creative writing programs for elementary students

20 Creative Writing Activities for Elementary Students

By andy minshew.

• November 23, 2021

Did you know that November is National Novel Writing Month? While your young learners are probably not ready to write an entire book, this month is a great time to practice creative writing skills with your students. Not only can creative writing be helpful for teaching vocabulary and sentence structure, but it can also encourage students to use imaginative thinkin g —and even find a genuine love of writing!

All of these 20 creative writing activities can be used with elementary school students to practice reading and writing skills. We’ve included options for both early elementary students, who may still be learning to write, and elementary students in upper grades who are ready to work on projects of their choosing.

1. Join the NaNoWriMo organization’s Young Writers Program (YWP) ! Together, your students can work on all sorts of age-appropriate writing challenges and activities throughout the year—including a project of their choice in November!

2. To practice pre-writing skills and collaborating on a project, try these shared writing project activities .

3. If you have any budding cartoonists in your class, this Finish the Comic activity from author Jarrett Lerner can be a great way for younger students to practice writing dialogue.

4. Teach your students about adjectives and writing descriptions with this Popcorn Adjectives activity .

5. Students can learn about creative writing by studying imagery and poetry by established authors. Using this writing worksheet , kids can write out their thoughts about a poem and draw images that stand out to them.

6. To teach creative thinking skills with kindergarteners and early elementary students, try this Mystery Seed writing activity .

7. Get families involved, too! Share these fun home writing activities with your student’s families to help them practice at home.

8. Print out and put together a Writing Jar with tons of creative writing prompts to inspire your students.

9. Check out this resource for even more writing prompts focused on imaginative thinking.

10. Try blackout poetry , an activity that encourages students to make their own beautiful art from a work that already exists.

11. Creative writing isn’t limited to fiction. This narrative writing activity can teach students to write events clearly and in sequence from their real life.

12. For a creative writing project that’s just plain fun, try this Roll a Story activity.

13. This nonfiction project helps children learn to write a letter as they write to a loved one of their choice.

14. If you want to give your students some freedom in choosing a writing assignment, hang up this Writing Prompt Choice Board in your classroom and let them answer whichever prompt they’d like!

15. Encourage students to keep their own journal throughout the year. You could even give them time each morning to respond to a journal prompt .

16. Use this journal page template to help students structure and compile journal entries.

17. These printable Mad Libs can teach children different parts of a sentence while they use their imaginations to create a story.

18. Use this What? So What? Now What? exercise (#6 at the link) to help students structure their creative writing projects.

19. To teach children how to create descriptive sentences, play this Show, Don’t Tell writing activity .

20. If you’d like to hold a month-long creative writing activity, try this 30-Day Writing Challenge for kids .

More education articles

Don’t Prevent Summer Slide—Build Student Strengths Instead

Early Education Nonprofit Announces Chris Lee as New Board Member

• Reading Academy

Free tools to make your students better writers and readers .

Quill.org, a non-profit, provides free literacy activities that build reading comprehension, writing, and language skills for elementary, middle, and high school students.

9 million students have written 2 billion sentences on Quill.

Quill Reading for Evidence

Provide your students with nonfiction texts paired with AI-powered writing prompts, instead of multiple-choice questions, to enable deeper thinking.

Students read a nonfiction text and build their comprehension through writing prompts, supporting a series of claims with evidence sourced from the text. Quill challenges students to write responses that are precise, logical, and based on textual evidence, with Quill coaching the student through custom, targeted feedback on each revision so that students strengthen their reading comprehension and hone their writing skills.

Video not supported

Culture & Society Topics

"Should Schools Have Grade Requirements for Student Athletes?"

Science Topics

"How Does Eating Meat Impact Global Warming?"

Social Studies Topics

World History

Quill Connect

Help your students advance from fragmented and run-on sentences to complex and well structured ones.

Using the evidence-based strategy of sentence combining, students combine multiple ideas into a single sentence. They then receive instant feedback designed to help them improve their clarity and precision.

Quill Lessons

The Quill Lessons tool enables teachers to lead whole-class and small-group writing instruction.

Teachers control interactive slides that contain writing prompts, and the entire class responds to each prompt. Each Quill Lessons activity provides a lesson plan, writing prompts, discussion topics, and a follow up independent practice activity.

Quill Diagnostic

Quickly determine which skills your students need to work on with our diagnostics.

The diagnostics cover vital sentence construction skills and generate personalized learning plans based on the student’s performance.

Quill Proofreader

Proofreader teaches your students editing skills by having them proofread passages.

Students edit passages and receive personalized exercises based on their results. With over 100 expository passages, Proofreader gives students the practice they need to spot common grammatical errors.

Quill Grammar

Students practice basic grammar skills, from comma placement to parallel structure.

Quill Grammar has over 150 sentence writing activities to help your students. Our activities are designed to be completed in 10 minutes so you have the freedom to use them in the way that works best for your classroom.

How Quill Works

Set up your classroom, without it.

You can quickly and easily set up your classroom in Quill by inputting student names or providing students with a unique code. If you use Google Classroom or Clever, you can automatically set up your classroom with one click.

Choose activities

Decide if you want your students to proofread passages, combine sentences, or complete a diagnostic. Use our ten minute activities as building blocks during your classroom instruction.

Use easy-to-consume reporting

Use our reporting to spot trends and identify growth opportunities. Monitor comprehension on specific writing standards.

Get immediate feedback for your students

Save time grading and watch your students correct their mistakes instantly.

Intervene where students struggle

See exactly where your students need intervention with our comprehensive reports.

Differentiate learning to meet the needs of all students

Assign specific activities for ELLs and students with learning differences.

Engage students with adaptive activities

Challenge students with questions that automatically adapt based on their previous responses.

Align with the Common Core Standards

Easily meet Common Core language standards with our aligned activities.

Easily sign up with Google Classroom

With one click all of your students and classes will be imported.

Over 100 concepts totaling 50 hours of quality curriculum.

Teacher stories

Quill in the classroom.

ROXANNA BUTKUS, RANGEVIEW ELEMENTARY

SARA ANGEL, KIPP LA

COLETTE KANG, EAST BAY INNOVATION ACADEMY

DANIEL SCIBIENSKI, PRINCETON PUBLIC SCHOOLS

3rd Grade ELA

5th Grade ELA

6th Grade ELA

8th Grade ELA & ELL

Join over 2,000 schools using Quill to advance student writing.

Quill Premium

Quill Premium's advanced reporting features are the best way to support teachers at the school or district level.

• Grades 6-12
• School Leaders

Get Our New Humor/Advice Newsletter to Your Inbox Every Monday!

The Best Writing Apps for at Home and in the Classroom

Writer’s block, you’ve met your match!

Some kids love to pour out their thoughts, feelings, and souls on paper. For others, it’s a challenge from the first time they pick up a pencil. Fortunately, these writing apps for kids can help—from the first shaky crayon-written “A” to polished college entrance essays and creative writing.

Some writing apps help kids form their letters or work to perfect their handwriting. Then there are writing apps for kids and teens who need help organizing their thoughts. Other apps give a little push to get creative juices flowing. No matter what your kids are working on, these are the writing apps students will want in their digital toolbox.

• Best Apps for Practicing Writing Skills
• Best Apps for Writing Inspiration

Writing Skills Apps

These are the writing apps for kids that help them practice handwriting, grammar, punctuation, and composition.

Why We Love It: iTrace gives young learners the practice they need writing letters and numbers. Customization options include letter style and the ability to specify right or left-handed, while fun animations and prizes keep kids motivated.

Cost: $3.99

Available On: Apple App Store: iTrace

LetterSchool

Why We Love It: LetterSchool teaches printing and cursive with beautiful graphics and animations. Kids will be so captivated, they might forget they’re learning.

Cost: School licenses are $4.99 per student per year. For individual use, prices vary and start at $4.99 per month.

Available On: Apple App Store: Letter School , Google Play Store: Letter School

[contextly_auto_sidebar]

iWrite Words

Why We Love It: This writing app helps kids practice counting as they learn. Little ones drag a crab across the screen, following the numbered path to write letters. Once the word is complete, they’re rewarded with a cute drawing.

Cost: $2.99

Available On: Apple App Store: iWrite Words

Grammaropolis

Why We Love It: Grammaropolis teaches the parts of speech in a fun and engaging way. Animated shorts and music videos capture kids’ attention, and quizzes help track their progress. Some call this Schoolhouse Rock for the 21st century.

Cost: $5.99

Available On: Apple App Store: Grammaropolis

Grammar Pop

Cost: $1.99. Volume pricing is available for schools.

Available On: Apple App Store: Grammar Pop

Grammar Smash

Why We Love It:  This no-frills app is excellent for older learners, especially ESL students. Review grammar guides and lessons, then play games to practice your skills

Cost: FREE. Unlock more features and remove ads for $2.99.

Available On: Google Play Store: Grammar Smash

Why We Love It: Everything you love about Mad Libs, in an app! Prompts ask you to fill in parts of speech to create a funny new story each time. If you’re stuck, you can ask for a definition or examples. This is a classic way to work on parts of speech and vocabulary.

Cost: The FREE edition comes with 21 stories. Additional story packs are available for $1.99 each.

Available On: Apple App Store: Mad Libs , Google Play Store: Mad Libs

Dictionary.com

Why We Love It: This app is everything you love about Dictionary.com, but it’s also available offline. That’s great for keeping students focused while they’re working; they can look words up without the temptation of checking social media or other distractions. You can switch between dictionary and thesaurus mode, too, making this app a real must-have.

Cost: FREE (with ads), upgrade to no ads for $1.99

Available On: Apple App Store: Dictionary.com , Google Play Store: Dictionary.com

The Grammarly Keyboard

Why We Love It: Grammarly is a beloved program that helps people of any age produce stronger, cleaner writing. The mobile apps work for anything you type on your phone, including social media and messaging. Premium features include analysis of tone and word choice, and a plagiarism detector.

Cost: Basic grammar and spelling checks are free. Premium features start at $29/month.

Available On: Apple App Store: Grammarly , Google Play Store: Grammarly

Essay Launcher

Why We Love It: No flashy colors or animations, just a simple and efficient way to help writers organize their thoughts. The app asks questions like “What is your first reason that supports that statement?”, helping you build an essay from the ground up. This app is ideal for older kids who need organizational help to stay on track when they write.

Available On: Apple App Store: Essay Launcher

Why We Love It: Mind mapping is an excellent method for brainstorming and organizing your thoughts before you begin writing. This app helps you through the process, creating maps that ultimately make your writing clearer and stronger.

Cost: SimpleMind Lite is FREE. SimpleMind Pro offers expanded features for $7.99.

Available On: Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Get links for all versions here.

Writing Inspiration Apps

These writing apps for kids solve the problem of “But I don’t know what to write about!” They provide story starters, writing prompts, and more to break writer’s block wide open.

Story Wheel

Why We Love It: This app sparks creativity in pre-writers and helps build their storytelling skills. Spin the wheel and record your voice telling a story about the picture. Spin the wheel again for more prompts. Several kids can play at once, building a story to playback together.

Cost:  $2.99

Available On: Apple App Store: Story Wheel

Why We Love It: Every roll of the virtual dice yields pictures that tell a whole new story. Choose one or all of the images to use in your writing. Story Dice 3-D (Apple App Store only) adds the ability to move the dice around, and re-roll some or all of them.

Cost: $1.99

Available On: Multiple devices. Get the links you need for Story Dice here.

Writing Challenge for Kids

Why We Love It: This app generates a series of characters, scenarios, and situations to create unique creative writing prompts over and over again. You can choose from several choices to customize each prompt as you go along.

Cost: Varies by device, $1.49-$3.99

Available On: Multiple Devices. Click here for the links you need.

The Brainstormer

Why We Love It: This app is terrific for teens and older writers who need to generate new creative ideas. A selection of tools helps you find inspiration for characters, plots, settings, and more. You can even add in your own words to create custom sets.

Cost: $1.99, with additional features for $.99 each.

Available On: Apple App Store: The Brainstormer

Writing Prompts

Why We Love It: Get new writing prompts from hundreds of scenarios and ideas. Teachers, this is a nice way to come up with a daily bell-ringer or journal prompt. (This same company also offers Character Prompts , a similar app but for character inspiration.)

Cost: $1.99, with additional prompt packs available for $.99

Available On: Apple App Store: Writing Prompts , Google Play Store: Writing Prompts , Amazon App Store

Lists for Writers

Why We Love It: Add variety to your writing and break through writer’s blocks with these lists of, well, pretty much anything! Creating a new character and feeling stuck? Browse lists of names, character traits, physical characteristics, and more. Get the same for settings, plots, and all the other details that even the best writers sometimes draw a blank on.

Available On: Multiple devices. Get all the links you need here.

Toontastic 3D

Why We Love It: Kids build their story-telling skills while creating one-minute movies with this surprisingly robust free app. Encourage students to plan and script out their story in advance to work on writing skills, then enjoy the fun movies they create! (Teacher Tip: Try this app for incredibly creative book reports .)

Available On: Apple App Store: Toontastic , Google Play Store: Toontastic

Why We Love It: Storybird’s tools give kids the opportunity to write comics, short stories, chapter books, and more. Choose from existing illustrations and add your own text to create unique masterpieces. The professional artwork is wide-ranging, and writing challenges help kids expand their skills and push their creativity to new heights.

Cost:  $8.99/month or $59.99/year. Schools can receive bulk discounts up to 50% off.

Available On: Apple App Store: Storybird , Google Play Store: Storybird

How do you use writing apps for kids and teens in your classroom? Come share your ideas and find inspiration in the WeAreTeachers Chat group on Facebook .

Looking for more writing prompts? Get 100 Creative Writing Prompts for Grades 4-8 , and 10 Fresh Writing Prompts for High School .

You Might Also Like

Best Spookley the Square Pumpkin Books (Plus Activity Ideas)

A square-shaped hero for all seasons! Continue Reading

Copyright © 2024. All rights reserved. 5335 Gate Parkway, Jacksonville, FL 32256

• Request a 7 day free trial
• [email protected]

Write Bright

Teacher Trusted Learning

• Testimonials
• Program Steps
• Standards & Research
• Homeschool & Parents

• Free Lessons & Prompts

• Startup Checklist

Who We Are About Us

A powerful, easy to use elementary writing curriculum for teachers of grades K-6. Look no further, you have found the best writing curriculum for elementary writers! You deserve lesson plans on writing that work. Teaching writing for elementary students must have a frame system that breaks down an overwhelming essay into managable parts. All teachers can be exemplary writing instructors. Created by a teacher, for teachers.

Write Bright Presentation

Source Writing Lessons

Primary Source Sample

3-8 Source Lesson Lesson

3-8 Prompt Lesson Sample

Primary Prompt Prompt

Subscription Option Creating Confident, Proficient Writers

Individual Classroom

Single teacher or home school account.

Single Classroom/Family

Small School

A full access account will be provided for up to 15 teachers.

Upto 15 Classrooms

Medium School

Teachers have access to both prompt and source writing for all grade levels.

Upto 40 Classrooms

Large School

Upto 60 Classrooms

Testimonial What People Says About Us

“The Write Bright curriculum is easy to use and implement at any grade level, not just “tested” grades. Since each lesson is scripted the same way, even novice teachers can succeed in writing instruction, and students move very quickly from average writers to top-level writers. I would wholeheartedly recommend this curriculum to any classroom or school looking to increase test scores, at the same time shaping better writers.”

" Ian Belanger " Grade 4 teacher

“The “Write Bright” program has helps students organize their thoughts and ideas into a plan that is easy to understand and remember. The students can use that plan to format and create the rest of their story. I have seen my students blossom into excellent writers using the plan, format and “fluffy flowery” words taught in this program. Over the past 7 years of teaching, I have tried other writing programs, but none of them increased the writing abilities and Raised the Scores of my students like Write Bright.”

" Allisa Ibrahim " Fourth Grade

“Student friendly writing plans make narrative and expository essays come to life. I have used the Write Bright program for several years and have watched test scores soar! Teacher materials are only a click away; no manuals to pour through–it is so easy to use.”

" Sue Donaldson " 3rd Grade Teacher

“I began using Write Bright in its early years of development. I had a low-average reading group and I was really “stumped” when it came to having them effectively express their ideas through a piece of writing. Once I began using Write Bright during the second grading period my students became very effective writers. Write Bright gives them a structure, so my students were no longer fretting over the writing process. They learned to follow the format and in doing so were able to add the details and use the robust vocabulary that makes a piece of writing come alive. They would even add similes and metaphors! When my end of the year writing scores came back I was extremely flabbergasted. Two students in my low-average reading group earned top scores on their standardized exam!”

" Danielle Ward " 5th Grade

“What an awesome program to bring success and growth to each student’s writing. The Write Bright curriculum sparkles with a basic organized process that includes ideas for each prompt presented. It takes the guess out of the process and razzles the writer into a successful experience. The repetition allows children to internalize the basics proving Write Bright dazzles with success.”

" MaryAnn Knapp " 3rd Grade

“The “Write Bright” curriculum has been an amazing teaching tool which has been utilized at my school for over a decade. I am proud to say that my school has achieved the highest writing scores in the district after using Write Bright with our students.My teachers are pumped up and positive about what they have learned and thrilled with the results in student performance. “Write Bright” has been an integral part of our total writing curriculum and is by far the best, most thorough program I have found. It uses a guided writing approach that takes the writer by the hand and leads them step-by-step through composing an essay. The guided approach gives students self-confidence as they learn at their own pace. Children that were failing in writing were quickly able to succeed due to the repetitive instruction found in this curriculum. Write Bright brings together the best practices in writing to make learning effective for the students. ”

" Dr. Richard Demeri " Principal

Get a sneak peek request a 7-day free trial.

“Writing must be taught, not assigned. Our video instruction allows a writing coach to do this as the teacher facilitates the lesson. Looking for excellent writing and grammar results? Looking to make teachers confident with instruction? Write Bright is the most teacher-friendly writing and grammar program for K-6th grades.”

Video Tour SITE TOUR VIDEO

Copyright © 2009 - 2022 Swaine Learning Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Teacher Alert !

If you are using the shared “iwrite” login do not change the password as you will prevent other users from gaining access.  Thank you.

New Users Alert !

New users: print the “startup checklist” from the homepage to begin..

The Top Writing Curriculum for Elementary School

Are you looking for the perfect writing curriculum for elementary school students? Do you need fresh ideas that will inspire your students to write?

Allow me to introduce you to a simple yet highly effective writing curriculum for elementary that will transform your students’ writing skills. This research-based writing curriculum is for elementary school teachers and homeschooling parents alike, providing you with the tools and resources you need to guide your students towards becoming proficient and effective writers.

Our writing curriculum for elementary aligns to state standards and is designed to be comprehensive, covering all aspects of the writing process. It’s designed for all types of leaners and helps students at all different ability levels. Whether your child is a budding writer or has special needs, our writing curriculum for elementary is designed to meet their individual needs. 

With this engaging and fun writing curriculum, you can say goodbye to the days of struggling to come up with engaging lessons for your writing class. Our carefully designed writing program will save you time and energy, allowing you to focus on what matters most: helping your students grow as writers. Don’t miss out on this amazing writing curriculum for elementary that will take your students’ writing to the next level in the coming school year.

The importance of a strong writing curriculum for elementary

A strong writing curriculum is essential for young writers at every grade level as it lays the foundation for their future academic and professional success. Writing is not only a means of communication but also a way to express oneself and develop critical thinking skills. By providing a structured writing curriculum for elementary, we ensure that students receive the necessary guidance and support to become proficient writers.

Elementary students need to learn how to organize their thoughts, develop coherent writing, and use appropriate vocabulary and grammar. A strong writing curriculum leads to increased student achievement by providing students with the tools and strategies needed to develop writing skills.

Furthermore, a comprehensive writing curriculum for elementary promotes creativity and fosters a love for writing. By incorporating engaging activities and prompts, students are encouraged to explore their imagination and develop their unique writing style. This not only makes the writing process enjoyable but also helps students develop their voice and express their ideas effectively.

The writing workshop model for instruction

One highly effective instructional model that we incorporate into our writing curriculum for elementary is the writing workshop model. This model provides students with the opportunity to engage in authentic writing experiences and receive individualized feedback from their peers and teachers. 

The Writing Workshop model is an invigorating and structured approach to teaching writing that empowers students to become skilled and confident authors through daily writing.

This model revolves around a series of key components, starting with brief and focused mini-lessons that introduce specific writing skills or techniques through direct instruction. Following these lessons, students engage in independent writing sessions, where they apply newfound knowledge to their chosen topics, fostering a sense of ownership over their work. Conferencing adds a personal touch, providing one-on-one guidance and feedback to each student. The workshop concludes with sharing sessions which occur either in pairs or small groups. This sharing time creates a supportive community where students proudly showcase their creations.

This model not only nurtures creativity but also guides students through the entire writing process, cultivating a genuine love for expression and communication. This model not only refines writing skills but also cultivates a lasting love for expressing oneself through words.

Teaching the stages of the writing process

Writing is a complex skill requiring a solid foundation in the writing process. When instructing elementary students, it’s crucial to break down this process into manageable pieces. Our writing curriculum for elementary achieves this, guiding students through stages of writing that lead them to produce quality pieces of writing. From brainstorming and outlining to drafting, revising, and editing, our curriculum uses a systematic approach for teaching writing and language arts skills.

The first stage, prewriting, involves brainstorming ideas, creating outlines, and gathering relevant information. This stage allows students to organize their thoughts effectively, with various prewriting activities stimulating creativity and critical thinking.

Moving on to drafting, students focus on putting their ideas onto paper, developing coherent paragraphs and a logical flow. They are encouraged to write freely, emphasizing the capture of thoughts without excessive worry about grammar and punctuation.

After drafting, students progress to revising and editing, providing an opportunity to critically analyze and improve their work. Techniques include reading aloud, checking for clarity, coherence, and organization, and revising sentences or reorganizing paragraphs. Students also learn to review their work for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization errors. Peer editing is introduced at this stage to promote collaboration and provide valuable feedback.

The final step in the writing process is publishing, allowing students to rewrite their writing into error-free pieces. Publishing marks the completion of the writing journey, transforming individual expressions into refined and shareable pieces. This comprehensive approach empowers students to become independent writers, laying the foundation for their future writing endeavors.

Incorporating daily 6-trait writing 

One of the key components of our writing curriculum for elementary is the incorporation of daily 6-trait writing in our writing instruction. The 6 traits of writing—ideas, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, and conventions—serve as the fundamental building blocks of strong writing. Our curriculum strategically targets each trait in daily lessons, allowing students to develop a deeper understanding of what makes writing effective.

For instance, on a day dedicated to the trait of ideas during the prewriting stage, students might be asked to brainstorm a memorable experience. This exercise prompts critical thinking about the details, emotions, and significance of their experiences, fostering the development of strong and engaging ideas in their writing.

Through the consistent integration of daily 6-trait writing, students practice and reinforce the skills essential for effective writing. This not only enhances their writing abilities but also cultivates confidence in their roles as writers.

Incorporating different writing genres 

Our writing curriculum for elementary exposes students to various writing genres in a carefully selected order of units, fostering exploration of different styles and the development of versatility in their writing. Three key genres incorporated are narrative, informative, and opinion writing, addressing all writing standards for grades 1-5. 

Within our narrative writing units, students participate in creative writing by crafting personal narrative pieces and realistic fiction narrative pieces. These units teach students to develop characters, setting, and plot, using narrative techniques such as dialogue, word choice, and relevant details to create engaging stories.

The informative writing unit focuses on providing factual information and explaining concepts. Students acquire research skills, organize information logically, and present it clearly. They use reliable sources, take notes, and create outlines, enhancing readability with appropriate transitions and headings.

The opinion writing unit allows students to express viewpoints, supporting them with evidence and reasoning. This genre cultivates critical thinking, persuasive skills, and the ability to construct well-structured arguments in their opinion pieces. Students learn to state their opinions clearly and provide reasons with supporting evidence, making their persuasive essays compelling.

By incorporating diverse writing genres, our curriculum provides exposure to various styles and nurtures a well-rounded set of writing skills. This not only enhances students’ ability to communicate effectively but also fosters creativity and critical thinking.

Assessing and providing feedback on writing assignments

Assessing and providing feedback on writing assignments is integral to our writing curriculum for elementary. This process enables teachers to evaluate students’ progress, identify areas for improvement, and offer guidance for further growth.

When assessing writing assignments, establishing clear criteria and expectations is crucial. Our curriculum’s rubrics outline the 6 traits of writing, including ideas, organization, sentence structure, voice, word choice, and conventions. These rubrics provide students with a clear understanding of expectations and enable teachers to offer objective feedback.

Daily feedback through conferences is also essential and is seamlessly integrated into our daily lessons. Addressing specific strengths and areas for improvement in real-time, teachers nurture writers’ growth, fostering a deeper understanding of the writing process. This ongoing dialogue not only cultivates individualized attention but also promotes a collaborative learning environment. Students benefit from immediate insights into their work, gaining tools to refine their craft and enhance their writing skills. This consistent feedback loop serves not only as instruction but also as a cornerstone for building confidence, resilience, and a lifelong love for the art of writing.

Our Writing Curriculum for Elementary

Our writing curriculum for elementary spans 30 weeks and offers 150 daily lesson plans, utilizing the ‘writing workshop’ model. Each lesson plan includes a brief mini-lesson, teacher modeling, student writing time, and structured sharing. Included are anchor charts for mini-lessons, graphic organizers for prewriting, printable writing paper for drafting and publishing, teacher models for instructional modeling, and rubrics aligned with the 6 traits of writing.

You can access a free curriculum map to review specific lessons and objectives included. 

This comprehensive writing curriculum for elementary will take your student writers from writing a single sentence to writing a clear and coherent multi-paragraph essay. Our step-by-step approach and interactive activities make the learning process engaging and enjoyable while helping your students become successful writers. Get ready to become a better writing teacher and see your students have so much confidence in their writing abilities and see student growth like you’ve never seen before! 

Free Sample

Try out a week of free narrative writing lessons to see if this writing curriculum for elementary is a good fit for you.

Full Year Writing Curriculums

Related Posts

How to Run a Writing Workshop in Elementary

60 Fun Opinion Writing Prompts for Elementary

35 Awesome Fairy Tale Writing Prompts for Kids

McGraw Hill Wonders 2nd Grade Grammar Boom Cards

75 Creative Sentence Prompts for Writing Stories

A FREE Workshop to Transform Your Grammar Instruction

Hey Teachers,

I'm jen from ela skill builder.

My mission is to help you be the  best  ELA teacher you can be by providing simple and creative ideas that will boost student engagement and skill mastery in your classroom.

Best Sellers!

coupon code

Get 15% off your first purchase.

free lessons!

join the waitlist

Revamp your writing class.

free routine!

FIND WHAT YOU NEED

Visit the shop.

• GRAMMAR RESOURCES
• WRITING RESOURCES
• WRITING COURSE

free narrative lessons

Grab your free week of narrative prewriting lessons!

JOIN THE ELEMENTARY ELA FACEBOOK COMMUNITY

Raz-Plus Add-Ons

Professional learning services.

• Get Started
• Shop Products
• Writing A-Z

A Flexible, Research-Based K-5 Writing Solution

Teaching writing is hard, but it doesn’t have to be. Writing A-Z is an award-winning solution for writing instruction that addresses essential writing and grammar skills critical to literacy success.

• Explicit, easy-to-use lesson plans
• The ability to teach genre and the writing process together
• Engaging, interactive practice opportunities for students
• Our digital writing tool, WaLT
• Point-of-use, embedded professional development

Follow our explicit, systematic scope and sequence or supplement your own. The choice is yours!

• Start Free Trial

Start a trial for 40+ educators with a  district trial today.

for 1-year subscription (That’s only $10.00 a month!)

Visit our Support Center to address any additional questions or contact us for a quote today. The displayed price is presented on a per classroom/family/home basis.

Resources for Teachers and Students Alike

Explore the breadth of resources Writing A-Z provides to empower teachers and engage students on their writing journey! Get to know Writing A-Z, its robust writing instruction resources, engaging digital tools, and motivating practice opportunities for all students in grades K-5.

Writing A-Z Overview

WaLT Digital Writing Tool

Writing Worksheet Creator

See How Writing A-Z Aligns With The Writing Rope

Visit The Writing Rope page to learn how the resources in Writing A-Z align  and help teachers foster skilled writing for all K-5 students.

“Proficient writers must integrate multiple skills, strategies, and techniques. They need to weave together elements from all five components of the Writing Rope: critical thinking, syntax, text structure, writing craft, and transcription.”

Joan Sedita, The Writing Rope

Empower Students. Nurture Skilled Writers.

Access a wealth of systematic resources and activities to engage and empower students to take charge of their own learning.

Awards & Accolades

Recognized as one of the best instructional solutions.

Research-Based: Explore the Research Behind Writing A-Z

To be skilled writers, students need explicit writing instruction and strategies to communicate their ideas and understand a text. Writing A-Z provides explicit, evidence-based instruction and practice opportunities that enable students to develop strong foundational writing skills.

Bring Parents Along for the Journey

Education is more impactful when caregivers play an integral role in their child’s education. Our easy-to-access Parent Portal and digital resources enable parents to read with their students, keep up with progress, and stay connected. 

See How Teachers Are Using Writing A-Z!

"Writing A-Z is a great investment. My students have become more confident in their writing, and they're engaged and having fun. Our favorite resource is Build-a-Book. My students love creating their own books!"

"I love that Writing A-Z allows students to learn as they play. If a student struggles with an activity, it allows them to start over to learn it again (and earn more stars!). I love seeing the excitement in my students’ eyes from earning stars after a new skill is accomplished. I especially like the Author's Purpose activity and how Writing A-Z provides differentiated instruction for students who struggle with how material was presented in class."

"I purchased Writing A-Z because I needed help getting kids engaged in writing. My students are very engaged while using Writing A-Z and have become better writers. I especially love Grammar Quest; it’s a great tool for early finishers and my students love being able to create a book in the Playground section."

Empower Teachers. Nurture Skilled Writers.

Access a library of professional development resources, pre-made lesson plans, and digital tools to support teachers and empower them to take charge of writing instruction in their classrooms. 

Check Out Our Additional Solutions

Find the right literacy solution for your classroom..

When paired, Foundations A-Z and Writing A-Z work to strengthen foundational literacy skills while offering expert-led support for educators, including professional development and instructional resources.  Learn More .

Supports educators and students as they boost literacy performance with best-in-class resources and texts that keep teachers at the heart of instruction while building a love of reading.  Learn More .

Drive Student Outcomes With Learning A-Z

Sign up for a free trial of our products today. Trials include free samples for 40+ classrooms. Request a quote today to obtain 10+ licenses.

• Request a Quote

What is Writing A-Z?

Writing A-Z is a flexible K-5 solution which can be used as a complete scope and sequence or as a supplement to any core curriculum. It provides teachers with the tools they need to help students acquire the skills to communicate their ideas effectively, while promoting a positive mindset toward writing. To learn more, visit the Writing A-Z Program Guide .

How do Learning A-Z’s products work?

Learning A-Z offers a wealth of literacy resources that align with research-based best practices and foster Social-Emotional Learning. Created to allow teachers to blend instruction using varied research platforms and tools, Learning A-Z products act as the perfect companion for instruction.

How does Writing A-Z help teachers personalize learning instruction?

Writing A-Z makes learning fun with multisensory learning adventures. These include rich, diverse resources featuring multisensory interactivities and digital writing tools that provide engaging, fun opportunities for students to independently practice their writing skills. A fun cast of space characters accompanies students on their learning journey as they complete quests and earn rewards through the online and mobile student portal. Writing A-Z also provides additional support for Spanish-speaking students. 

What other professional learning options are available?

In addition to the embedded support for Writing A-Z teachers, Learning A-Z provides a variety of live and on-demand professional learning options. To get started, we recommend viewing our recorded webinars and/or micro-learning videos . You can also sign up for our weekly live webinars , which highlight our various resources and provide on-the-spot opportunities to have your questions answered. You may also purchase professional learning and curriculum services that we tailor to meet your needs.

What is included with my subscription?

Subscriptions include one year of access to the purchased product(s) for up to 36 students per classroom, a dedicated support team available by chat, and complimentary webinars, videos, and guides to help you get started.

Sign up to receive our eNews, updates, and offers.

• Privacy Policy
• Accessibility
• Learning A-Z Facebook
• Learning A-Z twitter
• Learning A-Z linkedin
• Learning A-Z Instagram

A Cambium Learning® Group Brand

• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar

Writing Tips Oasis - A website dedicated to helping writers to write and publish books.

5 Top Online Writing Programs for Elementary Students

By Madalina Olteanu

If you’re looking for online writing programs for elementary students, be sure to read about the 5 featured below.

1. Write About This

Write About This is an app created by Brad Wilson, an elementary school teacher, and by Bob Armbrister, an entrepreneur and IT leader. The purpose of it is that of helping elementary-age children learn by using visual writing prompts with the support of their parents and teachers.

This app allows young students to develop several skills – for instance, numerous prompts require them to state and explain their points of view regarding specific topics, while also providing a starting point for fiction and nonfiction narratives. At the same time, both prompts and pictures are used to help students create details for works of poetry, prose, and for many others, which vary from letters to lists.

A free version of Write About This is available as well, but it only gives you the possibility to check out all the features and functionalities provided in the full version. The latter costs only $3.99 and it encompasses 125 images, 375 prompts, unlimited Write Abouts, voice recordings, author profiles, exports to camera roll, and a few others. An Android version with the same materials is available for $2.99.

If you have any questions, you can address them by using this contact information.

2. Pre-reading & Pre-writing by M.E. Greenlee through Storybird

Storybird is a platform designed particularly for writers who wish to improve their skills. Here you can learn how to tell your stories, while also having the benefit of receiving feedback on your work from teachers, authors, and professional editors. Over 9 million writers from all over the world are active on Storybird. The website has three main categories, respectively Challenge, Read, and Write. The latter includes Picture Book, Longform Story, Comics, Flash Fiction, and Poetry, where you can find artworks that will help you create a narrative. However, the Challenge section is the most useful one – it involves Basic Writing, Creative Writing, Thematic Compositions, Children’s Songs, Leveled Reads, and How-To Guides.

Pre-reading & Pre-writing is a course meant for children in grades 1 and 2, and it was created by M.E. Greenlee, an educator who has 20 years of experience in the field. It contains 27 challenges (easy writing and reading lessons), and each of them covers a different topic. For instance, in lesson 4, your child will have to create their own picture book featuring an invented character, while in lesson 8 they will be asked to use words such as “apple” and “igloo” to create another picture book.

If you want to sign up as a parent, you have three membership options: $8.99/month for the monthly plan, $4.99/month or $59.98/year for the yearly plan, and up to 40% off for the family plan, which is available for 2-5 members. The membership options for educators are displayed here . To ask any questions, you can access the Contact Us section at the bottom of the main page.

3. Time4Writing

Time4Writing’s team of certified teachers will help your child study from home. Mrs. Leslie joined the team in 2008 – she has a BA in Secondary Speech, Drama, and Middle School English from The University of Miami, and she began her career in the Miami-Dade Public Schools, where she spent 10 years both as a teacher and as a department chair. Mrs. Glig is another teacher working for Time4Writing – she has a BA in Education and an MA in Curriculum, and she has experience in teaching all age ranges, from preschoolers to adult educators.

There are three types of courses on the platform: basic, intermediate, and advanced. Those created for elementary school students are appropriate for grades 2-5, and they involve grammar skills, writing sentences, writing paragraphs, narrative writing, and a few others. To exemplify, Writing Paragraphs is an intermediate course which teaches students how to put together the parts of a paragraph, as well as how to write in chronological order. In the first unit, they have to review writing sentences and to practice writing a topic sentence. Later on, they will be taught to transition words in order to make their sentences flow together, and they will end the course by learning how to write a narrative paragraph. If interested, you can find a demo here – the curriculum is also available online .

A certified teacher-led 8-week writing course costs $119. If you have any questions, you can reach them by completing this form.

4. Connections Academy

Connections Academy is an online schooling option which provides free online elementary school courses which focus on reading, writing, social studies, math, and science. Supported by Pearson, their approach is called Personalized Performance Learning, and it involves reviewing the child’s background and learning styles, evaluating test performance, as well as setting goals. Regular evaluations, individualized lessons, and schedule modifications are the main activities through which they adapt to every student’s changing needs – this is possible because their teachers try to maintain a permanent collaboration with the parents.

Their elementary school programs (K-5) are meant to help children learn the basics of writing and acquire new skills. If you need to see sample lessons before making a decision, you can find several here – the only thing you have to do is to select the appropriate grade. However, there are still eligibility requirements that have to be met, and they depend on the location chosen. For instance, for the 2020-2021 school year, the California Connections Academy schools request an official birth certificate, a green card, medical records, a passport, and a few other documents. You can find additional information on enrollment here .

If you want to ask anything, you can find their contact information online .

5. Essentials in Writing – Where Students Learn to Write

Essentials in Writing was founded by Matthew Stephens, who has a BA in Elementary Education from Missouri State University and a teaching certificate with a focus on Elementary Education, Middle School and High School English with the Missouri state. Furthermore, he holds two MAs – one in Education Administration from William Woods University, and one in Music from Texas State University. More details about the team can be found here .

Their writing courses are available on levels, starting from ages 6-7 to ages 17-18. Each course contains lesson-by-lesson video instruction for students, and you can opt either for streaming or for DVD. If you choose the first one, your child will take classes online exclusively, and will still receive a physical copy of the textbook and Teacher Handbook, as well as the assessment/resource booklet if you choose to purchase this. The Level 1 course (ages 6-7) includes lessons like letter, word, and sentence formation, types of sentences, common nouns, adjectives, action verbs, lists, paragraphs, personal narratives, and parts of a personal letter.

Each course costs $89 – if you want to learn more, you can contact them online .

I am a content writer from Romania. My projects involve non-fiction writing, academic writing, product reviews, as well as technical writing. Although I have a personal preference for articles regarding social issues and human rights, I can provide content on any other topic.

Online Creative Writing Classes for Kids

🎥 Engaging live video chat classes

🥇 Vetted and passionate teachers

✍️ Practice writing through fun prompts

Top-rated creative writing classes and tutors

College Preparation Writing for High School--Semester I: Research and Writing Basics

I Can Write Well! A Six-Week Writing Program

Russian Language Tutoring. Grammar, Reading, Writing, Pronunciation. All Ages

High School Essay Writing (Full-Curriculum Semester Course)

Be You & Become a Better Writer: Creative Narrative Story Writing, 8-Week Course

Mastering Five Paragraph Essay Writing for Middle School Part 1

First Grade Fun: Reading & Writing Success!

UK Full Curriculum-English Writing & Reading Skills; Late Enrolments Welcome!

The Excellent Reader Jr: 5th (Fifth) Grade Language Arts Course (Semester One)

The Excellent Reader Jr: 5th (Fifth) Grade Language Arts Class (Semester Two)

Essay Writing Essentials: Weekly Academic Writing Class & Personalized Feedback

The Complete Writing Experience: The Writing Revolution Workshop

Junior Writers - Learn and Practice Writing Short Response Essays

Writing the IEW Way: A Semester Long Writing Course for Reluctant Writers

College Preparation Writing--Semester II: Critical Thinking and Argumentative Writing

Writing for Middle Schoolers (IEW Units 6-9 Level B)

Homeschool Writing Portfolio Part 1: Semester Long Writing Course

The Excellent Reader Jr: 4th (Fourth) Grade Language Arts Course (Semester One)

Writing and Reading Fun Harry Potter Club-Experienced Teacher -New Section Open!

Middle School English Language Arts Bootcamp: Grammar, Writing, & Reading

Reviews for top creative writing classes, parent submitted images.

Reviews for Creative Writing classes

Creative writing clubs

Creative Writing Club

Creative Writing Club With Mr. Hess

Creative Writing Club for Young Writers

Fantasy writing.

Fantasy Writing: Weekly Creative Prompt

Get Creative With Fantasy Writing!

Collaborative Creative Writing: Fantasy

Story writing

Short Story Writing

Scary Story Writing Club

Creative Story Writing Ages 14-18

Creative writing tutors.

Creative Writing for Teens

Creative Writing Tutoring

Creative Writing (Elementary)

Find more classes, popular searches, poetry writing.

Unlocking the Poet Within: A Creative Poetry Writing Journey (Semester)

Be You & Become a Better Writer: Poetry Writing, 8-Week Course

Poetry Workshop- A Step-By-Step Guide for Beginners, Ages 9-13

Novel writing.

Beginner Novel Writing

Novel Writing Volume 1

Intermediate Novel Writing

Watch your kids gain creative writing skills and confidence.

Help your child develop their imagination and creativity while growing their interest in writing and ability to express their thoughts.

Recommended articles

Explore more in creative writing

Explore more in writing, explore more in english, financial assistance , outschool international , get the app .

More to Explore 

Classes by age , classes by grade .

Will you share your cookies?

We use cookies to make our site better. Some cookies are necessary, but having extra cookies lets us personalize your experience. Read our cookie policy.

The 9 Best Writing Programs for Elementary Students

When we think about our kids’ education, one crucial thing is fostering their ability to think and express themselves freely through writing.

Today’s learning methods have changed a lot, and most students have habituated themselves to learning in front of a screen. This situation makes it difficult for them to write and express themselves clearly. If your child is facing this issue, check the best writing programs for elementary students available online.

The Best Writing Programs for Elementary Students

It is common for many children to encounter difficulty in writing, especially at the elementary level. Education experts have already addressed the issue and worked on methods to improve their skills at writing . Amongst all, writing something original is essential. With so many writing programs targeted at different levels, we have compiled a list of such writing programs that will benefit your children. How will you choose the perfect program? Read about the courses below, so you can assess the benefits each one could provide to your children.

1. Night Zookeeper

Who said that gaining literacy skills has to be boring? Night Zookeeper is one of the most engaging learning platforms that’s tailor-made for elementary students. It’s using gamification and providing children with personalized feedback to motivate them to learn reading and writing at their own pace. Some of the activities include learning new vocabulary, writing creative stories, completing writing-related puzzles, and much more. The design of the product is pretty amazing, with beautiful graphics, interesting characters, and exciting challenges that your kid will want to take part in. It’s available on laptops, tablets, and mobile phones. The best part is that this service is cheap, starting at $5 per month, similar to what you could expect from a cheap essay editing service (there’s even a free trial so you can test it.)

Quill is another great writing program for elementary students that emphasizes composition and grammar. This program features plenty of learning elements , which are organized into five separate tool sections. For example, there is a diagnostic feature that evaluates a student’s skills and assigns activities based on their skill level. The lessons section shows instructions regarding prompts, topics for discussion, etc. The grammar section focuses on grammar and sentence construction, while the connect tool assigns writing activities for advanced levels. Lastly, it comes with a proofreader section for fixing mistakes and final touch-ups. Quill is a useful program that focuses on the fundamentals of good composition, and it is very easy to use for its layout. Teachers can track a student’s progress efficiently with this system.

3. BoomWriter

This is another splendid writing program that tries to build up writing and composition skills through creativity and communication. BoomWriter is the place to engage your students quickly and make them do better each time. The program features frequent interactions between a student and his or her instructors and fellow students to bring the best out of everybody. Students can also compete for writing chapters – the program comes with pre-written prompts, and the teacher may select the chapters for the students to work on. There are specific periods for them to finish, and after that, they can communicate what everyone has written. The program enables the students to read what everybody else has written, and based on that, a winner can be selected. Listening to others read and share their perspective is a wonderful learning experience for kids. It allows them to be more flexible and see things from different angles. They can also add new flavors to their writing – be it new themes or new styles of compositions.

4. Writable

Writable is a writing program that pushes the limits of web-based courses. The contents of this program cover all major aspects of any writing genre suited for grades 3 – 12. The program involves an instructor and a few students, but other teachers may also join in through invitations. Students learn to write different compositions – be they explanatory, argument-based, or even informational. There are also many types and levels of assignments. Students learn to create from short write-ups to long multi-paragraphed essays . The teachers manage the revision process and peer feedback. They can also jump in to provide additional comments. After the teachers have finished the review, the content goes back to the writer. Once the changes are introduced, it goes for a second review, where the teachers complete and grade the writing. Besides that, there is another tool available called RevisionAid, which is super helpful in analyzing writings. It adds multiple layers to the review circles to show the levels of corrections in specific colors.

5. NaNoWriMo Young Writers Program

This writing program prods students to aspire to be bigger, better, and unique. NaNoWriMo emphasizes writing skills development so well that it enables students to pen an entire novel by themselves. Most of this program’s resources are classroom-ready, which is a great thing to boost the confidence of students. The program takes the traditional home assignment method, where the students have to finish a chapter overnight and bring it to the class. Then, the teacher will help with the word count of every piece of writing – focusing more on the quantity than quality at first to make students feel accomplished. However, the lack of quality will become the focus of discussion in the review meeting, where the teacher can talk about the strengths and weaknesses of each writing. Although most of the writings will happen overnight, they can still take place between regular periods of learning the language and its structure. The teacher may join in and keep track of the writings in real-time, so the students remain motivated. The teacher can throw the students writing challenges and assign time limits to let them test their creativity to the fullest. After a month, the final review takes place. Students can introspect their writing abilities and make changes accordingly. These features make it one of the best writing programs for elementary students.

6. Connections Academy

Connections Academy is an all-around platform, which focuses on providing writing courses to elementary grade children. They came up with a specialized method called Personalized Performance Learning, which checks a child’s background and learning capabilities and then sets a goal to maximize effective learning. The method is customizable, as per the child’s needs, as nobody’s learning curve is linear. This service is worth checking out if you’re on a tight budget, or can’t send your child to a regular school for whatever reason. Joining an online learning community is a great alternative to traditional schooling. By participating in a professionally designed online learning program, your child can learn the writing skills to thrive in today’s competitive environment. And best of all, it’s free!

7. WritingCity

Another excellent writing curriculum that fits both teachers and students equally is WritingCity. The program focuses on kid writers. It unlocks the young ones’ ability to express themselves, stokes their creativity, and eliminates writing and grammar mistakes. The program is so easy to use, and it eliminates countless hours of planning and preparation. WritingCity also emphasizes classroom demonstration, interactive whiteboard lessons, daily lesson plans, and authentic student writers’ samples.

8. Write Bright Station

If you’re looking for a robust elementary grade writing program, Write Bright Station would be a great choice. This curriculum offers a lot. From videos that provide co-teaching experience to daily grammar lessons, score booster tips, and even learning an effective frame system to break down essays. Each lesson in this program follows a specific formula to keep the consistency intact and gradually build up confidence for young writers. With all that, it is extremely user-friendly for teachers, as it says – made by a teacher, for teachers.

9. Writing A-Z

This program provides a detailed approach to nurturing writing talents. Writing A-Z offers a plethora of resources teachers can use to guide any student – from fundamental levels to the more complicated. While most of the resources depend on the traditional worksheet style, the system makes it easier for students to build up skills steadily. The best feature of this program is that it puts a lot of emphasis on the interactive side. Including other elements in the learning process such as songs helps students capitalize on a certain word and also lets teachers logically assess the works. On the other side, the program may not be pushing the boundaries of innovation, but it provides a well-rounded approach.

Bottom line

Assigning to a writing program is one of the best things you can do for your children to develop their pen-pushing ability. Learning to write better involves critical and rational thinking without stifling the creative side . It also teaches empathy and helps students to process emotions deeply. Each of the course providers we discussed here offers some unique features. Hence, all of them deserve to be on the list of the best writing programs for elementary students. It is up to you which one you would opt for. Next up, you may want to explore a guide to the best assignment help websites for students .

Get your free PDF report: Download your guide to 80+ AI marketing tools and learn how to thrive as a marketer in the digital era.

Rafal Reyzer

Hey there, welcome to my blog! I'm a full-time entrepreneur building two companies, a digital marketer, and a content creator with 10+ years of experience. I started RafalReyzer.com to provide you with great tools and strategies you can use to become a proficient digital marketer and achieve freedom through online creativity. My site is a one-stop shop for digital marketers, and content enthusiasts who want to be independent, earn more money, and create beautiful things. Explore my journey here , and don't miss out on my AI Marketing Mastery online course.

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar

Teaching Expertise

• Classroom Ideas
• Teacher’s Life
• Deals & Shopping
• Privacy Policy

51 Creative Writing Activities For The Classroom: Comics, Prompts, Games, And Pretend Play

January 4, 2024 //  by  Milka Kariuki

Creative writing can be tough for learners of any age. From knowing where to start to establishing the vocabulary to develop their story, there are a bunch of different skills they’ll need to perfect their creative writing pieces. There are so many creative writing activities out there, but which ones are best for your kiddos? Our list of 51 creative writing activities is the perfect place to start looking if you’ve got a creative writing unit coming up! Read on and see which ones might grab your little writers’ attention!

1. Make Your Own Comic Books

We bet your kiddos just love comic books! Let them create their very own in the style of the super popular Diary of a Wimpy Kid books! Encourage your students to come up with their own plot, dialogue, and illustrations to spark their creativity. Even your most reluctant writers will love this fun activity! 

Learn More: Puffin Schools

2. Mad Libs

Using Mad Libs is a super popular way to develop your little creative writers! Use these free printables to get their creative juices flowing as they try to come up with words to fill the gaps to create weird and wonderful new stories. The best thing is that you can use these printables as many times as you like as their answers will be different each time!

Learn More: Teacher Vision

3. Flash Fiction

Flash fiction is a fantastic way to get your kiddies writing creatively while keeping things short and sweet! Use the range you prompts included in this resource to challenge them to write a creative story in less than 100 words. Flash fiction is amazing because your students won’t be overwhelmed by a huge writing task and it also means that your more confident writers will need to focus on the quality of their work, not the quantity! 

Learn More: TES

4. Write a Story Based on the Ending

Test your students’ creativity by providing them with writing prompts that start at the end! In backward story writing, your budding writers will need to plan and pen a story that eventually leads to the ending you give them. This idea is a fantastic way to turn your traditional creative writing lesson on its head and in many ways take the pressure off your kids, as ending their stories is often the most difficult part for them!

Learn More: Teachers Pay Teachers

5. Found Poetry

Your learners will love this fun and creative found poetry activity. You can encourage them to collect words or a group of words from a favorite story or song then write them on a piece of paper or cut them out of a printed page. The overall goal is to have them rearrange the words differently to make an interesting poem with a unique writing style or genre!

Learn More: Homeschooling Ideas

6. Picture Dictionary

A picture dictionary is a brilliant way to support every member of your younger elementary class in their creative writing. The words paired with pictures give your writers a ‘dictionary’ that they can use pretty independently, so your less confident writers or non-native English-speaking students can still access your writing lessons! 

Learn More: Twinkl

7. Creative Journal Writing

Why not start a creative journal with your kiddos? Have them engage in daily journaling activities by giving them a different creative prompt each day. For instance, write a story about what would happen if dogs took over the world or what would you do if you were the security guard at a zoo and someone stole an animal? The fun is never-ending with these prompts!  

Learn More: Think Written  

8. Roll a Story

Roll-a-Story is one of the best ways to help any of your kids who are suffering from a bout of writer’s block! They’ll roll the dice to discover the character, setting, and problem for their story then set to work weaving their creative tale! It could be a story about a wise doctor being chased by a mysterious creature in a casino, or maybe a rich artist losing their wallet in a library. Then it’s up to your students to fill in the gaps!

Learn More: TPT

9. Pass-it-on Story Writing

There’s no telling quite where this fun writing game will end up! Start by writing the first sentence of a story on a piece of paper then pass it around your class, having your kids come up with a sentence that continues the story. The paper is then passed around the whole class until every student has contributed. Finally, once it makes its way back to you, read out your collaborative story to the whole class!

Learn More: Minds In Bloom

10. Picture Writing Prompts

Creative writing prompts activities test not only your little ones’ imaginations but also their ability to craft a story and dialogue from that. Display an intriguing picture prompt for your class and have a discussion about it, recording their ideas. You could discuss what the person or animal in the picture is doing or what they’re thinking, where they think the picture was taken, and much more. They can use your collective notes to inspire their story!

Learn More: Pandora Post

11. What’s the Question?

What’s the Question is a simple, yet super engaging game that requires your young learners to think creatively. Spark their creativity by writing an answer on the whiteboard such as “the moon would explode,” and task your kiddos with coming up with a question to match it. There’ll be lots of laughs as everyone shares what they came up with!

Learn More: That Afterschool Life

12. Creative Writing Printables

This website is absolutely full of quick and fun graphics for children that’ll encourage their creative writing! The cute graphics and simple directions make it an easy bellringer activity for your writing class. Just print out some of these cool sheets and let your students get creative as they write thank-you notes to helpful heroes or finish little cartoon comics!

Learn More: Jarrett Lerner

13. Paint Chip Poetry

Nothing says creative writing quite like figurative language! Grab some of these free paint swatches from your local home improvement store and have your students create metaphors about their chosen color! We love this low-prep activity as once your kids have finished their poems, they’re a ready-made multi-colored display that’ll brighten the walls of your classroom! 

Learn More: Fabulous In Fifth

14. Story Storm Activities

Once again, these Jarrett Lerner activities do not disappoint! Your students will have a blast pretending they are the principal for a day and they’ll get to create their very own rules for the school. Not only will this be an engaging writing exercise that we’re sure they’ll love getting creative with, but it also challenges children to think about why rules in school are important.

Learn More: Tara Lazar

15. Story Bag

Story bags are a fantastic way to destroy any kind of writer’s block! Grab an assortment of random objects from your home or classroom and pop them into the story bag. Next, gather your students around and pull out all the objects in the bag. Can they then write a story connecting all the items? Be sure to leave time to let them share their stories at the end of the lesson!

Learn More: Life Hack

16. Change the Ending

An easy way to ease your kiddos into the writing process is by having them rewrite part of a story. Grab their favorite read-aloud, and challenge them to come up with a new ending! They’ll need to finish the story in a way that makes sense, but aside from that, they can be as creative as they like! Your reluctant readers will like this one as much of the work on setting and characters has already been done! 

Learn More: Make Beliefs Comix

17. Plot Twist Writing Prompts

BUT WAIT – there’s a twist…This fun writing practice is perfect for older middle or high school but could also be simplified for younger students. Write these twist prompts on notecards and have your kids draw one each before letting them go off and write a story around their chosen twist! They’ll be eager to share their finished work with classmates at the end. After all, who doesn’t love a good plot twist?

Learn More: Pinterest

18.  Craft Box Craft

Every kid loves the book The Day the Crayons Quit for its creative narrative about this familiar box of coloring supplies! This extension activity rolls art and creative writing into one! Your students will have fun coming up with dialogue for each of the different crayons and you could even make it into a fun display for your classroom walls!

Learn More: Buggy And Buddy

19. Dialogue Pictures

Personalizing writing activities always makes it more engaging for kids! Print out a picture of yourself with a blank speech bubble, and model how to add in some dialogue. Then, let your kiddos practice speech bubbling with a photo of themselves, a pet, or a favorite celebrity, and have them come up with some interesting things for each of their subjects to say!

Learn More: SSS Teaching

20. Figurative Language Tasting

Your students will be creative writers in no time after practicing their figurative language with food tasting! Not only do tasty treats make this activity incredibly fun, but it also brings the writing process of metaphors and hyperbole to life. Just give each of your kids a few pieces of candy or snacks, and have them practice writing figures of speech relating to each one! They’ll have the words on the tip of their tongue- literally! 

Learn More: It’s Lit Teaching

21. Explode the Moment

One of my favorite writing concepts as a teacher is ‘exploding the moment’. This method is perfect for showing your kiddies that even the smallest moment can be turned into an imaginative, descriptive story! Start by having them brainstorm some ideas and expand on tiny memories like losing a tooth, getting a pet, or making a winning goal in a soccer game!

Learn More: Raise The Bar Reading

22. Round-Robin Storytelling

Round-robin storytelling is the perfect collaborative creative writing activity! This one can be done verbally or in writing, and it challenges your class to build a story using a given set of words. They’ll have a fun and challenging time figuring out how to incorporate each piece into one cohesive story.

Learn More: Random Acts Of Kindness

23. Acrostic Poems

Acrostic poetry is one of the least intimidating creative writing exercises as there are no rules other than starting each line with the letter from a word. Challenge your kiddies to use each letter in their name to write lines of poetry about themselves, or they could choose to write about their favorite food or animal!

Learn More: Surfin’ Through Second

24. Sentence Sticks

This exercise requires minimal prep and can be used in so many different ways. All you’ll need are some craft sticks in which you will write sentences with blanks and word banks. Your young writers can then pull a stick and fill in the blanks to practice creative thinking! Task them with a different goal each time; can they make the sentence silly or sad for example?

Learn More: Liz’s Early Learning Spot

25. Conversation Prompts

These fun prompts require your kids to think creatively and answer a range of interesting questions. They’ll be excited to write stories about waking up with a mermaid tail or describe what is in a mystery package delivered to their doorstep! These creative prompts are perfect for bellringers or transitions throughout the school day!

Learn More: Twitter

26. Pretend Play Writing

Do you remember playing with fake money and fake food when you were younger? This idea takes it a step further by incorporating some writing practice! All you’ll have to do is print the templates for dollars, shopping lists, and recipes then let your little learners have fun with these play-pretend writing ideas!

Learn More: Prekinders

27. Question Cubes

Your class will be on a roll with these amazing question cubes! Whether the cubes are used for responding to a story, brainstorming the plot of a story, or practicing speech and listening, they are an easy, affordable tool for your little readers and writers! You can snag some foam dice at the dollar store and hot glue questions on each side to spark some creative writing ideas for your class.

Learn More: A Love 4 Teaching

28. Balderdash

Not only is Balderdash an addicting board game, but it can even be used in the classroom! Your little learners will have a blast as they create made-up, imaginative definitions for words, important people, and dates. Whoever guesses the real answer out of the mix wins the points!

Learn More: EB Academics

29. Two Sentence Horror Story

This creative writing exercise is best for older students and would be a great one to try out around Halloween! You’ll be challenging your learners to write a story that runs chills up their readers’ spines, but there’s a twist…the story can only be two sentences long! Your kiddos will love writing and sharing their writing to see who can come up with the spookiest short story!

30. Telephone Pictionary

Another game that your kids will be begging to play over and over again is telephone pictionary! The first player will write down a random phrase, and the next person must draw their interpretation of the phrase. The third player will write what they think the picture is and so on!

Learn More: Imagine Forest

31. Consequences

You need at least two players for this fun creative writing game. Each pair or group of kids will start by having one person write a random phrase and conceal it by folding the paper. Then, they pass it to the next student to fill in the blank using the prompt. Once all the blanks are filled in, let them unfold the paper and get ready to reveal some seriously silly stories!

32. Story Wands

​​Story wands are a fun way to have your kids respond to stories and study what makes something their favorite. Responding to what they’re reading is a super helpful exercise in preparing them for creative writing as it allows your students to connect to their favorite stories. By figuring out what elements make stories great, this is sure to help them in their own creative writing assignments!

Learn More: Little Lifelong Learners

33. The Best Part of Me

Probably my favorite creative writing activity, this one is infused with social-emotional learning and self-esteem building! Let your students get to choose their favorite physical characteristics about themselves; whether it be their eyes, hands, feet, etc. Then, they take a picture to attach to their written reasoning! Make sure to boost the creative element of this writing task by encouraging your learners to use a bunch of adjectives and some figurative language!

Learn More: Sarah Gardner Teaching

34. Me From A-Z

Challenge your kiddos to get creative by coming up with 26 different words to describe themselves! Me From A-Z gives your students the opportunity to explore who they are by coming up with words describing them in some way using each letter of the alphabet. Why not let them decorate their lists and turn them into a display celebrating the uniqueness of each of your class members?

35. How to Make Hot Chocolate

How-to writing is a great way to get the creative writing wheels turning in your kiddies’ brains! They’ll have a fun time coming up with their instructions and ways to explain how to make hot chocolate! Do they have a secret recipe that’ll make the best-ever hot cocoa!? Once they’ve written their instructions, be sure to try them out and do a taste-test of their recipes!

Learn More: Teacher Mama

36. Give Yourself a Hand

Hands up if you love this idea! For this creative writing activity, have your little ones trace their hand on a piece of paper and decorate it with accessories. Then, encourage them to write a list of all the different things they do with their hands all over their tracing! This is a great warm-up to get the creative gears turning.

Learn More: Write Now Troup

37. Word Picture Poem

A word picture poem is a fantastic way to challenge your kids to write descriptive poetry about a common object! Your little poets will learn to find beauty in ordinary things and strengthen their sensory language skills and their vocabulary. For some added fun, you can even task them with writing a short story about the item as well! The results are sure to be fun to read!

Learn More: Teaching With Terhune

38. Shape Poem

Shape poems are some of the most creative poetry as they combine words and art into one! First, your young poets can choose an object to use as their muse and lightly trace an outline onto some paper. Then, they’ll write words along the outlined shape in the form of a poem that describes the object! The result is a bunch of fun and striking poems that’ll look great displayed around your classroom!

39. Crazy Hair Poetry

Here’s another one that combines writing and art! Start by guiding your kiddos in drawing a self-portrait then adding some crazy hair by blowing watercolor paints around! After the paint dries, have your kids come up with a short but creative poem describing their hair art.

Learn More: Grade School Giggles

40. Fingerprint Poetry

Nothing is more creative than getting your kiddies to let down the barriers in their mind and tap into their stream of consciousness! Show them how to pick a topic and then let their words flow straight from mind to paper in a swirling pattern. This fingerprint idea can be used for a get-to-know-you activity as well!

Learn More: Kristen Dembroski

41. Doggie Haiku Poems

Put a fun twist on classic haiku poetry! Your students will have a paw-some time writing three-line poems about dogs which they can then illustrate afterwards! Before starting the activity, you can use Dogku by Andrew Clements as a read-aloud to get your class hooked on this idea!

Learn More: Teaching Fourth

42. Fractured Fairy Tale

Ever wondered if the Big Bad Wolf was framed? Or if Sleeping Beauty was actually a snorer? Your writers in training will have a fun time taking a classic fairytale and putting their own spin on it! Following five simple steps, your kids will be funky fairytale authors in no time!

43. Letter Writing

These creative letter-writing prompts are sure to boost your kiddies’ imaginative writing skills! Whether writing to a pen pal or a favorite celebrity, letter writing is a great way to practice handwriting, word flow, descriptive language, and communicating all rolled into one! Have your writers grab their pencils and let the creativity flow as they write fun response letters to these prompts!

44. Hersey’s Kisses Similes

Teach sensory language and similes by connecting this tasty treat with the sense of taste! Your students will have a lovely time brainstorming how chocolate connects to each of our senses and applying that knowledge by writing some sweet similies! What a fantastic way to teach them how to use these essential creative writing tools!

Learn More: Teacher By The Beach

45. Sensory Poetry

Another great way to teach sensory details is to have your learners write poems about their favorite foods! Task them with writing a line for each sense to describe the food! Everyone will be hungry after this creative writing lesson so it might be a good idea to have some snacks on hand!

Learn More: Mrs. Tice’s Class

46. Season Personification

Each season of weather has an array of characteristics making this the perfect activity to practice personification in creative writing! Allow your little writers to choose a season to write about as if it were a person with human characteristics. Winter is a no-brainer! It’s Elsa!

Learn More: Write Shop

47. Class Book of Character Traits

To be creative writers, your kids need to know how to create realistic characters for their stories. For this class book, you’ll start by giving each student two opposing character traits. Next, have them demonstrate these traits by illustrating two characters and displaying them through dialogue!

Learn More: Crafting Connections

48. Socialgrams

With Instagram being all the rage these days, your kiddos will have a fun time creating a ‘socialgram’ on paper! Challenge them to create a descriptive and engaging caption to go along with their “photo” in the post. Then, classmates can comment on each other’s work! 

Learn More: Breezy Special Ed

49. Story Introduction Worksheets

Creative writing worksheets are a simple, minimal-prep tool to use in your creative writing units. Print out a variety of options, and have your kids practice their skills by finishing imaginative story introductions. By giving them a place to start their story, you can really take the pressure off your kids which will help ease them into the creative writing process!

Learn More: Lanternfish ESL

50. Dialogue Worksheets

Here’s another low-prep option for the last-minute planners! Pre-written dialogue can help guide the mood of the story and allow your kiddies to just focus on filling in the characters’ actions. This is also a great way to model how dialogue is spaced out and balanced in a story!

Learn More: ESL Writing Worksheets

51. Character Trait Posters

In this personalized character trait activity, your students will create a poster of themselves and label it with a bunch of different character traits. Descriptive, interesting characters are what make a story captivating, so this is a great introduction to understanding characters and their physical as well as personality traits! This is an activity that’s sure to help them build a strong foundation for their creative writing skills to build from!

Learn More: Life In First Grade

• 0 Shopping Cart $ 0.00 -->

Annual Publishing Contest

“ i write short stories by kids for kids ” anthology.

Publishing is a powerful incentive for learning and is a unique way to validate that a child’s voice should be heard.  Each year, young writers in the 3rd-12th grade all across the globe have the chance to be published authors. This first taste of success can last a lifetime!

Congratulations to our 2024 winners!

CONTEST DETAILS

• Free to enter thanks to our Publishing Contest Sponsor H-E-B
• Students submit their short stories (fiction or non-fiction) , poetry, and illustrations.
• Classroom support is available for school entries.
• This year, 125 students will be selected for publication. Students will be invited to our annual book signing celebration and gala held in Houston, TX each fall.

“ i ” The Guy Creative Writing Program for Schools

Encourage a love of writing in your classroom.

iWRITE’s exciting in-school and after-school programming guides students through the entire writing process, teaching students to brainstorm, write rough drafts, revise, and submit their finished work. Students will learn how to work toward entering our annual publishing contest!

Reach out today to learn about how to get the “i” The Guy Creative Writing Program in your classroom!

Encourage a love of writing for your students

• 15-week curriculum and resources
• iWRITE Ambassadors from local colleges and universities will assist in one-on-one and group support
• Expertly designed ‘i” The Guy Writing journal for each student
• Visits from your student’s trusted writing mentor: “i” The Guy!

iWRITE Youth Leadership Club

(Offered in the Greater Houston Area & Virtual)

Allowing students to step into leadership roles now will prepare them for college, their careers and beyond.

Members have opportunities to:

• Network with other writers
• Serve as summer camp counselors
• Mentor younger writers
• Help plan and organize community projects
• Become public speakers
• Design and write for the iWRITER Magazine

Check Out Our Magazine!

The iWRITER MAGAZINE

Managed by the iWRITE Youth Club, The iWRITER is a magazine written, designed and published by kids for kids.

The 16-page quarterly magazine focuses on themes that interest young people. Each of our columnists (12 to 18 years old) write personal and informational articles, fiction, non-fiction stories and poetry dedicated to each issue’s topic and theme.

The first digital magazine was released in May 2020, and focused on the global, COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, which has changed every student’s life.

The iWRITER Magazine gives young people an opportunity to share their feelings and perspective with others.

Students from all over the world are invited to apply to join the magazine staff or become a contributor. Meetings are held virtually.

Writing Workshops & Camps

Iwrite’s workshops give students the chance to be fully immersed in the creative writing process and learn directly from professional authors and illustrators.

2024 Workshop & Camp Schedule

STAY TUNED FOR 2024 DATES!

• Students work on writing their very own fictional story.
• PLUS receive a professional illustration!
• Critical thinking skills sharpen
• Vocabulary grows
• Spelling improves
• Communication becomes more effective
• Self-confidence swells
• Eagerness for sharing original ideas develops
• A love for reading established
• Pride in their work increases

According to the Brookings Institute, students can lose an average of an entire month’s worth of learning over summer break.

To help battle the “summer slide” access to learning resources such as iWRITE’s Summer Camps and Workshops can be essential in sustaining academic momentum.

iWRITE offers in-person camps throughout the Greater Houston area.

Enroll today, or donate to give a child the gift of a lifelong love for writing!

Thank You to our Program Partners, Collaborators, and In-Kind Donors!

Alief ISD hosts after-school workshops for students.

The foundation has supported iWRITE’s capacity building and distributes iWRITE’s books through its home library program.

Firat Education hosts free summer camps for Houston’s students.

HCC’s education students volunteer for programs and events

HCC’s education students volunteer for programs and events.

Houston ISD is an “i” The Guy partner school, and their students often enter the annual publishing contest

Houston ISD is an “i” The Guy partner school, and their students often enter the annual publishing contest.

The Houston Public Library’s librarians serve as judges for iWRITE’s annual publishing contest. They are also collaborating with iWRITE to host after-school workshops in Houston’s most underserved neighborhoods.

Long Tale manages printing, publication, and distribution of all iWRITE books.

Literacy Now hosts literacy nights and works with iWRITE Youth Club volunteers.

Spring Branch ISD is an “i” The Guy partner school, and their students often enter the annual publishing contest.

Texas Tamale supports the annual Literacy in the Bag book drive and helps distribute books to “i” The Guy schools.

Through AmeriCorp, the University of Houston’s education department provides volunteers for in school programming and events.

Square Cow supports the annual Literacy in the Bag book drive and helps distribute books to “i” The Guy schools.

Houston’s Youth Development Center has provided funding for two creative writing summer camps.

CKW Luxe has assisted with acquisition of spaces for creative writing workshops.

The Asia Society has hosted professional development programs for teachers; has helped develop programs for elementary and middle-school children that promote cultural connections and support the global competency movement.

Get to Know Us

• 2024 iWRITE Winners
• Publishing Program
• “i” The Guy
• iWRITER Youth Club

• Just For Teachers
• Writing Workshops
• Illustration Videos
• Free Creative Writing & Illustration Activities

Stay in the know!

• Volunteer Opportunities
• Special Events/Fundraisers
• Free Creative Writing Activities

• Prodigy Math
• Prodigy English
• Is a Premium Membership Worth It?
• Promote a Growth Mindset
• Help Your Child Who's Struggling with Math
• Parent's Guide to Prodigy
• Back to School
• Assessments
• Math Curriculum Coverage
• English Curriculum Coverage
• Teacher Resource Center
• Administrators
• Game Portal
• Case Studies

225 Fun & Free Creative Writing Prompts for Kids in All Grade Levels

Written by Maria Kampen

• Teacher Resources

• Elementary school writing prompts
• Middle school writing prompts
• High school writing prompts
• Social emotional learning jounal prompts
• Math writing prompts

Writing prompts are meant to unlock creativity. They’re story starters designed to inspire creative thinking. They can take you to places you’ve been or recall an important time in your life. 

But mostly, they’re useful tools for teachers to inspire writing growth in students from grade school to high school.

“Once upon a time, in a land far, far away…”

It’s amazing how one simple sentence can send you on a journey to places you’ve never been, filled with untold possibilities. 

Reading is great, but you know what’s even better? Giving your students the power to write stories for themselves. 

Writing prompts for kids help students:

• Express themselves and their creativity
• Grasp lifelong literacy skills and concepts
• Tell their own stories and build self-confidence
• Develop a growth mindset when it comes to their writing skills

Writing is like a muscle — it takes practice to build up skills. Luckily, we put together a list of over 200 writing prompts to help your students get started. We’ve also organized them by middle school, high school and elementary school to help teachers decide whether these prompts are age-appropriate for their students.

Grade school writing prompts

Grade schoolers can definitely begin to address complex ideas when it comes to story writing — but you should seek to keep the prompts simple and straightforward. 

Reluctant writers might be intimidated by complicated writing ideas — and this is an age where we should be encouraging creativity.

Creative writing prompts for elementary schoolers

Whether it’s exploring the furthest reaches of outer space, traveling across the Sahara desert or sticking a little closer to home, these creative writing prompts will have students imagining endless possibilities for their writing.

• Write about what your life would be like if you turned into a squirrel. What would you do every day?
• A strange spaceship just crashed and landed in your backyard. What happens next?
• Make up a story about where thunder comes from.
• You find an old notebook hidden in an attic. What does it say? Who did it belong to?
• You have a magic garden. What magical plants do you grow? How do you take care of them?
• Write a story about running away with the circus when it comes to town.
• Rewrite “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” from the perspective of one of the dwarfs (Happy, Sleepy, Dopey, Doc, Grumpy, Sneezy and Bashful).
• There once was a little boy who ate nothing but oranges. What happened to him?
• Write a story about a magical hat. Where is it from? What does it do? What does it look like?
• You’re exploring the rainforest and come across a flower that no one’s ever seen before. Describe it!
• Tell me a story about a dinosaur living a long, long time ago.
• Tell me a story about an astronaut visiting another planet. Where are they going? How do they get there? What do they take with them?
• You discover a magic portal in the park. Where does it lead to?
• Pick a partner and write a story together! Start by writing the first sentence, then pass it to your partner to write the second sentence.
• You find buried treasure in the park, hidden in a big wooden chest. What kind of treasure is it? Who left it there?
• Write a story about a family that can travel in time. 
• Write a story without using the letter “E”.
• Write the funniest story you can think of. 
• There’s a kangaroo in your classroom. How did it get there? What happens when you find it?
• Write a story about an explorer who keeps getting lost. Where are they trying to go? What do they find along the way?
• Write a story about a wooden door, a can of soda and a blue shoe.
• If there was a magical portal in the back of your closet, where would it lead to? 
• Finish this story: There was a knock on the door. I opened it to find a dog sitting there, and…
• You come home and find that everything in your house is upside down. What happened?
• Describe the color “red” without using the word “red”.
• There’s an old, abandoned house at the end of your street that’s been empty for years. One day, someone moves in.
• Rewrite the story of Cinderella from the perspective of the stepsisters.  
• Write a backstory for Ed, the orange Prodigy mascot. 
• You wake up one morning and find a mermaid in your bathtub. How did they get there? What do you do?
• Write a story about a monster looking for some friends. 
• Oh no — your balloon blew away! Write about what happens from the balloon’s perspective. 
• You and your friends are out for a walk when, out of nowhere, your friends start disappearing! What’s going on?
• Once upon a time, an old inventor built a weather machine. It sat undiscovered for years — until you found it. What happens next?
• You just ate a cookie that turned you 15 feet tall. What do you do next?

Fun writing prompts for grade schoolers

Everyday life is full of great inspiration for writing! Get students thinking with these easy and fun writing prompts.Write about something you are good at. 

• If you could write a book about anything, what would you write about?
• If you could have any animal as a pet, what would it be and why?
• Do you have a favorite animal? Tell me all about it! Why do you like it?
• What would you do if you woke up one morning and everything was pink — including you?
• What food can you not live without? Why?
• If you could add any class to your school schedule, what would it be?
• Invent a new day of the week. What is it called? When is it? What do people usually do on that day of the week?
• If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live? 
• If you could spend a Saturday doing anything you wanted, what adventures would you get up to?
• If you could have any wild animal as a pet, what would you choose? Why?
• What's your favorite, wacky food?
• Where is your favorite place to read? Why?
• What was the coolest day of school for you? What made it exciting?
• Which of your toys do you wish could talk? What would they say?
• If you could only wear one outfit for the rest of your life, what would it look like?
• Invent a machine to do a chore for you. What does the machine do? What does it look like?
• What's your favorite season? What makes it the best?
• What is your favorite math game and why?
• Describe your real-life superpower.
• Finish the story: When I'm older I want to be an expert in…
• If pets could talk to each other, what would they say?
• If you were the captain of a ship, what would you call your ship? What would it look like? Where would you go?
• If your pet could talk to you, what do you think it would say?
• If you were the only person on earth for one day, what would you do?
• Plan the perfect birthday party for yourself. 
• What is your favorite thing to do over summer break?
• Describe your ideal birthday cake. 
• If you could add any type of room to your house, what would it be?
• What’s your favorite movie and why?

Persuasive writing prompts for elementary school

Are your students’ opinions up for debate? Ask them to flex their critical thinking skills with these persuasive writing prompts. Once they’re done, get class discussion flowing with a spirited debate!

• Write a letter convincing your parents to let you get a pet dog. What arguments do you use to persuade them?
• Convince your teacher that you should be allowed an extra 15 minutes of recess.
• Convince your best friend to read your favorite book.
• How would you convince someone to do your chores for you?
• Write a commercial for your favorite breakfast food. What would convince someone else to try it?
• What flavor of chips is the best? Why?
• What would make a better pet — a monkey or a peacock?
• Do you think children should be allowed to stay up as late as they want?
• What’s your favorite holiday and why should it be everyone’s favorite? 
• Convince us that your favorite food should be a staple in everyone’s diet.

As students enter middle school, they’re starting to feel like bigger, older kids. They can start writing original short stories and abstract persuasive essays. 

It’s best to inspire creativity at this age and encourage them to explore their own voice and different writing styles. These prompts will definitely go a long way in inspiring that.

Creative Writing Prompts for Middle Schoolers

• Invent a new type of transportation for the future. Who uses it? Where does it go?
• If you had a time machine, where would you visit first — the past or the future? Why?
• You get on the bus and find a four-piece jazz band giving a concert. What do you do?
• Design and name your own Prodigy pet . What element are they? What’s their special power?
• Finish this story: “Something just touched my foot,” they shouted, swimming frantically towards the shore. 
• Write a silly or scary story to tell around a campfire. 
• Finish this story: Everything was going so well today — until I tripped and fell, right in front of…
• Throughout your adventures as a pirate on the high seas, you’ve seen lots of strange and magical creatures. Which one was the most interesting?
• Deep in the heart of a dark and mysterious cave, there lies a magic stone. Write about your quest to find it. 
• Write an acrostic poem using the word “strawberry.”
• There was an old woman who lived in a shoe. She knit and she baked, but what else did she do?
• Finish this story: “One thing I’ll never do again,” she said, “Is go on vacation with an alpaca.”
• Make up a new planet and describe it. 
• Write a story about a family of penguins living on an iceberg.
• Write a story about a girl who can walk through walls. 
• You’ve been invited to a ball at the Queen’s palace! What is it like?
• Imagine you’re exploring the Amazon jungle. Write a diary entry about your day.
• If you could invent a TV show, what would it be about?
• You discovered an underwater kingdom! What is it like there?
• A lonely trumpet player makes friends with the dancer who lives next door. What happens next?
• You go to the park to fly a kite, but get carried away by the wind! What happens next?
• Write a story about a volcano that’s about to erupt.
• Write a story about visiting an old lady who lives deep in the woods.
• Boom, you’re a superhero! Give yourself an origin story, describe your superpowers and plan what you’ll do to make the world a better place. 
• Write a story using these six words: calendar, headphones, lipstick, mug, bear.
• You wake up to find you’re invisible. How did it happen? What do you do?
• There’s been a robbery at the bank, and you’re in charge of finding the culprit. How do you solve the case?
• Finish the story: Once upon a time, there was a dragon...
• You just joined a super-secret spy organization. What’s your first mission?
• Write a story about being cold without using the word “cold.”
• You’re a scientist and you’ve just discovered a new type of bug. Describe what it looks like, where it’s from and what you’re going to call it. 
• Imagine a world where all the birds can talk. What would they say?
• Write about what happens after the end of your favorite book or movie.
• Finish the story: She sprinted down the driveway to the mailbox. The package was here!
• You’re on a hike and a bird starts talking to you. What do you do? What does it say?
• Write a story using these five words: bubblegum, stapler, spoon, lightbulb, strawberry.
• You ate a magical carrot and your skin turned orange! What happens next?
• Write about what it would be like if you had an elephant for a pet.

Fun Writing Prompts for Middle Schoolers

• If you were in charge of the classroom for a day, what would your class do?
• Tell me about the last dream you had.
• You’re trapped on a desert island. What three things did you bring with you and why?
• What mythical creature would you like to have as a pet? Why?
• Invent a new type of pasta. What does it look like? What does it taste like?
• If you could go on vacation anywhere in the world, where would you go? Make a plan and tell the story of your dream vacation.
• Plan the perfect picnic. Where would it be? What food would you have?
• If you could decorate your bedroom any way you wanted, what would it look like?
• Write a story that sounds loud, using onomatopoeia (words that sound like their meaning, like crash, snort, bang and boom.)
• Invent a new type of cookie. What does it taste like?
• Invent a new sport. What is it called? What are the rules?
• How would you disguise yourself to blend in with a forest?
• You just won a special award from the president. What did you do to earn that award?
• Do you collect anything? What is it and why? If not, what would you like to collect?
• You just found a genie in a bottle. What three things would you wish for? (Remember, no wishing for extra wishes!
• Explain how to play your favorite sport or do your favorite hobby. Make it as exciting as possible!
• Describe the most beautiful sunrise or sunset you’ve ever seen.
• If you could live in any book or movie, which one would you choose and why?
• Imagine that you’re going on a camping trip. What do you pack to make sure the trip is fun?
• If you could invent a robot to do any chore, what chore would it be? How would the robot do it?
• Would you rather it was always raining, or always snowing?
• Imagine you’re a toy inventor. What will you create?
• Would you rather climb to the top of a mountain or go scuba diving?
• Interview a family member about their childhood, then write it as a story.
• What was your favorite toy growing up — why was it so special to you?

Persuasive Writing Prompts for Middle School

• If you could change one thing about your school, what would it be and why?
• Is it better to read the book before you watch the movie, or watch the movie before you read the book?
• Persuade someone to try out your favorite hobby or sport.
• What’s the best way to try and persuade a friend to do what you want to do?
• When is peer pressure good? When is peer pressure bad?
• Is it better to have lots of friends, or just a few really good friends?
• Should students be in charge of what they learn in school?

High school students can either be tasked with more complex writing prompts or breathe nuance into simple story ideas. Students can drive these prompts in a million different ways.

So while not necessarily more complicated than middle school, these prompts can be tweaked, either by the student or teacher, to encourage thought-provoking output.

Creative Writing Prompts for High Schoolers

• Write a story about someone your age who lives on the other side of the world. 
• Pick up the nearest book and turn to page 7. Close your eyes and point to a random word on the page, then write a story about that word.
• Write a story in ten words or less.
• You fell asleep for 100 years. What does the world look like when you wake up?
• Finish the story: “This isn’t what I hoped would happen,” she said….
• You’re walking down the street when you see someone who looks exactly like you.
• Write a story where the main character learns something new about themselves.
• Write a story that takes place in the desert. 
• Write a story about a day where everything seems to go wrong. 
• Write a poem about the color blue.
• How would your life be different if you didn’t have access to a computer, video games or your phone?

Fun writing prompts for high schoolers

• You win a million dollars, but there’s a catch — you have to spend it all in 24 hours, or you lose all the money. What do you do?
• Write about something you or your family does from the perspective of someone from another country.
• If you could make up a new holiday, when would it be and what would it celebrate?
• Go out on a nature walk and find a tree. Write the story of that tree, from the time it was a seed until now.
• What’s the most boring superpower you can think of? How would it be useful?
• If you could pass any law, what would it be?
• You meet yourself in the future, as a grown-up at age 35 — what do you talk about? 
• If you had to show aliens the most important/best things in the world, what would you show them?
• Who is your hero and why?
• Write about the best surprise you ever got. 
• What are three good things you can do for the environment? How can you encourage the people around you to do good things for the environment?
• What is your earliest memory? Write down as many details as you can remember.
• If you could take two people – real or fictional – on a cross-country road trip, who would you take? Where would you go?
• If you could have any job in the world tomorrow, what would you do?
• What is the best thing about living in your city or neighbourhood?
• Write a letter to your 30-year-old self. What do you think you’ll accomplish by then?
• Teach me how to make your favorite recipe.
• Describe the sound of your favorite song using descriptive words.

Persuasive writing prompts for high school

• Should kids be allowed to use social media unsupervised? Why or why not?
• Persuade someone to start a healthy habit, or get rid of a bad one.
• Should all single-use plastics be outlawed? Why or why not?
• Should our school have a dress code? Why or why not?
• Is it more important to be right or to not hurt someone else’s feelings?
• What important historical figure do you think belongs on the ten-dollar bill?
• Do you think you’re born with your personality traits, or do you gain them as you grow up?
• Should mobile apps be responsible for protecting your privacy — why or why not?

Social emotional learning journal prompts

School is about more than just books and quizzes — it’s about preparing students for the rest of their lives. Social emotional learning teaches them how to build good relationships with peers, understand and control their emotions and make healthy life decisions.

Journaling is a great way for students to reflect on their feelings in a safe, private space. Use these journaling prompts as thought starters for more social emotional learning!

Check out our list of the 25 best social emotional learning activities for students here. 

• Tell me about a tradition you have with your family or friends. 
• What’s the best gift you’ve ever received?
• Have you ever found something that you lost? How did you feel when you found it?
• What is something you haven’t learned this school year that you’re still wondering about?
• What do you do when you’re angry? Write about three ways you calm yourself down.
• Where do you feel the safest? Why do you feel safe there?
• Write a poem to make a friend happy.
• When was the last time you were kind to someone? How can you be kind to someone today?
• How are you feeling today? Are you happy, sad, excited or anxious?
• If you could give your best friend a present, what would it be?
• What are the qualities you look for in a friend? Why is it important to be a good friend?
• What does responsibility mean to you?
• Who do you talk to when you’re worried about something? How do they make you feel better?
• If you could make a card for anyone in your life, who would it be for and what would it say?
• What’s your favorite thing about yourself?
• Write about a time you had to make a hard decision. How did you make your decision?
• What do you do to make yourself happy when you’re sad?
• Write about a time you were disappointed. 
• What are three things that make your best friend awesome?
• What do you think empathy means? Why is it important?
• How can you cheer up a friend who is sad?
• What makes you a good friend? How can you be a better friend?
• What’s the best piece of advice a friend, parent or teacher has ever given you?
• Write three goals for the rest of the school year. How are you going to accomplish them?
• What does responsibility mean to you? What are you responsible for at school and at home?
• What person in your life makes you feel confident?
• What scares you? How can you overcome your fears?
• Tell me about a time when you tried something new. How did it feel? Did you do it again?

Math writing prompts for kids

Whether it’s tackling word problems or explaining a new concept, writing is a surprisingly good tool for the math classroom. 

A math journal can help you understand what students already know, while giving them space to work through tricky concepts on their own. Use these writing prompts to promote literacy in every subject — and help students avoid math anxiety .

• Tell me everything you know about ________.
• Explain, in words, how to solve this problem.
• What is and isn’t true about this situation?
• What is _______?
• Explain two different ways to solve this problem. Which one is better?
• What did you get correct in this problem?
• What mistakes did you make while solving this problem?
• What do you not understand about _____?
• Write a word problem using the concept we’re learning about. 
• What did you learn today?
• How do you use math in your everyday life?
• What is the easiest/hardest part of math class?
• What discoveries did you make in math class today?

Final thoughts on writing prompts for kids

Writing prompts aren’t the end of the story — they’re just the beginning. Encourage your students to build a regular writing practice, and soon you’ll see the benefits in every class. 

Where will your students’ imaginations take them?

Inspire student imagination with Prodigy English

Prodigy's brand-new game, Prodigy English , encourages students to build creativity and reading and language skills. Students can explore and create a world of their very own as they answer questions to gain energy, meet new characters, earn coins and build a village. And as they play, you'll be able to track their progress and achievement for easy assessment!

Create your free teacher account today to get started.

Share this article

Table of Contents

Prodigy English is here! Get your students playing — and learning — today.

Elementary Assessments

27 Great Writing Activities for Elementary Students

Elementary school marks the formal beginning of students’ writing journey.

During this phase, teachers have a variety of exciting and engaging writing activities at their disposal to lay a strong foundation for writing skills.

These writing activities for elementary students not only set the stage for academic success but also equip students with invaluable skills applicable throughout their educational journey and beyond.

When designing your lessons for writer’s workshops, add some fun and creativity to students’ writing journeys by blending in some of these elementary writing activities that empower students to evolve as confident and skillful writers.

Writing Activities for Elementary Students

1. create a glossary..

Have your elementary students compile glossaries for specific topics or subjects.

This activity improves vocabulary acquisition and organization skills, as students define and explain terms in a clear and concise manner.

2. Write a Book Recommendation.

As your students to become mini literary critics as they write persuasive book recommendations.

By summarizing plots, discussing characters, and sharing personal insights, students practice the art of convincing others to read their favorite texts.

3. Make a Timeline.

Prompt your students to explore sequential writing by creating timelines of historical events or personal experiences.

Doing so will strengthen their ability to present information chronologically and to organize events coherently.

See more sequencing activities .

4. Create an Affirmations Book.

This activity involves elementary students writing affirmations that promote self-confidence and growth.

By writing affirmations and compiling them into a book, students engage with positive self-talk and self-reflection.

5. Do a Class Collaborative Story.

Teach students about story structure with this activity. Initiate a story chain where each student contributes a sentence to create a collective story. 

Related Content: Writing Prompts for Elementary Students

6. Write in Nature Journals.

Take students outdoors to observe nature, and then have them write journal entries describing what they saw, heard, and felt. 

7. Draft a Research Report.

Students will explore a favorite topic and research it.

By compiling information and presenting it in an organized manner, they learn to communicate their findings effectively.

See a list of research ideas and topics for elementary students .

8. Recall a Personal Experience.

Have your elementary students tap into their own experiences and memories, sharing personal stories that develop their narrative writing skills.

By describing events, emotions, and lessons learned, your young writers will practice expressing their experiences in a relatable and engaging way.

9. Summarize the Best Things.

Ask students to list and describe the “best things” in various categories, from favorite books to cherished memories. 

They will then summarize each list into one to three paragraphs.

10. Write a Story.

Ask students to draft their own stories.

Of all the elementary writing activities, this one seems most familiar to students.

That’s why it’s a great writing activity for all ages.

From fun adventures to everyday scenarios, students will develop their creativity, character development, and plot-building skills while engaging readers with their narratives.

11. Practice Descriptive Writing With Show and Tell.

Ask students to bring in a small item and then write a paragraph describing it in detail. 

12. Write Letters.

Elementary students will express their thoughts, feelings, and ideas effectively through personal or persuasive letters.

Whether writing to a friend, family member, or fictional character, students will use the power of words to connect and communicate while practicing the conventions of letter format.

Fun Writing Activities for Elementary Students

13. write friendly letters to book characters..

Encourage conversational writing by inviting students to write letters to their favorite book characters, expressing their thoughts, asking questions, and/or giving advice. 

14. Share a Recipe.

Integrate writing with real-life skills by asking students to write recipes for their favorite dishes.

They may want to compile all of their recipes into a cookbook as a literacy keepsake.

15. Make Top 10 Lists.

Prompt students to create “Top 10” lists related to various topics, such as favorite books, places, or hobbies.

Afterward, they will summarize why these items are on their Top 10 list.

16. Create Your Own Superhero.

Ask students to invent their own superhero or character with special powers. They will write origin stories, describing their character’s background and adventures.

17. Design a Guide.

In this engaging activity that helps students practice giving clear directions and interesting facts, elementary students step into the shoes of a guide.

They will write descriptive and informative texts that lead readers through a chosen location, event, or topic.

This may be in the form of a how-to guide or manual.

18. Design a Menu.

Immerse students in the culinary world by having them design menus.

Using enticing descriptions, your elementary students will practice using descriptive language to make food options appear more attractive to consumers.

19. Create a Comic Strip Creation .

Provide templates for comic strips and encourage students to create their own stories using dialogue and illustrations.

20. Prepare Historical Character Interviews.

Assign students a historical figure to research , and then have them write interview-style conversations between themselves and the historical character.

Creative Writing Activities for Elementary Students

The following elementary writing activities stretch students’ imaginations and encourage them to think outside the box.

21. Write Using Story Stones .

Have students create a set of story stones with pictures or words on them.

They will select a few stones at random and use them as inspiration to create an original story.

22. Publish a Mini Book.

Have students write and illustrate their own mini-books on various topics.

They can bind their creations, feeling proud of their accomplishment as a book author.

23. Create Text for Wordless Picture Books.

This activity, perfect for elementary-aged students, encourages them to interpret visual cues and create their own narratives.

Provide wordless picture books and ask students to write their own stories based on the illustrations. 

24. Create a New Ending.

After reading a story or book, challenge students to come up with a different ending and explain their reasoning. 

25. Make Personal Narrative Collages.

Have students create collages using images from magazines, and then write personal narratives based on the collages. 

26. Compose Rhyming Poems.

Encourage your students to explore poetry through rhyming.

Ask them to write short poems using rhyming words to express their thoughts or tell stories in a rhythmic manner.

27. Create a Book of Poems.

This activity also invites elementary students to explore poetry.

Whether composing individual poems or a series, students will experiment with composing different poetic forms and themes, strengthening their figurative language skills. 

Consider hosting a poetry open mic day so that students can share their creations with classmates, friends, and family.

Final Thoughts On Elementary Writing Activities

Utilizing these creative and engaging writing activities for elementary students, you’ll make writing a fun and educational experience for young learners.

Elementary Writing

Improve your child's writing skills.

Home > Language Arts > Writing

Writing is a fundamental skill to master at elementary school level to enable your child's continued education across all subjects. This section of our website explains all about the writing standards expected of elementary students at different grade levels. We know how challenging teaching writing can be, so we’ve included free expert guidance on how you can help your child develop the writing skills they need in their grade.

We run through all levels of elementary school writing, ranging from Grade 1 to Grade 6 , to provide you with background knowledge and grade-level advice from experienced elementary teachers. In this guide, we’ll take you through the key types of writing your child can expect at elementary school level, and how you can ensure that your child understands different writing processes.

Get started by flipping through the graded tabs above, or learn more about writing at elementary school level below!

What is elementary writing?

Writing is one of the most effective forms of communication, and it’s a skill your child will need in their academic, professional and personal life. Elementary students will learn to develop literacy, motor and cognitive skills as they expand their language arts knowledge, which will enable them to progress seamlessly from Grade 1 all the way to Grade 6 and beyond.

If your child is a preschooler starting Grade 1, they will need to have developed prewriting skills (such as fine motor skills) to work towards becoming a fluent writer in higher grades. As your child progresses through their elementary school journey, they’ll build a strong foundation across language arts , starting with spelling , grammar , and punctuation rules before moving on to sentence construction and the writing process.

By what grade should a child be writing?

Typically, learners should be able to write letters, words and simple sentences by the end of Grade 1 . In Grade 2 , you can expect your child to be able to write short texts, using their new knowledge of language arts to aid the writing process, including how to correctly use spelling and grammar principles, such as capitalization .

Keep in mind that teaching students to write is a personalized experience, meaning that every learner will write at their own pace and however works best for them. While the writing practice tips in this guide have worked for thousands of children worldwide, you may need to adjust the writing instructions provided to best suit your young writer’s personal learning style. After all, every child is unique!

How do you teach elementary writing?

There are many ways to successfully teach writing at elementary level, but it can be a challenging task to achieve on your own!

Night Zookeeper is a language arts program for kids , created to help elementary students through this challenging yet exciting time in their learning journey. Our program helps young writers through the full writing process, from brainstorming new ideas, to organizing them into coherent pieces of writing. We offer a wide range of writing tasks, lessons, creative writing prompts , and much more. Elementary school students also have the opportunity to give collaborative writing a try with our safe community feature!

One of the most useful features of our program (for learners and parents) is our personalized feedback service, which is provided by real elementary teachers! All student writing receives constructive comments from our tutors, to encourage children to refine their skills and to get them accustomed to revising their work.

Night Zookeeper is a fully adjustable education program, which means that you can adapt the content your child has access to based on grade level, age, or current learning ability! You can also decide the type of content your child has access to, to ensure that they get exactly what they need out of the program. For example, you can search for specific assignments that target writing if you’d like your child to focus on that! For more information on the program features, please visit our user guide .

These features also help to make our program very inclusive and accessible for as many learners as possible. Night Zookeeper has been proven to work well for SEN schooling, including many success stories from children with dyslexia , dyspraxia, ADHD , amongst many other special educational needs (SEN).

Related articles

• Language Arts Curriculum
• Elementary Reading
• Elementary Spelling
• Elementary Grammar
• Elementary Punctuation
• Elementary Writing Prompts

Make Reading & Writing Fantastically Fun!

• Award-winning reading & writing program for kids
• Improves spelling, grammar, punctuation & vocabulary
• Over 1,000 different learning games and activities

Creative Writing Activities To Liven Up Your Writing Class

Writing tasks in lessons often focus on exam preparation or writing full-length texts. However, there are many other ways to make writing lessons engaging, such as incorporating creative writing activities. 

Creative writing activities not only allow learners to apply their lexical and grammatical knowledge more freely but also encourage them to think imaginatively and express themselves through their own ideas. 

Let’s look at some fun and engaging creative writing teaching ideas to give you inspiration in your lessons.

Visuals as story starters

Visuals can be a powerful tool to spark creativity in students. Using images as a starting point for writing can push them to use their imaginations and put themselves in a variety of situations. 

• Use unusual or funny images: Think about what type of unusual photos you’d like to use and have a search online. You could also use an AI image generation tool such as DALL-E (now incorporated into ChatGPT). 
• Show these images in class and ask students to invent a story around the situation they see. Encourage them to think about how the situation came about, what’s happening in the image, and what might happen next.
• Google Earth: Use websites like Random Street View or Google Earth. Zoom in on a random location and ask students to create a story about someone living there. 
• You could also ask students to do some research into the culture, language and lifestyles of the people in that area. This not only broadens their creative scope but also ties into global awareness projects, such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

You can read more about the SDGs here. 

Mad libs variations 

Mad Libs is a classic game that can be adapted into an engaging creative writing activity. It’s great for reviewing parts of speech and encouraging creativity.

• Word categories: Prepare a list of categories (e.g., nouns, adjectives, verbs) and ask students to provide words for each of them. Divide the words among different groups, and challenge them to create stories using as many of the words as possible. The randomness of the words usually results in funny and unexpected narratives.
• Story replacement: Have groups write a short story and then pass it to another group. The second group then replaces certain words or phrases without reading the entire story. Again, there are usually funny and unusual stories generated from a task like this, and it can be a fun way to review vocabulary and grammar.

Collaborative team writing

Team writing exercises are excellent for developing students’ writing skills while encouraging teamwork and peer learning. 

• Story starters: Give each group a story starter sentence or paragraph. Set a time limit for them to continue the story before passing it on to another group. When the story has been passed to the next group, they can’t look at it, except for the last sentence of the story. The activity continues around the class. As the story passes through different hands, it will take unexpected turns, often leading to stories that don’t make sense but are entertaining for the class to read. 
• Editing for flow: Once the story in story starters has gone through several rounds, give it back to the original group. They now edit the story to ensure it flows logically. This step teaches students to revise and improve their writing.

Video narration

Incorporating video or social media is a great way to link the classroom to the outside world. 

• Silent video narration: Choose short video clips related to a topic you’ve covered in class and play them without sound. Ask students to write the narration or subtitles for the video. To add challenge, give students a specific target audience for the video.
• How-not-to videos: Assign different groups to watch various how-to videos. Then, have them create a parody how-not-to video. They write the script, prepare any necessary props, and perform the video for the class. The aim is to do the opposite of what they saw in the original video. This activity not only encourages creative writing for the script and story but also helps develop presentation skills and teamwork.

Incorporating creative writing activities into your lessons is a motivating way to get students to practise their writing skills and think outside of the box. They can use their imaginations and creativity, and work together to create a light and fun story. 

To learn more activities for creative writing, read here . 

You may also like

Learning through play: activity ideas for young learners, motivational speaker techniques to encourage students’ english speaking skills, how graded readers and engaging activities can ignite student interest in the magic of books, leave a reply cancel reply, recent posts, inspiring changemakers: integrating the un’s sustainable development goals into primary education, mastering classroom management: transform your teaching, how to promote equity and inclusion in the classroom, new teacher advice: 5 tips to avoid common teaching mistakes, recent comments.

Copyright 2023 © Oxford University Press 2023

Read our Privacy Policy , Cookie Policy & Legal Notice .

This blog contains external links. OUP are not responsible for the content of external sites nor do we endorse any companies or organisations linked to. Any views or opinions expressed in the articles on these posts are those of the author(s).

Oxford University Press - ELT

Search form

• Login/Register
• Upcoming Workshops
• Where to Start
• The Book Project
• Poetry Collective
• Writing in Color
• Queer Creatives
• Post-Grad Year
• Community Partnerships

Young Authors Collective

• YWP Anthology
• Young Writers Summer Camp
• Community Programs
• Upcoming Events
• Writing Communities
• Fellowships
• Visiting Authors
• Readings and Parties
• Member Events
• ILLUMINATION 2024
• Nonfiction Fest
• 2024 Lit Fest Fellows
• Sponsorship Opportunities
• Gift Certificates
• Monthly Giving
• Planned Giving
• Lighthouse Supporters
• Become a Member
• Our New Home
• The Lookout
• In The News
• Mission and Values
• Board of Directors
• Reports and Publications
• Location/Contact
• Equity, Diversity, Inclusivity, and Access (EDIA)

Young Writers

Lighthouse's Young Writers Workshops are designed to foster creativity, self-expression, and excitement about writing. There are no grades here, just the stories. We offer workshops at Lighthouse including afterschool and weekend workshops, the Young Authors Collective, and summer camps, as well as youth outreach in schools, at juvenile residential treatment centers, and in collaboration with other arts organizations.

For the latest on workshops and events,  sign up for our Young Writers Program e-newsletter . 

Lighthouse connects kids and teens to words, new friends, and a writing community. We offer workshops in poetry, fiction, nonfiction, playwriting, screenwriting, and many other genres and topics. Our classes are taught by published authors and are designed to foster creativity, self-expression, and excitement about writing.

Summer Writing Camps

Lighthouse's Young Writers Camps are led by published and award-winning writers, and each workshop is designed to foster creativity, self-expression, and excitement about writing in young writers aged 8 to 18. Registration for half-day camp and applications for full-day camp will open on January 1, 2019.

School Outreach

The Young Writers Program offers creative writing workshops in public and private schools as well as juvenile residential treatment centers throughout the Denver metro area. Led by working, published writers with a passion for sharing their craft, our outreach workshops provide access to our innovative creative writing programming for young people who cannot come to Lighthouse.

The Young Authors Collective, or YAC, is a group of talented, word-obsessed high school writers dedicated to experimenting with new creative forms, collaborating with other arts organizations, and writing a ton. We meet once a week at Lighthouse to generate new pieces, give friendly feedback, and work towards publication.

Support Young Writers

Our Future Scribes Depend on Your Support. Nearly all of the workshops and projects that will engage 2,300 students this year are free to attend, and for the sessions that do have tuition, such as summer writing camp, financial aid is available for any student who needs it. We want all young people who want to write to be able to do so and for them to be nurtured by the best instructors and mentors available. This only happens with the support of generous donors like you.