thinkwritten site icon

ThinkWritten

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

' src=

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

origami, paper, folding

We may receive a commission when you make a purchase from one of our links for products and services we recommend. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for support!

Sharing is caring!

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

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

writing prompts for kids

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

writing prompt card for kids example

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

#33. What is your favorite holiday and why?

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

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

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

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

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

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

magic sweater writing prompt for kids

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

writing prompts for pets

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

creative writing journal prompts elementary

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

kids writing prompts and ideas

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

#112. What is something you learned today?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

kids journal prompts

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

circus lion

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

writing ideas for kids

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

fire fighter writing prompt

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

#215. Write your autobiography about your life.

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

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

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

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

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

superheroes writing prompts for kids

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ocean writing prompt

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

' src=

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

Similar Posts

108 Romance Writing Prompts & Love Story Ideas

108 Romance Writing Prompts & Love Story Ideas

101 Poetry Prompts & Ideas for Writing Poems

101 Poetry Prompts & Ideas for Writing Poems

365 Creative Writing Prompts

365 Creative Writing Prompts

42 Fantasy Writing Prompts & Plot Ideas

42 Fantasy Writing Prompts & Plot Ideas

7 Creative Writing Exercises For Writers

7 Creative Writing Exercises For Writers

48 comments.

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

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed them! 🙂

Lovely and amazing help

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

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

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

This was great for homework

Thank you for the topics. It was really helpful

Your writing prompts are awesome

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

Thank you! I hope they enjoy the writing prompts!

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

these questions hooked me on easily thanks your the best!

They are all good prompts

This is always good and improves the brain.

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

It’s was very long but worth it

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

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

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

You need a printable version of this!!

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

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

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

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

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

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

These were awesome, thanks a TON

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

i do this for school work to

i do this for school work

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

The prompts are grrrreat

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

Glad you enjoyed them!

These are awesome

These are amazing! Thank you so much for sharing.

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

Do you have any more?

This really was think written

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

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

this is the greatest app ever

I like all the questions

thank you for all the ideas they are so good

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

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

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

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

  • Prodigy Math
  • Prodigy English

From our blog

  • Is a Premium Membership Worth It?
  • Promote a Growth Mindset
  • Help Your Child Who's Struggling with Math
  • Parent's Guide to Prodigy
  • Assessments
  • Math Curriculum Coverage
  • English Curriculum Coverage
  • Game Portal

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

Two students sit at a desk together working on writing prompts for kids.

Written by Maria Kampen

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

  • 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

Young child sits at a desk with a notebook and pencil, writing in the notebook.

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

Young child sits at a table in front of a window while writing on a sheet of paper.

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

Top-down photograph of a girl with braids sitting at a desk next to another student and writing in a notebook.

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

Two students sit outside against a brick wall, working in notebooks.

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

A student holds an orange with an equation written on it while working on a math writing prompt.

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.

PrepScholar

Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, 57 fun creative writing prompts for kids.

author image

General Education

body_writerkid

With many kids learning from home due to Covid-19, easy-to-organize educational activities for students are more important than ever. Writing helps improve students' creativity, communication skills, and ability to focus, among other benefits.

Whether you're a teacher, a parent now homeschooling, or a student looking for something new and interesting to write about, these writing prompts are for you. We've collected 57 writing prompts for students of various ages, from elementary school through high school. From spooky story writing prompts to debating how to improve schools, this article has writing prompts that will appeal to all students.

Tips for Using These Writing Prompts

What's the best way to use these creative writing prompts for kids? It depends on a lot of factors, including the student's age, current schooling structure, and their own interests and abilities. Here are some suggestions:

Use as a daily writing prompts exercise. You can assign one of these prompts at the beginning or end of the school day, as a way to prepare for the rest of the day or unwind after schoolwork.

Set up a quiet space to write. Many people have a hard enough time writing even with no distractions, and it can be nearly impossible to respond thoughtfully to a prompt if there's a television on, people talking, etc. Having a distraction-free space can help your student focus on the work at hand and produce their best writing.

Suggest an estimated writing length. Most of these journal writing prompts are designed to be answered both briefly or much more in depth. By giving a number of words/pages to aim for, you'll give your student a better idea of how detailed their response should be.

Consider having students handwrite their responses. Writing by hand can help students be more thoughtful about their responses because they'll typically write slower than they can type. It can also help students improve their handwriting skills.

body_planouttimetowrite

57 Fun Writing Prompts for Kids

Below are over 50 journal topics for kids, organized into three categories: narrative writing prompts, fiction/creative writing prompts, and argumentative writing prompts for kids.

Narrative Writing Prompts for Kids

#1: What is your favorite holiday or holiday tradition?

#2: If you could go back in time for one day, which time period would you choose?

#3: If you could learn one thing about your future, what would it be? Or, if you prefer not to know anything, why would you make that choice?

#4: Pretend you're writing an autobiography and need to create a table of contents. What would you name each chapter?

#5: What is your earliest memory? Write every detail you can remember about it.

#6: If you had the power to change one thing about school, what would you change and why?

#7: Describe three goals you have for yourself.

#8: Imagine you are creating your dream restaurant. What kind of food would you serve, what would the menu look like, and how would the restaurant be decorated?

#9: If you could build your dream house, what would it look like? What rooms would it have? What would the yard be like?

#10: What is the bravest thing you've done in your life? Why did you make the choice you did? How did you feel during and after the situation?

#11: What is the funniest thing you've ever seen?

#12: What is your dream job?

#13: What is one thing you're really good at?

#14: Pretend you are a professional reviewer and write a review of a book you recently read or a TV show/movie you recently watched. How many stars would you give it? What did you like about it, and what didn't you like?

#15: Write about a time you did something kind for someone else. What did you do, how did it make you feel, and how did it make the person you helped feel?

#16: Imagine your life in ten years. What do you think you will be like? What will you be doing?

#17: Write about the craziest dream you've ever had.

#18: What would your perfect weekend look like? What things would you do? Who would you see? What would you eat?

#19: Do you like your name? If so, why? If not, what would you change it to?

#20: Make a list of your favorite activities for each season.

#21: Write about your least favorite chore. What don't you like about it? What would you invent to make the chore easier?   

#22: What three pieces of advice would you give to your younger self?

#23: If you could be famous for anything, what would it be? 

#24: If you could create a new law, what would it be? Do you think it would be hard to enforce?

#25: Write about a time you think one or both of your parents made a mistake. What did they do, and what do you think they should have done? Did they admit their mistake?

#26: How would your best friend describe you? How would you describe your best friend? (You can also have your friend do this prompt and read each other's responses.)

body_friends-2

Fiction and Creative Writing Prompts for Kids

#27: Write a story about a character taking a submarine ride under the sea. What sort of things do you think they would see there? Would they be afraid or excited?

#28: Write a new chapter for your favorite book or new scene for your favorite movie. Which characters would be there, and what would they be doing?

#29: Invent a new pet. What would it look like, and what would you call it? What would it eat, and how would you care for it?

#30: Start a story with a lyric from a song.

#31: Pick something nearby (toy, pet, flower, etc.) and write a haiku about it. Bonus points if it rhymes!

#32: Write a story about a character who gets lost in the woods and discovers a mysterious person there.

#33: Write your own silly internet quiz.

#34: Choose an object in the house and describe it in as much detail as you can without saying what it is. Then, have a parent or sibling try to guess what you described.

#35: Write a scary story that includes: a spooky pumpkin patch, a vampire afraid of garlic, and a black cat.

#36: Do some people watching out your window. Write a story using one or more of them as the characters. Make up backstories and imagine what they're doing.

#37: Write a story about what you think your parents were like when they were younger.

#38: Your character survives a shipwreck and washes up on a mysterious island. What is on the island and how does (s)he get back home?

#39: Imagine you can choose to be any animal for a day. Which animal would you choose? What would you do?

#40: Write a poem about your favorite season.

#41: Imagine you are chosen for the first mission to Mars. What would you bring with you, and what do you think exploring the planet would be like?

#42: Write a sympathetic story from the point of view of the "bad guy." (Think fractured fairy tales like Wicked or The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs! , although the story doesn't have to be a fairy tale.)

#43: Imagine your pet gets a day to roam free before returning home. Where would it go, and what would it see?

#44: If you could have dinner with any three people (real or fictional), who would you choose and what would you talk about? What would you eat?

#45: Look through photographs, drawings, and paintings. Choose one and write a story about it, imagining where it is and the types of people/things there.

#46: Imagine aliens landed on earth. What would they look like, and how would they act? Would they be friendly or not?

body_pugalien

Argumentative Writing Prompts for Kids

#47: Are there dangers of teenagers spending too much time on social media?

#48: Does homework actually help students learn?

#49: Should students doing e-learning this year get letter grades, pass/fail, or no grades?

#50: At what age should children get their own cell phone?

#51: Which is best: ebooks, audiobooks, or traditional print books?

#52: What's more important, PE classes or art classes?

#53: Which celebrity is the best role model for kids? Which is the worst?

#54: Should parents or teachers be able to ban certain books from schools?

#55: Which season is the best?

#56: Should students recite the Pledge of Allegiance in school?

#57: Should students go to school year-round and have shorter breaks throughout the year rather than one long summer vacation?

body_summerbeach-1

What's Next?

Also looking for science activities for kids?  Check out our 37 science experiments for kids that you can do at home!

Want to make some slime? We tell you how to make slimes without borax and without glue as well as how to craft the ultimate super slime .

Pipe cleaners can provide endless craft ideas. Read our guide for simple instructions for 31 fun pipe cleaner crafts for kids.

author image

Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

Student and Parent Forum

Our new student and parent forum, at ExpertHub.PrepScholar.com , allow you to interact with your peers and the PrepScholar staff. See how other students and parents are navigating high school, college, and the college admissions process. Ask questions; get answers.

Join the Conversation

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

Improve With Our Famous Guides

  • For All Students

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points

How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 800 on Each SAT Section:

Score 800 on SAT Math

Score 800 on SAT Reading

Score 800 on SAT Writing

Series: How to Get to 600 on Each SAT Section:

Score 600 on SAT Math

Score 600 on SAT Reading

Score 600 on SAT Writing

Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests

What SAT Target Score Should You Be Aiming For?

15 Strategies to Improve Your SAT Essay

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points

How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 36 on Each ACT Section:

36 on ACT English

36 on ACT Math

36 on ACT Reading

36 on ACT Science

Series: How to Get to 24 on Each ACT Section:

24 on ACT English

24 on ACT Math

24 on ACT Reading

24 on ACT Science

What ACT target score should you be aiming for?

ACT Vocabulary You Must Know

ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score

How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League

How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA

How to Write an Amazing College Essay

What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For?

Is the ACT easier than the SAT? A Comprehensive Guide

Should you retake your SAT or ACT?

When should you take the SAT or ACT?

Stay Informed

creative writing journal prompts elementary

Get the latest articles and test prep tips!

Looking for Graduate School Test Prep?

Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here:

GRE Online Prep Blog

GMAT Online Prep Blog

TOEFL Online Prep Blog

Holly R. "I am absolutely overjoyed and cannot thank you enough for helping me!”

40+ Writing prompts for elementary students

Inspire writing growth in your youngest students. These writing prompts will have students imagining endless possibilities for their writing.

Journal Prompts for kids examples:

  • What makes your school special?
  • What would you like to invent?
  • Have you ever broken something? What happened?
  • What do you like to do when you're not at school?
  • Have you ever had an imaginary friend?
  • What is the best thing on the school playground? Why?
  • Who is your favorite movie character?
  • What are you really good at doing?
  • What do you want to do better?
  • What do you find annoying?
  • How do you feel about talking in front of people?
  • How do you feel about surprises?
  • What superpower would you like to have?
  • Write about something special you own.
  • What is your favorite flavor of ice cream? What does it taste like?
  • What will your grown-up life be like?
  • What is the best art project or picture you have ever made?
  • Imagine you invent a new kind of car in the future. What does it look like?
  • How do kids learn to be kind?
  • What happens when people can't work together?
  • What makes a good friend?
  • How do you cheer up a friend who is sick?
  • What kind of gift is the best to give?
  • What makes someone a good babysitter?
  • Pick someone you love. What does that person look like?
  • What if you could bring an animal to school?
  • What if you had a time machine?
  • What if you grew up to be taller than the school?
  • What if you were the teacher?
  • What if you were a baby again?
  • What if cows could drive cars?
  • What if you could only see the color yellow?
  • What if the president were a kid?
  • What if you had a friend who spoke a different language?
  • What if you lived in a swimming pool?
  • Once upon a time, a child woke up as a turtle….
  • The car stopped in front of my house, and a clown got out….
  • Three friends went on a trip to the moon. The best thing about it was….
  • Once, I rode a unicorn to school….
  • My teacher came to my house for dinner. We talked about….
  • One day, my mom and dad switched jobs….
  • I was walking in the woods, and someone called my name. I looked down and saw it was a frog….
  • A boy had a dream he was a pirate and woke up on a pirate ship….
  • The teacher's necklace is missing, and only one person knows what happened….
  • A new kid comes to school and says he is from 1900….

Not every student is comfortable getting their thoughts down on paper

Read&Write is a digital literacy tool that helps students express their thoughts and opinions through words. Your students can use tools in Read&Write like Check It, Talk and Type, and the text and picture dictionaries to help develop their confidence in writing.

  • Universal Design for Learning
  • Math and STEM
  • Inclusive Education
  • Special Education
  • Read&Write
  • SpeechStream
  • Inclusive Workplaces
  • Neurodiverse Employees
  • Creating Accessible Content

Resource center

  • Impact Studies
  • Customer Stories

Learn & Support

  • Tech Support
  • Certification Program
  • Toolmatcher
  • Accessibility Roadmap

52 Journal Prompts for Kids to Reflect and Practice Writing Skills

  • July 26, 2022

Keeping a journal can have many benefits for your child, whether they keep it by themselves or with your help. In addition to practicing writing, journaling can give children a way to capture their thoughts and memories. Plus, journaling can boost your child’s mood and mental well-being because it teaches mindfulness.[1]

These 52 journal prompts—one for each week of the year—are perfect for elementary school students. If your child hasn’t quite learned to write yet, you can always help by writing down their answers or they can draw them.

creative writing journal prompts elementary

Sources: 1. Bailey, K. “5 Powerful Health Benefits of Journaling.” Intermountain Healthcare. July 5, 2018. https://intermountainhealthcare.org/blogs/topics/live-well/2018/07/5-powerful-health-benefits-of-journaling/

More Resources articles

creative writing journal prompts elementary

Ideas to Celebrate National Library Week and Encourage a Young Writer Day 2024

Inspiring young children to read, share stories, and write can help them build skills that will stay with them for years to come. April is

creative writing journal prompts elementary

15 of the Best Math Picture Books for Kids

Math is around us everywhere, from the addition used when counting toys to the geometry of spotting shapes in the clouds. When you’re making a

creative writing journal prompts elementary

Family Guide: Early Learning & Development Standards by Grade

Back-to-school season is such an exciting time for young learners. It’s the beginning of a year full of new milestones to come, including learning skills,

creative writing journal prompts elementary

End Bullying: October is National Bullying Prevention Month

creative writing journal prompts elementary

Six Picture Books & Chapter Book Guides to Celebrate Black History Month with Young Students

creative writing journal prompts elementary

MacKenzie Scott’s Yield Giving Awards Waterford.org a $10 Million Grant

Writing Prompts for Elementary School Students

Tim Platt/Getty Images

  • M.S., Education, Buffalo State College
  • B.S., Education, Buffalo State College

Writing is an essential skill and an important part of elementary school studies. However, writing inspiration does not come easily to every student. Like adults, many children experience writer's block , particularly when an assignment is extremely open-ended.

Good writing prompts get students' creative juices flowing , help them write more freely, and ease any anxiety they may feel about the writing process. To integrate writing prompts into your lessons, ask students to choose one writing prompt each day or week. To make the activity more challenging, encourage them to write without stopping for at least five minutes, increasing the number of minutes that they devote to writing over time.

Remind your students that there is no wrong way to respond to the prompts and that they should simply have fun and let their creative minds wander. After all, just as athletes need to warm up their muscles, writers need to warm up their minds.

Elementary School Writing Prompts

  • My biggest goal in life is...
  • The best book I ever read was...
  • The happiest moment in my life was when...
  • When I grow up, I want to...
  • The most interesting place I have ever been to was...
  • Name three things you don't like about school and why.
  • The strangest dream I ever had was...
  • The person I admire most is...
  • When I turn 16, I will...
  • Who is the funniest member of your family and why?
  • I get scared when...
  • Five things I would do if I had more money are...
  • What is your favorite sport and why?
  • What would you do if you could change the world?
  • Dear teacher, I would like to know...
  • Dear President Washington, what was it like to be the first president?
  • My happiest day was...
  • My saddest day was...
  • If I had three wishes, I would wish for...
  • Describe your best friend, how you met, and why you are friends.
  • Describe your favorite animal and why.
  • Three things I like to do with my pet elephant are...
  • The time a bat was in my house...
  • When I become an adult, the first thing I want to do is...
  • My best vacation was when I went to...
  • The top three reasons that people argue are...
  • Describe five reasons that going to school is important.
  • What is your favorite television show and why?
  • The time I found a dinosaur in my backyard...
  • Describe the best present you ever received.
  • Describe your most unusual talent.
  • My most embarrassing moment was when...
  • Describe your favorite food and why.
  • Describe your least favorite food and why.
  • The top three qualities of a best friend are...
  • Write about what you would cook for an enemy.
  • Use these words in a story: scared, angry, Sunday, bugs.
  • What's your idea of a perfect vacation?
  • Write about why someone might be afraid of snakes.
  • List five rules that you have broken and why you broke them.
  • What is your favorite video game and why?
  • I wish someone had told me that...
  • Describe the hottest day you can remember.
  • Write about the best decision you've ever made.
  • I opened the door, saw a clown, and then...
  • The last time the power went out, I...
  • Write about five things you can do if the power goes out.
  • If I were president, I would...
  • Create a poem using the words: l o ve, happy, smart, sunny.
  • The time my teacher forgot to wear shoes...
  • For prompts that ask students to write about a person, encourage them to write two responses—one response about a friend or family member, and another about someone they don't know personally. This exercise encourages children to think outside the box.
  • Remind students that their responses can be fantastical. When the confines of realism are eliminated, students are free to think more creatively, which often inspires greater engagement in the project.

If you're looking for more writing ideas, try our lists of journal prompts  or ideas for writing about important people in history like Martin Luther King Jr .

  • 24 Journal Prompts for Creative Writing in the Elementary Classroom
  • November Writing and Journal Prompts
  • Christmas Journal Writing Prompts
  • September Writing Prompts
  • December Writing Prompts
  • October Writing Prompts
  • February Writing Prompts
  • Fun March Writing Prompts for Journaling
  • January Writing Prompts
  • Writing Prompt (Composition)
  • The Importance of Answering Questions in Complete Sentences
  • May Writing Prompts
  • Martin Luther King Jr. Writing Prompts
  • How to Write a Philosophy of Education for Elementary Teachers
  • 50 Topics for Impromptu Student Speeches
  • Ice Breakers for the First Day of Elementary School

Where'd My Sanity Go

55 Monthly Journal Prompts for Elementary Students (Jan-Dec)

Do you have a child who loves to write in a journal? If so, you’ll love this resource! We’ve created a list of monthly journal prompts for elementary students. These prompts are perfect for sparking creativity and helping your child reflect on their month.

Each prompt is tailored to fit the month it corresponds to, or is open ended for creative writing practice, making it easy for your child to get started.

elementary age students sitting at a kitchen table writing in journals and doing homework

This post may contain affiliate links. As a member of Amazon Affiliates and other affiliate programs, we earn commission from purchases made through these links.

What is a monthly journal prompt?

If you’re looking for a way to help your child boost their writing skills, monthly journal prompts may be the answer.

By providing your child with a list of prompts tailored to fit each month, you can help them explore different topics and styles of writing. This is also a great way for them to reflect on the events that have taken place during that month.

It can be a simple prompt allowing them to express their thoughts and feelings from the current month, or a random prompt that can be used at any time!

Check out this great list of animal themed writing prompts as well!

How prompts can help children reflect on their month

The prompts are designed to help children reflect on the month that has just passed, as well as to foster creative writing skills all year long.

Whether they focus on events that took place or simply write about their thoughts and feelings, these prompts can help them process everything that has happened.

This is a great way to encourage kids to document their lives and build memories.

little girls sitting at a table thinking about what to writing for her monthly elementary journal prompt

Monthly Journal Prompts for Elementary Students: Month-By-Month Creative Writing

Elementary prompts for january:.

  • What were your thoughts and feelings about making a resolution or goal for the year ahead?
  • If you could go back to any moment in January, what would it be? Why?
  • What did you learn this month?
  • What was your favorite thing about January?
  • What was your least favorite thing about January?

February Writing Prompts for Students

  • What are your hopes and fears for the upcoming year?
  • How do you think the previous year went?
  • What are your thoughts on love and relationships?
  • What is something you wish you had known at the beginning of this year?
  • What do you think will be the biggest challenge you’ll face in the upcoming year?

March Journal Activities for Kids

  • When you think about (event), what are the first words that come to mind?
  • March Madness! Write about your favorite basketball team or player.
  • Do you think there’s such a thing as luck? Why or why not?
  • What does spring mean to you?

April Journal Prompts & Starters

  • What is something you’re grateful for?
  • What are your thoughts on change?
  • (event) happened this month. Write about it.
  • Write about your favorite Easter memory or what you enjoyed most about the holiday.

boy and girl sitting next to each other at a table doing work in journal books

May Creative Writing Ideas for Children 5-12

  • If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
  • What is the best decision you’ve ever made?
  • What are your thoughts on success and failure?
  • Memorial Day. Write about someone who has served in the military that you know or a time when you visited a memorial.

June Children’s Writing Prompts

  • Write about your favorite memory from this school year or what you’re most looking forward to about graduating.
  • What do you think is the hardest part of growing up?
  • What would make the perfect summer day?
  • What’s something you wish you could go back to and change about this past school year?

July Prompts for Elementary Journals

  • What are your thoughts on happiness?
  • Do you think it’s important to take risks in life? Why or why not?
  • What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
  • What’s something you’re afraid of?

August Writing Starters

  • Back to school time! Write about your favorite teacher, subject, or school memory.
  • What do you think is the most important thing to learn in life?
  • Do you believe that people can change? How do you go about changing yourself?
  • What is one thing you are looking forward to the most for the upcoming school year?

September Journal Ideas for Elementary Kids

  • Apple picking season! Write about your favorite apple recipe or activity.
  • What are your thoughts on nature vs. technology?
  • What are some of your favorite memories from this year?
  • Autumn. Write about your favorite thing about fall.

October Writing Exercises for Kids

  • Write about your favorite Halloween memory or what you enjoyed most about the holiday.
  • Do you think that ghosts are real? Why or why not?
  • What would make the best fall day ever?

Related: Fall Writing Prompts for Kids

November Journal Prompts

  • Write about your favorite Thanksgiving memory or what you’re most looking forward to about the holiday.
  • Do you think that giving is more important than receiving? Why or why not?
  • What are some things you’re thankful for?
  • What are your thoughts on family traditions? Do you have any special ones that your family does every year?

December Writing Prompts for Elementary Students

  • Write about your favorite Christmas memory or what you enjoyed most about the holiday.
  • Do you think that the holidays are more about giving or receiving? Why?
  • What are your thoughts on New Year’s resolutions? Do you make them and, if so, what are they?
  • Reflect back on the year. Write about some of your favorite memories from 2022 or any lessons that you learned this year.

homeschool students writing and drawing in elementary journals while laying on the floor in their home.

More Generic Elementary Writing Prompts to be Used any time of Year

  • What were some of your favorite things to do this month?
  • What were some of your least favorite things to do this month?
  • What was your favorite thing you learned this month?
  • What was your least favorite thing you learned/studied this month?
  • How do you think the next month will be different from this one?

Parents can try out this activity with their children to help foster a love of writing.

Not only will your child get the chance to reflect on their month, but they’ll also have the opportunity to document their lives in a creative way.

Plus, it’s a great way for parents and kids to spend some quality time together. Try out a few of these prompts and see how your child reacts! We’re sure they’ll love it. And for older students be sure to check out our Middle School writing prompts that totally not lame!

Monthly journal prompts for elementary students can be a great way to help children reflect on their month, document their lives, and boost their writing skills.

With so many different prompts to choose from, there’s something for everyone. So why not give it a try?

Your child will be glad you did.

Avatar

Similar Posts

36 Fun Animal Writing Prompts For Kids

36 Fun Animal Writing Prompts For Kids

Animals are a great topic to get kids writing. They can be based on favorite animals, describing animal skills or behaviors, or creating funny stories with animals as the main characters. It is both inspiring…

Free At Home Activity Pack for Kids To Work On While They Are Home

Free At Home Activity Pack for Kids To Work On While They Are Home

A fun 3 page printable at home activity pack for kids to work on while they are home. This COVID-19 virus (aka Coronavirus) has shut down schools, outdoor gatherings, and sports activities to help fight…

20 Awesome Self-Esteem Activities for Kids

20 Awesome Self-Esteem Activities for Kids

As parents, seeing your youngsters locking themselves in their bedrooms with sagging shoulders, sad eyes, and a frown on their faces must crush your heart. Of course, they fervently desire to blend in or attempt…

Green Kid Crafts: Educational Art and Science STEAM Kits

Green Kid Crafts: Educational Art and Science STEAM Kits

Green Kid Crafts is empowering kids with educational, creative, do it yourself nature-based STEAM activities. These engaging science and art projects make learning fun and kids love putting the projects together. Green Kid Crafts offer…

30 Halloween Writing Prompts for Kids + Free Printable

30 Halloween Writing Prompts for Kids + Free Printable

Having a few elementary Halloween writing prompts ready to go for October is a must! These fun and spooky Halloween writing prompts will help get the kids thinking during the Halloween season and you can…

Third Grade Books That Are Fun and Adventurous

Third Grade Books That Are Fun and Adventurous

Finding some good third grade books can be tricky. At this age, kids may not enjoy reading which is why it is important to find a series or book that is interesting. If they can…

Selebriti.cloud

10 Engaging Creative Writing Journal Prompts for Elementary Students

10 Engaging Creative Writing Journal Prompts for Elementary Students 1

Creative writing is a fantastic way for children to develop their literary skills and enhance their imagination. When it comes to elementary school students, however, coming up with fresh and engaging prompts is crucial. That’s where creative writing journal prompts elementary come into play. These prompts serve as a guide to encourage children to write and express themselves effectively.

The world of creative writing is vast, and every child has different interests and unique ways of expressing themselves. Creative writing journal prompts elementary provide a wide range of options, allowing students to explore their interests and hone their writing skills. These prompts are not just about writing; they are about encouraging children to think creatively and critically, which can be immensely helpful in their overall development.

Creative writing journal prompts elementary can be used in classrooms or at home. With the right prompts, children can develop lifelong writing skills and ignite their creativity. These prompts are an excellent way to encourage children to express themselves and build confidence in their writing abilities. So, whether your child is an aspiring writer or needs a little nudge to get started on their creative journey, these prompts are an ideal way to get them started. Elementary Journal Prompts for Storytelling

If you are looking for fun and creative ways to get your elementary students to write, journal prompts are a great tool. They can inspire and motivate students to put their thoughts and ideas on paper, and can help them develop their critical thinking and storytelling skills. Here are 15 great journal prompts for elementary students to get them started on their storytelling journey.

  • Write about your favorite animal. What makes it special to you?
  • Imagine that you could travel to any place in the world. Where would you go? What would you do there?
  • Write about a time when you experienced something scary. What happened and how did you deal with it?
  • Pretend that you are a superhero. What would your powers be, and how would you use them to save the world?
  • Write a story about a magical creature that you create. What does it look like, and what special powers does it have?
  • Think about your favorite book or movie. Write a story that takes place in that world, but with new characters and a different plot.
  • Imagine that you are stranded on a deserted island. What would you do to survive, and how would you eventually be rescued?
  • Write a story about a group of animals that go on an adventure together. What challenges do they face, and how do they overcome them?
  • Think about a time when you accomplished something that you were really proud of. Write a story about that experience and why it was important to you.
  • Write about a person who inspires you. What qualities do they have that you admire, and what have they accomplished that makes them a role model?
  • Imagine that you have a secret power that no one else knows about. What is your power, and how do you use it?
  • Write a story about a day in the life of a famous person that you admire. What do they do, and what challenges do they face?
  • Think about a time when you had to make a difficult decision. Write a story about that experience, including the pros and cons of your decision.
  • Write a story about a group of friends who go on a camping trip together. What adventures do they have, and what lessons do they learn?
  • Imagine that you are the main character in your favorite video game. Write a story about your adventures in that game.

These creative writing journal prompts for elementary students are just the beginning. Encourage your students to come up with their own ideas, and to use their imaginations to create stories that inspire, entertain, and maybe even teach valuable lessons. With practice and persistence, they can become skilled storytellers and writers.

Remember, writing should be fun, and these prompts will help your students discover the joy of putting their thoughts and ideas into words.

Elementary Journal Prompts About Friendship

Developing and maintaining friendships is an essential part of a child’s social development. Journal prompts about friendship can help young writers reflect on their experiences and emotions related to their friends, while also improving their writing skills. Here are 15 creative journal prompts that elementary students can use to explore the topic of friendship:

  • Describe your best friend. What do you like most about them?
  • Have you ever had a disagreement with a friend? How did you resolve it?
  • What qualities do you look for in a friend?
  • Write about a time when you helped a friend.
  • What do you think makes a good friend?
  • Describe a time when a friend made you laugh.
  • Write about a time when you made a new friend.
  • What do you think is the hardest part about making new friends?
  • Write about a time when you felt left out by your friends. How did you handle the situation?
  • What is the most important thing you have learned from a friend?
  • What do you do when one of your friends is upset?
  • Write about a time when you did something nice for a friend.
  • What is your favorite memory with your friends?
  • Describe a time when you had to apologize to a friend.
  • What do you think is the key to a long-lasting friendship?

Journal prompts about friendship can encourage children to think critically about their relationships with others and to appreciate the value of having friends. By regularly writing about their experiences and emotions, kids can also improve their communication and language skills, while developing a deeper understanding of themselves and others.

Try incorporating these prompts into your classroom activities or assign them as homework. You may be surprised by the thoughtful and insightful responses that your students produce!

Elementary journal prompts About Adventure

Encouraging students to write about adventurous experiences can be a great way to fire up their imaginations and help them develop their creative writing skills. Below are some adventure-themed prompts that are perfect for elementary school students:

  • Write a story about a mysterious island that you discover while on a camping trip.
  • You and your friends come across an old map while playing in the park – where does it lead?
  • “Lost in the Woods” – write about a time when you got lost in the wilderness.
  • You stumble across a magical cave full of treasure – what do you do next?
  • Describe a fictional adventure that takes place in your own backyard.
  • You invent a time machine and travel back to the time of the dinosaurs – what happens?
  • Write about an adventure that takes place on a pirate ship.
  • You find a secret door in your bedroom that leads to a whole new world – what do you discover?
  • Imagine a trip to the moon – what would it be like?
  • “The Great Escape” – write a story about breaking out of a medieval castle.
  • A steam train is taking you on an adventure through the mountains – what do you see along the way?
  • Write about a superhero adventure – what powers do you have?
  • You discover a hidden waterfall in the forest – what do you find behind it?
  • “Under the Sea” – write about a journey to the bottom of the ocean.
  • Imagine an adventure that takes place in a haunted house – do you solve the mystery?

Remember, these prompts are just a starting point – encourage your students to let their imaginations run wild and come up with their own thrilling adventure stories!

When writing about adventurous experiences, it’s important to engage all of the senses and use descriptive language to bring the setting and characters to life. Encourage your students to think about the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and feelings that they would experience on their adventure, and to use these details to make their writing more vivid and engaging.

Elementary journal prompts for Reflection

Reflection is crucial for personal growth and development, especially for elementary students. Engaging in reflective activities helps students to learn from their experiences, identify their strengths and weaknesses, and think critically. Here are 15 creative writing journal prompts that can inspire elementary students to reflect on their experiences and thoughts:

  • What was the best thing that happened to you today, and why?
  • Think about a time when you felt proud of yourself. What did you do, and why do you think it was an accomplishment?
  • What is the most challenging thing you have experienced, and how did you handle it?
  • Write about a time when you felt frustrated or angry, and explain what happened and why you felt that way.
  • Think about something you wish you could do better. How can you work towards improving in this area?
  • Describe a friend who is important to you and explain why they are special.
  • What are some of your favorite things to do when you’re feeling down, and why do they help you feel better?
  • Think about a time when you made a mistake. What did you learn from this experience?
  • Write about something you have accomplished that you are proud of, and explain why it’s important to you.
  • Describe a challenge you faced today, and how you overcame it.
  • What are some things you are thankful for, and why?
  • Think about something you learned recently, and describe how you learned it and why it’s important.
  • Write about a skill or talent you have that you are proud of, and how you plan to improve it.
  • What are some of your goals for the future, and what steps can you take to achieve them?
  • Describe a problem that you solved, and what you learned from the experience.

These prompts can help elementary students to think more deeply about their experiences and emotions, and develop important skills such as self-awareness and reflection. By regularly engaging in reflective activities, students can develop a stronger sense of identity and become more confident and resilient individuals.

Encourage your students to use these prompts as a starting point for daily journaling or to reflect on specific events or experiences in their lives. By making reflection a regular part of their routine, you can help your students develop important life skills that will serve them well in the future.

Elementary journal prompts for Imagination

Journal writing is an excellent way to encourage students to express themselves and develop their creativity. Using journal prompts in the elementary classroom can be particularly helpful as it gives young students a starting point for their writing. Here are 15 elementary journal prompts that will help stimulate students’ imagination:

  • Imagine that you woke up one morning and discovered that your pet dinosaur had come back to life!
  • If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?
  • What would happen if you could talk to animals?
  • Imagine that you are the ruler of your own country. What would it be like?
  • Write a story about a magical forest that only appears at midnight.
  • If you could visit any planet in the solar system, which one would you choose? What would you do there?
  • What would happen if you woke up one morning and discovered that your house was floating in the clouds?
  • Imagine that you found a secret door in your classroom. Where does it lead?
  • What would happen if you could time-travel to any period in history? Where would you go?
  • If you could invent any machine, what would it be and what would it do?
  • Write a story about a world where everyone has a special power.
  • Imagine that you could shrink down to the size of a bug. What would you do?
  • If you could be any character from a book, who would you choose and why?
  • What would happen if you could communicate with plants?
  • Write a story about a group of friends who discover a secret underground city.

These prompts are meant to inspire creative thinking and encourage students to stretch their imaginations. They can be used as a starting point for journal writing, creative writing assignments, or simply as a way to get students thinking outside the box.

Using prompts in this way can help students to build their creative writing skills, expand their vocabulary, and develop their ability to express themselves. Moreover, students who regularly engage in creative writing are likely to build a greater sense of confidence in their writing abilities, which can serve them well in the years ahead.

Elementary journal prompts About Nature

Nature is a fascinating subject that can inspire children to write. From beautiful landscapes and awe-inspiring animals to the changing seasons, there are so many things to explore and describe. When children write about nature, they can let their imagination run free and use their senses to bring their writing to life. Here are 15 nature-related journal prompts for elementary students:

  • Describe a rainy day and how it makes you feel
  • Write a story about a character who lives in a forest
  • Imagine you’re a bird flying in the sky. What do you see and feel?
  • Write a descriptive paragraph about your favorite tree
  • What is your favorite thing about the beach?
  • Describe your favorite season using all five senses
  • Write a story about a camping trip
  • What is your favorite outdoor activity and why?
  • Write a poem about a butterfly
  • Imagine you’re a fish swimming in a stream. What do you see and feel?
  • Write a descriptive paragraph about a flower
  • What is your favorite forest animal and why?
  • Describe a sunset and how it makes you feel
  • Write a story about an adventure in the mountains
  • What is your favorite thing about the ocean?

These nature-themed prompts can inspire children to observe the world around them and explore their own creativity. By encouraging children to write about their experiences with nature, we can help them develop their writing skills and connect with the natural world.

Additionally, writing about nature can have many benefits for children, including improving their mental health and wellbeing, boosting their imagination and creativity, and fostering a sense of empathy and respect for the environment.

Elementary Journal Prompts for Character Development

Developing characters is an essential aspect of creative writing. Characters are the driving force behind your story, and they can make or break it. Your elementary students can develop their characters with these journal prompts that will ignite their imagination and creativity.

  • Imagine you are your character’s best friend. Write a letter to them about how they have influenced your life.
  • Write about a challenge your character has faced and how they overcame it.
  • What is your character’s biggest fear, and how do they cope with it?
  • Describe your character’s physical appearance and personality traits in detail.
  • What are your character’s strengths and weaknesses, and how do they handle criticism?
  • Write about a time when your character had to make a tough decision and how they came to their conclusion.
  • What motivates your character, and how do they stay focused on achieving their goals?
  • Write a conversation between your character and their best friend about their dreams and aspirations.
  • What does your character like to do in their free time, and how does it reflect their personality?
  • Write about a time when your character felt alone and how they coped with it.
  • What does your character value the most, and how do these values impact their decisions?
  • Write about a time when your character made a mistake and how they learned from it.
  • Describe your character’s family and their role in shaping who they are.
  • What are your character’s goals in life, and how do they plan to achieve them?
  • Write about a deeply held secret your character has and why they keep it hidden.

Using these prompts, your elementary students can develop their characters into well-rounded, relatable figures that will resonate with their readers. Encourage students to think deeply about their character’s motivations, fears, flaws, and aspirations. By delving into their character’s psyche, your students can create complex and exciting storylines that will captivate their readers’ imaginations.

Have fun exploring these prompts and encouraging your students’ creativity and self-expression, and watch as they develop their characters into fully realized fictional figures.

Frequently Asked Questions about Creative Writing Journal Prompts for Elementary Kids

Q: What are creative writing journal prompts for elementary kids? A: Creative writing journal prompts are writing prompts that challenge elementary school students to develop their creative writing skills by providing them with engaging writing prompts that encourage them to expand their thinking and develop their writing skills.

Q: Why is creative writing important for elementary kids? A: Creative writing helps elementary school students to develop their imagination and creativity, improve their communication and critical thinking skills, and build their confidence in writing.

Q: How can creative writing journal prompts help elementary kids improve their writing? A: By using creative writing journal prompts, elementary school students are given the opportunity to write about topics that interest them, which can help them to develop their writing skills and improve their writing through practice.

Q: What kind of prompts can I give to my elementary students? A: Prompts can vary based on the child’s interests – they can be about a specific topic, a story starter, or include a picture to write about. The possibilities are endless!

Q: How often should students use creative writing journal prompts? A: To develop their writing skills, students should use creative writing journal prompts on a regular basis. Consistency is key. You can assign weekly or daily prompts to keep them motivated.

Q: Are there any benefits to using creative writing journal prompts besides improving writing skills? A: Yes, using creative writing journal prompts can also help to improve reading comprehension, develop critical thinking skills, and encourage creativity.

Q: How can I assess my students’ writing when using creative writing journal prompts? A: You can assess your students’ writing by reading and grading their journal entries, providing constructive feedback, and encouraging them to improve on specific skills based on your feedback.

Thank You for Exploring Creative Writing Journal Prompts for Elementary Kids

Exploring creative writing journal prompts for elementary students is a fun and engaging way to help them develop their writing skills while cultivating their imagination and creativity. Try using some of the prompts we’ve outlined here and see your students grow into fantastic writers. Thank you for reading our guide, and we hope to see you again soon!

  • Daily Journal Prompts Elementary - 30 Ideas to Inspire Writing and Reflection
  • 20 Fun and Creative Elementary Journal Prompts to Ignite Your Child's Imagination
  • 30 Engaging and Creative Journal Prompts for Elementary School Students
  • 25 Engaging and Fun Journal Prompts for 3rd Grade Students
  • 10 Engaging and Fun Journal Prompts for Elementary Students

Writing Prompts

Super Teacher Worksheets

Addition (Basic)

Addition (Multi-Digit)

Algebra & Pre-Algebra

Comparing Numbers

Daily Math Review

Division (Basic)

Division (Long Division)

Hundreds Charts

Measurement

Multiplication (Basic)

Multiplication (Multi-Digit)

Order of Operations

Place Value

Probability

Skip Counting

Subtraction

Telling Time

Word Problems (Daily)

More Math Worksheets

Reading Comprehension

Reading Comprehension Gr. 1

Reading Comprehension Gr. 2

Reading Comprehension Gr. 3

Reading Comprehension Gr. 4

Reading Comprehension Gr. 5

Reading Comprehension Gr. 6

Reading & Writing

Reading Worksheets

Cause & Effect

Fact & Opinion

Fix the Sentences

Graphic Organizers

Synonyms & Antonyms

Writing Story Pictures

Writing Worksheets

More ELA Worksheets

Consonant Sounds

Vowel Sounds

Consonant Blends

Consonant Digraphs

Word Families

More Phonics Worksheets

Early Literacy

Build Sentences

Sight Word Units

Sight Words (Individual)

More Early Literacy

Punctuation

Subjects and Predicates

More Grammar Worksheets

Spelling Lists

Spelling Grade 1

Spelling Grade 2

Spelling Grade 3

Spelling Grade 4

Spelling Grade 5

More Spelling Worksheets

Chapter Books

Charlotte's Web

Magic Tree House #1

Boxcar Children

More Literacy Units

Animal (Vertebrate) Groups

Animal Articles

Butterfly Life Cycle

Electricity

Matter (Solid, Liquid, Gas)

Simple Machines

Space - Solar System

More Science Worksheets

Social Studies

Maps (Geography)

Maps (Map Skills)

More Social Studies

Valentine's Day

Presidents' Day

St. Patrick's Day

More Holiday Worksheets

Puzzles & Brain Teasers

Brain Teasers

Logic:  Addition Squares

Mystery Graph Pictures

Number Detective

Lost in the USA

More Thinking Puzzles

Teacher Helpers

Teaching Tools

Award Certificates

More Teacher Helpers

Pre-K and Kindergarten

Alphabet (ABCs)

Numbers and Counting

Shapes (Basic)

More Kindergarten

Worksheet Generator

Word Search Generator

Multiple Choice Generator

Fill-in-the-Blanks Generator

More Generator Tools

Full Website Index

creative writing journal prompts elementary

Journal Prompts

Become A Member

This page contains creative journal writing prompts for students. Super Teacher Worksheets also has thousands of writing worksheets and printable activities .

  • Imagine you had a hundred dollars, but you couldn't keep it. You had to give it away to a person or charity. Who would you give it to? What would you want them to do with it?
  • Describe one time when you were brave.
  • If you could cook any meal for your family, what would you cook? Describe the meal and tell how you would make it.
  • Imagine you woke up and saw a dinosaur in your backyard. Write a story telling what you see and do.
  • Imagine you opened your own restaurant. Tell the name of your restaurant. Explain what the restaurant looks like, who works there, and what you serve.
  • Describe your favorite character from a book, a movie, or television.
  • Write a story titled, "My Journey on a Pirate Ship." You and your friends can star in the story.
  • If you could have any animal for a pet, what would it be? Describe the pet and how you would take care of it.
  • Do you have any brothers or sisters? If you do, tell what they're like. If not, tell whether or not you would like to have a brother or sister.
  • If you could have lunch with any famous person who would it be? What would you talk about with this person?
  • Write a story titled, "The Bat Who Couldn't Fly."
  • Imagine you were a wonderful painter and your parents would let you paint anything you wanted on your bedroom walls. What would you paint? Use lots of details to describe your artwork.
  • Describe the oldest person you know.
  • Describe the youngest person you know.
  • Do you think a monkey would make a good pet? Explain why or why not.
  • How old were you four years ago? Describe some things you can do now that you could not do then.
  • Imagine you worked at a football stadium. What would your job be? (examples: quarterback, cheerleader, coach, referee, ticket seller) Describe what you would do while you were on the job.
  • What do you like best about your home?
  • If you could be on any game show, what would it be? Describe what happens when you're on the show.
  • Describe your favorite season (fall, spring, summer, or winter). Tell what kinds of things you like to do during that season.
  • Write a story titled, "The Baby Dragon."
  • Describe several ways a person your age can earn money.
  • Would you want to visit the moon? Why or why not?
  • If you could spend an afternoon with one member of your extended family, who would it be? Tell why you chose this person and tell what you do together.
  • Which superpower would you most like to have-- invisibility, super strength, or the ability to fly? Describe what kinds of things you would do with your powers.
  • Think of a time when you've won something. Tell what you won and how you won it.
  • Invent a new kind of sandwich. Describe what is on it and how you would make it.
  • Describe one thing you're really good at.
  • Imagine you were twenty feet tall. Describe what life would be like.
  • If you were a doctor, what kind of doctor would you be? (examples: children's doctor, veterinarian, eye doctor, dentist) Tell what your job would be like.

This page has printable writing prompt worksheets.

Check out our collection of persuasive writing topics.

Write a creative stories to describe what's happening in these pictures.

Connect with us on Facebook

  • Bipolar Disorder
  • Therapy Center
  • When To See a Therapist
  • Types of Therapy
  • Best Online Therapy
  • Best Couples Therapy
  • Best Family Therapy
  • Managing Stress
  • Sleep and Dreaming
  • Understanding Emotions
  • Self-Improvement
  • Healthy Relationships
  • Student Resources
  • Personality Types
  • Verywell Mind Insights
  • 2023 Verywell Mind 25
  • Mental Health in the Classroom
  • Editorial Process
  • Meet Our Review Board
  • Crisis Support

50 Inspiring Journal Prompts to Spark Your Creativity

Sanjana is a health writer and editor. Her work spans various health-related topics, including mental health, fitness, nutrition, and wellness.

creative writing journal prompts elementary

Rachel Goldman, PhD FTOS, is a licensed psychologist, clinical assistant professor, speaker, wellness expert specializing in eating behaviors, stress management, and health behavior change.

creative writing journal prompts elementary

Cavan Images / Getty Images

Benefits of Using Journal Prompts

How to use journal prompts, journal prompts you can try, how do you come up with a journal prompt.

A journal can be a trusted companion that helps you reflect on your thoughts, feelings, actions, decisions, and relationships. Research shows that journaling is linked to better planning, lower stress, and better physical and mental health.

Whether you write in your journal regularly or you’re just getting started, you might sometimes find yourself staring at a blank page and wondering what to write. If you’re at a loss for words, a journal prompt can come to the rescue.

Journal prompts are suggestions, ideas, or questions that can help guide and inspire your journal entries, says Sabrina Romanoff , PsyD, a clinical psychologist and professor at Yeshiva University.

“Prompts are typically themes to reflect on or questions that are meant to motivate you to think deeper about something,” Dr. Romanoff adds.

In this article, we suggest some journal prompts that can spark your creativity . We also ask the expert for some strategies that can help you create your own journal prompts.

Prompted journaling, also known as guided journaling, offers several benefits:

  • Starting point: If you’ve never tried journaling before or if you’re experiencing writer’s block, journal prompts can help you get started.
  • Direction: Prompts can provide direction to your writing, says Dr. Romanoff. By focusing on a specific topic or question, you can explore your thoughts and feelings around it. 
  • Structure: Sometimes, you might prefer to write down your thoughts freely as they occur. However, there may be times when you want to organize your thoughts more coherently. Journal prompts can provide the structure you need to organize your thoughts.
  • Creativity: Using different journal prompts can introduce variety to your journaling experience. It can encourage you to think more creatively and approach things from different angles.
  • Insight: Journal prompts can provide topics or themes that help you explore fresh perspectives and new dimensions of yourself, says Dr. Romanoff. This process can help you discover personal insights and promote greater self-awareness .
  • Consistency: Having a prompt to guide each journaling session can encourage you to maintain a regular journaling practice. The prompts can make journaling feel like a purposeful and engaging activity, which may help you be more consistent with it.

These are some strategies that can help you use journal prompts:

  • Find prompts that inspire you: Dr. Romanoff suggests making a list of prompts that you find inspiring or motivating—you can come up with your own, buy a journal with prompts, or look online for examples.
  • Decide your frequency: It can be helpful to set a frequency for journaling, such as daily, weekly, monthly or at any other interval that works for you. You can use prompts every time you journal or just when you’re feeling stagnant and craving inspiration or motivation for your journaling session, says Dr. Romanoff.
  • Keep an open mind: Approach prompted journaling with an open mind . Reflect on the prompt and explore where it takes you. You can write as much or as little as you like. 
  • Get creative: Don’t be afraid to get creative with your responses or limit yourself only to words. You can even pen down your thoughts and feelings in the form of drawings or poetry, if you prefer.
  • Be honest and authentic: Honesty is key to getting the most out of journaling. Write from the heart and don't be afraid to express your true feelings, even if they are complex or challenging.
  • Reflect on your responses: After you've written your responses, take a moment to reflect on what you've written. Consider how your thoughts and emotions have evolved over the course of writing them down.

These are some journal prompts that can help you get started.

Self-Discovery Prompts

Self-discovery prompts can help you self-reflect and get to know yourself better. Greater self-awareness is linked to improved emotional intelligence.

These are some journal prompts that can enable self-discovery:

  • First, list five words that best describe you. Then, think about which five words you would like to describe yourself.
  • Complete this sentence: “My life would be incomplete without….”
  • Reflect on a phrase, quote, or mantra that resonates with you. Explain why it’s significant to you.
  • Make a list of the things in your life that you’re most grateful for.
  • Explain what you do best.
  • Reflect on the qualities that you value most in others.
  • Share three things that made you smile today.
  • List your best and worst habits.
  • Write down three life lessons you’ve learned.
  • Explain what love means to you.
  • Describe the values that are most important to you and consider whether your actions align with them.
  • Think about what you would do with your life if you had unlimited resources and explain why.
  • Describe what is stressing you out and how you’re coping with it.
  • Write about your biggest regret and what you would do differently in hindsight.
  • Identify and label the fears and insecurities that are holding you back right now.

Personal Growth Prompts

These are some journal prompts that can encourage personal growth:

  • What are three short-term goals you would like to achieve within the next three months?
  • What are three long-term goals you would like to achieve within the next five years?
  • Which skill would you like to cultivate in yourself?
  • Which qualities do you admire most in others that you would like to develop in yourself?
  • Which areas of your life would benefit from more self-discipline ?
  • What is your worst habit and how would you change it?
  • What’s something new you would like to try?
  • What habit do you want to add to your daily routine?
  • What would you like to contribute to your community?
  • What is the biggest challenge you’re dealing with right now?
  • What is the biggest failure you’ve ever faced and what have you learned from it?
  • How would you like to be remembered by others?
  • How can you better support your loved ones?
  • What boundaries would you like to set in your relationships to protect yourself?

Mindfulness Prompts

Mindfulness prompts can help you become more aware of your thoughts, emotions, senses, and surroundings. Being more mindful can help you be more intentional and purposeful in the way you live your life.

These are some journal prompts that can support greater mindfulness:

  • Describe a meal you ate today. What colors, textures, tastes, and feelings did you experience?
  • Pick an everyday object from your surroundings, like a plant or a pencil. Write a detailed description of it as if you've never seen it before.
  • Focus on a sound in the background, such as the ticking of a clock or the rustling of the breeze. Describe the sound and its impact on you.
  • Close your eyes for a minute and pay attention to your breath. When you open your eyes, write down what it felt like.
  • Describe your ideal day from morning to night. What activities, people, and experiences would be part of it?
  • Reflect on your thoughts without judgment . Identify and describe any feelings you're experiencing in the present moment.
  • Write about a recent interaction with someone. What were their words, expressions, and gestures? How did you feel during the interaction?
  • Think back to a moment of happiness you experienced recently. Relive the sensations, thoughts, and emotions associated with it.
  • Think about the place where you feel most at peace. What makes it special to you?
  • Recall a time when you were worrying about something in the future. How did it affect your present moment and what would you have done differently?

Creativity Prompts

These are some journal prompts that can spark creativity :

  • Write a letter to your favorite fictional character, describing your life to them.
  • Make a list of questions you would like to ask a future version of yourself.
  • Think about your favorite word or phrase. Explain why you love it.
  • Choose a random object from your surroundings. What qualities do you have in common with it?
  • Make a list of ten unusual ways to use a common household item. Get creative and think outside the box.
  • Write a conversation between two inanimate objects, giving them personalities and voices.
  • Invent a gadget that would make your life more efficient or interesting.
  • Choose a word from a foreign language that doesn't have a direct English translation. Describe the last time you encountered or experienced it.
  • Imagine you get the chance to be any animal for a day. Which animal would you pick and what would you do?
  • Invent a new holiday and outline the traditions, celebrations, and rituals associated with it, based on your values.
  • If you have a time machine and you can go anywhere in the past or future, where would you go and what would you do there?

These are some strategies that can help you come up with your own journal prompts:

  • Decide your goals: First, consider what your goal of journaling is and then work backwards to find ways to achieve that goal, says Dr. Romanoff. For instance, she says gratitude , relationships, learning, self-growth, or creativity are goals that you might want to pursue.
  • Find prompts that align with your goals: Write down a few prompts that resonate with you and align with your current goals, interests, or areas of focus. You can add more or tweak them as you go along.
  • Mix and match different prompts: Feel free to mix and match prompts from different sources or create your own variations. Experiment with different types of prompts to keep your journaling practice engaging and varied.
  • Build on existing prompts: If a prompt leads you to new insights or questions, consider exploring those ideas in subsequent journal entries. You can use your initial response as a springboard for deeper exploration.

Journaling can be a form of self-care , a way to connect with yourself, or a creative exercise. 

If you enjoy journaling, having prompts can help guide your thoughts and focus your attention in a specific direction. Having a new journal prompt to work on every time you’re in the mood to journal can be exciting, comforting, and even a little scary. Just think of each prompt as an opportunity to learn something new about yourself.

Pena‐Silva RA, Velasco‐Castro JM, Matsingos C, Jaramillo‐Rincon SX. Journaling as an effective tool to promote metacognition and enhance study methods in a pharmacology course, during and after the pandemic . FASEB J . 2022;36(Suppl 1):10.1096/fasebj.2022.36.S1.R4840. doi:10.1096/fasebj.2022.36.S1.R4840

Drigas AS, Papoutsi C. A new layered model on emotional intelligence . Behav Sci (Basel) . 2018;8(5):45. doi:10.3390/bs8050045

Crego A, Yela JR, Gómez-Martínez MÁ, Riesco-Matías P, Petisco-Rodríguez C. Relationships between mindfulness, purpose in life, happiness, anxiety, and depression: testing a mediation model in a sample of women . Int J Environ Res Public Health . 2021;18(3):925. doi:10.3390/ijerph18030925

By Sanjana Gupta Sanjana is a health writer and editor. Her work spans various health-related topics, including mental health, fitness, nutrition, and wellness.

ratselmeister

ratselmeister

  • My Products (1)
  • Ratings & Reviews
  • Ask a Question

clear search

Not Grade Specific

  • Independent Work Packet

FREE Coloring Page with Decorated Ornament, Non-CU

Yet to be added

I have retired in 2007. In 1998 I’ve started my second career of puzzles and games designer/author/artist. Since that many of my works were published. This my second career is not highly profitable, yet very interesting and engaging. I also love to do various graphic design elements and, of course, educational materials.

Holidays/Seasonal , Christmas-Chanukah-Kwanzaa , Winter , The New Year

  • We're hiring
  • Help & FAQ
  • Privacy policy
  • Student privacy
  • Terms of service
  • Tell us what you think

Facebook

How To Answer the 2020-21 Common App Essay Prompts

Looking for help with the 2020-21 Common Application Essay? Below CEA’s Founder, Stacey Brook, breaks down all you need to know about this year’s prompts.

Stacey - College Essay Advisors Founder

Stacey Brook, Founder and Chief Advisor

Hello, students and parents of the future class of 2025! The time has come. The Common App essay prompts for 2020-21  have been released and—spoiler alert—they’re exactly the same as last year’s! 2020-21 college applicants, like those who came before them, will have seven (that’s right, seven) essay prompts to choose from. This wide range of questions, meant to inspire candidates in their search for compelling personal stories, is ideal for exploring essay topics of all tones, styles, and subjects. Students’ personal stories and feats of insight will again be relegated to 650 words, which equates to a little more than a single-spaced page. We happen to believe this is the perfect amount of space in which to make a quick and powerful impression with admissions (or write a comprehensive fan letter to Beyoncé), so as far as we’re concerned, you’re golden.

Because we are committed to getting you the most timely and comprehensive essay advice on the interweb, we have made a guide to help you navigate the ins and outs of all seven prompts.

Before you dive (or cannonball!) into our pool of essay advice, we’d like to leave you with one last little secret: the prompts are not actually as important as you think they are . In fact, in our instructional YouTube videos and private advising , we encourage applicants to root around for their most meaningful stories first and consider the prompts later. This is a process we call the Backwards Brainstorm, and you can learn more about it here . For now, the main point we want you to take away is this: The prompts don’t really matter. What matters is the story you want to tell. (And that you floss at least every other day—trust us, it will pay off in the long run.) We are as sure as ever that every single one of you has a valuable story (or two or twelve!) to communicate to admissions. All it takes is ample time for reflection and a little writerly elbow grease to find it. So take a peek at what the 2020-21 application has in store for you, absorb what these prompts are really asking, and then forget about them (really!) as you explore the endless possibilities.

How To Write Common App Prompt #1: The Background Essay

Common Application Prompt 1

PROMPT #1: Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

The Common App’s Prompt #1 is the Old Faithful of essay questions. It’s been around for years and offers all the flexibility an applicant could ask for from a prompt, with just enough direction to get those creative fountains flowing. Focus on the key words, “background,” “identity,” “interest,” and “talent,” and use them as launch points for your brainstorming. What about your history, personality, hobbies, or accomplishments might be worth highlighting for an admissions officer? It can be something as small as seeing an episode of a television show (are you living life in the Upside Down?) or as large as the struggle of moving to a foreign country (especially if you had to leave behind grandma’s cooking). The most important thing to consider for this prompt is that your subject and/or perspective is dynamic and specific to you and who you are and no one else.

Some questions to ask yourself as you brainstorm:

  • What about my history or background sets me apart from my peers?
  • How do I define myself? How do the people who are closest to me define me?
  • What have I achieved that has been integral in molding my character and ambitions?
  • What, in my seventeen years on this earth, has helped shape the person I am today?

And some examples to consider:

  • Has your family’s love of food and your resultant adventurous tastes and culinary curiosity allowed you to connect with cultures from around the world?
  • Does your crazy, dyed-blue hair define you?
  • Did going to a Picasso exhibit inspire you to start an art collection that has since expanded beyond the borders of your bedroom?
  • Have your yearly trips to see your extended family in China revealed something to you about your parents’ ability to overcome challenges and the work ethic you have absorbed as a result?
  • What are the challenges and rewards of having same-sex parents? Or of being raised by your siblings? Or of being part of a family made up of stepsisters and stepbrothers?

Overall, this prompt is what we at College Essay Advisors call a “choose-your-own-adventure” prompt. It has historically served as a fabulous catch-all for subjects that don’t fit within the confines of the other prompt options. A recent addition to the Common App’s prompt selection now offers even more freedom to applicants (more on that later), but students should still think of Prompt #1 as a topic of immense choice, reeled in by a few helpful guidelines.

How To Write Common App Prompt #2: The Setback Essay

Common Application Prompt 2

PROMPT #2: The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

We have always believed that essays about overcoming obstacles are most effective when they focus more on solutions than problems. Accordingly, Prompt #2 essays should be predominantly filled with a student’s response, outlook, and demeanor when presented with one of life’s many hurdles, rather than a detailed account of the hurdle itself. Applicants should aim to showcase qualities like resilience, determination, and humility. The obstacles you choose to explore can vary widely in nature, especially with the recent additions that allow students to explore challenges and setbacks in addition to failures. They can be as serious as being tormented by bullies, as ingrained as the financial issues that have plagued your family for years, or as seemingly pedestrian as a mistake that costs you a tip while waiting tables. While the possibilities are almost endless, students should be careful not to choose challenges that may seem trite (the inability to achieve an A on an exam and/or secure tickets to that Drake concert) or that illustrate a lapse in good judgment (that time you crashed your car or ate 15 bags of Cheetos in one sitting). Still, if you can isolate an incident of trial in your life and illustrate how you learned from it, this can be a rewarding prompt to explore.

Some key questions to consider:

  • How do you deal with hardship?
  • What qualifies as a challenge or setback in your life and world?
  • Are you the kind of person who can rebound and turn every experience, good or bad, into one from which you can learn something? What experiences might illustrate this quality?
  • What have been some of the major challenges you’ve encountered in your life? And was there a silver lining?

And a few examples to think about:

  • Has a lifelong battle with stuttering ultimately increased your overall confidence and allowed you to participate in social activities and public forums without self-judgment?
  • Did a parent’s fragile health situation challenge you to take on more responsibilities than the average teenager?
  • Did a series of setbacks on your road to becoming a child actor introduce you to screenwriting, your professional goal and biggest passion?
  • Did your failure to follow directions lead you to a botched home science experiment (root beer explosion!) and an appreciation for a balance of creativity and planned procedure?

Overall, try to keep these stories as positive as possible. Remember, these essays are not contemplative musings on your toughest times or reflections on the hiccups that populate everyday life (though these things can certainly be touched upon); they are about overcoming obstacles and refusing to submit to life’s greatest challenges.

How To Write Common App Prompt #3: The Challenger Essay

Common Application Prompt 3

PROMPT #3: Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

This remains one of the most challenging prompts of the Common App’s selection, even though it has become slightly friendlier with the addition of the option to discuss a time you questioned an idea instead of challenged one. This prompt requires a student to speak passionately about beliefs and ideology, which are often onerous subjects that can be difficult to mold into compact stories. It can be one of the hardest questions to steer in a positive, productive direction without traveling into preachy, overly didactic territory. This is also a more precarious prompt than most in that students need to carefully assess the risks of espousing beliefs that might be polarizing for the readers of their applications.

That said, a response to this prompt can be incisive and deeply personal, as it was for a student who stood up to her parents’ old-fashioned outlook on feminism. Applicants who can articulate their thoughts and feelings while showcasing malleability and willingness to thoughtfully consider the ideas of others will likely stand out as valuable additions to any campus. If this prompt jumps out at you because you have a very specific story to tell or opinion to voice, run with it!

Consider these questions as you brainstorm:

  • When has your opinion been unpopular?
  • Why are you the kind of person who is willing to stand up for what you believe in?
  • What is important to you on a fundamental level of morals and values?
  • How passionate are you about the things you believe in?

And here are a few examples for you to ponder:

  • Are you openly gay in a strict Catholic school environment? What has that meant for your self-esteem and personal relationships?
  • Did you work as an intern on a political campaign caught at the center of a scandal? How did you react?
  • Did you challenge the idea of horror as a throw-away genre by executing an extensive research paper on the subject, launching a horror movie club at school, and arranging the most elaborate, best-received haunted house your neighborhood has ever seen?

Your essay does not have to be focused around a fundamentally serious or groundbreaking issue (see the horror genre example above). What matters most when responding to this prompt is that you have strong convictions about the belief or idea you are trying to convey, and that you examine the personal effects of this ethos on your life and world. For this reason, Prompt #3 can be a great vehicle for showcasing your consideration, persuasive skills, and passions to admissions.

How To Write Common App Prompt #4: The Solver Essay

Common Application Prompt 4

PROMPT #4: Describe a problem you’ve solved or a problem you’d like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma-anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.

We love Prompt #4, which asks students to talk about a problem and how they have solved or are planning to solve it. This question is similar to Prompt #2 in that it is meant to tease out a student’s problem-solving skills and provide a glimpse into an applicant’s frame of mind when dealing with challenges. It also provides a few bonus opportunities for creative expression, leaving both the scale and the time frame for setting up a problem/solution wide open.

Students should think about everything from more traditional obstacles they have had to overcome to the small predicaments that have inspired them to think about what they really value. Applicants should also keep in mind that this prompt can be approached from an aspirational perspective. In other words: you don’t have to simply choose from problems you’ve already solved. Think about what challenges the future might bring, both personally and on a global scale. How might you be part of meaningful progress and problem-solving moving forward?

Some other questions to ponder:

  • When have you been proactive in attempting to effect change? What inspires you to take action?
  • What kind of mark would you like to leave on the world?
  • How do you think you can positively contribute to a cause that is important to you?
  • If you had the power to make a lasting impact in any area at all, what would it be?

And examples to use as food for thought:

  • Has your love of nature inspired you to start a charity to help save local endangered species?
  • Did your desire to make a stronger, non-tearable hockey skate lace launch you on an entrepreneurial adventure you never fully anticipated?
  • Has your commitment to pursuing medical research inspired you to contact your favorite professors and researchers for summer lab positions, and to read every scientific paper you can get your hands on?

It is important that the problem you choose is linked to your life and world in a meaningful way. The whole purpose of this exercise is to reveal something valuable about yourself to admissions, so be sure to link the problem you highlight to your passions, actions, or aspirations. And don’t forget to detail at least a few steps you would/could take to solve your chosen quandary. While the prompts don’t really matter in the initial conception phases of an essay (as you now know), once you’ve settled into your prompt of choice, following instructions to the fullest and answering all parts of each question are critical.

How To Write Common App Prompt #5: The Accomplishment Essay

Common Application Prompt 5

PROMPT #5: Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

This is a heavily revised version of one of 2016’s prompts, which asked students to describe a transition from childhood to adulthood. The purview of the inquiry has been expanded to ask about personal growth in general, leaving the lessons and timing of an applicant’s transformation more open-ended. Students are also now free to reflect on a “realization” in addition to an “event” or “occurrence.” While a realization that changes your understanding of the world will likely be sparked by a concrete marker (i.e., an event or accomplishment), we are happy to receive the added flexibility from you, Common App. Thank you very much.

There are a few things to note when unpacking this prompt. Keep in mind that the words “accomplishment” and “event” leave themselves open to interpretation; thus, an essay inspired by this question can tackle anything from a formal event to a very small occurrence. A formal event or accomplishment might include anything from obvious landmarks like birthdays or weddings to achievements like earning an award or receiving a promotion. More informal examples might include something as simple as meeting a special person in your life, taking a car ride, or eating a particularly meaningful meal. We have often found that smaller, less formal events make for more surprising and memorable essays; but as with any of the other prompts, as long as you can answer with originality and put a unique twist on your subject matter, all ideas are fair game.

Your reflection on what you have learned and how you have grown will be a source of great insight for admissions, and you want to make sure your essay highlights the intangible qualities that don’t show up anywhere else on an application.

Some other things to consider:

  • How do you react to periods of transition? What inspires a change in your perspective?
  • When have you had a “eureka” moment, and how has it impacted the way you lived your life thereafter?
  • What were the moments in life that fundamentally changed you as a person?
  • When did you learn something that made you feel more adult, more capable, more grown up?

For example:

  • Did your expansion of a handmade stationery hobby into a full-fledged business give you the motivation and wherewithal to combat the effects of a debilitating illness?
  • Have you learned to love the football team playback sessions that force you to routinely examine your mistakes, welcome constructive criticism and point yourself toward self-improvement?
  • Did a summer-long role as the U.S. President in a mock government and diplomacy exercise bring out leadership skills you never knew you had?
  • What did playing bridge at a senior citizens’ home each week show you about the value of enjoyment over competition? How did this change the way you interact and connect with others?

The most important things to keep in mind when searching for these moments are the elements of growth, understanding, and transformation. The event, accomplishment, or realization you discuss should be something that helped you understand the world around you through a different, more mature lens. And, as with Prompt #4, be sure to answer all parts of the question.

How To Write Common App Prompt #6: The Passion Essay

Common Application Prompt 6

PROMPT #6: Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

This was one of the Common App’s brand new additions for the 2017-18 application cycle, and we cannot contain our nerdy excitement that it’s sticking around for 2020-21, especially since this prompt was built to highlight a student’s inner nerd.

One could argue that college is largely about the pursuit of knowledge, so you can imagine it would be quite appealing for an admissions officer to have a meter for your level of self-motivated learning, along with a better understanding of how and why you choose to pay attention to the things that intrigue you. This is a window into your brain: how you process information, how you seek out new sources of content and inspiration. How resourceful are you when your curiosity is piqued to the fullest? The answer to this prompt should also reveal something to admissions about the breadth or depth of your interests. For example, if you’re interested in studying astrophysics, you might choose to discuss a concept that shows how far your exploration of the sciences truly reaches. How consumed are you by this passion you are choosing to pursue academically?

  • What floats your boat? Do you have an appetite for knowledge about something specific? Or, as we asked in the breakdown for Prompt #1: what do you love, and why do you love it?
  • What lengths have you gone to in order to acquire new information about or experiences related to a topic of interest?
  • How do you typically seek to enrich your knowledge when something appeals to you? Do you have a favorite corner of the library (or internet)? A mentor who is open to answering your burning questions?
  • What about the process of learning, especially about subjects that call out to you, is satisfying?

And a few examples to get those wheels turning:

  • Did the idea of open source code inspire you to create a tech startup with a few of your friends? What new projects within the company are you most excited to work on?
  • Did getting an internship at an accounting firm inspire you to start each day by checking the markets? Do you participate in a mock trading club that allows you to use the expertise you gather from culling through economic news and analysis online and beyond?
  • On any given Sunday morning, could we find you lost in the literature of Kurt Vonnegut or immersed in a collection of stories by Isaac Asimov?
  • Have you taught yourself to master the compositions of Mozart and Beethoven and break down the songs of Bruno Mars by ear in your spare time?
  • Do you have an obsession with pizza so intense it led you to study the culinary arts and keep a pizza journal that documents the 700+ slices you’ve consumed thus far? (We know someone who did this—really.) How is pizza-making more scientific and/or artistic than the average person realizes?

Whatever you’re into, embrace it. Show your feathers. Let your freak flag fly (within reason, obvs). This prompt is about the pursuit of knowledge and your desire to proactively challenge yourself. Whether you are devouring the classics on your Kindle or nerding out over the perfect cheese for calzone-making, your attachment to a subject may inspire admissions to want to learn more about it…and you.

How To Write Common App Prompt #7: Topic of Your Choice

Common Application Prompt 7

PROMPT #7: Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

In 2017, it finally happened: the return of the “topic of your choice” (second only to the return of the Jedi ). Feared by some, coveted by others, and legendary in its existence; regardless of where you stand on the issue, this was a newsworthy addition to the 2017-18 Common App prompt choices. For years, students have been treating Prompt #1 (which asks about your background, etc.) as topic of your choice *light*—it wasn’t exactly the delicious, full-freedom version students were looking for, but they were able to make it work in a pinch. Applicants around the world likely let out a big exhale when they saw they could still serve up a big scoop of Prompt #7 to admissions in 2018 and ’19. And this year will be no different.

Some questions to consider as you brainstorm, in addition to all of the ones we’ve posed thus far:

  • What do you want admissions to know about you that they wouldn’t be able to glean from your transcript, test scores, or teacher recommendations?
  • What are the stories that come up over and over again, at the dinner table or in the cafeteria with your friends, that might give admissions some insight into who you are and what is important to you?
  • If you had ten minutes alone in a room with an admissions officer, what would you want to talk about or tell him or her about yourself?
  • What would you bring to a college campus that no one else would or could?

And a few examples of potential subjects and their related (custom!) prompts:

  • Were you born with a congenital eye defect that literally (and metaphorically) affects how you see the world? ( Q: How is your perspective on the world unique?)
  • Do you spend 40 minutes each Friday night tutoring a class of elementary school students in Cambodia? How has that impacted the way you mete out your time and assess your commitments? ( Q: What is the value of 40 minutes?)
  • Did your parents let your older brother choose your name? What was his inspiration? (Please tell us your name is  Gaston .) What does your name represent for you? How has it impacted your interactions in the world? ( Q: What’s in a name?)

While being able to write about whatever you wish sounds great in theory, some students find—especially at the beginning of the brainstorming process—that they are debilitated by the “topic of your choice” option because it offers  too   much choice. If that is the case, fear not! Use some of the other prompts as starting points for your brainstorming and free writing journeys. Begin keeping a diary ( now! ) and jot down subjects, events, and memories as they float to the surface. Now that you have read our handy-dandy prompt guide and understand what admissions is looking for from these prompts, you could very well have a notebook filled with ideas that are ripe for expansion by the time you sit down to write.

So don’t worry about having too many ideas, or not having enough ideas, especially at the beginning of the topic selection process. Once you figure out what you’d like to say (and maybe even after you draft the crux of the essay itself), see if your concept fits one of the first six prompts. Trying to tailor your essay to a more specific prompt option may inspire an interesting spin on the story you are trying to tell—one you may not have thought of otherwise. Form influences content. If, after careful consideration, your magic essay topic does not work within the confines of Prompts 1-6, you are in luck. The glorious, all-encompassing Prompt #7 will be here to catch you.

With some brainstorming and hard work, every student can uncover a story worth telling in response to one of these prompts. Remember, admissions wants a glimpse of your personality, your values, your interests and your passions. They want to get an idea of what kind of attitude and energy you will bring to the classroom and campus life.

So take a few minutes to probe your memories, collect your stories and strike up that creative core. Every student has a fabulous essay inside of them – these prompts can help you find yours.

Coalition App Essay Guide

Browse by Prompt

Ivy Divider

Contact us for information on rates and more!

  • I am a * Student Parent Potential Partner School Counselor Private College Counselor
  • Name * First Last
  • Phone Type Mobile Landline
  • Street Address
  • Address City State / Province / Region Afghanistan Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos Islands Colombia Comoros Congo Congo, Democratic Republic of the Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Curaçao Cyprus Czechia Côte d'Ivoire Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Heard Island and McDonald Islands Holy See Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macao Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island North Macedonia Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestine, State of Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Réunion Saint Barthélemy Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Sint Maarten Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Sweden Switzerland Syria Arab Republic Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania, the United Republic of Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Türkiye US Minor Outlying Islands Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Viet Nam Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, U.S. Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe Åland Islands Country
  • Which best describes you (or your child)? High school senior High school junior College student College grad Other
  • How did you find CEA? Internet Search New York Times Guidance counselor/school Social Media YouTube Friend Special Event Delehey College Consulting Other
  • Common App and Coalition Essays
  • Supplemental Essays
  • University of California Essays
  • University of Texas Essays
  • Resume Review
  • Post-Grad Essays
  • Specialized Services
  • Waitlist Letters
  • School list with priorities noted:
  • Anything else we should know?
  • Name This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
  • Our Approach & Team
  • Undergraduate Testimonials
  • Postgraduate Testimonials
  • Where Our Students Get In
  • CEA Gives Back
  • Undergraduate Admissions
  • Graduate Admissions
  • Private School Admissions
  • International Student Admissions
  • Common App Essay Guide
  • Supplemental Essay Guides
  • Coalition App Guide
  • The CEA Podcast
  • YouTube Tutorials
  • Admissions Stats
  • Notification Trackers
  • Deadline Databases
  • College Essay Examples
  • Academy and Worksheets
  • Get Started

French Journal of English Studies

Home Numéros 59 1 - Tisser les liens : voyager, e... 36 Views of Moscow Mountain: Teac...

36 Views of Moscow Mountain: Teaching Travel Writing and Mindfulness in the Tradition of Hokusai and Thoreau

L'auteur américain Henry David Thoreau est un écrivain du voyage qui a rarement quitté sa ville natale de Concorde, Massachusetts, où il a vécu de 1817 à 1862. Son approche du "voyage" consiste à accorder une profonde attention à son environnement ordinaire et à voir le monde à partir de perspectives multiples, comme il l'explique avec subtilité dans Walden (1854). Inspiré par Thoreau et par la célèbre série de gravures du peintre d'estampes japonais Katsushika Hokusai, intitulée 36 vues du Mt. Fuji (1830-32), j'ai fait un cours sur "L'écriture thoreauvienne du voyage" à l'Université de l'Idaho, que j'appelle 36 vues des montagnes de Moscow: ou, Faire un grand voyage — l'esprit et le carnet ouvert — dans un petit lieu . Cet article explore la philosophie et les stratégies pédagogiques de ce cours, qui tente de partager avec les étudiants les vertus d'un regard neuf sur le monde, avec les yeux vraiment ouverts, avec le regard d'un voyageur, en "faisant un grand voyage" à Moscow, Idaho. Les étudiants affinent aussi leurs compétences d'écriture et apprennent les traditions littéraires et artistiques associées au voyage et au sens du lieu.

Index terms

Keywords: , designing a writing class to foster engagement.

1 The signs at the edge of town say, "Entering Moscow, Idaho. Population 25,060." This is a small hamlet in the midst of a sea of rolling hills, where farmers grow varieties of wheat, lentils, peas, and garbanzo beans, irrigated by natural rainfall. Although the town of Moscow has a somewhat cosmopolitan feel because of the presence of the University of Idaho (with its 13,000 students and a few thousand faculty and staff members), elegant restaurants, several bookstores and music stores, and a patchwork of artsy coffee shops on Main Street, the entire mini-metropolis has only about a dozen traffic lights and a single high school. As a professor of creative writing and the environmental humanities at the university, I have long been interested in finding ways to give special focuses to my writing and literature classes that will help my students think about the circumstances of their own lives and find not only academic meaning but personal significance in our subjects. I have recently taught graduate writing workshops on such themes as "The Body" and "Crisis," but when I was given the opportunity recently to teach an undergraduate writing class on Personal and Exploratory Writing, I decided to choose a focus that would bring me—and my students—back to one of the writers who has long been of central interest to me: Henry David Thoreau.

2 One of the courses I have routinely taught during the past six years is Environmental Writing, an undergraduate class that I offer as part of the university's Semester in the Wild Program, a unique undergraduate opportunity that sends a small group of students to study five courses (Ecology, Environmental History, Environmental Writing, Outdoor Leadership and Wilderness Survival, and Wilderness Management and Policy) at a remote research station located in the middle of the largest wilderness area (the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness) in the United States south of Alaska. In "Teaching with Wolves," a recent article about the Semester in the Wild Program, I explained that my goal in the Environmental Writing class is to help the students "synthesize their experience in the wilderness with the content of the various classes" and "to think ahead to their professional lives and their lives as engaged citizens, for which critical thinking and communication skills are so important" (325). A foundational text for the Environmental Writing class is a selection from Thoreau's personal journal, specifically the entries he made October 1-20, 1853, which I collected in the 1993 writing textbook Being in the World: An Environmental Reader for Writers . I ask the students in the Semester in the Wild Program to deeply immerse themselves in Thoreau's precise and colorful descriptions of the physical world that is immediately present to him and, in turn, to engage with their immediate encounters with the world in their wilderness location. Thoreau's entries read like this:

Oct. 4. The maples are reddening, and birches yellowing. The mouse-ear in the shade in the middle of the day, so hoary, looks as if the frost still lay on it. Well it wears the frost. Bumblebees are on the Aster undulates , and gnats are dancing in the air. Oct. 5. The howling of the wind about the house just before a storm to-night sounds extremely like a loon on the pond. How fit! Oct. 6 and 7. Windy. Elms bare. (372)

3 In thinking ahead to my class on Personal and Exploratory Writing, which would be offered on the main campus of the University of Idaho in the fall semester of 2018, I wanted to find a topic that would instill in my students the Thoreauvian spirit of visceral engagement with the world, engagement on the physical, emotional, and philosophical levels, while still allowing my students to remain in the city and live their regular lives as students. It occurred to me that part of what makes Thoreau's journal, which he maintained almost daily from 1837 (when he was twenty years old) to 1861 (just a year before his death), such a rich and elegant work is his sense of being a traveler, even when not traveling geographically.

Traveling a Good Deal in Moscow

I have traveled a good deal in Concord…. --Henry David Thoreau, Walden (1854; 4)

4 For Thoreau, one did not need to travel a substantial physical distance in order to be a traveler, in order to bring a traveler's frame of mind to daily experience. His most famous book, Walden , is well known as an account of the author's ideas and daily experiments in simple living during the two years, two months, and two days (July 4, 1845, to September 6, 1847) he spent inhabiting a simple wooden house that he built on the shore of Walden Pond, a small lake to the west of Boston, Massachusetts. Walden Pond is not a remote location—it is not out in the wilderness. It is on the edge of a small village, much like Moscow, Idaho. The concept of "traveling a good deal in Concord" is a kind of philosophical and psychological riddle. What does it mean to travel extensively in such a small place? The answer to this question is meaningful not only to teachers hoping to design writing classes in the spirit of Thoreau but to all who are interested in travel as an experience and in the literary genre of travel writing.

5 Much of Walden is an exercise in deftly establishing a playful and intellectually challenging system of synonyms, an array of words—"economy," "deliberateness," "simplicity," "dawn," "awakening," "higher laws," etc.—that all add up to powerful probing of what it means to live a mindful and attentive life in the world. "Travel" serves as a key, if subtle, metaphor for the mindful life—it is a metaphor and also, in a sense, a clue: if we can achieve the traveler's perspective without going far afield, then we might accomplish a kind of enlightenment. Thoreau's interest in mindfulness becomes clear in chapter two of Walden , "Where I Lived, and What I Lived For," in which he writes, "Morning is when I am awake and there is a dawn in me. To be awake is to be alive. I have never yet met a man who was quite awake. How could I have looked him in the face?" The latter question implies the author's feeling that he is himself merely evolving as an awakened individual, not yet fully awake, or mindful, in his efforts to live "a poetic or divine life" (90). Thoreau proceeds to assert that "We must learn to reawaken and keep ourselves awake, not by mechanical aids, but by an infinite expectation of the dawn…. I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by a conscious endeavor" (90). Just what this endeavor might be is not immediately spelled out in the text, but the author does quickly point out the value of focusing on only a few activities or ideas at a time, so as not to let our lives be "frittered away by detail." He writes: "Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity! I say, let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand; … and keep your accounts on your thumb nail" (91). The strong emphasis in the crucial second chapter of Walden is on the importance of waking up and living deliberately through a conscious effort to engage in particular activities that support such awakening. It occurs to me that "travel," or simply making one's way through town with the mindset of a traveler, could be one of these activities.

6 It is in the final chapter of the book, titled "Conclusion," that Thoreau makes clear the relationship between travel and living an attentive life. He begins the chapter by cataloguing the various physical locales throughout North America or around the world to which one might travel—Canada, Ohio, Colorado, and even Tierra del Fuego. But Thoreau states: "Our voyaging is only great-circle sailing, and the doctors prescribe for diseases of the skin merely. One hastens to Southern Africa to chase the giraffe; but surely that is not the game he would be after." What comes next is brief quotation from the seventeenth-century English poet William Habbington (but presented anonymously in Thoreau's text), which might be one of the most significant passages in the entire book:

Direct your eye sight inward, and you'll find A thousand regions in your mind Yet undiscovered. Travel them, and be Expert in home-cosmography. (320)

7 This admonition to travel the mysterious territory of one's own mind and master the strange cosmos of the self is actually a challenge to the reader—and probably to the author himself—to focus on self-reflection and small-scale, local movement as if such activities were akin to exploration on a grand, planetary scale. What is really at issue here is not the physical distance of one's journey, but the mental flexibility of one's approach to the world, one's ability to look at the world with a fresh, estranged point of view. Soon after his discussion of the virtues of interior travel, Thoreau explains why he left his simple home at Walden Pond after a few years of experimental living there, writing, "It is remarkable how easily and insensibly we fall into a particular route, and make a beaten track for ourselves" (323). In other words, no matter what we're doing in life, we can fall into a "beaten track" if we're not careful, thus failing to stay "awake."

8 As I thought about my writing class at the University of Idaho, I wondered how I might design a series of readings and writing exercises for university students that would somehow emulate the Thoreauvian objective of achieving ultra-mindfulness in a local environment. One of the greatest challenges in designing such a class is the fact that it took Thoreau himself many years to develop an attentiveness to his environment and his own emotional rhythms and an efficiency of expression that would enable him to describe such travel-without-travel, and I would have only sixteen weeks to achieve this with my own students. The first task, I decided, was to invite my students into the essential philosophical stance of the class, and I did this by asking my students to read the opening chapter of Walden ("Economy") in which he talks about traveling "a good deal" in his small New England village as well as the second chapter and the conclusion, which reveal the author's enthusiasm (some might even say obsession ) for trying to achieve an awakened condition and which, in the end, suggest that waking up to the meaning of one's life in the world might be best accomplished by attempting the paradoxical feat of becoming "expert in home-cosmography." As I stated it among the objectives for my course titled 36 Views of Moscow Mountain: Or, Traveling a Good Deal—with Open Minds and Notebooks—in a Small Place , one of our goals together (along with practicing nonfiction writing skills and learning about the genre of travel writing) would be to "Cultivate a ‘Thoreauvian' way of appreciating the subtleties of the ordinary world."

Windy. Elms Bare.

9 For me, the elegance and heightened sensitivity of Thoreau's engagement with place is most movingly exemplified in his journal, especially in the 1850s after he's mastered the art of observation and nuanced, efficient description of specific natural phenomena and environmental conditions. His early entries in the journal are abstract mini-essays on such topics as truth, beauty, and "The Poet," but over time the journal notations become so immersed in the direct experience of the more-than-human world, in daily sensory experiences, that the pronoun "I" even drops out of many of these records. Lawrence Buell aptly describes this Thoreauvian mode of expression as "self-relinquishment" (156) in his 1995 book The Environmental Imagination , suggesting such writing "question[s] the authority of the superintending consciousness. As such, it opens up the prospect of a thoroughgoing perceptual breakthrough, suggesting the possibility of a more ecocentric state of being than most of us have dreamed of" (144-45). By the time Thoreau wrote "Windy. Elms bare" (372) as his single entry for October 6 and 7, 1853, he had entered what we might call an "ecocentric zone of consciousness" in his work, attaining the ability to channel his complex perceptions of season change (including meteorology and botany and even his own emotional state) into brief, evocative prose.

10 I certainly do not expect my students to be able to do such writing after only a brief introduction to the course and to Thoreau's own methods of journal writing, but after laying the foundation of the Thoreauvian philosophy of nearby travel and explaining to my students what I call the "building blocks of the personal essay" (description, narration, and exposition), I ask them to engage in a preliminary journal-writing exercise that involves preparing five journal entries, each "a paragraph or two in length," that offer detailed physical descriptions of ordinary phenomena from their lives (plants, birds, buildings, street signs, people, food, etc.), emphasizing shape, color, movement or change, shadow, and sometimes sound, smell, taste, and/or touch. The goal of the journal entries, I tell the students, is to begin to get them thinking about close observation, vivid descriptive language, and the potential to give their later essays in the class an effective texture by balancing more abstract information and ideas with evocative descriptive passages and storytelling.

11 I am currently teaching this class, and I am writing this article in early September, as we are entering the fourth week of the semester. The students have just completed the journal-writing exercise and are now preparing to write the first of five brief essays on different aspects of Moscow that will eventually be braided together, as discrete sections of the longer piece, into a full-scale literary essay about Moscow, Idaho, from the perspective of a traveler. For the journal exercise, my students wrote some rather remarkable descriptive statements, which I think bodes well for their upcoming work. One student, Elizabeth Isakson, wrote stunning journal descriptions of a cup of coffee, her own feet, a lemon, a basil leaf, and a patch of grass. For instance, she wrote:

Steaming hot liquid poured into a mug. No cream, just black. Yet it appears the same brown as excretion. The texture tells another story with meniscus that fades from clear to gold and again brown. The smell is intoxicating for those who are addicted. Sweetness fills the nostrils; bitterness rushes over the tongue. The contrast somehow complements itself. Earthy undertones flower up, yet this beverage is much more satisfying than dirt. When the mug runs dry, specks of dark grounds remain swimming in the sunken meniscus. Steam no longer rises because energy has found a new home.

12 For the grassy lawn, she wrote:

Calico with shades of green, the grass is yellowing. Once vibrant, it's now speckled with straw. Sticking out are tall, seeding dandelions. Still some dips in the ground have maintained thick, soft patches of green. The light dances along falling down from the trees above, creating a stained-glass appearance made from various green shades. The individual blades are stiff enough to stand erect, but they will yield to even slight forces of wind or pressure. Made from several long strands seemingly fused together, some blades fray at the end, appearing brittle. But they do not simply break off; they hold fast to the blade to which they belong.

13 The point of this journal writing is for the students to look closely enough at ordinary reality to feel estranged from it, as if they have never before encountered (or attempted to describe) a cup of coffee or a field of grass—or a lemon or a basil leaf or their own body. Thus, the Thoreauvian objective of practicing home-cosmography begins to take shape. The familiar becomes exotic, note-worthy, and strangely beautiful, just as it often does for the geographical travel writer, whose adventures occur far away from where she or he normally lives. Travel, in a sense, is an antidote to complacency, to over-familiarity. But the premise of my class in Thoreauvian travel writing is that a slight shift of perspective can overcome the complacency we might naturally feel in our home surroundings. To accomplish this we need a certain degree of disorientation. This is the next challenge for our class.

The Blessing of Being Lost

14 Most of us take great pains to "get oriented" and "know where we're going," whether this is while running our daily errands or when thinking about the essential trajectories of our lives. We're often instructed by anxious parents to develop a sense of purpose and a sense of direction, if only for the sake of basic safety. But the traveler operates according to a somewhat different set of priorities, perhaps, elevating adventure and insight above basic comfort and security, at least to some degree. This certainly seems to be the case for the Thoreauvian traveler, or for Thoreau himself. In Walden , he writes:

…not until we are completely lost, or turned round,--for a man needs only be turned round once with his eyes shut in this world to be lost,--do we appreciate the vastness and strangeness of Nature. Every man has to learn the points of compass again as often as he awakes, whether from sleep or any abstraction. Not till we are lost, in other words, not till we have lost the world, do we begin to find ourselves, and realize where we are and the infinite extent of our relations. (171)

15 I could explicate this passage at length, but that's not really my purpose here. I read this as a celebration of salutary disorientation, of the potential to be lost in such a way as to deepen one's ability to pay attention to oneself and one's surroundings, natural and otherwise. If travel is to a great degree an experience uniquely capable of triggering attentiveness to our own physical and psychological condition, to other cultures and the minds and needs of other people, and to a million small details of our environment that we might take for granted at home but that accrue special significance when we're away, I would argue that much of this attentiveness is owed to the sense of being lost, even the fear of being lost, that often happens when we leave our normal habitat.

16 So in my class I try to help my students "get lost" in a positive way. Here in Moscow, the major local landmark is a place called Moscow Mountain, a forested ridge of land just north of town, running approximately twenty kilometers to the east of the city. Moscow "Mountain" does not really have a single, distinctive peak like a typical mountain—it is, as I say, more of a ridge than a pinnacle. When I began contemplating this class on Thoreauvian travel writing, the central concepts I had in mind were Thoreau's notion of traveling a good deal in Concord and also the idea of looking at a specific place from many different angles. The latter idea is not only Thoreauvian, but perhaps well captured in the eighteen-century Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai's series of woodblock prints known as 36 Views of Mt. Fuji , which offers an array of different angles on the mountain itself and on other landscape features (lakes, the sea, forests, clouds, trees, wind) and human behavior which is represented in many of the prints, often with Mt. Fuji in the distant background or off to the side. In fact, I imagine Hokusai's approach to representing Mt. Fuji as so important to the concept of this travel writing class that I call the class "36 Views of Moscow Mountain," symbolizing the multiple approaches I'll be asking my students to take in contemplating and describing not only Moscow Mountain itself, but the culture and landscape and the essential experience of Moscow the town. The idea of using Hokusai's series of prints as a focal point of this class came to me, in part, from reading American studies scholar Cathy Davidson's 36 Views of Mount Fuji: On Finding Myself in Japan , a memoir that offers sixteen short essays about different facets of her life as a visiting professor in that island nation.

17 The first of five brief essays my students will prepare for the class is what I'm calling a "Moscow Mountain descriptive essay," building upon the small descriptive journal entries they've written recently. In this case, though, I am asking the students to describe the shapes and colors of the Moscow Mountain ridge, while also telling a brief story or two about their observations of the mountain, either by visiting the mountain itself to take a walk or a bike ride or by explaining how they glimpse portions of the darkly forested ridge in the distance while walking around the University of Idaho campus or doing things in town. In preparation for the Moscow Mountain essays, we read several essays or book chapters that emphasize "organizing principles" in writing, often the use of particular landscape features, such as trees or mountains, as a literary focal point. For instance, in David Gessner's "Soaring with Castro," from his 2007 book Soaring with Fidel: An Osprey Odyssey from Cape Cod to Cuba and Beyond , he not only refers to La Gran Piedra (a small mountain in southeastern Cuba) as a narrative focal point, but to the osprey, or fish eagle, itself and its migratory journey as an organizing principle for his literary project (203). Likewise, in his essay "I Climb a Tree and Become Dissatisfied with My Lot," Chicago author Leonard Dubkin writes about his decision, as a newly fired journalist, to climb up a tree in Chicago's Lincoln Park to observe and listen to the birds that gather in the green branches in the evening, despite the fact that most adults would consider this a strange and inappropriate activity. We also looked at several of Hokusai's woodblock prints and analyzed these together in class, trying to determine how the mountain served as an organizing principle for each print or whether there were other key features of the prints—clouds, ocean waves, hats and pieces of paper floating in the wind, humans bent over in labor—that dominate the images, with Fuji looking on in the distance.

18 I asked my students to think of Hokusai's representations of Mt. Fuji as aesthetic models, or metaphors, for what they might try to do in their brief (2-3 pages) literary essays about Moscow Mountain. What I soon discovered was that many of my students, even students who have spent their entire lives in Moscow, either were not aware of Moscow Mountain at all or had never actually set foot on the mountain. So we spent half an hour during one class session, walking to a vantage point on the university campus, where I could point out where the mountain is and we could discuss how one might begin to write about such a landscape feature in a literary essay. Although I had thought of the essay describing the mountain as a way of encouraging the students to think about a familiar landscape as an orienting device, I quickly learned that this will be a rather challenging exercise for many of the students, as it will force them to think about an object or a place that is easily visible during their ordinary lives, but that they typically ignore. Paying attention to the mountain, the ridge, will compel them to reorient themselves in this city and think about a background landscape feature that they've been taking for granted until now. I think of this as an act of disorientation or being lost—a process of rethinking their own presence in this town that has a nearby mountain that most of them seldom think about. I believe Thoreau would consider this a good, healthy experience, a way of being present anew in a familiar place.

36 Views—Or, When You Invert Your Head

19 Another key aspect of Hokusai's visual project and Thoreau's literary project is the idea of changing perspective. One can view Mt. Fuji from 36 different points of views, or from thousands of different perspectives, and it is never quite the same place—every perspective is original, fresh, mind-expanding. The impulse to shift perspective in pursuit of mindfulness is also ever-present in Thoreau's work, particularly in his personal journal and in Walden . This idea is particularly evident, to me, in the chapter of Walden titled "The Ponds," where he writes:

Standing on the smooth sandy beach at the east end of the pond, in a calm September afternoon, when a slight haze makes the opposite shore line indistinct, I have seen whence came the expression, "the glassy surface of a lake." When you invert your head, it looks like a thread of finest gossamer stretched across the valley, and gleaming against the distinct pine woods, separating one stratum of the atmosphere from another. (186)

20 Elsewhere in the chapter, Thoreau describes the view of the pond from the top of nearby hills and the shapes and colors of pebbles in the water when viewed from close up. He chances physical perspective again and again throughout the chapter, but it is in the act of looking upside down, actually suggesting that one might invert one's head, that he most vividly conveys the idea of looking at the world in different ways in order to be lost and awakened, just as the traveler to a distant land might feel lost and invigorated by such exposure to an unknown place.

21 After asking students to write their first essay about Moscow Mountain, I give them four additional short essays to write, each two to four pages long. We read short examples of place-based essays, some of them explicitly related to travel, and then the students work on their own essays on similar topics. The second short essay is about food—I call this the "Moscow Meal" essay. We read the final chapter of Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma (2006), "The Perfect Meal," and Anthony Bourdain's chapter "Where Cooks Come From" in the book A Cook's Tour (2001) are two of the works we study in preparation for the food essay. The three remaining short essays including a "Moscow People" essay (exploring local characters are important facets of the place), a more philosophical essay about "the concept of Moscow," and a final "Moscow Encounter" essay that tells the story of a dramatic moment of interaction with a person, an animal, a memorable thing to eat or drink, a sunset, or something else. Along the way, we read the work of Wendell Berry, Joan Didion, Barbara Kingsolver, Kim Stafford, Paul Theroux, and other authors. Before each small essay is due, we spend a class session holding small-group workshops, allowing the students to discuss their essays-in-progress with each other and share portions of their manuscripts. The idea is that they will learn about writing even by talking with each other about their essays. In addition to writing about Moscow from various angles, they will learn about additional points of view by considering the angles of insight developed by their fellow students. All of this is the writerly equivalent of "inverting [their] heads."

Beneath the Smooth Skin of Place

22 Aside from Thoreau's writing and Hokusai's images, perhaps the most important writer to provide inspiration for this class is Indiana-based essayist Scott Russell Sanders. Shortly after introducing the students to Thoreau's key ideas in Walden and to the richness of his descriptive writing in the journal, I ask them to read his essay "Buckeye," which first appeared in Sanders's Writing from the Center (1995). "Buckeye" demonstrates the elegant braiding together of descriptive, narrative, and expository/reflective prose, and it also offers a strong argument about the importance of creating literature and art about place—what he refers to as "shared lore" (5)—as a way of articulating the meaning of a place and potentially saving places that would otherwise be exploited for resources, flooded behind dams, or otherwise neglected or damaged. The essay uses many of the essential literary devices, ranging from dialogue to narrative scenes, that I hope my students will practice in their own essays, while also offering a vivid argument in support of the kind of place-based writing the students are working on.

23 Another vital aspect of our work together in this class is the effort to capture the wonderful idiosyncrasies of this place, akin to the idiosyncrasies of any place that we examine closely enough to reveal its unique personality. Sanders's essay "Beneath the Smooth Skin of America," which we study together in Week 9 of the course, addresses this topic poignantly. The author challenges readers to learn the "durable realities" of the places where they live, the details of "watershed, biome, habitat, food-chain, climate, topography, ecosystem and the areas defined by these natural features they call bioregions" (17). "The earth," he writes, "needs fewer tourists and more inhabitants" (16). By Week 9 of the semester, the students have written about Moscow Mountain, about local food, and about local characters, and they are ready at this point to reflect on some of the more philosophical dimensions of living in a small academic village surrounded by farmland and beyond that surrounded by the Cascade mountain range to the West and the Rockies to the East. "We need a richer vocabulary of place" (18), urges Sanders. By this point in the semester, by reading various examples of place-based writing and by practicing their own powers of observation and expression, my students will, I hope, have developed a somewhat richer vocabulary to describe their own experiences in this specific place, a place they've been trying to explore with "open minds and notebooks." Sanders argues that

if we pay attention, we begin to notice patterns in the local landscape. Perceiving those patterns, acquiring names and theories and stories for them, we cease to be tourists and become inhabitants. The bioregional consciousness I am talking about means bearing your place in mind, keeping track of its condition and needs, committing yourself to its care. (18)

24 Many of my students will spend only four or five years in Moscow, long enough to earn a degree before moving back to their hometowns or journeying out into the world in pursuit of jobs or further education. Moscow will be a waystation for some of these student writers, not a permanent home. Yet I am hoping that this semester-long experiment in Thoreauvian attentiveness and place-based writing will infect these young people with both the bioregional consciousness Sanders describes and a broader fascination with place, including the cultural (yes, the human ) dimensions of this and any other place. I feel such a mindfulness will enrich the lives of my students, whether they remain here or move to any other location on the planet or many such locations in succession.

25 Toward the end of "Beneath the Smooth Skin of America," Sanders tells the story of encountering a father with two young daughters near a city park in Bloomington, Indiana, where he lives. Sanders is "grazing" on wild mulberries from a neighborhood tree, and the girls are keen to join him in savoring the local fruit. But their father pulls them away, stating, "Thank you very much, but we never eat anything that grows wild. Never ever." To this Sanders responds: "If you hold by that rule, you will not get sick from eating poison berries, but neither will you be nourished from eating sweet ones. Why not learn to distinguish one from the other? Why feed belly and mind only from packages?" (19-20). By looking at Moscow Mountain—and at Moscow, Idaho, more broadly—from numerous points of view, my students, I hope, will nourish their own bellies and minds with the wild fruit and ideas of this place. I say this while chewing a tart, juicy, and, yes, slightly sweet plum that I pulled from a feral tree in my own Moscow neighborhood yesterday, an emblem of engagement, of being here.

Bibliography

BUELL, Lawrence, The Environmental Imagination: Thoreau, Nature Writing, and the Formation of American Culture , Harvard University Press, 1995.

DAVIDSON, Cathy, 36 Views of Mount Fuji: On Finding Myself in Japan , Duke University Press, 2006.

DUBKIN, Leonard, "I Climb a Tree and Become Dissatisfied with My Lot." Enchanted Streets: The Unlikely Adventures of an Urban Nature Lover , Little, Brown and Company, 1947, 34-42.

GESSNER, David, Soaring with Fidel: An Osprey Odyssey from Cape Cod to Cuba and Beyond , Beacon, 2007.

ISAKSON, Elizabeth, "Journals." Assignment for 36 Views of Moscow Mountain (English 208), University of Idaho, Fall 2018.

SANDERS, Scott Russell, "Buckeye" and "Beneath the Smooth Skin of America." Writing from the Center , Indiana University Press, 1995, pp. 1-8, 9-21.

SLOVIC, Scott, "Teaching with Wolves", Western American Literature 52.3 (Fall 2017): 323-31.

THOREAU, Henry David, "October 1-20, 1853", Being in the World: An Environmental Reader for Writers , edited by Scott H. Slovic and Terrell F. Dixon, Macmillan, 1993, 371-75.

THOREAU, Henry David, Walden . 1854. Princeton University Press, 1971.

Bibliographical reference

Scott Slovic , “ 36 Views of Moscow Mountain: Teaching Travel Writing and Mindfulness in the Tradition of Hokusai and Thoreau ” ,  Caliban , 59 | 2018, 41-54.

Electronic reference

Scott Slovic , “ 36 Views of Moscow Mountain: Teaching Travel Writing and Mindfulness in the Tradition of Hokusai and Thoreau ” ,  Caliban [Online], 59 | 2018, Online since 01 June 2018 , connection on 26 February 2024 . URL : http://journals.openedition.org/caliban/3688; DOI : https://doi.org/10.4000/caliban.3688

About the author

Scott slovic.

University of Idaho Scott Slovic is University Distinguished Professor of Environmental Humanities at the University of Idaho, USA. The author and editor of many books and articles, he edited the journal ISLE: Interdisciplinary Studies in Literature and Environment from 1995 to 2020. His latest coedited book is The Routledge Handbook of Ecocriticism and Environmental Communication  (2019).

By this author

  • Introduction (version en français) [Full text] Introduction [Full text | translation | en] Published in Caliban , 64 | 2020
  • To Collapse or Not to Collapse? A Joint Interview [Full text] Published in Caliban , 63 | 2020
  • Furrowed Brows, Questioning Earth: Minding the Loess Soil of the Palouse [Full text] Published in Caliban , 61 | 2019
  • Foreword: Thinking of “Earth Island” on Earth Day 2016 [Full text] Published in Caliban , 55 | 2016

CC-BY-NC-ND-4.0

The text only may be used under licence CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 . All other elements (illustrations, imported files) are “All rights reserved”, unless otherwise stated.

Full text issues

  • 67-68 | 2022 Religious Dispute and Toleration in Early Modern Literature and History
  • 65-66 | 2021 Peterloo 1819 and After: Perspectives from Britain and Beyond
  • 64 | 2020 Animal Love. Considering Animal Attachments in Anglophone Literature and Culture
  • 63 | 2020 Dynamics of Collapse in Fantasy, the Fantastic and SF
  • 62 | 2019 Female Suffrage in British Art, Literature and History
  • 61 | 2019 Land’s Furrows and Sorrows in Anglophone Countries
  • 60 | 2018 The Life of Forgetting in Twentieth- and Twenty-First-Century British Literature
  • 59 | 2018 Anglophone Travel and Exploration Writing: Meetings Between the Human and Nonhuman
  • 58 | 2017 The Mediterranean and its Hinterlands
  • 57 | 2017 The Animal Question in Alice Munro's Stories
  • 56 | 2016 Disappearances - American literature and arts
  • 55 | 2016 Sharing the Planet
  • 54 | 2015 Forms of Diplomacy (16 th -21 st century)
  • 53 | 2015 Representing World War One: Art’s Response to War
  • 52 | 2014 Caliban and his transmutations

Anglophonia/Caliban

  • Issues list

Presentation

  • Editorial Policy
  • Instructions for authors
  • Ventes et abonnement

Informations

  • Mentions légales et Crédits
  • Publishing policies

RSS feed

Newsletters

  • OpenEdition Newsletter

In collaboration with

Logo Presses universitaires du Midi

Electronic ISSN 2431-1766

Read detailed presentation  

Site map  – Syndication

Privacy Policy  – About Cookies  – Report a problem

OpenEdition Journals member  – Published with Lodel  – Administration only

You will be redirected to OpenEdition Search

IMAGES

  1. 30 Creative Journal Prompts for Elementary Kids • JournalBuddies.com

    creative writing journal prompts elementary

  2. Journal Writing

    creative writing journal prompts elementary

  3. Creative Writing Journal Prompts by Marla Ann Weinstein

    creative writing journal prompts elementary

  4. Creative Journal Prompts for Elementary School Students in 2020

    creative writing journal prompts elementary

  5. 4th Grade Writing Prompts, Elementary Writing, Creative Writing Prompts

    creative writing journal prompts elementary

  6. Do you know the importance of creative writing? Are you looking for

    creative writing journal prompts elementary

VIDEO

  1. What is journaling?/How to start a journal?/Informative video #shorts #ytshort #journal #journaling

  2. Journal writing video 1

  3. Journal prompt ideas ✨💡

COMMENTS

  1. 75 Excellent Elementary Writing Prompts » JournalBuddies.com

    75 Elementary Writing Prompts for Kids Check out these fun writing prompts and use them as inspiration this school year for your 1st to 5th-grade students. The best thing to do on a snow day If I was in the circus, I would _______ The best place to play in my neighborhood When I grow up The most important thing I learned in kindergarten

  2. 300 Creative Writing Prompts for Kids

    Creative Writing Prompts 300 Fun Writing Prompts for Kids: Story Starters, Journal Prompts & Ideas Chelle Stein February 17, 2023 Are you a parent or teacher? Here are 300 fun and creative writing prompts for kids to spark the imagination of young writers everywhere.

  3. Creative Journal Prompts for the Elementary Classroom

    24 Journal Prompts for Creative Writing in the Elementary Classroom Make Your Students' Journaling More Productive With These Prompts. damircudic/E+/Getty Images By Beth Lewis Updated on October 30, 2019 Many elementary teachers feel stuck when they first implement journaling into their classroom routine.

  4. 225 Fun & Free Creative Writing Prompts for Kids in All Grade Levels

    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.

  5. 101 Awesome Writing Prompts for Elementary Students

    Published on: August 22, 2022 Missi The younger years are a great time to instill a love for writing. That's why you'll be excited to utilize these amazing writing prompts for elementary students. Elementary kids love to write if they're excited about the topics.

  6. 57 Fun Creative Writing Prompts for Kids

    General Education With many kids learning from home due to Covid-19, easy-to-organize educational activities for students are more important than ever. Writing helps improve students' creativity, communication skills, and ability to focus, among other benefits.

  7. 40+ Writing prompts for elementary students

    Read&Write is a digital literacy tool that helps students express their thoughts and opinions through words. Your students can use tools in Read&Write like Check It, Talk and Type, and the text and picture dictionaries to help develop their confidence in writing. Use these writing prompts for younger learners to give elementary students story ...

  8. 52 Journal Prompts for Kids to Practice Writing

    Resources 52 Journal Prompts for Kids to Reflect and Practice Writing Skills July 26, 2022 Keeping a journal can have many benefits for your child, whether they keep it by themselves or with your help. In addition to practicing writing, journaling can give children a way to capture their thoughts and memories.

  9. 50 Writing Prompts for Elementary School Children

    Writing Prompts for Elementary Schoolers 4th Grade 5th Grade Tim Platt/Getty Images By Janelle Cox Updated on March 18, 2020 Writing is an essential skill and an important part of elementary school studies. However, writing inspiration does not come easily to every student.

  10. The Best Journal Prompts for Elementary Students

    20 sets of journal prompts- 5 per page (total of 100 prompts) These prompts are great for independent or early finisher work but are also great prompts to discuss a class during morning meetings, to complete as a morning work prompt, or to have students answer orally. Incorporate these slips into your Writer's Workshop or Daily 5 for a quick ...

  11. 55 Monthly Journal Prompts for Elementary Students (Jan-Dec)

    Monthly Journal Prompts for Elementary Students: Month-By-Month Creative Writing Elementary Prompts for January: What were your thoughts and feelings about making a resolution or goal for the year ahead? If you could go back to any moment in January, what would it be? Why? What did you learn this month? What was your favorite thing about January?

  12. 20 Fun And Creative Elementary Journal Prompts To Ignite Your Child's

    Our elementary journal prompts are designed specifically with young writers in mind, providing a fun and engaging way to develop writing skills, explore creativity, and expand vocabulary. These prompts are tailored towards elementary-aged children and are designed to get them excited about writing.

  13. 25 Creative And Engaging Elementary School Journal Prompts To Inspire

    That's where I come in. After years of teaching and raising my own kids, I've compiled a list of journal prompts that are sure to get your elementary schooler excited about writing. From prompts about their favorite hobbies to ones that ask them to imagine wild new worlds, there's something here for every young writer.

  14. 10 Engaging Creative Writing Journal Prompts For Elementary Students

    Creative writing journal prompts elementary can be used in classrooms or at home. With the right prompts, children can develop lifelong writing skills and ignite their creativity. These prompts are an excellent way to encourage children to express themselves and build confidence in their writing abilities. So, whether your child is an aspiring ...

  15. Creative Writing Journal Prompts

    Describe what kinds of things you would do with your powers. Think of a time when you've won something. Tell what you won and how you won it. Invent a new kind of sandwich. Describe what is on it and how you would make it. Describe one thing you're really good at. Imagine you were twenty feet tall.

  16. 50 Inspiring Journal Prompts to Spark Your Creativity

    These are some journal prompts that can enable self-discovery: First, list five words that best describe you. Then, think about which five words you would like to describe yourself. Complete this sentence: "My life would be incomplete without….". Reflect on a phrase, quote, or mantra that resonates with you.

  17. Creativity as a Challenge in the EFL Classroom

    research identi ed a statistical relationship between creativ e thinking and. creative communica tion meaning that a person who easily generates ideas. in the eld of thinking 'will be more mob ...

  18. ratselmeister Teaching Resources

    FREE Coloring Page with Decorated Ornament, Non-CU. By ratselmeister. This is winter holidays themed coloring page with christmas tree decorated ornament and winter scene. ***** Commercial use is NOT allowed. ***** Coloring page comes as black and white printable fitting A4 or Letter sized paper, in PNG format, of. Subjects:

  19. How To Answer the 2020-21 Common App Essay Prompts

    How To Write Common App Prompt #1: The Background Essay. PROMPT #1: Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. The Common App's Prompt #1 is the Old Faithful of essay questions.

  20. Tia Parnell on Instagram: "TASKS YOUR FRENCH WRITERS WILL LOVE

    24 likes, 6 comments - parfaitementparnell on February 15, 2024: "TASKS YOUR FRENCH WRITERS WILL LOVE ⠀⠀ Writing can be a daunting task for any studen..." Tia Parnell on Instagram: "TASKS YOUR FRENCH WRITERS WILL LOVE 🙌🏼⠀⠀ Writing can be a daunting task for any student, but it can be especially challenging for those learning a ...

  21. 36 Views of Moscow Mountain: Teaching Travel Writing and Mindfulnes

    As a professor of creative writing and the environmental ... His most famous book, Walden, is well known as an account of the author's ideas and daily experiments in simple living during the two years, two months, and two days (July 4, 1845, to September 6, 1847) he spent inhabiting a simple wooden house that he built on the shore of Walden ...