While it’s fine to assign essays and longer stories to elementary students, sometimes it’s a good idea to give them an assignment that lets them express their creativity without feeling like a daunting chore.
Short stories can be fiction or nonfiction, which is great for encouraging students to think outside the box.
We’ve put together a list of prompts to get your students to write and enjoy it!
Using This Guide
These guides are great because there is no right or wrong way to use them. The point is to get students to use the skills they are learning to create.
How you go about doing that is up to you.
However, if you are looking for creative ways to get started, here are a few ideas:
- Challenge your students to use one prompt a day for an entire school week.
- Have your students pick prompt numbers from a jar.
- Tell your students to close their eyes and point to pick a prompt.
Let’s Get Writing!
- Write a short story and include the words: stroll, last, circle, stick, train
- You’re a kite soaring through the clear sky on a beach. Write about what you see.
- Write a short story about a lost mitten trying to find its mate in the lost and found box.
- Your sister brings home a pet kangaroo after school one day. Write about how your parents react.
- Tell a story that takes place during a thunderstorm.
- Write a story from the point of view of someone meeting you for the first time.
- Tell a story about a kid who gets to be principal for a day. Use creative dialogue!
- You discover a time machine in the woods. What do you do next?
- Tell a story that takes place in your favorite Disney or Pixar movie.
- Write a story including these words: carrot, shuffle, time, soup
- Tell a short story about a cat who doesn’t know her people can’t understand her.
- The shy kid in class stands up to a bully. How does your class react?
- Write a story from the point of view of your pencil.
- Tell a story a monster who only comes out on Halloween because everyone thinks he’s just in a costume.
- Write a story that takes place during the summer.
- There’s a tap on your window in the middle of the night. What happens next?
- Tell a story that takes place in your favorite video game.
- Write a short story about a girl who learns that she is a mermaid.
- Tell a story about life inside a snow globe.
- Write about the life of someone you look up to.
- Write a short story about a zookeeper who lost his keys.
- Talk about the day you got your first pet.
- Write a story that uses these words: taco, wonderful, balloon, park
- Tell a story about a time when you were afraid.
- Tell a story about a time when you were surprised.
- Write a story that takes place the year your mother was born.
- Have you ever been to a theme park? Talk about your experience.
- Write a story about the stars.
- Tell a story about a magical box of crayons.
- Write a story that uses these words: deliver, spaghetti, never, glitter
- Talk about the day you met your best friend.
- Talk about a time when you felt let down.
- Tell a story with your favorite animal as the main character.
- A package arrives on your doorstep. It says “open me for a surprise”. Write about what happens next.
- Write a story about a colorful bird who sees its reflection in a window.
- Talk about a time when you felt excited.
- Write about your favorite holiday memory.
- Write a story that involves a clock, a chair, and a dog.
- Tell a story about your family, from the point of view of your neighbors.
- Write a story about a bear who just wants to play with the campers.
- Tell a story that takes place on top of a mountain.
- Write a story that involves your favorite sport.
- Write a story about music. Use as many onomatopoeias as you can.
Looking For More?
We have a ton of writing guides and resources for students, teachers, parents, and guardians. If you are looking for something specific and it’s not here, let us know! We love finding new ways to fuel the minds of young writers.
