?

#159. Every year over 8 billion plastic bottles and cans are thrown away. What are some things you can do to help encourage your family and friends to recycle?

#160. Imagine if you were the principal of the school. What might you do differently? What things would you do that are the same? Write about it!

#161. Pretend that one day you are at your neighbor’s house and you notice a strange noise coming from the basement. You go downstairs to investigate to see a large machine running with many lights and buttons. Why is it there?

#162. Write an essay that starts with the line, “Tomorrow, I hope…”

#163. If you could give one thing to every child in the world, what would you want to give them?

#164. Do you have a piggy bank at home? How do you earn money to add to your savings?

writing ideas for kids

#165. What qualities make a house a home? What are 3 things you think every house should have?

#166. Would you rather go scuba diving or rock climbing? Write about which one you think you would like to do more and why.

#167. Do you think it is a good idea for kids to write a daily journal? What are some of the benefits of writing every day?

#168. Do you like watching fireworks or are they too noisy? Write about a time when you saw fireworks in the sky.

#169. Oh no! Your friend has turned into a statue! How did this happen? What do you do? Does your friend ever turn back into a person again?

#170. If you could be any movie character, who would you be and why?

#171. A mysterious message appears in code on your computer screen. What could it mean?

#172. If you could go to work with one of your parents for a day, what do you think the day would be like? What types of things do your parents do at work all day long?

#173. Imagine you are the President and you are creating a new national holiday. What is your holiday about? How is it celebrated? What day of the year do you celebrate? Write about it!

#174. You won a never-ending lifetime supply of spaghetti noodles! What will you do with all of these noodles?

#175. Would you rather be a bunny rabbit or a hawk? Why did you choose the one you chose?

#176. Your teacher has been acting mysterious lately. After school one day, you notice a weird green light shining through underneath the door of your classroom. What do you do? What is happening with your teacher?

#177. Write an article about tips for how kids can be more organized and study well for tests.

#178. Look at any product in your house and read the ingredients labels. Research what each ingredient is. Do you think these ingredients are good or bad for people?

#179. If you were a doctor, what do you think would be the most important part of your job every day?

#180. The school librarian needs your help! A truck just arrived with 2,000 books and she can’t fit all the books onto the shelves! What do you do? How do you find a place to put all these books?

#181. Do you think it would be fun to plant a garden? What types of plants would you want to grow? Write about your garden ideas.

#182. What is a sport or activity you would like to try playing for the first time?

#183. Do you think kids should be allowed to do the same things as adults? What things do you think kids should be able to do that only grown-ups can?

#184. Imagine you and your parents switch places for a day. Your parents are the kids and you are now in charge! What would you do?

#185. Write a get-well letter to someone who has been sick. What can you say to make them feel better?

#186. If you could visit any planet in the solar system, which planet would you like to visit the most and why? Write about what it might be like.

#187. Have you ever been to a farm? What did you like about it? If you haven’t been to a farm, do you think you might like to visit one? Why or why not?

#188. The mayor of the city has a big problem and needs your help! What is the problem and how will you solve it?

#189. Pretend your little sister ate carrots for dinner and the next morning woke up with rabbit ears!  How did this happen? What do you do? Will she be a rabbit forever?

#190. Imagine you wake up in the morning to find out you get to relive any day of your life again for the whole day. What day would you want to experience again and why?

#191. Do you think you might like to be a firefighter? Why or why not?

fire fighter writing prompt

#192. You are a lawyer and your client has been accused of stealing a car. How do you convince the jury your client is innocent?

#193. Think of the four elements: fire, air, earth, and water. Which of these four elements do you like the best?

#194. What would you do if you could be invisible for a whole day? Do you think you would enjoy it or be glad to be back to normal the next day? Write about it!

#195. Imagine you are a meteorologist and people are starting to get angry that your weather predictions are always wrong. What do you do?

#196. If you could create any law, what would it be? Why do you think the law is an important one to have?

#197. You are going incognito and need to hide to your identity so you aren’t recognized or discovered while you walk through the city. What type of disguise do you wear?

#198. Write a persuasive letter to your parents explaining why you should get a new pet. Make sure you provide a convincing argument they won’t be able to refuse!

#199. Your friend wants to do something dangerous. What should you do?

#200. How do you think the world would be different if there were no oceans?

#201. What do you do when someone disagrees with your opinions? Is there a better way to handle conflicting opinions?

#202. What do you think you as a kid could do to help encourage more people to read?

#203. Do you have a good luck charm? What makes this item lucky? When do you use it? How do you use it?

#204. What is at the end of a rainbow? Imagine you follow a rainbow to the end. What do you discover? Is it a pot of gold, or something else?

Use these prompts in your classroom!  Get the  ad-free printable version of these prompts  to inspire your students to write! Thank you for your support!

#205. What do you think the consequences should be for someone who is caught cheating on a test at school?

#206. Imagine you are riding your bike one day when you encounter an older kid who wants to steal your bike. What do you do?

#207. You are the lead singer and star of a famous rock and roll band, but there is one problem – your drummer is jealous of your fame! How do you solve this situation?

#208. If you could help a group of kids in any part of the world, what kids would you want to help the most and why? What are some things you think would help these kids?

#209. Everyone knows the house on the end of the street is haunted. What are some of the strange things that happen there? Why is the house haunted?

#210. You notice at school one day there is a door to a secret passage next to the janitor’s closet and decide to explore. Where does it lead? Why is it there? Do you go alone or bring a friend along?

#211. A bucket list is a list of things you want to accomplish in your lifetime. What are 5 things on your bucket list?

#212. Imagine the perfect treehouse or clubhouse for you and all of your friends as a place to hang out. Describe what it is like inside.

#213. Do you get bored easily? Make a list of things you can do whenever you feel like you are bored and there is nothing fun to do!

#214. Now vs. Then: Think about how today is different from one year ago. How have you changed? What things in your life are different?

#215. Write your autobiography about your life.

#216. It’s a heat wave! What do you do when the weather is hot? What are some of your favorite ways to stay cool?

#217. What are three important safety tips every kid should know to stay safe?

#218. What genre of books do you like to read the most? Write about the characteristics of the genre and list some of your favorite books as examples.

#219. Holiday Traditions: How does your family celebrate the different holidays and events? What are some traditions you do each and every year?

#220. Imagine one day in science class a science experiment goes terribly wrong and now you and all of your classmates have superpowers! What are your superpowers and what do you do with them?

superheroes writing prompts for kids

#221. Who is favorite teacher? Why are they your favorite?

#222. You are baking a cake, but you accidentally put salt in the cake instead of sugar. Nobody will eat it! How do you feel? What will you do next time?

#223. Do you think it is important to have good table manners? What do you think some good manners to practice might be?

#224. Many schools no longer teach cursive handwriting. Do you think this is a good or bad thing? Do you know how to write cursive handwriting? Would you like to learn if you haven’t?

#225. If you were the owner of a theme park, what types of rides and attractions would have? Describe what they would be like and why people would want to visit your park.

#226. Your parents give you $100 to spend at the grocery store. What do you buy and why?

#227. Some people who are alive today grew up without computers or video games. What would you do if you didn’t have a computer or video games? How would life be different?

#228. You walk into your living room and discover there is a giant elephant standing there. How did the elephant get there? What do you do about it? How do you explain the elephant in the living room to your parents?

#229. Have you ever had a weird dream? What happened in the dream? What do you think it means?

#230. Do you like to draw or paint? Write a story inspired by a painting, doodle, or sketch.

#231. You are being sent on a mission to outer space to live in a space station for 5 years. What supplies do you pack and why?

#232. What is the scariest creature alive on earth? Describe in detail what makes it so horrifying.

#233. What do you think your pet might say if they could talk to you?

#234. Imagine your school is putting on a talent show. What act will you perform? What other acts will be in the show?

#235. If you could breathe under water, what would you do?

#236. What time of day do you think school should start? Write a convincing argument on why or why not the time of day school starts should change.

#237. If you were to start your own YouTube video channel, what would the videos on your channel be about?

#238. Do you like to cook? What are some things you like to make and eat?

#239. Your school is having a field day and you are in charge of planning the activities and games. What types of activities and games would you plan for the event?

#240. If you had a remote control drone that takes video of everything it sees from the sky and you could take it anywhere, what would you film? For example, the inside of a volcano or soar it over the plains of Africa.

#241. The Bermuda Triangle is an area of the ocean where many ships and planes have gone missing. Why do you think this could be? Write a story about what it might be like to travel there.

#242. There are 7 great wonders of the world – which one do you think is the most wonderful?

#243. If you could speak any foreign language fluently, which one would you like to speak and why?

#244. You are inventing a new flavor of ice cream! What is the new flavor called and what ingredients do you need to make it?

#245. Would you rather go to a baseball game or read a good book? What reasons do you have for your choice?

#246. You walk outside to get your mail and your mailbox starts talking to you! What does your mailbox have to say?

#247. Imagine you are a famous person. What are you most famous for? What is it like to be famous?

#248. What do you think would be the most fun job in the world to have? Give examples of why you think it would be a fun job to have.

#249. Write a poem about an object that is shiny and dazzling.

#250. Do you like to watch the Olympics? Why or why not? If yes, what is your favorite Olympic sport?

#251. What kind of car do you want to drive when you are older? Do you think learning to drive will be easy or hard?

#252. What do you think would make for a great gift to give someone on their birthday?

#253. Describe a time when you needed help and someone helped you. What did they help you with and how did it make you feel?

#254. If you could be any type of fruit or vegetable, what would you be and why?

Love these prompts?  Get the  ad-free printable version of these prompts  to use at home or in the classroom!

#255. Do you think it is more important to have a good imagination or have all the facts proven?

#256. Do you have a favorite aunt, uncle, or another relative? Write a story about their life and why you like to be with them.

#257. Think of a time you laughed really, really hard. What was so funny? Why were you laughing? Write about it!

#258. Write a poem about an emotion. For example: happy, sad, angry, embarrassed, guilty.

#259. Do you ever have a hard time falling asleep? What are some things that help you feel sleepy?

#260. If you could drive a car, where would you drive and why?

#261. Imagine you are trading places with your friend for a day. What will it be like to be at their house? What will your friend think while they are at your house? Write about it!

#262. If you could break a world record, what would it be? What do you think would be necessary to be able to break the world record?

#263. Imagine you live in Colonial times. What would it be like to grow up as a kid in Colonial America?

#264. You are building a new city. What is the name of your city? What is the weather like? What buildings will you build?

#265. What do you think it would be like to work as a sailor on big ship in the ocean each day?

ocean writing prompt

#266. Imagine you are the teacher for the day. What types of activities do you make the students in the class do?

#267. How would you feel if your parents told you that you would be getting a new baby brother or sister? Write about it!

#268. Do you know any good jokes? What are some of your favorite jokes? What makes them funny? Do you think you could write your own?

#269. Imagine you are floating down a river on a raft. What types of things can you see from the river that you normally wouldn’t see from the land?

#270. You want to start a new hobby collecting something. What kinds of things would you collect and why?

#271. Your mom announces she is having a yard sale. Would you let her sell any of your things? Why or why not?

#272. Imagine you walk out your front door one morning and it is raining popcorn! What do you do?

#273.  You are camping in the woods one night and hear a scary noise. What do you do? What might be the cause?

#274. What do you think might make kids really happy to go to school? What are some things you think schools should do so that it could be more fun?

#275. Today’s lunch at the cafeteria was unusually horrible. You are a detective on the case to investigate. What do you think is the cause?

#276. If you had a tree that grows money, what would you do?

#277. What would you do if you had a unicorn as a pet?

#278. Would you rather go to the zoo or go to the aviary? Which one would you pick and why?

#279. What are some safety tips you should follow when riding a bike?

#280. You are designing the cover of a magazine. What are some of the headlines on the cover?

#281. Are you afraid of the dark? Why or why not?

#282. If you could learn to play any type of musical instrument, which one would you like to learn how to play and why?

#283. Imagine you are playing a sport that involves a ball, such as soccer, baseball or kickball. What would it be like if the ball could talk?

#284. You come home to discover a friendly alien has been living in your closet. What do you do? Why is there an alien in your closet?

#285. Is there something you are afraid of that you wish you weren’t afraid of? Write about it.

#286. Write about the best party you’ve ever been to. What made the day fun and special?

#287. What makes you feel loved and cared about? What are some ways people can show you that they love and care about you?

#288. There is a kite flying competition coming up and you are going to design your own kite. What will your kite look like? What colors will it be? Will it have any certain shape?

#289. You are given the challenge to drop an egg on the floor – without it breaking! What are some things you might try to make sure the egg won’t break?

#290. What are some of the things you can do every day to stay healthy?

#291. Do you think grown-ups are boring? Why do you think they are so boring all of the time? What is something fun that boring grown-ups could do instead of being so boring?

#292. Write a lyrical poem or song about what kids do while they are at school all day long.

#293. What are the first things you like to do when you are done with school each day? What are some of the activities you like when you are not at school?

#294. Imagine dinosaurs were still alive today. How do you think our lives would be different?

#295. Would you rather visit a volcano or a desert? Which one would you choose and why?

#296. Is there a sound you think is annoying? What types of sounds drive you crazy? Write about them!

#297. What do you think it would be like to be the size of an ant for a day? What types of things would you do?

Writing Prompt: What would it be like if your teddy bear came to life?

#298. Imagine one of your stuffed animals comes to life and starts talking to you. What types of things will you talk about? What will you do?

#299. What makes you feel happiest? Write about the things in life that make you feel happy!

#300. Imagine there is no gravity. What kind of things would you do you for fun? How would some of the things you already do for fun be different?

Buy the Printable Cards!  We will always have this list of 300 kids writing prompts available for free, but I’m very excited to now also offer an  ad-free printable version of these prompts  in my online Etsy shop. Thank you for your support!

Parents and teachers, I hope you enjoyed these 300 writing prompts for kids and that you will use them to inspire your children’s creative imaginations.

These prompts of course can be used in a number of different ways and can be adapted for a variety of different styles of writing !

What do you think? Do you think these are good conversation and story starters for kids? Do you have any ideas for writing prompts you would like to share?

And of course, if you’d like to make it super fun and easy to use these prompts at home or in your classroom, be sure to get our ad-free printable version of these kids writing prompt cards now available in my Etsy shop.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on different creative writing ideas and topics for kids to write about! Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Chelle Stein wrote her first embarrassingly bad novel at the age of 14 and hasn't stopped writing since. As the founder of ThinkWritten, she enjoys encouraging writers and creatives of all types.

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48 comments.

These are awesome! I feel like answering the questions myself! Thanks a million!

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed them! 🙂

Lovely and amazing help

I wrote all 300! but my fingers hurt badly now. :l But i got to admit these are exellent questions!

Hi. Thanks for this list. So many great ideas. I will definitely use some of them for my Language Arts class.

hi people THIS WAS SO LONG but so worth it for my class thx mate

This was great for homework

Thank you for the topics. It was really helpful

Your writing prompts are awesome

These are amazing! Thank you so much for sharing. I will definitely be using it with my kids.

Thank you! I hope they enjoy the writing prompts!

I love these, they are awesome and very helpful too. Thank you very much.

these questions hooked me on easily thanks your the best!

They are all good prompts

This is always good and improves the brain.

These are very useful and very enjoyable topics, i enjoy by giving these to my students , their creations are marvelous

It’s was very long but worth it

This is good. I love it. It helps me in my studies. I share it with my friends children that likes the writing. We love it. Please, think of another writing.

Thanks! Worth printing and providing for my middle school students as a first week of the year activity. Must have taken you ages to come up with all 300 of these!

I’m glad to hear you can use them for your students! It did take some time, but it’s well worth it knowing it might inspire kids to write! 🙂

You need a printable version of this!!

Hi Katelyn, we have one! https://gumroad.com/UBnsO Hope you enjoy!

The link doesn’t seem to be working for me… Could you send me a copy of the list, please?

Hi Tori, the printable version of this post is available as an ad-free paid upgrade – you can purchase it through my Gumroad store: https://gum.co/UBnsO

I quite liked your ideas, I’ll try a few, surely!

How long did it take for you guys to make 300 ideas?

Definitely took some time Vilenti, but it was definitely worth writing all of them! Our prompts reach over a million people a year and are used in literacy, poverty, and mental health programs worldwide. 🙂

These were awesome, thanks a TON

i have school work and this is one thing i do.

i do this for school work to

i do this for school work

Hello Chelle, thanks a lot for this. During these tough Covid times, I find your list to be a great idea to engage kids. Have got them started on some today. Hopefully this will be a long term engagement for them.

The prompts are grrrreat

This was really helpful i have looked for a lot of these, that have a lot of topics and only found one other good one and finished it all, i got to 17 and was like are they all this good! And they all are so thanks!

Glad you enjoyed them!

These are awesome

These are amazing! Thank you so much for sharing.

I loved looking at these prompts!! They were very helpful. I am loving writing and supporting my claims with these prompts. You should post more ideas!! Thanks for sharing the prompts.

Do you have any more?

This really was think written

I’d like to use a few of your questions in a journal for adults that I am creating for sale. I will absolutely credit you at the beginning of the book. Is that okay with you or not? I don’t want to infringe on any copyright laws. I think I used about ten of them.

Hi Kristen, you cannot use these prompts for products for sale, that would definitely be an infringement on copyright. These prompts can only be used for non-commercial use.

this is the greatest app ever

I like all the questions

thank you for all the ideas they are so good

OMG These are all very good and many questions i like all these Thankyou soooooooooooo much for these

I’m in class doing this and it is so fun yes every body is doing this

I LOVE these! My daughter and I stumbled across a post full of fun writing prompts on another website but they were more geared for adults. This list is HUGE and perfect for us to tackle together. Thank you! ❤️

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Creative Writing Ideas For 7 And 8 Year Olds

We are finally turning a huge corner in our homeschool when it comes to writing! This year, my 1st and 2nd grader (pretty equal in their writing abilities) are starting to write more on their own. I’m excited to share some creative writing project ideas we’ve been doing that don’t feel like school! They’ve actually improved their writing and I can see their confidence growing.

Below you’ll find short, natural, unschooly (just made that a word…) ways we’ve snuck in more writing this year. Some of these are so easy the kids don’t seem to think I’m checking that mental handwriting box off their daily to do list!

If you have a late writer, a sloppy writer, or a kid who avoids writing in the early elementary stages…this post is for you! Be sure to check out my homeschool resource page too! And if you are new to homeschooling, be sure to check out how to start homeschooling for the total beginner .

A handful of writing projects including mad libs, book bingo, a spinner, and mini books created by a 1st and 2nd grader.

My goal for 1st and 2nd grade writing

It’s been hard for me as a homeschool mom to trust the process…to believe they will write more when they are ready.

I’ve seen a huge leap in ability this year for both kids. My 7 year old has more stamina and desire to write, but lacks the spelling intuition because she’s a new reader. My 8.5 year old can spell quite a few things (or get close) because he is older and an avid reader. But he lacks the desire to write.

My goal for our homeschool writing at this stage:

  • Know what they have to say is important and can be put on paper!
  • Not worry so much about spelling perfection that they don’t write at all. (This is very hard for one of my kids.)
  • Find writing useful.
  • Write something every day , either in our handwriting books or creative writing projects.

This is largely inspired by Julie Bogart, author of Brave Learner .

What we’ve done to strengthen their hands up to this point

Before I tell you how I’ve seen my kids start to do more creative writing, I want to mention how they’ve learned to physically write letters.

Around preschool or kindergarten age we begin to do some letter tracing . (My oldest son was 5.5 and my daughter was 4). Totally different kids.

We had to back off of any pencil work with my son for a while and just encourage hand strengthening play like Legos, Play Doh, etc till he didn’t struggle so much.

My 3rd child just turned 5 and I’m going to hold off till he’s about 6 as well. So he’ll technically be in kindergarten when he learns to write his letters. It’s just SO much easier to wait.

Handwriting Without Tears as the foundation before writing projects

At the start of my kids 1st and 2nd grade year , I decided to have them start a formal handwriting curriculum (Handwriting Without Tears). I felt we needed a refresher on carefully writing letters. They were getting sloppy.

You can watch my YouTube video here on picking a level and what’s different about the kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade handwriting levels.

Levels we have:

  • 1st grade (My Printing Book)
  • 2nd grade (Printing Power)

Here’s a mid year update of how 1st and 2nd grade year has been going for all subjects if you want to read.

I love having a workbook so I can send them to do one page a day. I only have them do this if we don’t do any other writing for the day.

handwriting without tears copywork.

Copywork daily, except the days we do any other kind of writing

Handwriting Without Tears actually contains most of the copywork we do. We also copy 1-2 sentences from whatever book we are reading through the Brave Writer Darts , and we skip Handwriting Without Tears on those days.

As they’ve trained their hand to do the motions neatly, through copywork, it’s made writing on their own easier. They don’t have to think so hard about how to form an e, how to spell “the”, or how to space their words apart just right. It’s becoming automatic.

We don’t usually draw a picture with our copywork, but if you provide them with a space for it, like the one pictured below, I’m sure they’ll draw a picture more often!

Ok, onto writing projects I’ve asked them to do this year that don’t feel overwhelming!

copywork from Trumpet of the Swan plus pictures above.

Creative Writing Ideas for 7 And 8 Year Olds

1. making lists.

We’ve asked our 1st and 2nd grader to make a lot of lists this year. Christmas lists, birthday lists, lists of things to bring to the ocean, etc. You get the idea!

Lists are short, easy, and help them to group items.

a 1st grader writing a list

2. Scavenger Hunts

My husband made a short little scavenger hunt for the kids outside, with a piece of candy hidden with the last clue. They LOVED it. (Yes, he’s so fun like that!)

Anyways, it got their creative juices going because they’ve made their own too.

We’ve done it two ways.

  • One, they tell me what clues to write on strips of paper and I write it word for word.
  • They write the clues down and make up their own spelling or ask me here and there how to spell something.

I’ve learned from our Jot It Down curriculum by Brave Writer, that it’s ok to write for them if it’s their voice I’m writing. Contrary to what I’d believed, that they wouldn’t ever write if I do it for them, they have actually started writing their own with no coercion from me.

3. Book bingo from the library

Our library does this genius thing and makes a book bingo card every 3 months. The kids can fill in book titles they’ve read and turn it in for a change to win $50. Have we ever won? Nope. Are my kids motivated to fill theirs out? Yes!

Since my kids CAN write, I ask them to write the book titles in. It’s things like “Name of a book you read under a tree” or “Name of a book based on a true story”. Things like that.

book bingo papers written on by kids with book titles in the bingo squares.

4. Mini books

These are SO cute and the small size makes them less scary to the kids. We take a piece of printer paper, fold it in half and half again. Then cut the folds, stack, staple, and ta-da, you have a mini book.

story writing 7 year old

My 2nd grader made a bug book, and my 1st grader made an animal book! We did this project maybe once a week, twice if I could remember.

Each time they’d pick ONE creature. They’d draw it (or cut it out of a magazine), and write something interesting about it from our Golden Books or from memory.

Whatever they wanted. No rules. Except sometimes I’d make them write a little more or add some color to the page. This will probably be the highlight keepsake for their homeschool records I keep this year!

BTW, I LOVE our Golden Guide Books for things like this, and also nature study. We have older ones, but the newer ones are very similar with updated covers. Here’s a few:

  • Reptiles and Amphibians
  • Butterflys and Moths
  • Rocks, Gems, and Minerals

5. Making a spinner

It’s super easy to make a spinner! To make this a writing project, your kids can be in charge of writing down what’s on the spaces.

We did this randomly one day when my son needed a prize for his sister for a game he made up. (I didn’t have any candy to his disappointment). So he made a spinner with cool prizes she could get. It melted my heart, not gonna’ lie.

a homemade paper spinner with a brad in the middle.This is a creative writing project perfect for 7 and 8 year olds!

How to make a spinner:

Trace something round on thick cardstock paper, (we used a bowl). Then, using a ruler draw your lines making as many sections as you like. Put a brad through the middle, with a paperclip (not pictured below) on the brad as the spinner.

What else could you make a spinner for? Here’s a few ideas:

  • Activities for a game like Simon Says.
  • Physical activity spinner where there’s actions on it like “10 jumping jacks” or “run around the house once”.
  • An “I’m bored” spinner with things to do on it.
  • Shows they like to watch but seem to argue over choosing…hmmm….this could be a good one!

6. Writing letters to family

Writing grandma or a cousin a letter is the perfect way to practice handwriting. I wish we did this more regularly.

Think of all they are learning here, while finding a PURPOSE in writing!

  • Caring about someone
  • Handwriting
  • Where the stamp goes
  • Their address
  • Drawing a picture

It’s also fun to put a little flat surprise in a letter if you can. The kids love it! A piece of gum, a sticker, a picture, origami, a photo, or even a dollar bill if it’s to another kid.

a handwritten letter by a 1st grader as a creative writing project idea for 7 and 8 year olds.

7. Labeling pictures

If you keep a nature journal, have your kids learn and label what they draw. Plus the date, and where they found it! These are short, small bursts of writing but they can do it and it has a purpose!

You could also trace their body outline on a long paper roll and have them label things like arms, legs, hair, etc.

Feel free to let them sound it out and guess spelling, help them spell it as they ask, or just write words down for them on a scratch piece of paper that they can copy onto their project.

A picture hand drawn by a small child and labeled in child's handwriting.

8. Mad Libs

We do this 2 ways.

  • I write while they practice thinking of verbs, nouns, adjectives, etc.
  • They write while I answer what verbs, nouns, adjectives which is where handwriting comes in.

This is SO fun. They ask to do this because it’s funny, doesn’t feel like school, and I love that it practices language arts and handwriting in such a natural way.

mad libs written by a 2nd grader for creative writing

9. Birthday cards

I have the kids make homemade birthday cards for any friend’s party they go to. I’ve found it’s easiest to write something they can copy so I don’t have to sit around.

Do I correct their spelling? Not unless they ask…here’s why.

There was a ton of “Mom, how do you spell —” for all these projects.

I used to stress over if I should do this or not. Would I create a dependence on me by helping them spell so much? Meh. For these projects…If they ask, I tell them. If they don’t ask and do creative spelling…I let them.

What I’ve found is they ask less as they get more familiar with common words . Also, the more they read, the better they get at spelling . Someday I may even do that teacher-y thing and get a poster up with a bunch of common words they can reference.

My oldest spells much better as he’s read TONS of books. He was an early reader, and can see the word’s spelling in his head often times. My 7 year old is just starting to read more, so spelling is farther off for her.

How I help them with spelling when they ask

With these creative writing projects for 7 and 8 year olds, I’m NOT concerned with perfection. I do want them to think about the sounds they know a word makes, like “black”.

If they write it on their own and spell it “blak” I’m ok with that for now. I’m also ok asking them, “How do you think you spell the sound bl in black?” They can often get that. Then I’ll help them finish the word if needed.

If I absolutely don’t want to be available to help with their spelling, I’ll tell them to write it how they think it sounds, and we can edit later if they want to. This *usually* satisfies them.

More homeschool posts and videos!

  • Pros and cons of homeschooling
  • First Grade Math With Confidence review
  • Switching to Singapore Math from Masterbooks
  • Singapore Math Primary 2022 Vs Math With Confidence comparison for 1st grade
  • Lily and Thistle Free Watercolor Birds Tutorials we use

If you enjoy video reviews and homeschooling tips, come on over and subscribe to my YouTube channel! Also check out my homeschool printables on Etsy . Thanks for supporting my blog by reading and sharing this post!

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Creative writing techniques for kids: a step-by-step guide to writing a story

Girl writing in notebook

The way literacy is taught in primary schools has changed radically in the last couple of decades; when I was at school in the 80s we copied from blackboards, had whole hours of handwriting practice and sweated over spellings without any formal teaching of phonics whatsoever. While I think the more structured approach to literacy teaching we see in classrooms today makes learning more fun and accessible, my one worry is that there’s little time left for writing creatively.

When I was at school I adored writing stories – even stories with chapters and illustrations. I know my author brother did too – we found some of his old stories a few years back, and I felt so pleased he’d had the time to write these endless pages of action, adventure, characterisation and twisting plotlines.

As a primary teacher I ensured I would have a week each term when, during literacy sessions, we would focus solely on creating stories. I wasn’t deviating from the curriculum – far from it. During this week children would be consolidating their learning of phonics and  be ‘writing for purpose’, considering carefully the aspects of story and who their audience might be.

It may very well be that your children write stories at home regardless of whether they’re required to for school, because most children have a seemingly natural urge to want to do so from time to time. This is just a little guidance on how you can support them and encourage a more structured approach to their story writing.

Plot planning

Firstly, ask your child where the story is going to take place . It could be somewhere fictional or real, it could be a planet, a country, a town or a house – anywhere! 

Then, ask when the story is taking place – now? In the future? In the past? 

Finally ask what they think is going to happen . Remember that this doesn’t have to be accurate and they don’t have to stick to what they say; many of the best writers say that their plots develop organically as they write. If they do have a firm idea of where they want to go with the plot, though, they can create an outline by completing a story planner, which could look something like this:  

  • And finally….

Download a FREE Creative Writing toolkit!

  • KS1 & KS2 workbooks
  • Bursting with fill-in prompt sheets and inspiring ideas
  • Story structure tips, style guides and editing suggestions

Characterisation

Ask your child who is going to be in the story. How do they want their readers to feel about each character? Again, they may want to jot some ideas down. You could make a table for them to help them organise their thoughts, with these headings:  

  • Name of character
  • Relationship to other characters
  • What he/she looks like

Story language

Ask your child to think of some fabulous words to use in their story writing . They might be long words or simple ones, or they might be great descriptive words or words that help create pace and tension. Encourage them to jot these down and refer to the list as they write their story.

Story starters

All writers know that you’ve got to capture the attention of your readers right from the start; you want to make them desperate to read on. Ask your child to think of some good story openers that’ll entice people to find out more. Here are a few examples:

First sentences that are mysterious… Molly had no sense of the day that lay ahead.

Story starters that use language tricks like alliteration… It was damp, dark and dreadfully dusty when Molly entered the house.

Story openers that create tension… Molly could hear her heart beating faster than ever before. Could this really be happening?

Stories that go straight into dialogue… “But I don’t want to go to school, Mummy,” groaned Molly.

Encourage your child to look at some of the books they like to read and see how they begin in order to offer inspiration.

Get writing!

Once they’ve got all of these ideas in place, they can start writing. They could do a draft in the first instance and then a neat, polished version later. They may wish to write in short chapters, use illustrations, or make their own book to write in – let them use their imagination and creativity when it comes to presentation, and make sure you show how much you value the end product by keeping it to read again with the other books in your house.

If your child finds writing a story a little daunting, start with something small from our list of 9 fun writing projects to do with your children .

We also recommend the free art and creative writing challenges on the Night Zookeeper website ; your child will be contributing to a co-created animated television show.

You could also try a great story-making app and get your child writing fiction on their tablet!

Plus, find out how to support storytelling skills for children in EYFS , KS1 , KS2 and KS3 to get them thinking about story elements, plot and character development.

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Home » Blog » 140 Creative Writing Prompts for Kids

140 Creative Writing Prompts for Kids

story writing 7 year old

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Creative writing is an important skill for young students to start learning. Not every child will grow up to be a professional writer, but there are many benefits to having children write. Here we have some useful and effective creative writing prompts for kids to get you started.

These are most suited for a teacher with a class of students. However, parents are welcome to use them as well, to get your kids writing at home.

The Benefits of Writing Prompts for Kids

Aside from creating a published masterpiece someday, there are many benefits to teaching kids to write. This can be done in part by stimulating their minds with some good writing prompts for kids.

Teaching them how to become a better writer will give them advantages in other areas of life.

[table id=26 /]

Animal Themed Writing Prompts for Kids

Most kids love animals. Even if they don’t, personifying and thinking about animals can spark wonderful creativity in kids. It can help kids learn how to become a better writer.

  • Jack is a dachshund and stands out among his border collie siblings who bully him for being different. He is determined to prove that he can herd sheep just as well as them.
  • 10-year-old Kaitlyn has the unique ability to communicate with all animals. She goes around helping trainers, vets, and researchers.
  • Write a story about a family of rabbits living in the woods. What is their life like?
  • Imagine you are a big, majestic lion living in a zoo. How do you feel being surrounded by people all the time?
  • Do you have a pet? What do you like to do with them? If not, what pet would you love to have?
  • What would you do if you had an elephant for a pet?
  • If you could be any animal, what would you choose?
  • Your cat gets stuck on the roof. How do you get him down?
  • A baby wolf gets lost in the forest. How does he find his family again?
  • Write about a school of fish who live deep in the ocean.
  • How do you think it would feel to fly like a bird?
  • What would you and your pet talk about, if they could talk?
  • What does a naughty puppy get up to while its owners are asleep?
  • Imagine everyone had a horse to ride instead of a car to drive. What would life be like?

Fiction Writing Prompts for Kids

Though they might not understand the complex workings of character and plot development, kids can still start creating fiction. Their minds are capable of telling stories. Starting with short pieces of fiction can teach them how to become a better writer .

Writing longer pieces of fiction at a young age can be more difficult. Using a book writing template might help if they really want to try.

Whatever type of story you encourage them to write, use these simple but imaginative writing prompts for kids.

  • Look out the window for 30 seconds. Write a story about what you see and hear in those 30 seconds.
  • Write a story about a trip you would like to take with your family.
  • You and your friends build a treehouse. But, anyone who enters needs to follow some rules. What are they?
  • You are trapped in the mall for the night. What do you do in there?
  • Write a story about a magical pair of shoes.
  • Write about what would happen if you met your favorite character in person.
  • You find a time machine. Where do you go and why?
  • Write a story about your parents as teenagers.
  • Write a story about a tiny person.
  • What does a typical day look like for a mermaid?
  • Write about an astronaut who flies to space and discovers a new planet.
  • Write a story about a day in the life of the president of the United States.
  • A young girl finds a teleportation device abandoned across the street from her house. She soon figures out how to use it.
  • Someone your age sneaks onto a space ship going into space. What happens? Do they get caught?
  • Try to write a poem or a story in the style of Dr. Seuss.
  • You have an assistant for one week who will do whatever you want. What do you ask them to do?
  • Write about something you and your best friend would do if you lived in the same house.
  • Tell a story about a kid who gets to go for a ride on Santa’s sleigh.
  • A kid gets to be invisible for one day. What happens?
  • Write a story using these three words: Train, Hat, Saturday.
  • A clown shows up at your door one day. What do you do?
  • Write about a day where your teacher forgot to wear shoes.
  • Write a story about your evil twin.
  • You find a treasure chest buried in your backyard. What’s inside?
  • Imagine you get to be the opposite gender for one day. What do you do?
  • Write a story about an imaginary sport. How does it work? What are the rules?
  • You have been asked to create a new holiday. What should the world celebrate?
  • Write a story where you get stuck inside your favorite video game or TV show.
  • A child has traveled back in time from 1000 years in the future. What do they tell you about their life?
  • Start a story with a character saying “I won’t do it, and you can’t make me!”
  • Two friends send secret notes to each other through a hiding place no one else knows about. What happens when a new note appears from someone else?
  • A family is camping and doesn’t have cell phone service. What do they do when someone gets sick?
  • Write a story about a kid who doesn’t have any homework to do on the weekend.
  • A kid and their dog are on an adventure in the forest. What happens?
  • Write about a kid who loves to play in the rain.
  • A family is going together to pick out the perfect Christmas tree.
  • What happens when a spaceship lands in your backyard?
  • A girl finds a magic door in her closet. What happens when she walks through?
  • You are stuck inside your school overnight. What do you do?
  • Write a story about a vampire who just wants to fit in with his friends.
  • A superhero wants to save the world, but he’s not very good at using his powers.
  • Your toys have come to life for one night only. What do you do with them?
  • A boy is walking down a deserted road. What does he see?
  • An older sibling is babysitting a younger sibling. The older sibling gets locked in a cupboard. What happens next?
  • Imagine you live in a world where humans don’t need to sleep. What do you do every night?
  • An old lady owns a costume shop. Everyone who buys or rents a costume has an adventure while wearing it. Write about one of these adventures.
  • Your character is the only survivor of a shipwreck. She is floating around on a raft. She finally finds an island. What’s on the island?
  • The sun decides not to go down for one night. What does everyone do overnight when it’s not dark?
  • Write about what you would do if you could read minds for one day.
  • You are able to spy on your friends and family for one day and they don’t know you’re there. What do you think you’d see?
  • Your grandma tells you a shocking secret and you’re not allowed to tell anybody else! How do you react to this crazy secret?
  • You are given one dart to throw at a wall map. Wherever it lands, you have to go there tomorrow. Where do you go? What happens?
  • Three kids climb a tree and find a whole new world at the top.
  • Write a story about someone who is working hard to keep his grades up so he will be allowed to participate in the annual principal-for-a-day event.
  • What would you do if you and your teacher switched places for a day?

Historical Writing Prompts for Kids

Writing stories about history can be a fun way for kids to learn some basic historical facts and events. Use these writing prompts to walk them through time in a way they can enjoy.

A book writing template may come in handy here as well. History can be complicated and confusing. It might be beneficial to have some information laid out in a structured way.

  • Imagine everything in a historical museum comes to life one night. What happens?
  • If you could have a conversation with one person from the past, who would it be?
  • Imagine your family ruled over an ancient kingdom. What would life be like as a prince or princess?
  • Write a story about the life of a child before TV was invented.
  • Write a story about a family traveling a far distance by horse and carriage – before cars were invented.
  • Imagine you were alive when the pyramids in Egypt were being built. What are they like in person?
  • What do you think would have happened if humans were alive at the same time as dinosaurs?
  • How do you think people in the past celebrated holidays?
  • If you could travel backward in time to before you were alive, where would you go and why?
  • If you could change any part of history, what would it be?
  • Many years ago, all the grades of a school would be in a class together. Would you like this? Why or why not?
  • Write about a building that no one has lived in for 100 years. What is left in the building? Who used to live there?
  • What do you think the worst thing is about being a king or queen?
  • Write about what kids did for fun in the old days.

Stimulating Writing Prompts for Kids

In addition to writing stories, many kids will benefit from other forms of mental stimulation. These can be done in a journal or essay writing exercise.

Use these prompts and questions to get them thinking. Encourage them to answer all questions with as much detail as possible.

  • Write a detailed description of your favorite toy.
  • How would you describe the color green to someone who is blind?
  • Where is your favorite place to hide during hide and seek? Why?
  • Write a letter to your grown-up self.
  • Imagine you are the first person to ever walk on the moon. Write a letter to your family about what it’s like up there.
  • Write about something you want to learn more about.
  • If the sky could rain any food for one day, which food would you want and why?
  • Someone has never heard of magic. Explain it to them.
  • A genie is going to grant you one wish. What is it?
  • You are in charge of your school for a whole week. What do you do?
  • What is the worst possible superpower someone can have?
  • If you had $1,000 what would you buy for yourself?
  • Which animal is your favorite? What do you like about it?
  • What would your life be like if you were a movie star?
  • Write about what life would be like without electricity.
  • If you could go anywhere for a school trip where would it be and why?
  • What do you want to do once you turn 16?
  • If you could ask your teacher one question and get an honest answer, what would it be and why?
  • Write about the weirdest dream you ever had.
  • Describe the happiest day of your life so far.
  • If you were in the circus, what would you do?
  • If you won an award, what would it be?
  • What is your favorite holiday and why?
  • If you could have one extra limb, what would it be and why?
  • What is your favorite season and why?
  • Write about what life would be like if you got your dream job as an adult.
  • If you could create a new animal, what would it look like?
  • What is your favorite day of the week and why?
  • Write about the person you admire the most.
  • What is the best joke you ever heard? Why did it make you laugh so hard?
  • You are in charge of inventing a new sandwich. What are you putting on it?
  • Write about three things you are good at.
  • If you could make anything grow on trees, what would it be and why?
  • What is your most unusual talent?
  • What’s the best book you’ve ever read? Describe the book to someone without spoiling the story.
  • What one thing would make your life easier?
  • Imagine you are 16 and your parents have bought you a car. What does it look like?
  • What one thing would make school more fun?
  • Describe what happens on the absolute best day you can think of.
  • What is your favorite thing to do for fun?
  • You are given $1,000 but you can’t spend it on yourself. What do you buy and for who?
  • You are creating the perfect town for you and your family to live in. What does the town have?
  • What is one talent you wished you had but don’t?
  • Write about your favorite music.
  • Describe your favorite movie without mentioning the title or the characters names. Can anyone guess the movie?
  • If you could control your own dreams, what would you choose to dream about tonight?
  • You can ask the government one question and they have to answer you honestly. What do you ask and why?
  • Do you think you could go a whole day without talking? What would be difficult about this?
  • If you could stop anyone else from talking for one day, who would it be and why?
  • If the world was going to end in one hour, what would you want to do?
  • What accomplishment in your life are you most proud of?
  • Do you have any toys right now that you think you will still play with when you are 20? Why or why not?
  • What would you do if you were the last person on earth?
  • Write about something you believed as a small child, but it turned out to be wrong. What was it? How did you find out?
  • What would you do if you suddenly woke up in another country and no one could understand you?

Writing Tools for Older Kids

As kids get a little bit older, they can start being introduced to some tools and programs that will help their writing. As they age, they will start to get a sense of how to write properly and they will develop a voice and style of their own.

Those who are serious about writing and/or show some real promise might benefit from the use of some writing software to help them become an even better writer.

We have created a list of 20 excellent tools for writers and gone over them in detail. But, a good place to start is with Squibler and Grammarly .

Squibler will help them figure out how to organize a book. It offers a place to take notes and record research. It then encourages the writer to break down their chapters and scenes for easy organization and editing.

writing prompts for kids

Squibler also offers a series of templates that might be helpful to kids as they learn about story structure and character development. These templates will walk them through the writing of a book and offer guidelines and suggestions to make the story as effective as possible.

There are several style and genre options, but a good place to start is with the general fiction template:

General Fiction Template

Second, is Grammarly . Kids will often struggle with grammar and punctuation for a while. Grammarly is designed to help all types of writers fix and polish up their work from a grammatical standpoint.

It is largely intended for professional writers who do it for a living, or students who need to hand in perfect written pieces. But, that doesn’t mean kids can’t benefit.

As they go through their work in Grammarly and find their errors, they will learn from them. If they see the same thing pop up numerous times, they will learn not to do it anymore.

Get Kids Thinking With These Writing Prompts

The kids are the next generation of writers , authors , and creators. Start their skills early and encourage them to expand and improve. Teach them how to craft their words. Teach them how to paint a picture in someone else’s mind.

From writing descriptions to organizing thoughts and emotions, and even creating interesting characters – kids should be flexing their creativity muscles whenever possible.

Whether they go free form or you use a book writing template , encourage them to let their imaginations loose on a regular basis.

These writing prompts for kids will get them started, but if you’re looking for more, try using the scholastic website. They have a writing prompt generator with lots of variety. It also has a fun design if you’re using it with your kids.

This will give you an endless source of fun prompts for the kids to enjoy.

story writing 7 year old

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140 Creative Writing Prompts For Adults

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127 Story Starters & Writing Prompts for Kids (Ages 10 – 14)

Coming up with story starters for kids can be difficult. This article provides 127 writing prompts that can get kids’ creative writing off to a great start. Download my three great creative writing lesson plans that I use as a supply teacher. They’re easy-to-use lessons that you can teach on the go.

Article Key Points

  • Select from the list of 127 writing prompts below for story ideas that you like.
  • Put these writing ideas in a hat and have students randomly pick out their assigned story.
  • Use the 3 lesson plans provided for a ready-made creative writing lesson. Great for supply teachers!

creative writing prompts and story starters for kids

You can get my printable story starters sheet at the end of this article

A full list of 127 story starters and writing prompts for kids

Writing prompts for adventure stories.

  • A princess who needs to rescue a puppy from a river.
  • A family on a road trip who got lost and ended up on a whole new adventure.
  • Two friends who go on an adventure down a river on a rowboat.
A superhero who lost his superpowers in the middle of a rescue.
  • A kid who wakes up one day to find out he / she was turned into a dog.
  • The day in the life of an inanimate object (tree, statue, etc.).
  • Three friends who can time travel forward in time. What will the world look like when they arrive?
The main character of your story has to escape a pirate ship after being captured in the night.
  • Pioneers travelling the whole way across a new land in just a wagon. What challenges will they face?
  • You’re a detective trying to uncover a crime: someone stole grandma’s apple pie when it was cooling on the windowsill!
  • You walk past a phone booth that is ringing. You answer the phone. Who is on the other end?
You wake up one day to find out that you grew and you’re suddenly 12 feet tall! You try to go to school but you find life’s hard as a giant…
  • A giant and a mouse live in a house together and are best friends. Tell a story about them preparing dinner together. What would each eat, and how would their preparations be different?
  • You’re half way up Mount Everest when you drop your pack with all your climbing gear off a cliff. What are you going to do about it?
  • A dorky kid suddenly develops superpowers and fights crime in the city at night.
A talking dog and his best friend race against time to defuse a bomb.
  • A firefighter is in a race against time to put out a fire before it burns down a magical forest full of talking animals (who help him / her to put out the fire!). Help him put out the fire safely !
  • You are walking along the beach and find a message in a bottle. The message provides the directions to something special – follow the directions!
  • Write a story about a refugee. They have recently had to flee their home to go to a safer place. Explain their journey.
You wake up one day and you’re only 6 inches tall! Write the story of what happens next – will you go on an adventure? Will you go to school? What will your parents say when they see you?
  • Write a story about being lost in a maze. How did it make you feel? What did you come across as you turned corners in your attempt to escape?
  • You’re going camping but you’re only allowed to bring 5 belongings. What would you bring, and why?
  • You’re the only survivor of a plane that has crashed in the wilderness. Describe how you will survive.
You’re a book that keeps getting passed from person to person and bookshop to bookshop. What sorts of people read your book and what crazy places do you end up going?
  • You’re 5 feet tall and live in a garden. How will you make your own comfortable little home in amongst the leaves?
  • You’ve found yourself trapped in a prison cell. What creative ways will you come up with to escape?
  • You dig a hole in your backyard and find a treasure. What is the treasure and what will you do with it?
You have to set up a new colony on Mars. Who would you take with you and what struggles will you have setting up your new colony? Who would be king? What would be the rules?
  • You have magical pockets. Every time you put your hand in your pocket, you pull something else out! Write a story of the 5 different, random things you pull out of your pockets. Will some of them be slimy and scary? Will some be alive? Will some be tasty?

Read Also: 25 Central Ideas for Stories

Writing prompts for stories about your life

  • Your favorite memory with your family.
  • The best vacation or adventure you ever had.
  • A time you went to the dentist.
Your two favorite movies (and how they’re similar and different).
  • What you think would happen at a dinner party involving any three of your favorite people (living or dead).
  • Your hero and why they’re your hero.
  • Write a story about your ideal day. Start with your alarm going off to wake you up, and end with you closing your eyes and falling asleep.
The happiest moment of your life. What was it that made you so happy?
  • What a day in your life would be like if you had your dream job.
  • You have swapped jobs with one of your parents. You have to go to work for the day and they have to go to school. What funny things will happen?
  • Write a story about a dream you have had in your past. Was it a logical story, or did your dream defy the rules of the world? If you can’t remember your dream, you can make it up or fill in the gaps.
Write a story about a time you were wrong and how you felt. Were you glad you learned something new? Were you ashamed? Did you apologize?
  • Write a story about your favorite place. If you don’t have a favorite place, invent one and explain why it would be your favorite place.
  • Write about a skill you recently learned. Was it frustrating? After learning the skill how did you feel? How do you use the skill in your life now?
  • Write a story about the things you think about just before you go to sleep at night.
Write about exactly what you’re going to do when you get home from school today.
  • Write a story about all the things you’re grateful for and why you’re grateful for each one.
  • Write about the moment your parents or grandparents met and how they felt at that time. If you don’t know about it, make it up!
  • Write about your first day at high school or university. What will your emotions be? Will you meet anyone?

Read Also: A List of 107 Effective Classroom Teaching Strategies

Writing prompts for imaginative stories

  • What you would do if you could travel back in time to hang out with one of your ancestors.
  • You have a metal detector and are using it on a beach. What do you turn up? Describe it and what you would do with it.
  • You invent your own tree house. Describe it – how do you get into it? How many rooms are there and what is in each room?
You could travel back in time to any time in world history. What is it and why?
  • You meet a fairy who gives you any one gift – what would it be and how would you use it?
  • You just bought a haunted house and are about to spend your first night in it. It’s run down and creepy. Describe your first night, starting with when you step in the door at 5 pm.
  • You’re shipwrecked on a deserted island with only 5 of your belongings. Which would they be and why?
Imagine an older version of you has traveled back in time and has come to give you advice. What advice will they give you and what will your conversation be like?
  • Imagine you’re a farmer. Describe the farm animals or plants you would farm and a day in your life.
  • Write a story about having fear of the grass, but needing to walk through a park. How will you get across the park without touching the grass!?
  • Imagine it’s the world 2100 and climate change has changed the climate where you live. Describe the new climate, the new plants that grow there, and whether it’s extremely hot or extremely cold!
Imagine an ice age has arrived and the whole world is -30 degrees! How will you live? In an igloo? What clothes would you wear? Would the cities be made of ice? Explain a day in the life.
  • You have created your own personal robot. What does the robot do and how does this improve your life?
  • You wake up one day and the only people left in the world are 3 of your closest friends. How will you survive?
  • Your house has been converted into a spaceship and you’re flying to the mysterious planet Obertoron. What is the climate like in this new planet? What challenges do you face settling into this new planet?
You are in the middle of a lesson at school when … suddenly gravity stops working and everything starts floating into the air!
  • You can breathe underwater and go on underwater adventures to a city under the sea. You’re on a mission to save the city from an evil octopus.
  • You wake up in the morning and suddenly you’re 30 years old. What is a day in the life of the 30 year old version of you?
  • Make up the rules of your own sport. You can get inspiration from real sports or a made up sport like Quidditch.
Write a story about the most peaceful place you could imagine. What is surrounding you that makes it so peaceful?
  • Peter Pan flies in through the window to teach you to fly. Describe how it feels to fly out the window and look down on the streets below.
  • You’re in a garbage dump sifting for goodies. What do you find and what do you do with it?
  • You receive a mysterious item in the mail. Describe the item and why you might have received it.
You can read minds. What are the thoughts in the heads of people around you? Are you glad you can read minds, or will you end up regretting it?
  • You’re born into royalty and will be the future king or queen. How are people treating you and what will be your responsibilities? Are you happy about being the future monarch, or will you end up just wishing you were a normal person.
  • You’re the president, king or prime minister for the day. What will you do today to improve your society or change the world?
  • Invent your own movie. What is the main character’s name and what is the movie’s plot? How will the movie end?
Imagine you’re a mermaid for a day. What sea creatures would you talk to? Where would you sleep and live under the sea?
  • Imagine you are a teacher. What would you teach and why?
  • Imagine you have a secret hatch under your bed that takes you into your own private cave. What will you keep in your cave that makes it the prefect secret room for you?
  • Imagine you woke up one morning and there was no electricity for the next year. What would change about your life?
Write a story that involves the following 5 objects: a foot, a lake, a spaceship, a pizza, and a dinosaur.
  • Imagine you’re from a tribe that has never had contact with anyone else in the world. You go for a walk and stumble upon a city. Explain how you feel and what you see.
  • Everything you touch with your right hand turns to candy. Write about a day in your life and the sorts of issues you might come across during your day.
  • You feel the emotions of all the people around you. Write about a day walking through a city, the people you see, and how your emotions go up and down like a roller coaster.
  • Imagine your toys have come to life (like in Toy Story!) What sorts of things will they get up to while you’re at school?

Writing prompts for descriptive stories

  • Write a story about the weather. Choose one type of weather (thunderstorm, sunny day, humidity, rain) and describe it. Use adverbs, adjectives and superlatives to describe how the weather makes you feel.
  • Write a story about a delicious feast you made for your friends. What will be served? Describe its taste in your mouth. Don’t forget to describe the appetizers, main course and dessert!
  • Pretend you are the god of your own little world and you can invent an animal. What would its features be? Think about its head, body and limbs. Don’t forget to describe its skin (fur? Scales? hair?), eyes, mouth (or is it a beak or bill?), ears, fingers, etc.
You are on the train observing other people and listening in to their conversations. Describe the people on the train and what they’re doing with their lives.
  • You are Santa Claus and you’re reading children’s wish lists. Describe three different children’s wish lists. The children need to have different personalities and this needs to be reflected in their wish list.
  • You’ve been given $100 to spend in the supermarket. Start the story of you walking down the aisle trying to pick out what you want. First you’ll describe 7 objects that you find, but then you can only choose 3. Explain your choice.
  • Describe the taste of chocolate to someone who has never tasted it before. How will you explain it?
You’ve met someone who has never smiled before. Explain to them how to smile without using the word ‘smile’.
  • Describe what it’s like to see to someone who was born blind.
  • Describe what it’s like to hear to someone who was born deaf.
  • You start your own club. What would the club be, and what would be the conditions for entry to the club?
You’re about to take an exam. Describe your feelings before the exam begins, then your feelings during the exam, and finally your feelings after you leave!
  • You’re walking through a refugee camp. Describe what you see.
  • Write a story about how you feel on the first warm, sunny day of the year.
  • Describe snow to someone who has never seen or touched it.
Write a story about how it feels to be cold to someone who’s from Jamaica and has never felt the cold!
  • Write a story about how it feels to be hot to someone from the North Pole who’s never felt the heat!
  • You invent your own board game . What is the theme and what are the rules?
  • Describe what it feels to walk through a city to someone who has never been in the city before.
Describe what it feels like to be all alone in the forest to someone who’s never been in among trees before.
  • You move into a new house and have to set up your new bedroom. What would its theme be? What posters would you put on the walls?
  • You’re an architect and can design your dream house. What would it look like? What rooms would there be? What cool things would you include in your new house?
  • If there was one thing you could invent, what would it be? Describe it and how it is used.
A fire has started in your home. You can only save 3 of your belongings. What are they and why would you save them?
  • You make a new friend. Describe the friend’s personality and why you like them so much.
  • You have to plan a birthday party for yourself. What will be the party’s them? Where will it be?
  • You can invent your own car. What special features will it have that will make it your ideal car?
You are going to go a full year without creating and trash. Write about the lifestyle changes you will make in order to prevent making trash. How will you get food without wrappings?
  • There is a new kid who has arrived at school today. Write about what you will do to make them feel welcome.
  • You have to buy Christmas gifts for all of your family members. Describe what the gifts will be and why you think they’re ideal for each family member.
  • You can change your style to any style you like: what would you wear, what would your hair look like, and what sort of music would you listen to?
Describe what it’s like to feel hungry to someone who’s never felt hunger before in their life.
  • You have $50 to buy food for a week. What foods will you buy and why? Will you focus on health food to keep yourself healthy, or binge on junk that tastes so yummy?
  • Imagine you work for the post office. What is a day in your life? What dogs will you come across? What different sorts of letters will you deliver? Happy letters? Sad letters?
  • Describe what it feels like to take a shower to someone who’s never had a shower before.
It’s opposite day and you have to lie about everything. What sorts of trouble are you going to get into from all of your lies?
  • Explain how you would start a fire without a lighter or matches.
  • Describe the feeling of being sticky to someone who has never felt the feeling of being sticky. You can’t use the word ‘sticky’.
  • Describe the feeling of being dirty to someone who has never felt being dirty. You can’t use the word ‘dirty’.
Write a story about how it feels to be bullied, and someone who arrives and is kind to you. Describe how it feels to have a friend who is kind after you’ve been bullied.
  • You have been asked to create a new game show on TV (Think: Family Feud or Wheel of Fortune). What will be the rules of your new game show?
  • You are a genetic scientist and can create a new fruit. Describe the fruit: how it feels, tastes, and looks. What does the tree that it grows on look like? In what climate does it grow?
  • You’re an architect and you’ve been asked to design the ideal playground. What sort of cool play equipment will you place in your playground?

3 Great Writing Prompts and Story Starter Lesson Plans

Lesson 1: mix-and-match story starter lesson.

Printable 1: Fun Story Stater and Writing Prompt Mix-and-Match Lesson (Takes you to a Google Doc)

This lesson plan download has a list of mix-and-match story starters. Cut up each story element and put them into three hats: Character, Setting and Plot (you might also want to read my article about about all 8 elements of a story ). The students are blindfolded and must take one story element out of each hat and make a story out of the three elements they get!

Lesson 2: Planning your Creative Story Plot

Printable 2: Story Planning Template (Takes you to a Google Doc)

Teach students about the important elements of a story using this story planning lesson template. Your students need to describe their main character, plot and setting before they tell their story. It’s a great scaffold to ensure your students follow the conventions of story writing.

Lesson 3: Random Creative Writing Story Prompts

Printable 3: A List of 127 Story Starters (Takes you to a Google Doc)

I love this one for an easy afternoon. Simply cut up the 127 creative writing story ideas below, place them in a hat, and have students close their eyes and pick out the story that they will have to write about.  

Chris

Chris Drew (PhD)

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Story Writing Academy

10 Fun Writing Activities for Kids to Improve Writing Skills

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Do your students grumble when it’s time to practice writing? Is getting them to write an essay about as much fun as getting grapefruit juice in your eye? Maybe it’s time to try some fun writing activities instead. Here are ten of our favorite fun writing activities for kids.  

10 fun creative writing activities for kids - text overlay with two pictures of a little girl writing

Breaking Kids out of a Writing Rut

We’ve been through so many stages of learning to write in our homeschool: reluctant writers, frustrated writers, bored writers, curious writers, and obsessive writers (my favorite!).

Over the years, we’ve tried countless writing programs and curricula in a constant effort to keep writing fun and interesting. While we’ve had success stories with a few programs, I find one of the best ways to keep kids engaged with writing is to integrate a fun activity alongside our regular curriculum.

When kids are having fun, they want to write more, which helps them develop stronger creative writing skills and become better writers. Introducing them to different ways of generating creative writing ideas and thinking about writing turns a once-stressful activity into a much-loved pastime.

Here are ten of our favorite ways to make writing fun for kids.

10 fun writing activities for kids video link

10 Fun Writing Activities for Kids

1. write a comic book/graphic novel.

Using a template, students create their own comic strip or graphic novel complete with speech bubbles and annotations.

First, you’ll need a comic strip template. You can draw your own or allow kids to do so if they choose. Or, download the companion files at the end of this post to grab some pre-formatted templates.

sample comic strip template

The amount of guidance each student needs will vary depending on their age and ability.  By design, comics and graphic novels are straight to the point. They don’t have room for any superfluous content.  

Therefore, it’s a good idea to take time beforehand and plan what’s going to happen in the short story, either using a story planner or just jotting down a quick storyboard sketch. They’ll want to have a sense of what’s going to go in each square before they start drawing the pictures in earnest. 

Have them draw the pictures first and then add speech and thought bubbles and annotations. If possible, display the finished works so everyone can enjoy them.

Kids are naturally drawn to the comic book or graphic novel format. It’s fun it’s engaging, it moves quickly, and there are lots of pictures.  

But the space constraints make it necessary for them to think through their story before they start writing and this is such an important skill to develop. Usually, when we’re writing an essay or a short story , we just write whatever comes into our minds without editing as we go. Often, we write way more than we need to and when we go back to read it later, we find we haven’t even made our point.  

Learning how to outline and determine in advance the best way to get a point across is an important skill and creating comic strips is a great way to learn it. 

This writing activity can be adapted for any age range, from kindergarten to grade 12. Younger kids may need assistance with printing small letters. 

2. Write a Story Together

What it is:.

Students work in pairs or groups or with a parent or writing coach to write a short story together.

There are many ways that two or more people can work together to write a short story. The method you choose will depend on who you’re working with, how much time you have, and what your goals are for the activity.  Here are a couple of options:

  • Writing together: Kids work in pairs or groups (with or without a parent, teacher, or writing coach) to collaborate on each part of the story. Everybody pitches ideas and the group comes to a consensus about them. Kids can take turns acting as the scribe for the group (an adult can do the writing for younger children). 

Agree in advance about how you’ll know when the project is finished. Are you aiming for a certain number of words or pages? Or do you just want to see a story with a beginning, middle, and end? Perhaps you want them to practice a specific concept, like seeing how many similes and metaphors they can use. 

Determining and articulating the goal ahead of time ensures everyone knows what they’re working towards. 

  • Writing consecutively.  Students take turns writing sections of the story. For example, they might alternate paragraphs or pages, depending on how long it is. 

You can either have them agree in advance about the topic and plot points or you could add a twist by not letting them talk about it in advance and having them improvise.  

Another variation is to have a group of students working together and have each of them write a sentence or a paragraph of a story and then pass their story on to the person beside them. That person then continues on with that story while the one who started it is continuing on with another person’s story themselves. Continue passing them around in a circle until everyone has added to each story and then can share them with each other.

  • Write concurrently: Kids decide on a plot for a story and then divide and conquer. For example, they might come up with a story that has multiple perspectives and have each person can write scenes from a different perspective. After, they can integrate them into a cohesive, well-rounded story.

In my experience, kids love creating stories much more than they actually love writing them, especially when they’re younger.  The physical act of getting their thoughts onto paper is time-consuming and because their hands can’t move as fast as their thoughts, kids often get discouraged.  

Collaborating with a sibling, a friend, classmates, or adults gives them the immediate reward of progressing in a story without necessarily having to bear the burden of doing all the work themselves.

This writing activity can be adapted for any age range, from kindergarten to grade 12. Lower elementary students should work with a parent, teacher, or writing coach who can guide the collaboration and record the story for them. 

For ideas to get you going on your collaborative writing project, check out this huge list of story starters and writing prompts .

3. Retelling a Favorite Story

Reading or listening to a favorite story and retelling it or rewriting it in their own words.

Ask a student to choose one of their favorite books.  For younger kids, this would ideally be a board book or a picture book, while older students might like a chapter book or novel. If choosing a novel, make sure it’s one they’re very familiar with so they don’t need to re-read the whole thing. 

(For inspiration on this, or to build out a mini-unit on the topic of retellings, check out this list of Peter Pan retellings ).

If it’s a shorter book, read it together. Then, ask the student to either narrate or write down the major parts of the story in their own words. 

Another variation: if you have more time, get a big piece of paper or poster board and ask the kids to draw a map of the story. Then, have them draw and cut out pictures of the story’s characters and move them around the map as they tell the story.

Writers learn to write by imitating other writers. Reading a favorite story with the goal of committing its key points to memory is an important step toward becoming a better storyteller. By telling and retelling popular tales, students learn to intuit the elements of a great story and will naturally include those aspects in their own writing. 

This writing activity can be adapted for any age range, from kindergarten to grade 12. Students who are not yet reading or writing will need someone to read the story and transcribe their words. 

4. The End. Or, The New Beginning.

Students choose a book they love and give it a new ending or a sequel.

Have students choose a favorite book and decide whether they’re going to rewrite the ending or write a sequel. 

Ask them questions to help them give structure to their writing and get their creative juices flowing. Here are some examples:

If re-writing the ending:

  • What did you like about the current ending?
  • What didn’t you like?
  • What questions did you have at the end of the book?
  • What event in the story, if changed, would have resulted in a completely different outcome?
  • Did the main character get what they wanted or not? What would have happened if they didn’t (or did)?

If writing a sequel:

  • Which character(s) in this story did you wish had bigger roles? What else might you have liked to know about their sides of the story?
  • What do you think happened after the last chapter of the story?
  • What other threats or enemies might still be waiting for the main character?
  • Think about the life of the book’s characters at the end of the story. What new character or event might completely topple the balance they’ve found?

Asking students to write a new ending or sequel takes away the pressure of having to come up with an idea from scratch, while still giving them a valuable opportunity to improve their writing skills. 

Also, it helps them hone in on the skill of writing endings, which are often the hardest part of the story to write. 

This writing activity can be adapted for grades 4 to 12.

5. Dictating a Story

Dictating a story using voice typing and then editing it

Using a Google Doc, click on the Tools menu and select Voice typing (or press CTRL+Shift+S). Click on the microphone icon and have the student start dictating. 

When they’re done, click the microphone again. They can even make changes or fix punctuation as they go without disabling the microphone. 

Again, people think much faster than they write or even type. 

For emerging writers especially, printing each letter takes so long that by the time they’ve gotten a full sentence down, they may have lost their steam. Being able to dictate the story at the speed they think and talk is highly motivating and puts the focus on idea generation and plot progression, not on the physical act of writing. 

Also, this activity gives kids a wonderful opportunity to practice their editing skills. 

This writing activity can be adapted for any age range, from kindergarten to grade 12. Younger kids will need help with editing. 

6. Create Mad Libs

Students design Mad Libs for you or for each other

If your students have never played Mad Libs, you will first need to explain this writing game to them and maybe have them do a practice round to get used to the concept. Here’s a sample Mad Lib you can use. It’s also included in the companion files download at the bottom of this post.

blank sample Mad Lib

Then have them prepare the story. They can either create it from scratch or use an existing text. For example, they might copy out the first paragraph or two of a book. Have them write it on lined paper, double spaced. 

Next, they can choose some words to remove from the story. Once they’ve erased the words they want to remove, they should draw a line for the blank word and write a hint under the line to indicate what kind of word is needed. 

It’s helpful if they have an understanding of nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. If they don’t, this is a great time to introduce these concepts. They might also use qualifiers such as ‘something you wear,’ or ‘a job people do.’

Here’s how a finished Mad Lib might look:

completed sample mad lib

When they’re done preparing the story, someone else (a friend, parent, teacher, etc.) gives them the words needed to fill in the blanks. As the respondent gives their answers, the student writes them in the blanks. When all the blanks are filled, the student reads the finished work aloud. 

I’ve yet to meet a kid who doesn’t love Mad Libs. They’re such a fun way to approach word choice and sentence structure! Kids get a kick out of making up a really silly story while subtly learning the differences between the various types of words. 

This writing activity can be adapted for grades 3-12. Young learners can also enjoy and benefit from Mad Libs, but they aren’t likely to be ready to create their own. Instead, just ask them to provide words for the blank spaces.

7. Custom Printing Pages

Creating custom writing worksheets for younger kids who are learning to print

I know….I promised fun writing activities . And usually, worksheets are not fun. But I think these ones are different. 

My five-year-old doesn’t enjoy practicing her letters and she puts up a huge fight when I ask her to copy things out. Fair enough—learning a challenging new skill is frustrating, even for adults. 

But then I discovered this resource . Among the many cool custom worksheets this site can generate, I discovered the customizable printing pages. You can choose the line size, the style of writing, whether you want students to trace or copy, and—most importantly—the text they’ll be copying. 

For my daughter, I wrote out a really fun story based on her life but with lots of embellishments and twists. She is the star of the story and she wants to know what happens to her. It took me about five to ten minutes to come up with enough content to fill 27 pages of writing practice sheets (about a month’s worth). I give her one page per day to copy. I haven’t heard a single complaint. 

Give it a try. Pick the settings that suit your student(s) best and write a few paragraphs that they won’t be able to stop reading. Then have them trace or copy a small amount each day. 

Young learners tend to engage more with the learning process if they think it’s a game rather than a lesson. Who wouldn’t want to read a story starring themselves? (I still have a customized Christmas book my dad ordered for me when I was three!)

It incentivizes them to practice their printing or cursive handwriting by giving them a delightful reward. This is the perfect exercise to do when you’re teaching handwriting .

This writing activity can be adapted for kindergarten to grade 6. For younger learners who need more extensive writing practice, I’m in love with these free printable alphabet worksheets for preschool . This is such a great resource for helping young kids master their letter formation skills.

8. Photographic Writing Prompts

Writing a story based on an image.

A picture is worth a thousand words, right? And nobody wants to read a thousand-word writing prompt , so why not try photographic writing prompts? This fun story writing activity is simple and can be pulled off with almost no prep time. 

First, choose an image you want to display. Then, set a timer. Have everyone (even you) write a story inspired by the picture for fifteen minutes. No planning for this one; this time we’re writing by the seat of our pants. When the timer ends, stop writing. Give students an opportunity to share their stories if they like. 

story writing 7 year old

The companion files document at the bottom of this post includes ten fun images you can use as creative writing prompts.

Images are often more inspiring than words and leave more room for interpretation. This, combined with the focus on writing, rather than planning, encourages kids to simply write, rather than fretting about ideas or structure. 

Because of the timed and independent nature of this writing activity, it’s best for older children in grades 5 to 12. 

9. Convince Me

Using a creative piece of writing to influence someone’s opinion.

In this writing activity, students create a persuasive piece of writing aimed at convincing you that their favorite thing is the best, i.e. Why Wings of Fire is the Best Dragon Series You’ll Ever Read, or Why Strawberries are the One Fruit We Could All Live On. 

Offer suggestions on what format they might choose, but leave the decision up to them. They might write a short essay, a poem , a song, or a rap. Maybe they’ll even decide to create a brochure. Put as few limitations on this final product as possible to encourage maximum creativity. 

When they’re done, have them read what they’ve written to try to persuade an audience.  

Kids can be highly persuasive, but adults often shut them down when they’re trying to make an argument. For example, every time my daughter says she has a compelling list of reasons why we should let her get a hedgehog, I typically say no immediately without giving her a chance to share her list. 

Giving them the opportunity to persuade you about something that matters to them, and to do it in a format they feel comfortable with is an opportunity they won’t want to miss. This fun writing activity also helps them develop their persuasive writing skills. In your feedback, you might offer points on how they can enhance their argument even more. 

This writing activity can be adapted for grades 2 to 12. 

10. A is for Author

Using photos or drawings, along with original writing, to create a new alphabet book. 

If possible, go on a nature walk or at least go to a yard or a field. For this writing activity, it’s important that students have many things to observe. Bring notepads and pens or pencils. 

Have them try to find one thing for each letter of the alphabet. Allow them to be creative here: ‘eXcess dandelions’ might be a perfect choice to represent X. Have them use their notepads to keep a list of what they’ve found.

Then, set them to work. Let them choose how they will lay their book out. They might use a full page for each letter, a half-page, or a quarter-page. (I’ve included templates for half- and quarter-page layouts) below. 

story writing 7 year old

For each letter, they should include a drawing or photograph and a small amount of writing. The writing can be as simple as ‘C is for Crane,’ or it could be more creative, such as a short poem or a paragraph about that thing. Determine how much leeway you’ll give them with the writing component based on their ages and ability. 

Have them add a cover page and then assemble their book with staples or by punching holes along the side and tying ribbon or string through each hole. 

This fun writing activity works well for both reluctant and eager writers. It takes the focus of writing by including other activities such as walking outside and drawing, while also giving ample opportunity to practice printing (for younger kids) and composition (for older kids). 

Eager writers will enjoy the opportunity to add prose or facts to their pages and appreciate the challenge of coming up with something creative for each page. 

For this activity, kids may work independently or together, depending on time and preferences. Our family worked together on a single book and it turned out great. 

Like most of the creative writing exercises here, this one can be adapted for any age range, from kindergarten to grade 12. 

Get the Companion Files

Use the form below to download everything you need to start teaching with these fun creative writing activities for kids today!

story writing 7 year old

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Monday 2nd of October 2023

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can you please email hello @ storywritingacademy.com (remove spaces) and let us know which download you're trying to access? We will send it over to you directly.

Thursday 22nd of June 2023

Very innovative ideas inculcate an interest in writing and then working on honing their writing skills

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The form is at the end of this post, just above where you posted this comment. Thanks.

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Write It Sideways

Novel Writing Tips From A 7-Year-Old Genius

October 14, 2009 Suzannah Windsor Freeman Filed Under: Fiction

Novel Writing Tips From A 7-Year-Old Genius

I know every mother thinks her kid is a genius, but mine really is.

Well, at least at writing stories.

If you’re writing a novel or taking part in NaNoWriMo this year, you might find some inspiration in my 7-year-old son’s most recent work of fiction, “The Transformer’s Battle.” He spent the last two days sitting at the computer typing this story by himself. Now that’s tenacity!

I haven’t touched the spelling or wording at all, but I’ve done a few format tweaks for the sake of readability (capitals, spacing, italics, and quotation marks). Other than that, this is first draft material.

Here’s the gripping drama in all its glory, followed by some writing tips we can all glean from it:

The Transformer’s Battle

by Micah, October 2009

Long, long  ago, in  1332, there  was  a  child  who  had  a  big  imagination. Every  night  he  had  a  dream. Once  he  dreamt  of  transformers  coming  to  life.

One  bright  and  sunny  morning  the  child  heard  a  bristle  in  the  trees. He  looked  out  his  bedroom  window  to  see  what  was  happening  but  he  coud’nt   see  anything  so  he  got  back  into  bed  but  while  he  was  in  bed  he  heard  a  noise. It  sounded  like  they  were  coming  to  his  house.

By  about   3  minutes  later, the  child  noticed  that  his  dream  about  transformers  coming  to  life  had  came  true!  They  had  all  gathered  around  his  house  and  they  were  singing!  They  were  singing  this  song: We  are  transformers, we  want  our  food. We  want  our  breakfast, lunch  and  tea. And  they  kept  reapeating  that  and  it was  so  annoying!

The  child’s  father  had  become  very, very  angry  with  the  transformers  and  so  he  thought  of  a  plan  to  get  rid  of  them. He  said  to  his  wife “ we  should  start  a  war, that  would  destroy  them  all. His  wife  said  “Yes, but  we  can’t  fight  1500  transformers  in  one  day.”

But  the  child’s  father  said  “Trust  me,  just  ask  my  son  to  dream  about  it  tonight  and  it  will  come  true. Then  it  won’t  take  us  a  day. It  will  only  take  27  minutes. I’m  sure  it  will  work  out  in  a  good  way. Except  you  might  want  to  bring  your  earplugs.” His  wife  asked  him  why  she  needed  to  bring  her  earplugs. The  child’s  father  said “ just  to  be  civilised”.

“Just  to  be  what-what-what?”

“CIVILISED!”

“Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?”

“CIVILISED! CIVILISED! CIVILISED!”

“SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!  your  going  to  wake  up  Fluffy  the  cat!”

And  sure  enough, Fluffy  was  skipping  down  the  hallway  and  puring. The  child’s  sister  was riding  on  Fluffy.  She  had  taken  the  child’s  toy  shield  and  sword  and  she  was  practicing  for  the  coming  battle. Fluffy  was  just  about  to  jump  onto  the  sofa  when  he  saw  a  toy  mouse  running  down  the  hallway  so  he  went  racing  after  it.

It  was  8:30 pm  so  Fluffy  and  the  children  all  went  to  bed. The  child  dreamt  about  the  next  day. The  next  day  was  the  day  of  the  battle. While  the  child  was  in  bed, he  heard a noise. BANG! BANG! BANG! CLASH! BOOM! CRASH! BANG!

The  transformers  had  been  training.

The  next  day, it  was  the  battle. Before  the  battle  had  begun, the  family  practiced. First, they  practiced  punching  dummies. Second,they  practiced  sword  fighting. Third, they  practiced  kung  fu. Then  finally, fourth, they  practiced  there  moves. They  were  now  ready  for  the  battle.

The  battle  had  just  begun. There  were  565465 665 65667 7654 56777765 678 78756 5674 560  transformers  in  the  battle  versing  4  people.

Buuuuuuuuuuuuut…

When  the  family’s  friends  came  along  to  join  in  with  the  battle  there  were  99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999

9999999999999999999999999999 people.

The  people  destroyed  the  transformers.

If you’ve ever read my About page, you’ll know ‘the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.’ I, too, started writing at a very young age.

I may be ever-so-slightly biased, but here are some of the immediate writing gems I took from reading my son’s story:

  • Improve your writing habits. My son worked quickly on this story, typing it key by key, one finger at a time, over just 2 days. Unlike adult writers, he didn’t stop to critique himself along the way; he went with what felt right at the time.
  • Make sure your characters face conflict . The characters in this story face an army of transformers–a terrifying thought for a child.
  • Don’t forget story structure . The beginning  of “The Transformer’s Battle” sets up the problem, the middle shows the characters preparing for attack, and the ending shows them defeat their enemies.
  • Inject some comic relief . Fluffy the cat? The bit with the earplugs? Priceless! Remember to keep your story entertaining.
  • Give it a fantastic title . It’s nothing fancy, but “The Transformer’s Battle” is straight and to the point. The reader knows exactly what this story will be about.
  • Up the stakes at the story’s midpoint . We learn in ch. 5, “The Transformers had been training.” Our characters now know what they are up against–an army of robots who are ready for battle.
  • Ensure your characters have a plan of action .  We learn that “the  child’s  father  had  become  very, very  angry  with  the  transformers  and  so  he  thought  of  a  plan  to  get  rid  of  them.” Then, we discover how they plan to achieve their goals. Ch.6 shows our characters training to fight in the battle.
  • Use cliffhangers to build suspense . The last few chapters of this story leave the reader wondering what will happen next. Always great to keep them guessing.
  • Bring your story to a logical conclusion . Good triumphs over evil in “The Transformer’s Battle,” because the family enlists the help of their friends to overcome their enemies.
  • Use believable dialogue . I’m positive at some point my son must have witnessed a conversation between my husband and me regarding earplugs being civilized. In a child’s mind (and maybe in reality), parents are always arguing over petty things.

As far as I’m concerned, this is a pretty solid story, and I’m so proud of my son for how hard he worked on it.

If you have any words of encouragement for this budding writer, please leave a comment.

And keep an eye out for his name on the bestseller’s list (in about 20 years…)!

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About Suzannah Windsor Freeman

Join the discussion.

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October 14, 2009 at 3:06 pm

As I read "The Transformer's Battle," I can't help but wonder what real-life experiences Micah drew from while writing. It's wonderful how children lack the guile to distance themselves from their writing – that's a lesson we can all learn.

Micah, if you're reading this, keep writing! And keep noticing all the funny, dramatic, quirky, wonderful things in life … that's where great writing comes from.

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October 14, 2009 at 8:44 pm

I was also wondering where he got some of this stuff, especially the bit about earplugs being civilized! I just couldn't believe that a kid his age would be motivated to spend so much time working on a story. I don't think he watched tv, went outside or even played with his toys much over those two days. He just wanted to write. It's quite inspiring!

As I read your comment to Micah, a huge smile spread across his face. He's such a little ham 🙂 Thanks!

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October 15, 2009 at 11:58 am

Move over Stephen King. Bravo Micah! Keep writing. I loved Fluffy the cat. I'm looking for an autographed copy of your first book in 20 years or so.

October 15, 2009 at 12:02 pm

Yes, it does have a sort of Stephen King-esque ring to it, doesn't it? I love Fluffy the cat, as well. He's just totally random fun. Thanks 🙂

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October 16, 2009 at 3:31 am

My first visit to your blog and what a thrilling read. Thanks for letting your mom share that with her readers. You spell beautifully! And your writing is great – suspensful, fun, and exciting. I hope you get loads of enjoyment from writing.

October 16, 2009 at 3:39 am

Glad you've enjoyed your first visit here! I read your comment to my boy and he was very excited by your encouragement. And yes, he does a great job with his spelling. He was tested at school, and it turns out he spells about 3 years ahead of his age. Thank you!

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November 13, 2009 at 4:19 am

What a great story! As an elementary teacher, you can believe that I read dozens of stories written by children every couple of weeks. One other gem about writing that I found in this story was the use of specific details. For example, using those exact numbers is part of what makes the writing fresh and funny, like the father telling the mother it would only take "27 minutes." Why 27? I love it.

This story had every element of great writing that I teach my students, who are ten years old! Keep up the excellent work, Micah!

November 13, 2009 at 5:06 am

Micah is delighted with your comment on his story. You're right about the specific details. He's very specific (about everything in life!) Thanks for your words of encouragement 🙂

December 7, 2009 at 1:43 am

Hello! Great work Micah! I only came across this site because I typed in "7 year old writes her first novel". I wanted to see if there was anyone else out there like my daughter. She has been working on her first novel since October and is almost finished. She's at word 5,558 and just finished Chapter 10. Thank goodness for Microsoft word for calculating the word count! She's setting it up like a young reader's chapter book and has included about 8 illustrations and is on page 64. Besides writing she loves to draw. We're very proud of her and told her that we would have it printed and she could send it to family and friends for Christmas presents. To all young writers and artists —- keep imagining and drawing!

December 7, 2009 at 2:18 am

Thanks for sharing this story about your daughter. It sounds amazing! Sometimes I think we really don't give these little people enough credit in life 🙂

Glad you found this, and please tell your daughter to keep up the great work.

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June 4, 2010 at 3:27 am

I must say, this is a brilliant piece of work, and his spelling is exceptional. It’s those randomly exact details that add humor; this talent seems annoyingly to fade with age.

Micah: Keep writing, keeping dreaming, keep being you. As a seventh grader who has a novel-in-progress, I had been rather full of myself. You’ve brought me back down to earth! Best wishes for your future as a writer! ~Shiri

For DBZ fans, look at the number in Chapter 8. It’s over 9000!!!!!!!

[…] Novel Writing Tips from a 7-Year-Old Genius: Even a 7-year-old understands the basics of good storytelling! […]

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How to Write Children's Short Stories

Last Updated: February 6, 2024 References

This article was co-authored by Stephanie Wong Ken, MFA . Stephanie Wong Ken is a writer based in Canada. Stephanie's writing has appeared in Joyland, Catapult, Pithead Chapel, Cosmonaut's Avenue, and other publications. She holds an MFA in Fiction and Creative Writing from Portland State University. There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 45,653 times.

Stories for children have risen in popularity with the Harry Potter series, as well as recent celebrity children's stories. Writing a children's story allows you to use your imagination to create an engaging story, reach a lot of young, potential readers, and think like a kid again.

Preparing to Write

Step 1 Understand the structure and form of a children's story.

  • Picture books: These books are made for children up to age eight and average 500-1000 words. Picture books contain an image on every page and are published in larger trim sizes, 8.5” x 11”. These books can be written at a higher reading level than the age of the intended audience, as they are often read to a child by an adult.
  • Easy reader books: These books are made for children ages five to nine and are usually 50-2500 words. The word count will depend on the publisher and the reading level of the intended reader.
  • Chapter books: These are short novels for children ages seven to ten and are typically 10,000-12,000 words.
  • Middle grade novels: These books are made for children ages eight to twelve and hover around 20,000-25,000 words.
  • Young adult novels: These books are made for children ages twelve and up and are usually 35,000 to 45,000 words.

Step 2 Read examples of children's stories.

  • Where the Wild Things Are , by Maurice Sendak. This 1963 picture book is one of the most well known and beloved children's stories.
  • Eloise in Moscow , by Kay Thompson. This easy reader book is the fourth in a series about the adventures of six-year old Eloise. [1] X Research source
  • Charlotte's Web , by E.B. White. A classic chapter book that touches on major themes like grief and the wonders of friendship.
  • Charlie and the Chocolate Factory , by Roald Dahl. A classic middle grade novel with a cast of eccentric characters and an engaging plot.
  • The Hunger Games , by Suzanne Collins. A well known young adult series, comprised of three novels that follow the trials and tribulations of Katniss Everdeen. [2] X Research source

Step 3 Analyze the examples.

  • Does the book effectively use its reading level to its advantage? For example, in Where the Wild Things Are , Sendak creates a story that is enjoyable for adults and children to read. This works well as picture books are often read by adults to children. Sendak uses the reading level to appeal to a variety of readers. [3] X Research source
  • What genre does the book fall into? The Hunger Games would be considered a dystopian young adult novel, which is part of the science fiction genre. In dystopian novels, the setting is a futuristic universe where an oppressive societal control and the illusion of a perfect society are maintained through totalitarian control. [4] X Trustworthy Source Read Write Think Online collection of reading and writing resources for teachers and students. Go to source In The Hunger Games , this is the Capitol, led by the oppressive Professor Snow, which is opposed by Katniss.
  • Is there a positive message, theme, or moral in the book? In Charlotte's Web , the moral of the book centers on the friendship between the spider, Charlotte and the pig Wilbur. Loyalty is also a big theme of the book, as Charlotte and Fern try to figure out a way to save Wilbur from being slaughtered. [5] X Research source
  • How does the writer make the main character interesting and engaging for readers? In Charlie and the Chocolate Factory , the main character, Charlie Bucket is a sympathetic protagonist. He is unassuming and respectful towards the other characters, lives a poor and undernourished life, and seems deserving of a golden ticket to Mr. Willy Wonka's chocolate factory.
  • Is there an unexpected twist or payoff at the end of the book? In Charlie and the Chocolate Factory , the unexpected twist at the end of the books occurs when Charlie is the last child standing after a day in Mr. Wonka's factory. It is then revealed the entire visit has been a test to find Mr. Wonka's successor as the owner of the factory. [6] X Research source
  • How does the writer use word choice and simple language in the book? Compare a picture book, such as Where the Wild Things Are , to a young adult book, such as The Hunger Games . Note how the picture book uses an image on each page, as well as only one or two sentences per a page, to tell a story. A young adult book has no images, and uses long blocks of text, broken up by dialogue, and separated into chapters. As well, a picture book will only use very simple words and terms for a pre-school reading level, while a young adult novel will use marginally complex words and terms for a grade 10-12 reading level.

Creating a Story Idea

Step 1 Choose your genre.

  • Fables, which are stories that have a moral ending. Many fables for children use animals and inanimate objects to portray a theme or moral. For example, The Thomas the Tank Engine book series.
  • Folktales, which are stories about commonplace events and characters that seek to explain things in life like nature, or the human condition. There may be make believe elements, like talking animals or natural elements like trees or rivers, as well as supernatural elements. For example, Dragonology: The Complete Book of Dragons . [8] X Research source
  • Historical fiction, which are stories that portray a time period or historical event. For example, a young adult novel about the life of Abraham Lincoln called Chasing Lincoln's Killer . [9] X Research source
  • Modern fantasy, which are imaginative tales that require young readers to accept elements and story lines that clearly cannot be true. They require readers to suspend their disbelief and engage with talking animals, elements of science fiction or the supernatural. For example, Charlotte's Web or Alice in Wonderland .
  • Dystopian tales, which are a form of science fiction that uses an exaggerated worst-case scenario to critique a current trend, societal norm, or political system. For example, The Hunger Games or The Divergent series.
  • Realistic fiction, which are books written around contemporary issues or real-world situations. This genre is similar to historical fiction, but it is based in current events. For example, a young adult novel about terrorism in America or race issues in the deep South.

Step 2 Determine the setting of the story.

  • If you are writing historical fiction for children set in a certain time period, you will need to do some research about that time period. If you are writing dystopian fiction or a folktale, you can use your imagination to create a unique and slightly futuristic or supernatural setting.
  • In children's stories, there is no limit to setting. From a spaceship on Mars to a pirate ship in the Caribbean, all these settings can be used for your story.

Step 3 Create an engaging...

  • Consider how you can make your main character unique. For example, maybe they have a special ability or power, such as a photographic memory like Encyclopedia Brown of the Encyclopedia Brown chapter book series, or a strong and powerful personality, like Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games .

Step 4 Think about the theme or moral of the story.

  • Many main characters use their skill or ability to get out of a potentially bad or tricky situation, such as a dystopian government. You may also use an imaginative setting to show the reader a moral or theme, such as the value of punishment and the value of dreams for the main character, Max, in Where the Wild Things Are . [12] X Research source

Step 5 Create a satisfying twist.

  • For example, in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory , Dahl keeps the reader entertained with unique characters, a strange and interesting setting, and situations where characters meet their demise in intriguing ways. By the time the other children have been eliminated through their own greed and gluttony, the reader and Charlie both realize there is only one child left. The payoff then occurs when we find out Mr. Wonka was using the visit to the factory as a test to find his successor and the future owner of the chocolate factory.

Writing Your Story

Step 1 Dive right into the conflict.

  • For example, on the first page of the picture book Imogene's Antlers , the first sentence starts right in conflict: “On Thursday, when Imogene woke up, she found she had grown antlers.”
  • Imogene's matter of fact reaction, placed next to the illustrations in the book, create an intriguing image to begin the story.

Step 2 Let your main character get in trouble.

  • Gauge how much trouble your character should get into based on the age group you are writing for. A four year old boy atoning for not eating his vegetables by being forced by his mother to fight to the death? Probably not an appropriate level of trouble. But a 16 year old girl living in a dystopian future where she is forced to fight to the death for her family? More of an age appropriate level of trouble for your main character.

Step 3 Don't let adults solve the child's problem.

  • Having strong children characters will be empowering for young readers. It tells children that if the child character could work out a solution to a problem, maybe they can too.

Step 4 Use description to reveal character.

  • For example, in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory , the narrative is in the third person, but it stays very close to Charlie's perspective. The narrative describes Charlie's walk home past the chocolate factory as “every day, as [Charlie] came near to it, he would lift his small pointed nose high in the air and sniff the wonderful sweet smell of melting chocolate.” [14] X Research source This tells the reader about Charlie's appreciation of the factory, gives some physical description of Charlie, and shows Charlie's isolation from the factory, as he can only smell the wonderful chocolate rather than eat it himself.

Step 5 Use realistic dialogue.

  • In Where The Wild Things Are , Sendak gives the monsters a unique voice, and uses punctuation, such as exclamation marks, to mark their speech. However, the monster still use simple terms that are easy for children and adults to understand. For example, “Let the wild rumpus begin!” and “Oh, please don't go-we'll eat you up, we love you so!”

Step 6 Keep your reading level in mind when using adjectives and adverbs.

  • For example, in a passage from The Hunger Games , Collins uses strong verbs to convey a sense of action and tension. [15] X Research source “A boy, I think from District 9, reaches the pack at the same time I do and for a brief time we grapple for it and then he coughs, splattering my face with blood. I stagger back, repulsed by the warm, sticky spray. Then the boy slips to the ground.”
  • Using verbs like “reaches” “grapple” “stagger” “slips” creates a strong image in the reader's mind, without confusing them or jolting them out of the story. However, notice that Collins does not use any adverbs, but still creates strong sentences. She appeals to the reading level, without sacrificing any tension in the story.

Step 7 Write to images or visuals.

  • For example, Where the Wild Things Are is known as much for the text and the story as it is for the illustrations, which bring the monsters of Max's imagination to life for the reader.

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Write a Vignette

  • ↑ http://www.scholastic.com/parents/book/eloise-moscow
  • ↑ https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/43.Best_Young_Adult_Books
  • ↑ http://thewritelife.com/write-picture-book/#.jcmnkw:CaiS
  • ↑ http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson926/DefinitionCharacteristics.pdf
  • ↑ http://www.brighthubeducation.com/lesson-plans-grades-3-5/50893-charlottes-web-themes/
  • ↑ http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/charlie/summary.html
  • ↑ http://www.breitlinks.com/my_libmedia/children's_genres.htm
  • ↑ http://www.powells.com/biblio/2-9780763623296-15
  • ↑ https://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Lincolns-Killer-James-Swanson/dp/0439903548
  • ↑ http://www.teachingchildrenphilosophy.org/wiki/Where_the_Wild_Things_Are
  • ↑ http://www.shmoop.com/charlie-chocolate-factory-book/setting.html
  • ↑ http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/top_right/2011/07/thanks_for_the_knife.html

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Stephanie Wong Ken, MFA

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Creative Story Writing For Kids

September 12, 2017 by Scarlet

Both of my young children love to read. That is why I surprised to learn that my daughter doesn’t enjoy her Language Arts classes. When I asked why not, she said it was because she has to write and she doesn’t like writing. I was astonished and said of course she liked writing. She insisted otherwise. I realized that as many books as we have read together, we haven’t written any short stories together. It is no wonder writing feels foreign to her. That is why I am so pleased today to welcome A.L. Tait, the author of The Mapmaker Chronicles ( affiliate link ) to share ten ideas on how to write a story. Not only does she inspire young readers, she also inspires young writers. Story writing for kids is a fun activity for kids as well as a valuable learning exercise.

story writing for kids

Making Story Writing For Kids Fun

A.L. Tait is an Australian author of children’s fiction and her series, The Mapmaker Chronicles, is has just been published in the US in June 2017 by Kane/Miller Books. It is an adventure fantasy trilogy aimed at kids 9 and up, about a race to map the world – and a boy who really doesn’t want to go. You can read more about the series and more about A.L. Tait at allisontait.com . She is a great resource of inspiration and knowledge on writing children’s books. I am happy to have her share with us 10 pointers on how to write a great story. I think you will find these very useful in helping young children learn to enjoy short story writing for kids and I just know you love reading the stories and books they write !

By A.L. Tait

One of the joys of being a children’s author is the opportunity to visit school classrooms and talk to kids about writing. I LOVE talking about writing. It’s my second-favourite thing to do (after actually writing…).

My aim with workshops at primary schools is not just to inform, but to inspire. So many kids think that writing is something that other people are good at. They don’t realise that those amazing imaginations that they have are the foundation of any good story.

I think that when you start out with writing stories it can feel like a mysterious process, particularly if it’s not something you love. So I’ve come up with 10 keys to help kids unlock the code to writing a great story.

I hope they’ll help your child to embrace their own special writing voice as they tell their original story.

10 Ideas On How To Write A Story

how to write a story

Key 1: Ideas are everywhere

One of the things that a lot of kids struggle with is finding an idea for a story. They think that writers are special people who have ideas drop on them from out of the sky – and I really wish this were true in real life, because it would make my job easier.

The truth is that story ideas and creative writing prompts are all around us, and writers have just trained themselves to see them. I encourage kids to watch and listen to see if they can spot their own stories. To give them an insight into how it works, I tell them the story of how The Mapmaker Chronicles series came to be.

The whole epic adventure series came from two conversations I had with my oldest son, then nine years old. One night we were standing outside on a hot summer’s night staring out into space. “How far does space go?” he asked me, to which I had to answer that nobody knows. That so far we haven’t found the edges.

The next night we were reading a Horrible Histories book about explorers. “How did they map the world, mum?” he asked. This one I could answer: they had to go. As I was explaining how they had to get into their ships and sail out into the unknown, I had a moment of mum inspiration.

“They would have felt exactly the same way we feel when we stare out into space,” I added. “They didn’t know where they edges were.”

And in that moment, the writer in me took over and I had an idea for a race to map the world – and a boy who really doesn’t want to go…

So The Mapmaker Chronicles series began its life with a feeling and a question.

Key 2: Start with the three Ps

Once you have an idea, the next problem kids often face is just where to start. I always tell them the first step to begin with one of the three Ps:

• person • place • problem

In the case of The Mapmaker Chronicles, I started with the problem: how did they map the world? But almost at the same time, I had Quinn, my 14-year-old hero, who is, on paper, the least likely person to find himself on a grand adventure.

I find that kids often find it easiest to start writing once they have a main character in mind. Why? Because your character drives the story. Everything in a story is about how your character reacts to situations.

A great place can also be a fun beginning of the story and help to create a story plan in a wonderful way.

Key 3: Create a character

When creating a character, it’s easiest to begin with an idea of what your character looks like. If kids are struggling with that, I suggest that they simply think of someone they know – or better still a combination of two people they know – and base their character description on that. (I always remind them that it’s best if the person they know doesn’t actually recognise themselves!)

Once they have a physical description, they can start to think about how this might impact on the person. For example, a small person moves through the world very differently to a big one.

I get kids to think about their character’s family set-up, their interests, and their friends as a great way to get a feeling for who they really. This helps a favorite character be described in much detail. After all, little details add a lot to character development and make for a captivating story.

Key 4: Understand your character’s goal

What does your character want? This is one of the biggest questions for creating a story structure. Your character has to want something, even if it’s just to get through another day at school!

When people talk about the plot of a story, they’re simply talking about the series of events – large and small – that happen in the story. But that series of events happens because your PERSON is trying to solve his or her PROBLEM. He or she wants something, and the story is about what happens when he or she tries to reach that goal – usually with lots of problems along the way, just to keep things interesting.

Or, you could put it like this…

book making kit

Key 5: The story formula

PERSON + GOAL + PROBLEM = STORY This is a very simple overview of a story, and kids love it. This simple formula will help them develop their creative writing story outline. If I was to break down book one of The Mapmaker Chronicles (Race To The End Of The World) it looks like this:

Quinn + wants to be home + has to make the map for the king = STORY

Key 6: Have a plan

While I know a lot of keen young writers who like to get an idea and just start writing (and, frankly, I’m a little bit this way myself), I also find that a lot of young writers then never get to the end of the story.

Every story needs a framework, even if it’s as simple as ‘This is the beginning, this is the middle, this is the end’ or even just starting with the story formula above. I always recommend that kids have an idea of important events and what that ending might be before they even begin writing.

Key 7: Get your characters talking

Dialogue is an integral part of great story writing. It’s one of the best ways to ‘show’ what’s happening in a story, rather than simply telling the reader every detail. I give kids two pieces of advice when I comes to dialogue :

• Give your characters their best lines – by this, I mean that written conversation is different to spoken conversation. In a story, we don’t need all the ‘hi, how are you’ stuff before we get to the important bit of the conversation ‘did you hear Jenny is missing?’.

• Remember we don’t all talk the same – this is another place where listening is an important part of writing. I encourage kids to listen closely to how people talk to each other. For instance, their teacher uses different language to the other kids in their classroom.

Key 8: Make sure you finish your story

As the mother of a keen writer, I know just how hard it can sometimes be for kids to finish a story. Often they’ll make their story so complicated that they’d need a long time and 50,000 words to resolve it.

So my first tip for finishing is to keep your story as simple as possible. Have a look at how many characters you’ve introduced and ask yourself if you need them all. Look at how many problems your heroine has and ask if maybe you could just concentrate on school problems, instead of home, ballet class and boy problems as well.

My second tip is to ask yourself a question: have you started your story in the right place?

One young friend of mine was struggling with writing 2000 words for a school assignment. His difficulty was that he’d written 2000 words but he hadn’t even got to the important bit.

My advice to him: start your story at the important bit.

Always begin your story on the day that is different.

A happy ending is one where they finish the story writing process with all the story elements in place.

Key 9: Read your story out loud

When I finish the draft of a new book, the first thing I do is to read the entire thing out loud to one or the other of my two boys. They are 13 and 10 now, and still happy to listen, letting me know where the boring bits are (so that I can take them out).

I encourage kids to do this with their stories as well. If you read them out loud, you can hear where the sentences don’t sound right or where your might need extra information.

Key 10: Editing

Teachers cheer when I mention the word ‘editing’ in workshops – and kids roll their eyes. But the truth is that, as every published author knows, the only way to make sure that your story is the best that it can be is to go over it, edit it, rewrite it where you need to. The first draft is a great accomplishment but the whole story will need a bit or reworking to end up with a high quality, interesting story.

Any kid who goes through this list of ideas on how to write a story at least once is well on the way to improving writing skills and becoming a better writer!

I hope you find these keys to story writing for kids helpful to get reluctant writers to enjoy writing and storytelling. It can be a fun project for your family day to each write a story and read them to each other! Don’t be afraid to help brainstorm and create a story for kids. First ask, what’s the theme or idea you have in mind? Is there a particular setting, characters, or message you’d like to include in the story? Then just start building a fun and engaging story for kids! The more you do the story writing process, the easier it becomes.

A.L. Tait is the author of The Mapmaker Chronicles, an epic middle-grade adventure series for boys and girls, out now with Kane Miller. You can find out more about the series on her website.

Happy writing!

Related Posts:

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How One Fan Changed the Course of an Entire Book Series

Interview With Teen Author- Schuyler J. Ebersol

Reader Interactions

Angela Roberts says

September 15, 2017 at 7:59 am

This was a very informative piece. The boys are writing a lot now in the fourth grade and I’m impressed with their creative writing abilities. This will help me help them. (and myself too).

A.L. Tait says

September 19, 2017 at 8:02 pm

Thanks for your comment Angela – I’m so glad you found the post useful!

Mark Danenhauer says

September 16, 2017 at 3:57 pm

These suggestions seem so simple, but they are great. I especially like the importance of keeping the story simple so that they can actually finish it. My daughter loves starting stories and creating the characters, but usually runs out of steam before the finish.

September 19, 2017 at 8:03 pm

Hi Mark, that is the case with so many kids! They have so many ideas all the time! I encourage them to save some of their brilliant thoughts for the next story. 🙂

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Beyond the Bookends

A Book Blog for Women and Moms who Love to Read

The Best Books for 7-Year-Olds: 40+ Great Stories!

the best books for 7-year-olds

Looking for the best books for 7-year-olds? We’ve got the perfect list for you!

Having raised 5 kids through this particular age, we are well-equipped to give suggestions for children with all kinds of book preferences. We’ve got suggestions for Harry Potter-loving fantasy fans and picture book suggestions for reluctant readers.

Below, you’ll find lots of great stories divided by category. Many of the books for a 7-year-old have links to book lists with even more recommendations, so be sure to poke around.

Table of Contents

Looking for more options? We’ve got tons of genre-specific book lists for 7-year-olds !

*Post contains affiliate links. Purchases made through links result in a small commission to us at no cost to you. Some books have been gifted. All opinions are our own.

Best Fantasy Books for a 7-Year-Old

Kingdom of Wrenly and more of the best books for a 9-year-old

The Kingdom of Wrenly by Jordan Quinn

This series of early readers has pictures on almost every page and easy to read language.  The Stories, however, are fun and full of adventure.

They are sure to keep your child engaged with fairies, trolls, and mermaids. With all the creatures in this series, these are perfect books like Harry Potter for kids.

dragon breath

Dragonbreath by Ursula Vernon

Dragonbreath is a graphic novel that is funny, engaging and perfect for a little witch or wizard who would like to encounter dragons a little less menacing than the ones Harry encounters. If you love books like Harry Potter for kids, this is a perfect first graphic novel.

my fathers dragon by

My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett

This is a wonderful, magical book that is rich in plot and imagination. I love this book as my kid’s first fantasy chapter book.  It is such a great story and continues with two more books after.  Elmer and the Dragon and  The Dragons of Blueland   complete this trilogy.

It says 6+ for age range, but my 3 and 5-year-olds enjoy listening to me read this tale to them at bedtime.

Love Fantasy Books? We do too! That’s why we created a list of Books Like Harry Potter and Books Like Percy Jackson !

Mystery books for 7-year-olds.

Encyclopedia Brown and more of the best books for a 9-year-old

Encyclopedia Brown by Donald J Sobol 

These are the same books from when you were a kid! They are great for any child who wants a quick fun read.  Each chapter presents a problem that Encyclopedia solves.  

It’s great for kids to see if they can figure out the answer themselves.  A similar choice to these would be the Choose your Own Adventure books.

Encyclopedia Brown Books are perfect to read aloud to 7-year

Fabio the worlds greatest

Fabio The World’s Greatest Flamingo Detective: Mystery on the Ostrich Express by Laura James

My kids adored this beginning reader chapter book based on Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express. The bright colors in the drawings and the clever storytelling will have your child thoroughly entertained.

The first in a series, these mystery books are perfect for an 8-year-old detective!

51mp09DDtJL

Nate the Great by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat, illus. by Marc Simont

This beginning reader series is wonderful for emerging readers. It’s all about kid detective, Nate, who solves mysteries for his friends and neighbors!

For more books like these, check out our list of Mystery Books for Tweens

Best family books for a 7-year-old.

Cilla Lee

Cilla Lee-Jenkins: Future Author Extraordinaire by Susan Tan

My brother’s girlfriend recommended it to me because her friend wrote it! It did a great job of handling difficult topics in an age-appropriate manner with humor and grace.

Cilla is about to become a big sister, but she wants to become a world-famous author first so her family won’t forget about her. It also addresses coming from a bi-racial family and having difficulties reading. It’s truly a lovely realistic fiction story.

ramona quimby

Ramona Quimby Age 8 by Beverly Cleary

Ramona is another adorable character who is perfectly imperfect.  She is sweet and lovable and gets into her share of trouble.  Whether reading to boys or girls, every child can relate to Ramona.

When it comes to books for a 7-year-old, Ramona can’t be beat!

Junie B Jones

Junie B. Jones by Barbara Park

Junie is going into Kindergarten and definitely has a knack for getting into some trouble.  

This series is perfect for new readers and will keep your little reader laughing.

Best Audiobooks for a 7-Year-Old

The Penderwicks

The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall

An imperfect family, the Penderwick family (consisting of the father, 4 daughters, and their dog) go spend their three-week summer vacation at a cottage they rented. Mrs. Tifton, a grumpy, snooty woman, and her son Jeffry own the cottage that is part of the Arundel estate.

The first in a realistic fiction series of 5 books about sisters, this wonderful book is perfect to read aloud at night or listen to on audio for a family roadtrip.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

This story is quite the classic and it revolves around all things candy! With its creeptastic vibes, it’s also wonderful for Halloween.

Charlie is thrilled when he gets a golden ticket to see inside Willy Wonka’s amazing chocolate factory, but this is no ordinary candy factory. The machines and recipes behind the walls of the factory are what dreams are made of. This is a wonderful read-aloud book.

Find this book in Best Classic Books for Kids / Best Books for an 8-Year-Old / Read Aloud Children’s Books

peter rabbit

The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter

Beatrix Potter’s Tales of Peter Rabbit are some of the most beloved stories in children’s literature. Her fantastic illustrations and Peter’s engrossing escapades have stood the test of time.

I was so pleased when I learned there would be a movie adaptation of the series. This book is one that should be on every kid’s bookshelf!

For more books like these, check out our list of Family Friendly Audiobooks

Books for 7-year-olds set at a school.

Wayside school

The Wayside School Collection by Louis Sacher

Louis Sachar’s hysterical collection of stories about the students of Wayside School is a true must-read for students.

The wacky tales and backward ways of the students and teachers at Wayside will have your child in a fit of giggles.

my weird school 1 miss daisy is crazy by dan gutman

My Weird School by Dan Gutman

This school has the funniest and weirdest group of teachers. This series is funny and engaging and perfect for early readers!

With over 20 books in this series so far, your child will be entertained for months to come. These are books any 7-year-old will enjoy.

Sink or Swim

Magic School Bus Rides Again: Sink or Swim: Exploring Schools of Fish by Judy Katschke

The Magic Schoolbus is back with Miss Frizzle and the kids.  This early reader looks at an underwater ecosystem and endangered fish in Hawaii.  

There is sure to be an adventure with Miss Frizzle around. This is the first book in the series

Love Back to School Books? We do too! That’s why we created the School Hub with all things school.

Best spy books for a 7-year-old.

Harriet the spy and other mystery books for tweens

Harriet The Spy by Louise Fitzhugh

Harriet the Spy has been a classic children’ book for over 50 years. The 11-year-old is never without her notebook to write her observations in. When the notebook falls into the hands of her friends, they all get very angry with Harriet.

Will she be able to right her wrongs? There is a reason this realistic fiction book for a 10-year-old has been adapted repeatedly for the screen. It’s got life lessons for every child.

Mac B. Kid Spy

Mac B. Kid Spy: Mac Undercover by Mac Barnett

Mac B Kid Spy is an adorable series about a kid spy who works for the Queen of England!

It’s a great series of books for an 8-year-old looking to step up their reading game. It’s almost a mix between a first-chapter book and a graphic novel.

Spy Guy

Spy Guy: The Not so Secret Agent by Jessica Young

This funny picture book is all about a young kid who is a spy. Except he’s not a very good spy! He’s not sneaky, it’s very clumsy and he has a lot to learn.

Love these kinds of stories, then check out these spy books for kids .

Royal books for 7-year-olds.

the princess in black and the perfect princess party by shannon haledean hale

The Princess in Black by Shannon Hale

In this early reader, the princess has to fight monsters while trying to open her birthday presents.  

This adorable book is part of a series that is another cute and funny example of a strong female princess!

the paper bag princess by robert n munsch

The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch 

This is a hilarious story about the princess who outwits a dragon, rescues the prince, and realizes she doesn’t need him to be happy!!!

It is a classic, wonderful story. Like most of Robert Munch’s books, it is funny and silly and the perfect read-aloud.

rulers of the playground by joseph kuefler

Rulers of the Playground by Joseph Keufler

This charming playground tale is simply adorable. It teaches playground behavior by showing what not to do.

Don’t hog the swings, don’t refuse to share the slide, and don’t act like you are the ruler of the playground or a battle of kings may break out!

Love these kinds of stories, then check out these royal books for kids .

Picture books for 7-year-olds.

I walk with vanessa

I Walk with Vanessa by Karascoët

This simple yet powerful wordless picture book tells the story of one girl who inspires a community to stand up to bullying.

Inspired by real events,   I Walk with Vanessa  explores the feelings of helplessness and anger that arise in the wake of seeing a classmate treated badly, and shows how a single act of kindness can lead to an entire community joining in to help.

Ada twist

Ada Twist Scientist by Andrea Beaty

All three books in this “series” are amazing at encouraging passion and imagination.  (Have a look at  Iggy Peck Architect  and  Rosie Revere Engineer ). 

Ada is a thinker whose questions often lead to disasters in the house but, as a parent, how do you encourage your child’s outside-the-box thinking?

Sheep in a jeep

Sheep in a Jeep by Nancy E. Shaw

These sheep are driving and get stuck in the mud. The entire story does not rhyme but there are many rhyming words from the same word family. It is funny and perfect for a young reader.

Animal Books for 7-Year-Olds

paddington

Paddington by Michael Bond

Even before he became a motion picture star, this little bear won my heart.  With his hat, duffle coat, and suitcase, he was definitely my favorite growing up. 

My kids love him just as much with his crazy antics.  He is sweet, lovable, and hilarious.  The perfect combination!

Mercy Watson

Mercy Watson by Kate DiCamillo

My youngest son’s favorite early reader series revolved around a pig named Mercy Watson. We have every book about this charming pig being raised as a child in the Watson home.

There is also a spin-off series about her neighbors on deckawoo drive. These are the perfect books for a 7-year-old!

owl diaries

Owl Diaries by Rebecca Elliot

The early reader books in these series is all about cute animal friendships. Each of the stories are written as diaries.

Your little ones will love meeting Eva and her friends, watching her go to school, and navigating life.

Classic Books for a 7-Year-Old

matilda

Matilda by Roald Dahl

Matilda is a magical little girl who loves books. Stuck in a family that doesn’t value education, her life is changed when she meets Ms. Honey at her new school.

But the principal, Miss Trunchbull hates children. When she terrorizes the kids at her new school, Matilda finds the power to fight back. The Netflix book adaption of this one is a musical!

charlottes web full color by e b white

Charlotte’s Web by E.B White

This is such a wonderful story of unconditional love and friendship.   When Fern saves the life of Wilbur, the runt of the pig litter, Charlotte befriends him and ultimately saves his life a second time.

This is such a heartwarming story. I try to read it without crying.

Complete Tales of Winnie the Pooh

The Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne

Winnie-the-Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, Tigger, and Christopher Robin have lived in the hearts of children for generations.

This edition features the complete works of A. A. Milne’s stories and is essential for any home library. This is a great one to read aloud to your little ones!

Sports Books for 7-Year-Olds

Softball Surprise and more of the best books for a 9-year-old

Softball Surprise by Jake Maddox

Jake Maddox has long been known for stories about male athletes, but he has female athlete stories too!

This particular story is about Jo and her summer softball team. But Jo might need to make a choice about which team she will be on this summer.

Little Shaq and more books for a 7-year-old

Little Shaq by Shaquille O’Neal

If your child likes basketball, they would love this story written by Shaq. It’s a perfect early reader story for kids that love sports and regular kid stuff.

It’s another series of books perfect for 8-year-olds.

The Berenstain Bears and more books for a 7-year-old

The Berenstain Bears Play Football by Mike Berenstain

This I can Read book made it onto our list of football books for kids. This story is all about the Berenstain and their bear friends as they await the big Grizzly Bowl Game.

Soon all the cubs are outside playing their own game with Brother bear hoping to score!

Graphic Novels for a 7-Year-Old

The Bad Guys and more of the best books for a 9-year-old

The Bad Guys by Aaron Blabey

Aaron Blabey’s famed series about the bad guys is a favorite in our homes. This graphic novel series is perfect for early readers.

The series is all about 4 “bad guys” who are trying to become good guys by trying to save those around them in funny ways.

Dog Man and more books for a 7-year-old

Dog Man by Dav Pilkey

Dav Pilkey is THE author of books for reluctant readers. His graphic novels never disappoint. From Dog Man to Captain Underwear, these books will keep your kids laughing AND reading.

This particular story is about a half-man, half-dog hero.

Pizza and Taco and more books for a 7-year-old

Pizza and Taco: Best Party Ever! by Stephen Shaskan

This early reader series is hysterical! It gives full Mo Willems vibes with the way Pizza and Taco interact with each other.

These books are laid out in a graphic novel/comic book style that makes it easy for young kids to decipher.

Non-fiction Books for 7-Year-Olds

Who is and more of the best books for a 9-year-old

Who is Series… by Multiple Authors

The Who is Series is more than 200 books strong at this point. The series covers famous people, places, and historic events.

If your child is interested in any subject, we can almost guarantee there will be a book related to it in this series. The books are easy to read and interesting, making them the best non-fiction books for a 7-year-old.

The History of Pearl Harbor and more books for a 7-year-old

The History of Pearl Harbor by Susan Katz

Similar to the Who Is series, “The History of” series focuses on key moments in history told in a way that 6-9-year-olds can comprehend.

Books in the series include subjects like Pearl Harbor, the Titanic, The American Revolution, and The Civil War.

Nat Geo and more books for a 7-year-old

National Geographic Readers: Sharks by Anne Schreiber

National Geographic Kids has loads of leveled readers for your non-fiction reader. Reading and deciphering non-fiction is a key skills in reading to learn, so these are perfect for emerging readers .

Historical Fiction Books for 7-Year-Olds

I Survived and more books for a 7-year-old

I Survived by Laura Tarshis 

Each book tells about a disaster from the point of view of one child who survives.  The original books all had a boy on the front cover but, the newer books are told from female perspectives too!

The series has also recently started publishing graphic novels which are some of the best books for a 7-year-old reluctant reader.

Little house and more books for a 7-year-old

The Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder

I read this for our reading challenge and found it to be such a lovely book.  I love the details about life in the late 1800s.  I understand that the language used in some of these books is no longer acceptable; however, this book is sweet and wonderful. 

I would have no qualms about reading it to my daughter as long as I provided her with the appropriate context.

Magic Treehouse and more books for a 7-year-old

T he Magic Treehouse: Dinosaurs Before Dark by Mary Pope Osbourne

The first in a MASSIVE series of time travel books, Dinosaurs Before Dark introduces us to Jack, Annie, and their magic treehouse.

Each book sends the duo careening back through time on a quest. Later books involve Merlin and there is now a graphic novel version as well.

Did you find any books for a 7-year-old to add to your home library? For more options check out our list of books for 6-year-olds or age up with our book suggestions for 8-year-old .

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Co-Founder and Creative Director

As a mother of two boys, Kirsten rediscovered her life-long love for reading while choosing appropriate books for her children. She started this website with Jackie to share their passion for literacy with other moms and kids. She uses her years of experience in marketing and public relations to create quarterly magazines, implement social media strategy, and ensure the website content is relevant and beautiful.

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All Write Alright

A Guide to Writing Child Characters Authentically

story writing 7 year old

Annoying children are unfortunately overly prevalent in literature and media. It’s not that writers deliberately create these characters to be annoying, but they end up that way when they aren’t given the same amount of backstory and personality as the adults in the story. Child characters deserve to have just as much care and development as any other character, and if you don’t give that to them, then they will feel less authentic. And when your characters are bad, your entire story suffers. 

Alternatively, children in stories can come across as unrealistically mature for their age. Writers often use the excuses “he had to grow up fast” or “she’s gifted” to justify their young characters acting like adults, but realistically, that wouldn’t happen. Unless there’s magic involved somehow (even that’s a cheap excuse), your child characters should act like, well, children. 

Although it can be frustrating to try to get right, you can learn how to create complex young characters with enough research and practice. You just need to have the patience to understand a different mindset.

Children are Individuals

This should be obvious, but children are unique individuals with different passions, goals, and personalities. Despite this, writers often pick one of a few worn-in personality tropes to assign to their child character, then simply call it a day. I’m sorry to be the one to tell you this, but that’s just not going to cut it. If you want your young characters to feel like real people, you’ll need to put more work in than that. 

When designing a child character, you should go through the same process that you would for any other kind of character. You need to give them quirks, flaws, motivations, and backstory just like anyone else. That doesn’t mean that they should already know exactly what they want to be, but they need to show some level of personality. With that being said, motivations and desires are often much more short-lived for children. For example, they could be wholly obsessed with getting to play with a certain toy, or getting to explore a cool and fun new place. To a child, those desires could be a very big deal. 

Obviously, a particularly young child might not have a lot of backstory just yet, but you should have a pretty clear understanding of how they were raised, and any particularly notable events that happened earlier in their life. Did they have any health problems? Did they develop any irrational fears of their closet, or under their bed? Were they raised by their parents, or someone else? Having even a basic understanding of their past can give you more inspiration for developing their character. A child who was neglected might be more trusting of strangers or clingier to those that pay attention to them, while a child who was spoiled might act more entitled and bratty. 

Unless the plot revolves around these children, chances are they aren’t going to be one of your main characters. If you want some tips for adding supplementary characters into your story, check out my post “ How to Write Minor Characters .”

How Children Learn

Children learn how to behave as a result of what they are exposed to. They learn how to act based on how the people around them act, and they learn to speak by repeating the words they hear other people saying. Children are like little sponges that absorb whatever information they come across, so you can assume a lot about a child based on who their role models are. The people that are around often, or that your child character looks up to, are going to have a much stronger influence on them than anything else.

In addition to witnessing things in their environment, children often learn by experimenting themselves. They learn what is right and wrong by doing something and observing others for their reactions . They learn that making a mess is bad because it upsets other people, while gently petting the family cat makes other people happy. Children are born with natural instincts that allow them to interpret expressions and emotions, which helps them to make sense of the world from an early age. However, they are just as likely to learn from making a mistake when no one else is around to give them positive or negative signals. 

No two children learn exactly the same way, or with the same amount of family involvement or structure. Try to consider how a child would develop differently if they learned the same life lesson, such as “don’t touch the hot tea kettle,” but in different ways. One child learns because they are scolded, but the other child touches the kettle and learns by experiencing the heat for themself. How would those two situations influence those children in different ways? How could their overall approach to learning (and their parents’ approach to teaching) shape them as they grow up?

Writing Toddler Characters (1-4)

This is a particularly difficult age group for people to write about, and toddlers in stories often resemble more of an object than a person. Writers tend to shy away from giving toddlers any real personality, out of fear of conveying them unrealistically. This strategy, however, only produces boring children that end up being more like plot devices than actual characters. To be able to portray these characters accurately, you need to understand how people think, speak, and behave at this age. 

How Toddlers Think

story writing 7 year old

Toddlers are just beginning their experiences in the crazy, overwhelming world we live in. There’s so much to see and do that toddlers experience something new every single day. Imagine the wonder, confusion, and fear that could evoke—I would need a nap every few hours too if I had to face the unknown like that.  

Toddlers have a particular way of interpreting their surroundings that is based purely on objective, observable truth. They will believe that something exists because they can see, feel, or hear it. They believe that something behaves a certain way because they have witnessed its behavior. A dog is soft because they can touch it and feel its soft fur. 

Along that line, toddlers do not yet understand that other people have thoughts and feelings too, so they often approach interactions with a relatively self-centered perspective. As they grow, they will begin to understand empathy, but until then, they will believe that the world revolves around them. 

How Toddlers Speak

Writing dialogue for toddlers is the part where most writers fumble. A reader doesn’t need to know the inner workings of your child character’s thoughts, but the moment that kid opens their mouth, they had better have some convincing dialogue. 

There is a common misconception that toddlers will use only simple words and phrases to communicate. That’s a pretty narrow perspective, and it only works if you assume that all children are little clones that are all raised in the same, perfect environment. In reality, children will repeat the words that they hear other people using. If they go to a public preschool, then they might develop a pretty standard vocabulary of simple words. But if their parents curse, then the child is likely to curse as well.

With that said, that doesn’t mean that the child will always pronounce more complicated words correctly, and they might not use the right words in the proper contexts. Children also often have favorite words that use as frequently as possible in conversation. That could be a fun thing to experiment with in your story, but don’t change up the spelling of words to emphasize their mispronunciation. That can quickly get out of hand, and can be either confusing or frustrating for your readers. 

Young children are also likely to ask many questions. As they learn how to speak, it is not uncommon for children to constantly spout the word “why?” When in doubt, have a child ask questions to illuminate the way they are thinking about the world, and you could reveal a lot about their personality. For example, a child that is constantly asking questions about how the world works, such as “how do birds fly?” or “why is the sky blue?” could be perceived as more precocious. However, a child that asks questions like “do bugs have families?” or “are dragons real?” reveals a more creative mindset. 

How Toddlers Behave

For the first few years of a child’s life, they lack the context to understand exactly what behavior is appropriate in different situations. To get around this, young children often imitate the behavior of those around them. If they aren’t familiar with a particular situation, place, or person, they often look to trusted adults to try to figure out how they should behave. If their mother, for example, seems relaxed and happy, the child is more likely to approach a situation with curiosity and glee. If their mother is tense or angry, the child is likely to get scared and behave defensively. 

When there is no one to imitate, children rely on their natural instincts to navigate unfamiliar situations. A child will instinctively avoid another person that looks frightening, angry, or unfamiliar. One of the ways a child makes these determinations is by association. If a stranger has the same skin color, hair color, and stature as one of their parents, then they will be more likely to assume they are trustworthy. Likewise, if a location or event reminds them of an unpleasant experience, then they will assume that it will also be unpleasant. If you aren’t sure how to make your child character react to something, try to find connections to things they have already experienced, and what that experience was like for them. 

In familiar settings, toddlers will remember how they behaved previously, and behave as a result of the consequences they experienced. If they got in trouble for pushing another child down, they probably wouldn’t try something like that again—at least if an adult is nearby. Remember that a child’s behavior is all about making connections to things and learning about the consequences of their actions. 

Writing Child Characters (5-8)

Once a child outgrows the toddler phase, they will start displaying more critical thought and preferences. They might have a favorite show, a favorite genre of music, and a favorite pastime, and all of those reveals a little bit more about the person they are shaping up to be. They are really starting to get the hang of being alive, so you can experiment more with how they interact with people and engage with their surroundings. 

How Children Think

story writing 7 year old

At this age, children have learned enough about the world to where they can start making their own judgments. They can tell now when a person is acting suspiciously, or when an animal poses a threat to their safety. They can form their own opinions, and they can approach new situations with more confidence. 

However, children at this age are still impressionable. Although they exhibit more free thought and preference, they still tend to trust in the beliefs that their parents or peers instill in them. If their classmates insist it is cool to curse or act tough, then that belief will probably stick with them. Alternatively, if they have been raised in a certain religion, they likely won’t question it. After all, why would their parents lie to them? 

At this age, children still often have trouble separating reality from superstition. They might believe in mythical figures like Santa Claus, or the Easter Bunny, and they might be afraid of monsters under their bed. It is not unlikely for a child to have an imaginary friend, too.

How Children Speak

At this stage, children have learned the basic mechanics of speech, and communicate in complete sentences. They will also often crack jokes, ask questions, and tell stories. However, topics that are more conceptual or theoretical will still go over their heads, and it is important to remember that there will still be words and phrases that they do not understand. Additionally, children do not generally speak in overly complex sentences.

Children at this age will begin vocalizing more of their opinions, and they might try to challenge their parents’ suggestions and rules. If their parents ask them to do something, they are more likely to argue or negotiate, rather than throwing a tantrum—but of course, they likely haven’t completely outgrown this reaction yet. Children can still throw tantrums, but your characters may come across as too immature if that happens too often at this age. 

Children can often be funnier or wittier than adults, and they might know newer slang. They could use terms from a television show or video game, and they might repeat idioms and figures of speech without actually understanding what they mean. You can tell a lot about a child’s personality based on what they say, so craft their dialogue carefully. 

How Children Behave

This age is a particularly difficult one to convey, since there are many ways that children are still similar, and many ways they deviate from each other. Children develop at different rates, so one child might have learned incredible patience and restraint at this age, while other children may throw tantrums and fight. In some ways, it gives you the freedom to really craft them into little individuals. In other ways, however, it can feel like too much freedom to mess up. 

Children really start to come out of their shells around this age. They will have favorite subjects in school, hobbies, and they might even start displaying real skills in sports or music. They will start to find new ways to spend their free time, like reading, climbing trees, playing video games, or socializing, and those activities will influence the ways they continue to learn. Just try to remember that they are still young, and they have a lot they still need to learn about the world.

story writing 7 year old

Writing Preteen Characters (9-12)

This is often a difficult time in people’s lives. Middle School is tough, and it can pose many complex challenges to people who are still figuring themselves out. It is an awkward transition, where they are not quite teenagers, but they feel too old to be considered children. They are expected to find things they are good at and figure out what they want to do with their lives, and some preteens let that pressure bring them down. When so much of their identity is based around what they almost are, that can lead many kids to either resent or eagerly await what the future has in store for them.

How Preteens Think

There are a few things that define the mind of a preteen child. For one thing, many children that are approaching their teen years strive to distance themselves from their younger peers. They aren’t like them, they’re older . This can lead them to act overly confident (“I can do that!”) and independent (“I don’t need your help, mom!”). They may try to engage in more adult activities in order to convince those around them that they are more mature. However, if they get hurt or scared, they will probably still seek comfort from a trusted adult. 

The middle school years are also a notoriously hormonal time, and that is likely going to result in stronger emotional reactions to situations. Minor problems would get blown way out of proportion, and everything is going to seem like a bigger deal than it is. This is further exacerbated by the fact that adults “just don’t get it.”

It is not uncommon for children around this age to start having angry outbursts. For more information, check out my article “ Writing a Character with Anger Issues .”

However, at this point, your character really would be beginning to mature. They would have a much more confident stance on a variety of topics, and they begin to formulate beliefs that contradict what their parents taught them. By this time, they would have the ability to think for themself and determine what is right and wrong on their own—and those determinations could end up being completely perpendicular to their parents’ beliefs.  

How Preteens Speak

Dialogue for preteens is going to start resembling the way adults speak since they will have a much stronger grasp of language and conversation. However, although they understand the conventions of language, they aren’t going to walk around speaking like little scholars. More than likely, they will try to communicate the same way as their peers, and what they determine to be cool. That could mean constantly spewing inside jokes, online references, or profanity, but most preteens have the sense to speak in different ways depending on their company. 

It’s also pretty common for preteens to have obsessions with something, such as a specific television show, aesthetic, game, or sport, and they are likely to gush about it often. These obsessions are often short-lived, but they can occupy a large space in your character’s mind, so they would naturally want to talk about what is important to them at any given moment. 

How Preteens Behave

Around this age, children are going to begin to think romantically. They might develop crushes on their classmates, and they can become rather absorbed in the business of dating. They could also become interested in experimenting with their sexuality, something that can all too often result in familial disapproval. However, that is a necessary—though often difficult—part of learning about themself. 

In an attempt to figure out who they are and who they want to be, it is not uncommon for children to go through relatively short phases. As silly as it might sound, children around this age frequently experiment with phases such as gothic or rebellious, and they may engage in trends like dying their hair and dressing in the latest fashions. They may also choose to stop (or start) going to church, sneak out of the house at night, or skip school. 

Writing Teenage Characters (13-18)

Writers often mistakenly write teenagers like they are fully developed and experienced adults. However, like when adult actors play teenagers in a movie, this comes across as inauthentic and strange. Teenagers are intelligent and grown, but they are not yet like adults. There are many things that they still don’t fully understand, and they are not as emotionally developed as adults. They still have a lot to learn about the world.

However, teenagers are stuck in a strange position. They are quickly approaching adulthood, but they are almost always still treated like clueless children. Teenagers rarely get the respect they should, and that often plays a large part in how they view adults. 

How Teenagers Think

story writing 7 year old

Teenagers have a lot to deal with, and many of them still require a certain degree of emotional support—that they often don’t receive. They do not yet know how to cope with things in a healthy way, and they might make poor choices that could lead them down a bad road. Teenagers still require a lot of support and guidance from the adults in their lives, even if that is difficult for them to admit. 

Teenagers face a lot of pressure. They are expected to make huge decisions about their future, and making mistakes now could determine the outcome of their life. That can be terrifying, and they might respond by buckling under the pressure or adopting a nihilistic attitude. Of course, that depends on the person; some could flourish under the pressure and find success. But the point is, no matter what your character is like, they’re likely going to be going through a lot at this age, and you shouldn’t make the mistake of taking that lightly. 

How Teenagers Speak

Writing dialogue for teenagers is probably the easiest part since most of them will speak in a manner that’s almost exactly like an adult. They might occasionally say something immature or behave in a socially unacceptable manner, but for the most part, you wouldn’t have to think too hard about the way you write their speech. 

Some writers lean on old tropes to emphasize the age of their character, but that’s (like) a bad idea (y’know?). For the most part, these stereotypes are old and inaccurate, and they’re only going to make you unpopular among your younger readers. Take your teenage characters seriously, and never reduce any of your characters to a predictable trope. 

How Teenagers Behave

People often look back on their teenage years as when they were “young and dumb,” so don’t assume that your teenage characters should always make the best decisions. They still have a lot to learn, and many teens won’t consider all the consequences of a bad idea—like skipping class, sneaking out, or getting drunk. 

With that said, teenagers are often faced with situations where they need to act more mature, such as a job interview. At the same time, they may still get in trouble with their friends and go to parties. They will often balance these two sides of their life for some time, keeping a certain amount of playfulness in the way they live day-to-day.

If you want some inspiration for giving your teenage characters some “young and dumb” flaws, take a look at my other article “ How to Create Complex Flaws for Characters .”

Draw Inspiration from your Own Experiences

If you still need inspiration, try looking at your own past. You were a child once, like everyone else. Try to remember all the stupid things you did, and why you did them. Think about what you liked, and the phases you went through. Additionally, remember the children you played with, your siblings, and any other child you interacted with growing up. What were they like? What games did you play together? For the most authentic characters, don’t be afraid to base them off of children you remember growing up. 

Thankfully, there are still children everywhere, so you can simply go outside if you can’t find any useful memories from your childhood. Take note of how children behave in grocery stores and parks, and don’t be afraid of sparking up a conversation with the parents. Chances are, they’ll start talking about the silly things their children do without much prompting, but you could always take an honest approach and tell them you’re working on writing a story. 

If you know other people with kids, or if you have children, nieces, or nephews, simply spend more time with them and consider which aspects of their behavior you would want to incorporate into your own characters. Another option is to speak with your own parents about how you, and your siblings if you have any, behaved when you were younger. They will likely appreciate the opportunity to reminisce, and you could get some more information on stages of your life that you wouldn’t remember as well. 

However you decide to gather information, you should try to learn from your surroundings, otherwise, your understanding of a child’s behavior will be purely conceptual. 

Good luck with creating compelling young characters for your story!

story writing 7 year old

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With new vocabulary in their minds, your child will come across varied writing lessons, sentence building games, short writing challenges, and many more exciting activities to build grammar skills and help them start writing with ease!

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Writing stories

Children are then challenged to try different writing processes to produce short stories, reports, poems and other forms of writing. They’re also encouraged to develop their knowledge of different styles of writing, including narrative, expository, persuasive, and descriptive writing. Their work will be added to a personal portfolio that can be shared with family, friends and fellow users!

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An opportunity to collaborate

An innovative approach to teaching reading & writing! Learners have a chance to collaborate on different writing projects, comment on each others’ work, and learn together in a safe and monitored environment. Their work may even be featured in the program!

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Fast and effective feedback

Your young writer will get instant feedback on their work, with comments from Night Zookeeper characters and personalized feedback from our team of expert educators. All student writing is carefully reviewed and monitored to keep a safe and positive learning environment.

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Perfect for Children Aged 6-12

story writing 7 year old

Hundreds of pre-set writing lesson plans to choose from

Progress tracking showing your child's improvement in real-time

A flexible approach - set your own writing assignments, or let us do it for you

Developed by experienced educators to improve writing skills

Access thousands of online and offline English resources ideal for 6-12 year olds

Receive monthly themed printable worksheets to do handwritten exercises

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story writing 7 year old

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Activity: Story Mountain

Complete the story mountain to plan your sotry with a beginning, middle, and end.

Character profile activity

Activity: Character profile

Come up with lots of interesting details about the lead character in your story.

Video: How to develop storytelling skills

Suzy Ditchburn offers practical tips for improving storytelling confidence.

What your child will learn at school

In Year 2 (age 6–7), your child will learn to:

  • Write simple, coherent narratives about personal experiences and those of others (real or fictional)
  • Write about real events, recording these simply and clearly
  • Demarcate most sentences in their writing with capital letters and full stops , and use question marks correctly when required
  • Use present and past tense mostly correctly and consistently
  • Use coordinating conjunctions (for example, and , or , and but ) and some subordinating conjunctions (for example, when, if , that , and because ) to join clauses
  • Segment spoken words into phonemes and represent these by graphemes, spelling many of these words correctly and making phonically-plausible attempts at others
  • Spell many common exception words
  • Form capital letters and digits of the correct size, orientation and relationship to one another and to lower-case letters
  • Use spacing between words that reflects the size of the letters.

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

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Handwriting in Year 2 (age 6-7)

Find out more about handwriting in Year 2 at Primary School.

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Spelling in Year 2 (age 6-7)

Find out more about spelling in Year 2 at Primary School.

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Grammar and punctuation in Year 2 (age 6-7)

Find out more about grammar and punctuation in Year 2 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

story writing 7 year old

18-year-old man arrested after shooting outside downtown Spokane 7-Eleven

An 18-year-old man was booked into jail and another man was hospitalized after a shooting late Friday night outside a 7-Eleven gas station on the edge of downtown Spokane.

Richard Smith was arrested on suspicion of first-degree assault after a short standoff with police near the border of Spokane and Spokane Valley, Spokane police Lt. Terry Preuninger said.

Preuninger said Smith shot a man after a minor physical altercation at about 11 p.m. outside 7-Eleven on Division Street and Second Avenue.

Preuninger said he believed the man who was shot sustained multiple gunshot wounds. He did not know the man’s condition Saturday afternoon.

Other people were next to the man who was shot, but they were uninjured, Preuninger said.

Smith fled in a car and police located him hours later on Fifth Avenue near Havana Street. A short standoff with police, including SWAT team members, ensued before Smith surrendered, Preuninger said.

Police cordoned off the gas station with red and yellow crime scene tape. Officers in patrol cars parked on the perimeter of the property securing the scene as investigators worked into the early morning hours.

Smith remained in the Spokane County Jail on Saturday.

Bridging the digital divide in Spokane County

There is a major challenge in cities all across Washington state, big and small.

No sign of missing Texas girl, 11, who never made it to school

Police in Texas are pleading for information on the whereabouts of an 11-year-old girl who vanished four days ago, as authorities said an SUV belonging to a man arrested on Friday may have been involved in the disappearance.

Audrii Cunningham was last seen near her home in Polk County, Texas, at 7 a.m. local time Thursday. She was due to catch a bus, but school officials reported that she did not board it or show up at school that day, the Polk County Sheriff's Office said in a statement .

An Amber Alert has been issued for Audrii, who is described as white and about 4 feet, 1 inch tall. She has blonde hair and blue eyes and was last seen wearing black pants, a black hoodie with white lettering and black tennis shoes.

11-year-old Texas girl still missing after four days, man in custody is 'person of interest'

Don Steven McDougal, 42, was arrested Friday on suspicion of aggravated assault, in what authorities said was an unrelated incident. The state Department of Public Safety for the Southeast Texas region said he was "one of the persons of interest" involved in the case.

McDougal lives in a trailer behind the home that Audrii shares with her family, authorities said at a news conference Monday afternoon. McDougal was a family friend who occasionally took Audrii to the bus stop or to school, officials said.

He has not confessed in Audrii’s case and has not been greatly cooperative, according to law enforcement officials, who said he may have been the last person with Audrii.

Detectives believe his dark blue 2003 Chevrolet Suburban was involved in Audrii's disappearance and are appealing for anyone who saw it on Thursday or Friday to report it, the Department of Public Safety said in a statement .

A small backpack thought to belong to a child was found at the Lake Livingston Dam, not far from the Cunningham family home, according to the statement.

Law enforcement officials said there is a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the person responsible for Audrii’s disappearance.

Anyone with information about the case is urged to contact the Polk County Sheriff’s Office at 936-327-6810. Tips can be submitted anonymously via the Polk County Crime Stoppers line at 936-327-7867 or online at p3tips.com or iwatchtx.org .

story writing 7 year old

Patrick Smith is a London-based editor and reporter for NBC News Digital.

Third Bradenton school employee arrested for tying non-verbal student to chair, police say

story writing 7 year old

A third Bradenton elementary school employee was arrested on Thursday and faces charges for falsely imprisoning a seven-year-old, non-verbal student, police officials said.

The arrest of teacher aide Hydalmy Ortiz, 41, is the latest development from an ongoing Bradenton Police investigation that began on Feb. 5 at Rogers Garden-Bullock Elementary. Since then, Carina Chindamo, an Exceptional Student Education teacher, was arrested on Feb. 6, and aide Taylor Internicola was arrested on Feb. 9. All three women are facing charges of false imprisonment of a child under 13.

Previous coverage: Manatee Co. teacher, teacher's aide face charges of false imprisonment for tying up 7-year-old

Security camera footage from the school’s playground showed on several dates that one or more of the women tied the boy with a nylon walking rope, police officials said. The video shows the women securing the rope to a chair and then shitting in the chair, using their weight to keep the child from getting free, police officials said.

In case you missed it: Bradenton police arrest former Manatee County teacher's aide in ongoing investigation

Anyone with information about this cause can contact Detective Dalia Santana at [email protected] or the police department at 941-932-9300. Submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers at 866-634-8477.

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FACT SHEET: President   Biden Cancels Student Debt for more than 150,000 Student Loan Borrowers Ahead of   Schedule

Today, President Biden announced the approval of $1.2 billion in student debt cancellation for almost 153,000 borrowers currently enrolled in the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) repayment plan. The Biden-Harris Administration has now approved nearly $138 billion in student debt cancellation for almost 3.9 million borrowers through more than two dozen executive actions. The borrowers receiving relief are the first to benefit from a SAVE plan policy that provides debt forgiveness to borrowers who have been in repayment after as little as 10 years and took out $12,000 or less in student loans. Originally planned for July, the Biden-Harris Administration implemented this provision of SAVE and is providing relief to borrowers nearly six months ahead of schedule.

From Day One of his Administration, President Biden vowed to fix the student loan system and make sure higher education is a pathway to the middle class – not a barrier to opportunity. Already, the President has cancelled more student debt than any President in history – delivering lifechanging relief to students and families – and has created the most affordable student loan repayment plan ever: the SAVE plan. While Republicans in Congress and their allies try to block President Biden every step of the way, the Biden-Harris Administration continues to cancel student debt for millions of borrowers, and is leaving no stone unturned in the fight to give more borrowers breathing room on their student loans.

Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration’s SAVE plan, starting today, the Administration will be cancelling debt for borrowers who are enrolled in the SAVE plan, have been in repayment for at least 10 years and took out $12,000 or less in loans for college. For every additional $1,000 a borrower initially borrowed, they will receive relief after an additional year of payments. For example, a borrower enrolled in SAVE who took out $14,000 or less in federal loans to earn an associate’s degree in biotechnology would receive full debt relief starting this week if they have been in repayment for 12 years. The U.S. Department of Education (Department) identified nearly 153,000 borrowers who are enrolled in SAVE plan who will have their debt cancelled starting this week, and those borrowers will receive an email today from President Biden informing them of their imminent relief. Next week, the Department of Education will also be reaching out directly to borrowers who are eligible for early relief but not currently enrolled in the SAVE Plan to encourage them to enroll as soon as possible. This shortened time to forgiveness will particularly help community college and other borrowers with smaller loans and put many on track to being free of student debt faster than ever before. Under the Biden-Harris Administration’s SAVE plan, 85 percent of future community college borrowers will be debt free within 10 years. The Department will continue to regularly identify and discharge other borrowers eligible for relief under this provision on SAVE. Over four million borrowers have a $0 monthly payment under the SAVE Plan Last year, President Biden launched the SAVE plan – the most affordable repayment plan ever. Under the SAVE plan, monthly payments are based on a borrower’s income and family size, not their loan balance. The SAVE plan ensures that if borrowers are making their monthly payments, their balances cannot grow because of unpaid interest. And, starting in July, undergraduate loan payments will be cut in half, capping a borrower’s loan payment at 5% of their discretionary income. Already, 7.5 million borrowers are enrolled in the SAVE Plan, and 4.3 million borrowers have a $0 monthly payment.  

Today, the White House Council of Economic Advisers released an issue brief highlighting how low and middle-income borrowers enrolled in SAVE could see significant saving in terms of interest saved over time and principal forgiven as a result of SAVE’s early forgiveness provisions.

story writing 7 year old

President Biden’s Administration has approved student debt relief for nearly 3.9 million Americans through various actions

Today’s announcement builds on the Biden-Harris Administration’s track record of taking historic action to cancel student debt for millions of borrowers. Since taking office, the Biden-Harris Administration has approved debt cancellation for nearly 3.9 million Americans, totaling almost $138 billion in debt relief through various actions. This relief has given borrowers critical breathing room in their daily lives, allowing them to afford other expenses, buy homes, start businesses, or pursue dreams they had to put on hold because of the burden of student loan debt. President Biden remains committed to providing debt relief to as many borrowers as possible, and won’t stop fighting to deliver relief to more Americans.

The Biden-Harris Administration has also taken historic steps to improve the student loan program and make higher education more affordable for more Americans, including:

  • Achieving the largest increases in Pell Grants in over a decade to help families who earn less than $60,000 a year achieve their higher-education goals.
  • Fixing the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program so that borrowers who go into public service get the debt relief they’re entitled to under the law. Before President Biden took office, only 7,000 people ever received debt relief through PSLF. After fixing the program, the Biden-Harris Administration has now cancelled student loan debt for nearly 800,000 public service workers.
  • Cancelling student loan debt for more than 930,000 borrowers who have been in repayment for over 20 years but never got the relief they earned because of administrative failures with Income-Driven Repayment Plans.
  • Pursuing an alternative path to deliver student debt relief to as many borrowers as possible in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision striking down the Administration’s original debt relief plan. Last week, the Department of Education released proposed regulatory text to cancel student debt for borrowers who are experiencing hardship paying back their student loans, and late last year released proposals to cancel student debt for borrowers who: owe more than they borrowed, first entered repayment 20 or 25 years ago, attended low quality programs, and who would be eligible for loan forgiveness through income-driven repayment programs like SAVE but have not applied.
  • Holding colleges accountable for leaving students with unaffordable debts.

It’s easy to enroll in SAVE. Borrowers should go to studentaid.gov/save to start saving.  

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IMAGES

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    story writing 7 year old

  2. Storywriting for children

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  3. One Page Short Stories for Reading Comprehension

    story writing 7 year old

  4. The Puffin Book of Stories for Seven-year-olds by Wendy Cooling

    story writing 7 year old

  5. Write A Story! Worksheets

    story writing 7 year old

  6. Story Writing Made Easy

    story writing 7 year old

VIDEO

  1. Motivational #status 🔥

  2. READING A STORYBOOK FOR MY TODDLER #shortvideo #shorts

  3. बड़े बोल न बोले

  4. GK Questions and Answer || Question and Answer in Gk #viral #shorts #youtubeshorts #viralvideo

  5. একটি চার বছরের মেয়ে ভলভো ট্রাক চালালো A four-year-old girl drives a Volvo truck #shorts

  6. Write a story!

COMMENTS

  1. How to Write a Story for Kids: Step-by-Step Guide

    There are a number of ways to open your story, such as: Starting with dialogue: A character in your story could be talking about something. Begin with an action scene: Something might have happened to your main character. Describe the setting: Use sensory details to describe an important setting.

  2. 50 Story Ideas for Kids

    This year, more busy teachers and homeschoolers are looking for easy creative writing lesson plans, and some of them have used my summer writing prompts and my Christmas writing prompts. So I put together this list of story ideas for kids. They include some story starters, some funny writing prompts, and some mystery and adventure ideas.

  3. 300 Creative Writing Prompts for Kids

    Write a story about being the ruler of an underwater world. #47. Write an acrostic poem for the word "treehouse". #48. You decide to grow a sunflower, but the sunflower grows so tall it reaches up to the sky! Write about what happens when you decide to climb to the top.

  4. 55 Superb Story Writing Topics for Kids » JournalBuddies.com

    11. a brother and sister find an old journal in the attic. 12. traveling to the future to your city 300 years from now. 13. a friendly alien who comes to Earth. 14. a teacher who becomes a movie star. 15. a group of friends who learn a dangerous secret about their school. 16. a family vacation in the woods.

  5. Creative Writing Ideas For 7 And 8 Year Olds

    Creative Writing Ideas for 7 And 8 Year Olds. 1. Making lists. We've asked our 1st and 2nd grader to make a lot of lists this year. Christmas lists, birthday lists, lists of things to bring to the ocean, etc. You get the idea! Lists are short, easy, and help them to group items. 2.

  6. Step-by-step guide to writing a story

    Creative writing techniques for kids: a step-by-step guide to writing a story. Encouraging children to write a story of their very own can give them an enormous confidence boost, as well as help them consolidate their literacy learning by putting their phonics, grammar and reading skills into practice. Primary teacher Phoebe Doyle offers ...

  7. A Step-By-Step Guide to Helping Your Child Write a Story

    Step 1: Think of an idea. A good place to start is by reading a book together. Stop and ask your child to make predictions about how the story might end. Your child's alternative ending may become great material for a new and original story. You can also write stories based on real‑life experiences, such as your child's first day of school ...

  8. 140 Creative Writing Prompts for Kids

    Stimulating Writing Prompts for Kids. In addition to writing stories, many kids will benefit from other forms of mental stimulation. These can be done in a journal or essay writing exercise. Use these prompts and questions to get them thinking. Encourage them to answer all questions with as much detail as possible.

  9. Story Starters: Creative Writing Prompts for Kids

    Choose a Story Starters theme: ADVENTURE. FANTASY. SCI-FI. SCRAMBLER. Scholastic's Story Starters kids' writing activity generates creative writing prompts, from general fiction to adventure, fantasy, and science fiction.

  10. How to Start a Story: A Guide to Helping Children to Write ...

    Writing stories is a fun and creative way for children to develop their skills in grammar, spelling and language in general, but figuring out how to start a story is often the hardest part. ... 7 - 8 years old . Year 3 . 8 - 9 years old . Year 4 . 9 - 10 years old . Year 5 . 10 - 11 years old . Year 6 . 11 - 14 years old ...

  11. 127 Story Starters & Writing Prompts for Kids (Ages 10

    Writing prompts for adventure stories. A princess who needs to rescue a puppy from a river. A family on a road trip who got lost and ended up on a whole new adventure. Two friends who go on an adventure down a river on a rowboat. A superhero who lost his superpowers in the middle of a rescue. A kid who wakes up one day to find out he / she was ...

  12. 10 Fun Writing Activities for Kids to Improve Writing Skills

    10 Fun Writing Activities for Kids. 1. Write a comic book/graphic novel. Using a template, students create their own comic strip or graphic novel complete with speech bubbles and annotations. First, you'll need a comic strip template. You can draw your own or allow kids to do so if they choose.

  13. Novel Writing Tips From A 7-Year-Old Genius

    I know every mother thinks her kid is a genius, but mine really is. Well, at least at writing stories. If you're writing a novel or taking part in NaNoWriMo this year, you might find some inspiration in my 7-year-old son's most recent work of fiction, "The Transformer's Battle." He spent the last two days sitting at the computer typing this story by himself.

  14. How to Write Children's Short Stories: 15 Steps (with Pictures)

    Imogene's matter of fact reaction, placed next to the illustrations in the book, create an intriguing image to begin the story. 2. Let your main character get in trouble. Part of creating tension and interest in a story is letting your main character make a mistake or get in trouble.

  15. How to Write For Kids: 7 Tips for Charming Young Audiences

    Reading the best works, especially those that have stood the test of time, will offer valuable insight to what children really want. 3. Don't dumb down your story. One of the biggest mistakes that authors make when writing for children is assuming that their audience won't understand long words or sentences.

  16. Creative Story Writing For Kids

    Making Story Writing For Kids Fun. A.L. Tait is an Australian author of children's fiction and her series, The Mapmaker Chronicles, is has just been published in the US in June 2017 by Kane/Miller Books. It is an adventure fantasy trilogy aimed at kids 9 and up, about a race to map the world - and a boy who really doesn't want to go.

  17. Story Starters for ages 7-11

    Story Starters for ages 7-11. 500 Words 2023 is partnered with Pobble, who have provided interactive resources for story writing. Use these story prompts in class as a fun and creative way to ...

  18. The Best Books for 7-Year-Olds: 40+ Great Stories!

    Best Spy Books for a 7-Year-Old. Harriet The Spy by Louise Fitzhugh. Mac B. Kid Spy: Mac Undercover by Mac Barnett. Spy Guy: The Not so Secret Agent by Jessica Young. Love these kinds of stories, then check out these spy books for kids. Royal Books for 7-Year-Olds. The Princess in Black by Shannon Hale.

  19. Literacy: Writing at Age 7

    Literacy: Writing at Age 7 | Milestones | PBS KIDS for Parents. Learn more about "Lyla in the Loop," a new animated series full of fun, adventure, and creative problem-solving. Shows.

  20. A Guide to Writing Child Characters Authentically

    Writing Child Characters (5-8) Once a child outgrows the toddler phase, they will start displaying more critical thought and preferences. They might have a favorite show, a favorite genre of music, and a favorite pastime, and all of those reveals a little bit more about the person they are shaping up to be.

  21. Writing Program for Kids

    How our writing program works. A gamified approach to teaching writing. Interactive lessons & word games that boost writing skills. Inspiring writing prompts that spark a passion for creative writing. " My six year old loves to make up stories. Night Zookeeper gives her an outlet to write them out, and get ideas, suggestions, and corrections.

  22. Writing in Year 2 (age 6-7)

    In Year 2 (age 6-7), your child will learn to: Write simple, coherent narratives about personal experiences and those of others (real or fictional) Write about real events, recording these simply and clearly. Demarcate most sentences in their writing with capital letters and full stops, and use question marks correctly when required.

  23. Indiana girl, 7, dies after getting trapped in sand while on a Florida

    A 7-year-old Indiana girl died and her 9-year-old brother was hospitalized after the sand hole they were digging in at a Florida beach collapsed on top of them, authorities said.

  24. 18-year-old man arrested after shooting outside downtown Spokane 7

    An 18-year-old man was booked into jail and another man was hospitalized after a shooting late Friday night outside a 7-Eleven gas station on the edge of downtown Spokane.

  25. A 7-year-old girl died and a 9-year-old boy was hospitalized after

    A 7-year-old girl died and her 9-year-old brother was hospitalized after they became trapped in a sand hole on a Florida beach Tuesday, according to the Broward County Sheriff's Office.

  26. Cause of death determined for Audrii Cunningham, missing 11-year-old

    Officials have determined the cause of death for the missing 11-year-old girl whose body was found in the Trinity River in Texas this week. Cunningham was last seen leaving her home on Feb. 15 to ...

  27. No sign of missing Texas girl, 11, who never made it to school

    Police are appealing for information on the whereabouts of an 11-year-old girl who went missing four days ago. Audrii Cunningham was last seen near her home in Polk County, Texas, at 7 a.m. Thursday.

  28. Manatee County School employee arrested, tied up 7-year-old boy, police say

    A third Bradenton elementary school employee was arrested on Thursday and faces charges for falsely imprisoning a seven-year-old, non-verbal student, police officials said.. The arrest of teacher ...

  29. FACT SHEET: President Biden Cancels Student Debt for more than 150,000

    Today, President Biden announced the approval of $1.2 billion in student debt cancellation for almost 153,000 borrowers currently enrolled in the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) repayment plan.