Writing Tips for Kids
Kids are the best storytellers and we believe in empowering them to use their imaginations to share their stories. It's not just about learning to string words together; it's about inspiring young minds to explore, imagine, and express themselves in ways they never thought possible. Writing is an essential academic skill—but it's also a pathway to creativity, critical thinking, and emotional expression.
For Our Youngest Authors (K-1st Grade)
Our prompts for Kindergarten and 1st grade students are all about exploring the world through their senses, emotions, and boundless imagination. We encourage them to draw, write, and share their stories, whether they're about magical gardens, talking animals, or adventures on sunny beaches.
Kindergarten
Friendship Prompt: "Describe your best friend. What makes them special?" Children draw a series of pictures about a day spent with their best friend. They then dictate or write a sentence about each picture to create a story.
Spring Prompt: "Imagine you're a butterfly. What does your day look like in the garden?" Draw pictures with some sentences to tell your story.
End of School Year Activity: "Draw and write about your favorite memory from this year."
Summer: "Write about your perfect day at the beach. What do you see and do?"
1st Grade
Animal Prompt: "What is your favorite animal, and what adventure do you go on together?" Create a diary entry from the perspective of their favorite animal. Include illustrations and simple sentences about a day's adventure.
Spring Prompt: "What would you plant in your garden, and why? Draw your garden." Create a list and then write a story about your garden.
End of School Year Activity: "Write a letter to your future self, telling what you hope to learn next year."
Summer: "If you could go on an adventure with a talking animal this summer, who would it be and where would you go?"
Developing Storytellers (2nd-3rd Grade)
As children grow, so does their ability to craft more complex narratives. Our prompts for 2nd and 3rd graders challenge them to invent new worlds, dive into fantasy adventures, and even become characters in their own stories.
2nd Grade
Prompt: "Invent a machine that does your homework. What does it look like and how does it work?" Draw and label a detailed diagram of your homework machine. Write a paragraph describing how it works. If you feel inspired, write about what you did with your free time!
Spring Prompt: "Invent a new flower. What does it look like, and what is its name?" Write the details of your new flower and draw a picture of it.
End of School Year Activity: "Write a story about a magical school where you can learn any subject you want." Include fun descriptions of students and teachers there.
Summer: "Describe a day in the life of a pirate looking for treasure. What do you find?"
3rd Grade
Spring: "Imagine discovering a secret door in your backyard. Where does it lead?"
End of School Year: "Write about a character who invents a new game. How do you play it?"
Summer: "Create a new holiday that celebrates the start of summer. What traditions does it have?"
Young Writers Unleashed (4th-5th Grade)
For our 4th and 5th graders, the prompts dive deeper, encouraging them to think critically about the world around them and their place within it. They'll invent new technologies, explore unknown worlds, and perhaps even dabble in the art of playwriting.
4th Grade
Spring: "Write a story about someone who can control the weather. What happens in spring?"
End of School Year: "Imagine you're opening a time capsule from the past school year. What's inside?"
Summer: "Design your own amusement park. What are the rides like?"
5th Grade
Spring: "You've been chosen to represent Earth in the Intergalactic Garden Contest. What does your garden look like?"
End of School Year: "Write a play about a group of friends on the last day of school, planning their summer."
Summer: "You discover a map leading to a hidden underwater city. Describe your journey."
The Next Generation of Authors (6th-8th Grade)
Our prompts for middle school students are crafted to refine their writing skills, deepen their analytical thinking, and explore more complex themes. From journaling as a tree through the seasons to crafting speeches that envision the future, these prompts are designed to challenge and inspire.
6th-8th Grades
Spring: "Write a journal entry from the perspective of a tree waking up from winter."
End of School Year: "Compose a speech for a school graduation that focuses on the future and the environment."
Summer: "Craft a story where the protagonist embarks on a quest to find a legendary summer artifact."
“We believe good writers are good readers — helping your child learn to tell stories is a great way to promote reading comprehension and improve their foundational reading skills.”
Now it’s time to start writing! If you need more inspiration, check out our list of kids books about writing, or use one of our worksheets to help. Email Christa Fletcher for printables of our fun writing exercises or book a Writing Workshop with us in you are based in California.
Books About Writing for Kids:
Aaron Slater, Illustrator — by Andrea Beatty, Illustrated by David Roberts
The Smart Cookie — by Jory John, Illustrated by Pete Oswald
What If My Nana Was a Banana? — By David Keyes, Illustrated by Lauren Lowen
Race to the Great Invention — by Bronwen Butter Newcott
Spilling Ink: A Young Writer’s Handbook — By Ellen Potter & Ann Mazer
Sample Worksheets and Activities From Literacy Week Events
Promote Literacy
Inspire creativity, foster reading comprehension, and gauge their interests with worksheets about books and characters your kids enjoy. Our activities allow K-6th graders to practice writing and drawing skills.
Gamify Reading
Instead of tracking books in a list, make it a game! Activities like Book Bingo encourage kids to read new books at the library, and promotes confidence because they can feel good about all their reading and winning at Bingo!
What’s the Banana Bunch?
Kids are the best storytellers so we created a club where kids can have fun with their writing and parents can get inspired with cool writing activities and children’s book lists.
At the Banana Bunch we want kids to ask silly questions to inspire the wackiest, best stories ever! When you join, you’ll get helpful writing tips, free printable activities and games, amazing writing prompts and contests for kids, and helpful lists of books for reading time.
When you subscribe to our newsletter, you’ll get five free writing activities that will grow your child’s writing and reading skills (and most importantly, they’re fun!).
Join the Banana Bunch
Guess what? The Banana Bunch is free. All you need is to sign up for our email newsletter. We’ll send five free activities activities and you’ll continue to receive writing prompts, book recommendations, and more free printable worksheets and games like the samples below. Plus, we will also host writing contests with prizes. And we’d like to feature kids’ stories if they want to show them off!
Writing Workshops
Would you like to have a fun creative writing event? We host children’s writing workshops for book stores, children’s parties, school events, book fairs and festivals, literacy week, and online events too! Email Christa Fletcher to schedule your writing workshop.