writing prompts in kindergarten

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25 Fun Kindergarten Writing & Storytelling Prompts (Free Printable!)

To help you get them writing from the get-go.

Most kindergartners are just learning how to put letters and words together, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be writers. What they lack in technical ability, they more than make up for with creativity and imagination. Plus, kindergartners usually have lots to say! Kindergarten writing prompts, often called story starters, help young writers focus on a single topic as they develop writing skills. Topics should be broad enough that every child can easily think of something to write about and interesting enough that they stay engaged. Developing a daily writing routine helps kindergartners develop confidence as they learn to articulate their thoughts in a structured way.

The following writing prompts are designed to spark your kindergartners’ imaginations and get them writing! And they are perfect for in-person or virtual learning.

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1. Tell about your favorite stuffy.

2. Make a list of 3 things you like and 3 things you don’t like.

3. What is your favorite thing to do on a rainy day?

4. I’m really good at …

5. If I could fly …

6. Describe an interesting place you’ve visited.

7. Something I like to do that makes me happy is …

8. Do you prefer to play inside or outside? What do you do there?

9. What is your favorite season and why?

10. The best part of being in kindergarten is …

11. If I were a superhero my superpower would be …

12. When I am 100 years old …

13. When I was a baby …

14. My favorite part of the school day is …

15. Tell about a time you were a good helper.

16. What is one activity you like to do with your family?

17. Tell about your best friend.

18. My mom (or dad) always …

19. My favorite animal is _____ because …

20. Once upon a time …

21. If you made dinner for your family what would you make?

22. What is your favorite color? Name 3 things that are that color.

23. If you had 3 wishes, what would you wish for?

24. What makes you giggle?

25. Tell me about your favorite book.

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100 Best & Fun Kindergarten Writing Prompts for Kids

• Narrative Writing Prompts
• Essay Writing Prompts
• Research Prompts
• Funny Writing Prompts
• Poetry Prompts
• Fiction-Themed Writing Prompts
• Animal Journal Prompts!
• Deep Emotions Prompts
• Journal Writing Prompts
• Descriptive Writing Prompts

The best kindergarten writing prompts are the ones that are thought-provoking, funny, and interesting. They encourage your children to think in different ways by answering questions that are unconventional and engaging.

Your kids can also learn to improve their writing construction, grammar, and understanding of tenses and verbs with the right prompts. They can improve their writing abilities, innate comprehension, and pattern detection when making the right answers to prompts.

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Here are more educational resources for your preschooler to master writing!

10 Narrative Writing Prompts

Narrative writing prompts are highly popular among kindergarten kids because it helps them understand how to think deeper about a topic. They can improve their writing and reading abilities while simultaneously collecting their thoughts when they get the right kindergarten narrative writing prompts. You can also get a sense of their innate creative abilities with the right opinion writing prompts kindergarten questions. 

1. If you could get one ability in the whole wide world, what would it be?   

2. If you were asked to make up a new flavor of chocolate, what would it be?    

3. Your mom and dad ask you to plan your next vacation. Where do you go?    

4. Do you have a sibling? Do you love spending time with your sibling?    

5. Do you have a hobby? Why do you enjoy it?    

6. At recess, I like to _.     

7. What’s your favorite subject at school? Why do you like it?

8. Have you ever had a dream that felt real? Describe it.

9. What’s your favorite song? Why do you love that song?   

10. What is your least favorite activity at school? Why do you not like it?

10 Essay Writing Prompts

You can use the right informative kindergarten writing prompts to encourage your kids to write essays that are highly detailed. It’s important to help them write coherently and with purpose when they share their thoughts and opinions within the essay style. 

1. Write about your collection of educational toys . Why do you love your toys? Do you like sharing your toys?     

2. What’s the best way to apologize to someone? When do you say sorry to someone?  

3. Where was your last vacation? What things did you see there?

4. Have you tried a new food that you liked? How did you feel?

5. Why do kids go to school? What do kids learn at school?

6. Is there something new you learned in math ? What was it?

7. Talk about the importance of learning to read better.

8. Do you have a pet? What do you love about your pet?

9. If you could meet Santa, what would you ask him? What presents would you want your friends to get?

10. If you could be a teacher for a day, what would you teach your class?    

10 Research Prompts

You can make the process of improving your kids’ writing by having them research subjects that they love. You can make them research topics such as biology, history, and math, with interesting prompts that get them thinking. The best research-driven kindergarten writing prompts can show your kids the importance of continuous learning. 

1. What’s the largest animal in the world? Why did it become that big? 

2. What is the role of collaboration in our society?

3. Why do we get sick, and how can we prevent it?   

4. Write about the states of matter.

5. What happens when it rains? Where does the water go?

6. Research your family’s history. Where were they from?     

7. What does your family do when you’re at school?   

8. What are the steps that go into making clothes?

9. What is snow? Why does it snow in the winter?

10. How does an animal hibernate?      

10 Funny Writing Prompts

You can pick out the funniest kindergarten writing prompts and have your kids laugh and write at the same time. You can make them chuckle as they write and help them unlock their inner comedian. Funny prompts also alleviate the stress of learning how to write in kindergarten, as it is a more casual writing exercise.

1. Imagine every vegetable you dislike is served to you for dinner. What would be your reaction?

2. What would you do if you were the President of your own country? What would be your first act as President?

3. What if your house was suddenly transformed into a Lego block house? What funny things would you experience?  

4. Write a funny short story about a unicorn and a tiger.  

5. Can you come up with funny, made-up words? What would they sound like?

6. A dolphin swam into the deep ocean and met a shark. What would their conversation be like?

7. Write a funny poem about your favorite cartoon.

8. Write a story about the journey of a talking carrot.

9. Imagine that you walk into a toy store, and every toy has a different accent. What would they talk about?

10. Write a funny story about the adventures of a flying dog.

10 Poetry Prompts

Poetry is an excellent form of self-expression, especially when kids love to rhyme silly words and things. If your kids love singing and dancing, then having them write poetry can be a fruitful endeavor. Poetic kindergarten writing prompts can be great tools to improve grammar, sentence construction, and pattern recognition. 

1. Make a poem about the sun and the stars.  

2. Write about your day in the form of a poem.

3. Write a poem about your favorite color.      

4. Make up a poem in a completely new language. Try and make it rhyme.

5. Write a poem about a frog singing in the water.

6. Can you write a poem about ordering off the kid’s menu?

7. Write a poem about words that rhyme with cow.

8. Create a poem about your favorite breakfast foods.

9. Make up a poem about running in the yard.    

10. Write a poem about your city, talking about its landmarks, history, and fun places to explore. 

10 Fiction-Themed Writing Prompts

Introducing fiction-themed fun writing prompts for kindergarten kids can be helpful in driving more secondary processing writing. They can prepare a range of nuanced answers based on prompts that are specially designed to make them think outside their normal stimuli. 

1. You’re a part of the Peppa Pig universe, and you can talk to Peppa. What would you say to Peppa?

2. You can take a magical vacation anywhere in the world. Where would you go and how would you get there?

3. You’re sitting on a magical boat that can fly across the skies. You suddenly stop at the moon. What do you see? What happens next?

4. You’re in the school bus and stopped at a red light. Suddenly you find that the tires have turned into Swiss cheese. What happens next?   

5. You’ve brought two sandwiches for lunch but your friend forgot to carry his lunchbox. What do you do next?

6. Imagine that you’re a historian and have found the first material of the earth. What do you do?   

7. You’re learning how to swim, and suddenly, the water turns into green jelly. What do you do? Do you continue swimming?   

8. Imagine that you get to design a school from scratch. What new things would you add?   

9. You need to make a completely new flavor of ice-cream. What would it be?   

10. You’re riding a unicorn when suddenly you meet a rabbit. The rabbit asks for a ride to the market. What happens next? 

10 Animal Journal Prompts!

Animal-themed creative writing prompts kindergarten assignments can help your child excel in the domain of imaginative writing. They can also apply many of the grammatical rules they’ve learned when writing about their favorite animals. These prompts are also excellent if your child loves animals naturally. 

1. Why do you love your pet? What are some of its qualities that you love?

2. Imagine that you can now talk to fish. What would you ask them?

3. A caterpillar takes a trip to the mall. What does it see?

4. You spot a cat walking on the edge of a tall building. What does it do next?

5. Is there a cartoon animal that you love? Write about them.  

6. My favorite farm animals are _.

7. A monkey escaped the zoo. Oh no! What happens next?

8. You are riding on top of an elephant in your city. What do you see?

9. Your guinea pig can now fly. Where does it go?

10. Write a story about a tiger losing its stripes. What does it do next? How does it find its stripes? 

10 Deep Emotions Prompts

You can start talking about the emotional complexities of relationships and friendships with the right writing prompts for kindergarten kids. These can also help them focus on their inner thought process when it comes to dealing with emotions.

1. How do you feel when you talk to your friends? Do you feel appreciated?

2. How do you feel when you pet your cat?

3. What are some of the things that make you happy?    

4. How do you feel when you see your friend hurt?  

5. What was your last dream about? How did you feel?

6. What’s your favorite part about being at home?   

7. How do you feel when you are surrounded by your friends?    

8. Talk about the last time you felt sad. What made you feel sad?    

9. Write a letter to someone who made you feel bad. Talk about how they made you feel.

10. What are five things that you are thankful for? Talk about them in detail.     

10 Journal Writing Prompts

The right kindergarten journal prompts can help your little ones excel in improving their writing skills. You can provide the right kindergarten writing prompts and have your kids talk about their thoughts and feelings. The best kindergarten journal prompts are the ones that ask your child to go deeper into their processing side. 

1. What’s your favorite stuffed toy? Talk about your favorite teddy bear.  

2. What do you feel when you get a hug from your parents?

3. Have you made someone feel special? What did you do?

4. I love my family because _.

5. I can make the world a better place by _.  

6. My daily routine involves _.

7. I plan on taking a vacation to _.  

8. I love my dog because _.  

9. When do you feel appreciated by others?

0. Why do you love animals? Talk about how animals make you feel.   

10 Descriptive Writing Prompts

The best part about descriptive writing topics for kindergarteners is that kids can fully express themselves without limitations. They can process complex information from the prompt and write out their thoughts in a cohesive way. Descriptive writing ideas for kindergarten kids also help them organize their sentences better.

1. Describe an interesting place you visited after school.  

2. What is your favorite hobby? Describe it in detail.

3. How do you want the world to be? Talk about what changes you’d like to see.

4. Describe your favorite meal. Why do you love it?

5. Describe your city’s layout. What are the major landmarks?

6. Talk about the things that you are good at.    

7. Why do you love your classroom? Describe the details of the classroom.

8. Talk about where you’d like to go on vacation next. Describe everything you want to see.  

9. Who is your favorite cartoon character? Why do you love them?    

10. What is your favorite holiday? Why do you love that holiday?    

Help Your Kindergartener Become A Better Writer

The most important thing to remember when improving your kindergartener’s writing skills is to help them through different tasks. You can provide them right prompts, worksheets and lessons, but you also need to be there next to them helping them complete these materials.

You can also focus on writing letters, summaries, stories, poems for kids to keep your young ones engaged. You can pick out some interesting kindergarten journal topics and have your kids work on the ones that they love.

You can teach your kids to visualize what they’re about to write prior to starting. They can picture the kindergarten journal prompts in their minds and form a structured approach to completing the question. This can help them introduce more nuanced elements within a formalized framework. 

Conclusion: Let Your Kindergartner Explore All Sides of Their Writing Abilities

The best writing prompts help your kindergartener flourish in the domains of grammar, handwriting, pattern detection, and reading comprehension. You can encourage them to become better at writing different types of answers and responses, which makes them more confident in the English language.Get started today with the 100 kindergarten writing prompts!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How do i select the right writing prompts for my kindergarten child.

You can focus on prompts that your child finds interesting.

How do I encourage my child to write prompts regularly?

It’s best to reward them initially and help them get used to writing daily to improve their skills.

How many writing prompts should I have my kindergartener do?

You should start with 5-10 writing prompts that are of different types and genres.

How can my kindergartener improve their handwriting?

You can have your kindergartener practice their writing skills with worksheets, prompts, and journals.

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200 Engaging Writing Prompt Ideas for Kindergarten or First Grade

Writing is a fundamental skill that lays the foundation for communication, creativity, and expression. Introducing writing prompts to kindergarten and first-grade students fosters their literacy development and sparks their imagination and critical thinking abilities. However, coming up with creative prompts can sometimes be challenging for educators and parents. To alleviate this challenge, we've curated an expansive list of 200 writing prompt ideas tailored specifically for Kindergarten or First-grade students. All of these prompts are based on a common theme, holiday, or season, so you can easily insert them into your writing plans all year long!

200 Writing Prompt Ideas Based on Themes

Writing about me.

• Draw a picture of yourself and write your name underneath.
• Write about your favorite color and draw something that color.
• What color are your eyes? Who else has the same color eyes?
• Describe your family. Who do you live with?
• Draw a picture of your house and describe what it looks like.
• Write about your favorite room in the house. What do you like to do there?
• Write about who lives in your house and what they do.
• Write about your favorite activity to do at home. Is it playing with toys, reading books, or something else?
• Write about something special or important in your house. Why is it special to you?
• Write the names of your family members and draw a picture next to each name.
• Describe what your family likes to do together.
• Write about a special memory you have with your family.
• Write about a time when your family helped you.
• Write about a family tradition that you enjoy.
• Describe your favorite outfit. Draw a picture of you in your outfit.
• Describe your friends in school and something fun you did together.
• What is something you're good at? Draw a picture of yourself doing it.
• Write about a time you felt really happy.
• Write about something that is special about you.

Writing About Animals

• Write about your favorite farm animal.
• Write about feeding the animals on the farm and what they like to eat.
• Describe the sounds different animals make on the farm.
• Describe baby animals you saw on the farm and what they were doing.
• Draw and write about your favorite zoo animal.
• Write about the sounds the animals make.
• Draw and write about what a zoo animal eats.
• What are the animals doing when you visit the zoo.
• Imagine you are going to the zoo. What animals do you hope to see?
• Write about your favorite Arctic animal and why you like it.
• Imagine you're a polar bear. Write about a day in your life in the Arctic.
• Write about how Arctic animals take care of their babies in the cold.
• Write about your favorite ocean animal. What does it look like, and why do you like it?
• Imagine you're exploring the ocean. Write about the animals you see and the adventures you have.
• Describe a whale swimming in the ocean. How big is it, and what does it do?
• Imagine an ocean animal parade. Write about the animals you see marching underwater.
• Write about your pet. What is its name? What does it look like? What do you like to do together?
• If you could have any pet in the world, what would it be? Describe your dream pet and why you would like to have it.
• Imagine going on an adventure with your pet. Where would you go? What would you do together?
• Write about how you take care of your pet. What do you feed it? How do you play with it?
• Write about your favorite forest animal and why you like it.
• Imagine you are walking through the forest. Name and describe the animals you see and hear.
• Draw and write about your favorite rainforest animal.
• Write about what kinds of birds are flying in the sky.
• Imagine you are walking through the rainforest. Name and describe the animals you see and hear.
• If you could be any rainforest animal for a day, which one would you choose and why?

Writing About Places We Go

• List your favorite fruits and vegetables you see at a supermarket.
• What do you do at the grocery store?
• What foods would you put in your cart at the grocery store?
• Write about how you help your family when you go grocery shopping.
• Write a grocery list for your family.
• Write about a farmer you met and what they do on the farm.
• Describe what a typical day on the farm might be like.
• Describe a chore you might do on the farm, like collecting eggs or milking cows.
• Write about an adventure you had on the farm, like exploring a barn or riding a horse.
• Make a list of things you might find on the farm and write about them.
• Describe a day at the beach. What did you see, hear, and feel?
• Write about building a sandcastle. What did it look like? Who did you build it with?
• Write about finding seashells on the beach. What shapes and colors did you discover?
• Write about seeing crabs, fish, or other sea creatures. What did they look like?
• Write about taking a walk along the shoreline. What did you see?
• Write about your favorite food to eat at a restaurant. What makes it delicious?
• Create your own menu for a restaurant. Draw pictures of the food items and write their names.
• Draw a picture of your favorite restaurant. What does it look like from the outside? What type of food is served?
• Imagine going to a restaurant for a special occasion, like a birthday or anniversary. Write about the celebration.
• Imagine you're at a restaurant. What would you like to order from the menu?
• Describe what you see at the farmers market. Are there fruits, vegetables, flowers, or other things?
• Write about a trip to the farmers market. What would you like to buy? Write about what you would choose and why.
• Write about your favorite fruit or vegetable at a farmer's market.
• Pretend you're selling something at the farmers market. What would you sell, and why? Write about your stall.
• If you could pick any flowers at the farmers market, which ones would you choose? Write about your favorite flowers.
• Write about your favorite subject in school and why you like it.
• Describe what a typical day in school is like for you.
• Write about your favorite game to play during recess.
• Where would you like to go on a trip? Draw a picture of that place.
• Imagine you are going on a fun adventure with your friend. Describe where you would go and how you would get there.
• What do you like most about traveling? Write or draw about it.
• Describe what you would pack in your suitcase for a trip.
• Write or draw about a time when you traveled with your family or friends.
• Draw your favorite vehicle and tell us why you like it.
• Describe how you travel to school every day.
• Imagine you are traveling far away. Would you take a boat, airplane, train or car?
• Write about a trip you took in a car or bus.
• What vehicle do you want to ride in? Describe what the vehicle looks like and draw a picture.

Writing About Holidays

• Write about your favorite holiday.
• Draw and write about what you do on Halloween.
• Describe your favorite holiday tradition.
• Write about something special you do on Christmas.
• Write about your favorite Thanksgiving food.
• Draw and write about the Easter bunny delivering eggs.
• Describe a special gift you received on your birthday.
• Write about your family's traditions on New Year's Eve.
• Draw and write about a fun activity you did on the Fourth of July.
• Write about the decorations you see during Hanukkah.
• Draw and write about a Valentine's Day card you made.
• Draw and write about the decorations you see during Christmas.
• Describe the colors of the flags on Independence Day.
• Draw and write about the eggs you painted for Easter.
• Write about the best present you ever received.

Writing About Seasons or Weather

• Draw a picture of your favorite kind of weather and write about why you like it.
• Describe what the sky looks like on a sunny day. Draw a picture.
• Draw a picture of yourself in different weather conditions and write one sentence for each.
• Write about your favorite season and what the weather is like during that time.
• Draw a picture of a rainbow and write one sentence about what colors you see.
• What is your favorite season? Why do you like it?
• What is something you like to do in each season?
• Describe a fun outdoor activity you like to do in each season.
• Write about your favorite thing to do during summer vacation.
• Describe what you see outside during a sunny summer day.
• Write about your favorite fall activity, like jumping in piles of leaves or going to the pumpkin patch.
• Draw and write about your favorite fall food, like pumpkin pie or apples.
• Write about your favorite winter sport, like sledding or ice skating.
• Describe what animals you see in the winter.
• Draw and write about your favorite thing to do in the spring.
• Draw and write about your favorite spring flower.

Writing About Food

• Draw and write about a meal you would like for breakfast.
• What did you have for breakfast today?
• How do you make your favorite breakfast?
• Would you rather have pancakes or cereal for breakfast? Why?
• Write about a time when you tried a new breakfast food. Did you like it?
• Describe your favorite fruit and why you like it.
• Draw and label the colors of a rainbow using different fruits.
• Draw and write about a fruit you've never tried before.
• Write about your favorite fruit to have for breakfast and why you like it.
• Draw and write about a fruit salad you would make.
• Write about a vegetable you enjoy eating and how it tastes.
• Draw and write a list of all the vegetables that are green.
• Write about how vegetables help us grow big and strong.
• Draw and write about a vegetable you would like to grow in your garden.
• Write about a vegetable you would like to eat for dinner tonight.
• Name three meals that have meat in them.
• Draw a picture of your favorite meat.
• Write about cooking a dinner and what you would serve.
• Write and draw about a backyard cookout. What would you grill?
• Draw and write about your favorite type of bread.
• Write about a time you had pasta for dinner.
• Draw and write about a sandwich you would make for a picnic.
• Draw and write about your favorite dairy product (e.g., milk, cheese, yogurt).
• Draw and write about your favorite way to enjoy milk (e.g., with cookies, cereal).
• What foods do you put cheese on? Which is your favorite?
• Describe the different flavors of ice cream you like.
• Describe your favorite snack. When do you eat that snack?
• Write about your favorite snack to eat at school.
• Make a menu of different snacks you would like to try.
• Make a list of your top three favorite snacks and explain why you like them.
• Write about a snack you would bring to share with your friends at school.
• Draw and write about your favorite ice cream flavor.
• Write about a special dessert you had for a holiday or birthday.
• Draw and write about your favorite candy.
• Draw and describe your favorite dessert.
• Write about a time you helped bake cookies with your family.
• Draw and write about your favorite drink.
• Describe what your favorite juice tastes like.
• Write about a drink you like to have with breakfast.

Writing About People

• Write 3 things you know about a community helper. Draw the community helper.
• Which community helper do you want to be when you grow up?
• Write about someone you know who is a community helper.
• Would you rather be a doctor or baker? Why?
• Which community helpers keep us safe?
• Write about your teacher and what you like most about them.
• What do you want to be when you grow up? Draw yourself in that job.
• Write about a superhero you admire.
• Describe someone who helps you at school.
• Pretend you're a chef. Describe what you would cook.
• Write about a police officer's job to keep people safe.
• Imagine you're a construction worker. What would you build?
• Draw and describe what a mail carrier does.
• What does a farmer do on a farm? Write about it.
• Pretend to be a pilot. Where would you fly?
• Think about being a librarian. What books would you recommend?
• Draw and write about a person who makes you laugh.
• Write about a person you want to thank and why.
• Write about a friend who shares toys with you.
• Describe your best friend.

Writing About Activities

• Draw and write about your favorite sport to play or watch.
• What sports do you watch on TV? What is your favorite team?
• What sport do you want to try?
• Pick a sport. Write about what you need to play that sport.
• If you could play any sport with your friends, what would you play and why?
• Describe your favorite game to play with friends.
• Draw a picture of your favorite board game.
• Write about a game you like to play outside.
• Tell a story about a game you played with your siblings or friends.
• What game do you want to learn how to play?
• Draw a map of the park and label the different play areas.
• Draw a picture of your favorite thing to play with at the park and write about why you like it the best.
• Write about your favorite park. What makes it special?
• Write about a time you felt proud of something you did at the park.
• Write and draw a picture of your favorite part of a birthday party.
• Write about a game you like to play at birthday parties.
• What do you like to eat at a birthday party? Draw it and describe what it tastes like.
• Describe your favorite toy. What does it look like? What can it do?
• Write about a toy you like to play with outside.
• Write a list of all the toys you like to play with at home.
• Draw a picture of your dream toy and write about why you want it.
• Write about a time when you shared your toys with a friend.
• Write about a book you like to read or a movie you like to watch.

Using Picture Prompts to Encourage Independent Writing

The best independent writing activity for Kindergarten that I've used are picture prompts! Picture prompts can help students become more confident in writing independently by giving them a picture to write about. I started using these picture prompts during my whole group lesson and  writing center  to help my students start writing sentences independently. By providing visual cues and encouraging creativity, your students can succeed with writing independently! 

Read more about this Independent Writing Activity: Using Picture Prompts here!

Related Resources You May Like

You can also find this  Picture Prompts Writing Activity on Teachers Pay Teachers here .

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100 Free Creative Writing Prompts for Kindergarten

Writing is an essential skill that children learn from an early age. Kindergarten is a crucial time for children as it is their first experience with formal education.

Therefore, it is important to provide them with the right tools and resources to develop their writing skills. One of the best ways to do this is by using writing prompts.

We will explore some 50+ creative writing prompts for kindergarten children.

What are Writing Prompts?

Writing prompts are prompts or cues that inspire children to write.

They are often used in classrooms to encourage children to write creatively and expressively. Writing prompts can be in the form of a picture, a sentence, or a question.

They are designed to spark children’s imaginations and encourage them to write about topics that interest them.

Related: How to Teach a 3 year old to Write?

Why use Writing Prompts in Kindergarten?

Related: 20 Fun Letter N Activities for Preschool

Using writing prompts in kindergarten is an effective way to help children develop their writing skills.

Writing prompts provide children with a starting point for their writing, making it easier for them to get started.

They also encourage children to use their imagination and creativity to write about a variety of topics.

Writing prompts can also help children to:

• Develop their vocabulary
• Improve their sentence structure
• Practice their handwriting
• Express their thoughts and ideas

Related: 20 Delightful Letter O Activities for Preschool

100 Journal Writing Prompts for Kindergarten

• Imagine you are a superhero. What would your superpower be?
• If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?
• Write a story about a talking animal.
• If you could design your own robot, what would it do?
• Write a story about a magical fairy who grants wishes.
• What would you do if you found a treasure chest?
• Write a story about a friendly monster.
• If you could be any character from a book, who would you be?
• What would you do if you were the only person on a deserted island?
• Write a story about a time-traveling adventure.
• If you could have any pet in the world, what would it be?
• Write a story about a brave knight who saves a princess.
• What would you do if you had a magic wand?
• Write a story about a magical forest.
• If you could be any animal, what would you be?
• Write a story about a mermaid who lives in the ocean.
• If you could meet any famous person, who would it be?
• Write a story about a lost treasure.
• If you could be any character from a movie, who would you be?
• Write a story about a dinosaur adventure.
• If you could go back in time, what era would you visit?
• Write a story about a talking plant.
• If you could have any job in the world, what would it be?
• Write a story about a day at the circus.
• If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
• Write a story about a magical unicorn.
• If you could invent a new game, what would it be?
• Write a story about a pirate adventure.
• If you could visit any planet, which one would you go to?
• Write a story about a robot who becomes your friend.
• If you could have any food for breakfast, what would it be?
• Write a story about a trip to the moon.
• If you could have any animal as a pet, what would it be?
• Write a story about a fairy tale adventure.
• If you could have any vehicle, what would it be?
• Write a story about a journey through space.
• If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?
• Write a story about a visit to a magical kingdom.
• If you could have any dessert, what would it be?
• Write a story about a trip to the jungle.
• If you could have any job in the world, what would it be and why?
• Write a story about a visit to a magical castle.
• If you could have any animal as a friend, what would it be and why?
• Write a story about a trip to the desert.
• If you could have any robot as a friend, what would it be and why?
• Write a story about a trip to a haunted house.
• If you could have any dinosaur as a friend, what would it be and why?
• Write a story about a visit to a circus.
• If you could have any magical power, what would it be and why?
• Write a story about a visit to a magical forest.
• Write about your favorite animal.
• Describe your favorite toy and why you love it.
• Draw and write about your family.
• Write a story about going on a magical adventure.
• Describe your favorite food and how it tastes.
• Write about a time you helped someone.
• Imagine you can fly—where would you go?
• Describe your favorite season and what you like to do during that time.
• Write a letter to your best friend.
• Describe a day at the beach.
• Draw and write about a make-believe creature.
• Write about something you are grateful for.
• Describe a fun day at the park.
• Write about your favorite book and why you like it.
• Imagine you are a superhero—what would your superpower be?
• Write about a time you felt proud of yourself.
• Describe your dream vacation.
• Describe your favorite outdoor activity.
• Write about a time you learned something new.
• Imagine you are a teacher—what would you teach your classmates?
• Write about a time you lost a tooth.
• Describe your favorite bedtime routine.
• Write a letter to your favorite character from a book or movie.
• Imagine you can talk to animals—what would you ask them?
• Write about a special day you spent with your family.
• Describe your dream treehouse.
• Write a story about a magical object.
• Imagine you can travel back in time—where would you go and what would you do?
• Write about a time you felt scared and how you overcame it.
• Describe your favorite game to play with friends.
• Write about a time you visited a farm.
• Imagine you are a famous singer—what would your song be about?
• Write a letter to your future self.
• Describe your favorite outdoor adventure.
• Write about a time you made a new friend.
• Imagine you found a treasure chest—what would be inside?
• Write a story about a talking tree.
• Describe your dream birthday party.
• Write about a time you had a picnic with your family.
• Imagine you can invent something amazing—what would it be?
• Write a letter to your favorite animal at the zoo.
• Describe your favorite place to read or relax.
• Write about a time you helped take care of a pet.
• Imagine you are a chef—what would you cook for your friends?
• Write a story about a magical rainbow.
• Describe your favorite color and why you like it.
• Write about a time you went on a nature walk.
• Imagine you are a detective—what mystery would you solve?

References:

• Graham, S., & Perin, D. (2007) . Writing next: Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high schools. Alliance for Excellent Education.
• Troia, G. A., & Graham, S. (2003) . Effective writing instruction across the grades: What every educational consultant should know. Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation, 14(1), 75-89.
• Teaching writing in kindergarten: A structured approach to daily writing that helps every child become a confident, capable writer. Randee Bergen .

Recommended:

• 20 Fun Sharing Activities for Preschoolers
• 22 Number 3 Activities for Preschoolers
• 23 Cool Clay Activities for Preschoolers

Sohaib Hasan Shah

Sohaib's journey includes 10+ years of teaching and counseling experience at BCSS School in elementary and middle schools, coupled with a BBA (Hons) with a minor in Educational Psychology from Curtin University (Australia) . In his free time, he cherishes quality moments with his family, reveling in the joys and challenges of parenthood. His three daughters have not only enriched his personal life but also deepened his understanding of the importance of effective education and communication, spurring him to make a meaningful impact in the world of education.

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Free Kindergarten Writing Prompts

Getting kindergarteners to write daily is an important part of helping them grow their beginning writing skills. However, teachers only have so much time and coming up with daily writing prompts can be a challenge. These free kindergarten writing prompts are perfect to add to your writing routine anytime throughout the year.

This article, along with many other articles on The Printable Princess, contains Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase through the links I earn a small commission.  We only share links to resources and products we love.

What are the Benefits of Writing Prompts in Kindergarten?

There are several benefits of using kindergarten writing prompts with your students. As you implement writing prompts into your daily routine, you'll start to see these benefits and more blossom.

Daily practice with beginning writing and handwriting skills.

By using writing prompts in kindergarten on a daily basis, your students will get meaningful opportunities to practice their beginning writing and handwriting skills.

Writing prompts allow students to work on improving their handwriting skills on wide writing lines while also using proper writing conventions. A picture word bank helps students expand their vocabulary and learn about using words in context.

You can easily differentiate writing prompts based on your students' needs by using options with or without sentence starters.

Encourages creativity.

Kindergarten writing prompts also encourages creativity in your little writers. They get to use their imagination to finish the sentence or write their own sentence or story. It is so fun as a teacher to see how each student interprets a writing prompt differently.

After completing their sentence or story, students get to be the illustrator of their writing piece and draw a picture to go along with their sentence. This also encourages creativity and ties art and fine motor skills into your writing lessons.

Makes real-world connections.

By using writing prompts in kindergarten, you can help your young learners make real-world connections with their writing. The picture word bank and sentence starter can spark conversations about experiences they've had in the real world.

You can also read stories that connect with the writing prompt before completing the activity. Talk about the connections from the book and the writing prompt as they begin to brainstorm, write, and draw.

These conversations and the variety of vocabulary words in the picture word bank will help expose your students to various topics, vocabulary words, and forms of writing.

Creates a consistent routine.

Kindergarten writing prompts are great for creating a consistent daily writing routine. You can use them as a morning work activity, during your writing lessons, or as a daily journal activity for students to complete.

Wherever you choose to fit writing prompts into your day, keep it consistent. This will allow your students to know exactly what is expected of them. These clear expectations will help foster independence in your writers.

Tips and Tricks for Using Kindergarten Writing Prompts

As you get started with kindergarten writing prompts, consider these teacher-tested tips and tricks for implementing them in the most effective way.

Use paper with wide writing lines.

If you've ever seen kindergarten students try to write on paper with narrow writing lines, you know how frustrating that can be for them. It's important to use writing paper with wide writing lines to help them practice proper handwriting techniques.

Using lined story paper is a great way to help students clearly define the top, middle, and bottom lines. This makes it easier for them to write inside the lines. If your students need more support, you can highlight the top and bottom lines. This provides an extra visual aide for them.

Use a spacing tool.

A key writing convention that students practice with kindergarten writing prompts is proper word spacing. To help students visually see where the space should go in between words, you can use a spaceman tool to help with word spacing.

You can also use a tongue depressor as a spacing tool. Students can decorate and personalize their tongue depressor and use it each time they write.

Explicitly teach writing conventions.

When implementing kindergarten writing prompts, it's important to explicitly teach writing conventions.

Hold mini lessons to discuss the proper use of different conventions, such as capitalization, spacing, and punctuation. You can also discuss the importance of matching the illustration to the sentence.

When teaching these writing conventions, model on the whiteboard what proper use of these writing conventions looks like. Introduce students to the different types of punctuation.

Then, you can write sentences correctly and incorrectly to help students identify proper use of writing conventions and sentences that need to be fixed.

Hold individual writing conferences.

Since each student's writing piece will be different with each prompt, it's important to hold individual writing conferences with your students. Sit down one-on-one with each student and read their writing.

Give the student positive praise on their handwriting, illustration, sounding out of words, and use of writing conventions. Give feedback and point out any areas they can improve on. Always end the writing conference on a positive note.

Something as simple as adding a sticker or a star to their writing prompt can make a student's day and encourage them to keep working hard.

How to Implement Kindergarten Writing Prompts

When implementing kindergarten writing prompts, take some time to show students the correct way to use writing prompts and ensure your students are set up for success.

Model how to use writing prompts.

It's important to model how to use the writing prompts correctly. Show your students how to use the picture word bank to choose words to finish their story.

It's a good idea to tell students that it may not make sense to use every word in the word bank. Model how to choose 1 or 2 words to include in their writing. Model how to choose a word and finish the sentence with the story starter.

For students who are ready to write without a sentence starter, you can get them in a small group and model how to choose 2-3 words from the picture word bank to write their sentence or short story.

The great part about kindergarten writing prompts is how easy it is to differentiate instruction and give your students what they need.

Use a variety of writing prompts.

Since using writing prompts in kindergarten is a daily routine, it's crucial to use a variety of writing prompts throughout the month.

This helps the students stay on task and excited about their writing since every day is different. It also gives them exposure to different themes, topics, and writing styles.

By using a variety of writing prompts, you can see student growth over time. This will also help you learn which topics interest them most. Keep each student's writing prompts in a journal to track growth over time.

This serves as a writing portfolio for your students. A writing portfolio is great to bring out at parent teacher conferences to show growth. Send these home at the end of the year as a memento of the year.

Provide visual aides.

Providing visual aides for your students will help them feel more confident in their writing, leading to greater independence.

Provide accessible visual aides for vocabulary words on different topics by using a themed word wall or providing students with a page of vocabulary words with pictures.

It's also a good idea to provide a visual aide to students for important writing conventions and sentence structure. You can write these writing conventions on a whiteboard where all students can see them or create a checklist that students can keep at their desk.

This will help them check their capitalization, punctuation, word spacing, illustrations, etc.

I hope these tips and tricks for implementing writing prompts in kindergarten are helpful. I can't wait to hear how your students' writing skills grow this year. Leave a comment below and tell me about the writing wins in your classroom!

Want to grab this free set of writing prompts for your class? Fill out the form above and you'll get these free kindergarten writing prompts delivered right to your inbox!

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Kindergarten Writing Prompts

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Sure, a Kindergartner may just have learned to write his name, but, believe it or not, he is ready for writing prompts! 

Learn the ins and outs of Kindergarten writing prompts.

This article contains affiliate links to things that you might like.

Why You Should Use Writing Prompts in Kindergarten

I know what you’re thinking, “Kindergartners are a little young for writing prompts, aren’t they?

After all, they are in the early stages of handwriting instruction.”  

Let me convince you.

The subject of writing is more than pencil strokes and mechanics. 

Writing is composition, which is communicating your ideas to others. 

Kindergartners are not too young for that!

How to Adapt Writing Prompts for Kindergarten

Kindergarten writing prompts look different from writing prompts for older grades because we accept several forms of expression: verbal, written, or artistic. 

Yes, some precocious Kindergartners may be ready to write full sentences (and even short stories), but all are ready to express their ideas in a coherent way.

Consider these three ways for a Kindergartner to complete a writing prompt:

Method 1: The Child Writes

This is the traditional idea of a writing prompt. 

The Kindergartner writes a short response to the prompt (typically 1-3 sentences).

Method 2: The Teacher Writes

This is a wonderful alternative to the first method, as it frees up the child’s mind to focus on the task of composition. 

The child composes the sentence and dictates it to the teacher to write. 

The teacher can point out the correct mechanics like beginning with a capital letter and ending with a punctuation mark.

Method 3: The Child Draws

The child can respond to a writing prompt with a drawing. 

This way she has a chance to process her ideas. 

She can then verbally explain the drawing or dictate the explanation to the teacher to write.

Method 4: Fill in the Blank

This method allows the child to think of his answer but not have to write a full sentence. 

He need only supply a word or phrase. 

The mechanics of the sentence (the beginning capital letter and ending punctuation) are already included.

Writing Prompt Ideas for Kindergarten

The keys to a successful Kindergarten writing prompt are that the prompt must be a) simple and b) engaging. 

You want the child to enjoy pondering the prompt, but you also want a response that the child can write or dictate easily.  

Here are some prompts to try:

Fill-In-the-Blank Prompts

• My favorite dessert is ____.
• If I could be an animal, I would be a ____.
• My hero is ____.
• My favorite hobby is ____.
• When I grow up, I want to be a _____.

Would You Rather Prompts

• Would you rather be able to fly or breathe underwater?
• Would you rather eat only chocolate or eat only waffles for a day?
• Would you rather go sledding or build a snowman?
• Would you rather collect seashells or crabs?
• Would you rather sleep in a hammock or in a spaceship?

For more Would You Rather prompts, search this site.  We have oodles!

Short Response Prompts

• Describe your pet.
• Tell me about your favorite meal.
• Who are the people in your family?
• What do you like to do on Saturday?
• Tell me about something soft.
• Tell me about something sweet.

Writing Prompts for Kindergartners

Writing prompts for Kindergartners are a little different from the traditional prompt, but they serve the same purpose. 

They help train the child to organize his thoughts and express his ideas clearly. 

Even pre-writers can benefit from working on the task of composition. 

They will be happy to write/draw/explain with these fun Kindergarten writing prompt ideas!

You May Also Like:

• A Fun, No-Prep Way to Teach Writing to Kids
• Kindergarten Read Alouds
• How to Homeschool Kindergarten

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25+ Kindergarten Writing Prompts that follow the school year

Helping a child learn to writing is a fun process!

First you can help a child learn how to hold a pencil correctly .

Next, you can help them with writing letters using printable handwriting worksheets for kids .

At the same time students are learning to write their letters, you can actually get them started with the writing process.  First you can start helping a child draw pictures of what they are writing about.  A picture is worth 1000 words and in early writing, a picture is a great writing prompt!

After picture drawing, the students can label their pictures.  After labeling their pictures, they can write simple sentences alongside their picture with the details.  You can then help children write lists, or write how-to writing prompts.

The key to helping students with their kindergarten writing prompts is to make writing fun.  Write about things that are fun, like setting goals or writing about a silly groundhog!  Below you will find a lot of different choices for Kindergarten Writing Prompts…  each writing prompt set is differentiated to work from preschool.

• Number & Place Value
• Addition & Subtraction
• Measurement & Geometry
• Play-based Learning
• Formative Assessment
• Planning & Programming
• Art & Craft
• Digital Learning
• Sustainability
• Transition to School
• Systems & Routines
• Classroom Themes
• Learning Displays
• Decorative Displays
• Emotional Literacy
• Staff Activities
• Teaching Literacy Phonics Reading Writing Math Number & Place Value Addition & Subtraction Measurement & Geometry Teaching Practice Play-based Learning Formative Assessment Planning & Programming Other Categories Art & Craft Digital Learning Fine Motor Sustainability Transition to School
• Classroom Classroom Management Behaviour Systems & Routines Storage Decor & Displays Classroom Themes Learning Displays Decorative Displays DIY & Hacks DIY Hacks
• Well-being Social-emotional Learning Emotional Literacy Kindness Gratitude Teacher Well-being Staff Activities

Kindergarten Writing Journals: Daily Journal Prompts & Tips

One of the best ways to help your kindergarten students learn the writing process is to use daily kindergarten writing journals. However, there are a few important things to remember to implement them appropriately. Learn how to find the best journals and incorporate them into your daily routines with these supplies, prompts, and tips! 

Kindergarten journals are a great way to build your students' writing skills! When writing becomes a daily habit, it becomes much easier and less stressful. Since kindergarteners cannot all read and may still be developing the fine motor skills to write by hand, it's essential to adapt your routines to be developmentally appropriate.

To start, you might want these free blank writing pages  which you could staple together to create a journal. 

They have wide lines and are colour-coordinated to help your students form their letters properly.  

What are Kindergarten Writing Journals?

There are several different ways to make or use kindergarten writing journals, so let's break it down.

You can either buy or make your own writing journals. This can look like printing out a bunch of the free writing pages above or purchasing pre-made primary notebooks with wide lines.

Best Kindergarten Writing Journals

You can easily make your own journals, but if you prefer something premade and bound, these are some great primary notebooks you can order online:

If you are in Australia...

Student Notebook - these landscape pages have large handwriting lines for students to write on.

Salmon Exercise Books - these landscape pages are blank - perfect for very beginning writers and for drawing pictures. 

My Big Writing Book - this book has both handwriting lines and room to draw pictures!

Ground Grass Sky Exercise Books - these are great for scaffolding handwriting!

If you are in the USA...

Mead Primary Notebook - This journal has colour-coded blue and red lines with plenty of space between them. They're a great basic option, but there is no room for drawing.

Mintra Notebook Bundle - The great thing about these daily writing journals is that the top portion of the journal has space for drawings. This is ideal for students who may not be ready to write full sentences right away and need to rely on images to support their writing.

Oxford Jr Primary Notebooks - These small journals are about the size of half of a regular journal. Since they are smaller and positioned horizontally, they are ideal for younger kids. The spiral also makes it easy to open the notebook to lay completely flat on the desk. Oxford Jr also makes full-sized primary notebooks  which are not spiral-bound.

Free Kindergarten Journal Writing Prompts

I created a list of over 100 journal prompts for kids you can use, and they're all completely free! Add these to your lesson plans, and you'll have over half a year's prompts to use anytime.

How to Use Kindergarten Writing Journals

There are several ways to incorporate journals into your instruction. The best method is to use them daily, starting at the beginning of the year, although it will take time to scaffold your students to independence!

How to Start a Daily Writing Routine

Let's help your students start writing complete sentences every single day, starting at the beginning of kindergarten. Since it's much less cognitively demanding for students to share information about themselves or their lives, this is a natural place to start developing their writing skills. There are several ways to do this, though!

Recount Writing

I'm a big fan of recount writing and have a free guide to help you implement this practice in your classroom.

The basic idea of recount writing is to have students share something that happened to them recently. 

This type of writing can become formulaic, which is a good thing for beginners. The repetition makes it easier for your students to internalise the process, making it faster and easier each time.

By following the same familiar scaffold each week, it reduces the cognitive load for beginning writers. 

I love using this method with The Hive because you can pull up these kindergarten journal prompts and recount sentence starters automatically, saving plenty of time in the morning!

Question of the Day

This option is more open-ended, so it can be more challenging for students who are just learning to write. This is best used as an extension or for the end of the year. It's also great with older elementary grades!

To do this, post a question on the board every day. Ask about their favourite book, their favourite subject in school, their favourite season, what they want to be when they grow up, their favourite food, etc. 

You could also use The Hive 's Sharing Question discussion prompts:

Writing Station

You could also incorporate your Kindergarten writing journals with a Writing Station. 

This will further free up the cognitive load for students, by providing them with loads of sentence stems and writing prompts!

You can download my Kindergarten Writing Station here .

Sentence Worksheets

These sentence writing worksheets can be used in a variety of ways to introduce early sentence writing skills . You could staple the pages together to create a kindergarten writing journal.

1. Read   the simple sentence

2. Cut and paste   the words to build the sentence,

3. Write   the sentence.

Tips for Using Kindergarten Journals

1. give it an authentic purpose..

Your students will work more intentionally when there is a purpose for their work. They will be much more engaged and take responsibility for the work they produce.

How can your students share their writing in a meaningful way? Have them read off their response during the morning meeting, place their student workbook under the document camera, or share their writing with their classmates. 

2. ​Make it a daily routine.

Think of writing as a muscle. If you only flex it every once in a while, the muscle will be weak and get tired quickly. If you flex it every day, it'll become faster, stronger, and more capable.

Find a way to incorporate these writing activities into your classroom routine. They're a great way to help kids settle in each morning, or you can use them as part of your independent writing centers. 

3. Change it up.

Repetition can be powerful, but not if it gets boring. The brain loves things that are new and novel. If you don't want to ask the same questions or use the same writing prompts each day, generate a list of different prompts or questions or incorporate a free writing session to give your students a chance to show off their creative writing.

​4. Have a separate morning journal.

If you incorporate daily journal writing, use two separate journals: one for journaling and one for writing lessons. Add bookmarks to help kids find their place quickly, too!

​5. Set expectations.

Like any assignment, your students need to understand why they're completing a task and how to assess their work. Talk to them honestly about the purpose for writing. Explain that writing is like a muscle, and it gets easier the more you do it. Explain how their hands are changing and developing right now and that they must strengthen those muscles!

To develop metacognition, talk about how to assess the quality of their writing. For recount writing, you're likely looking for just one complete sentence, or perhaps two sentences. In 1st Grade or 2nd Grade, you may start looking for more sentences, as well as more accurate spelling, and more descriptive words.

Here's an example of a Kindergarten writing checklist that you could create and display in The Hive :

Show examples of what high quality writing looks like and help them set goals to improve their writing over time. Let them know they'll be amazed to see their growth over the entire year - is a great goal in itself!

For more writing goal ideas, you might like to take a look at my editable Writing Goals.   

6. Offer writing supports.

If you want your students to be independent writers, they need to know how to write independently. Start by teaching the process explicitly several times. Do the writing exercise together to model the process, and offer various charts or supports for them to use on their own. Break it down by every step! 

Young students won't know how to hold, use, or organise their kindergarten notebook properly, let alone a pencil, a checklist, or an anchor chart. Teach every step of the process and keep your instructions consistent over time. If you need to change an approach or expectation, state it explicitly to avoid confusing them.

Build these supports together or model them:

• A writing checklist (try this free sentence editing checklis t to assess complete sentences, punctuation, and capitalisation)

 You can see this sentence checklist in action here:

Other writing scaffolds or supports could include:

• Letter formation anchor chart (show how to use the lines and make appropriate line spaces)
• Make an interactive writing center to show common spellings
• Clarify the steps or expectations for your routine

The more clearly you can define expectations and offer your students tools to be independent, the more peaceful and productive your kindergarten classroom will be. Students feel good when they know what to do and how to solve a problem. You'll feel good not having to hop from student to student, solving basic issues!

More Writing Resources

• Kindergarten Name Writing Activities
• Imaginary Animal Informative Writing
• Fairy Tales Narrative Writing Activities
• Kindergarten Term 1 Writing Unit
• Handwriting Handout for Parents

Writing needs to become a daily routine if you want to help your students develop their writing abilities. Many older students avoid this task as much as possible, usually because they think they're a bad writer. This usually goes back to not being taught explicitly. They get confused about how to convey their thoughts in writing and also struggle with letter formation, spacing, and even using their materials. 

If you can teach writing incrementally in a developmentally appropriate way, you will demystify this important process for them and develop strong neural pathways and muscle memory that will help them for a very long time. These early writing lessons can make a huge difference!

Ready to take your instruction to the next level?

The Hive's interactive learning tools, videos & resources make it so much easier to explicitly teach writing to your students, without spending hours searching for resources or having to re-invent the wheel yourself.  It's a game-changer!

Sign up for a 7 day free trial of The Hive today!

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Preschool and Kindergarten Writing Prompts for Kids

Teaching writing to young kids can be a little intimidating at first. Once kids know the basics of sounding out words and can begin to put together simple sentences, we can help them practice writing by providing creative writing ideas and giving them ample time to engage in free writing.  Without a doubt the best way to help young children develop writing skills is to have regular exposure to engaging creative writing activities. If kids have writing tools available and write regularly they will naturally experiment with print making and beginning writing.

There is also a difference between learning to write letters (handwriting) and learning to write. Letter formation and handwriting develop as part of phonics instruction and fine motor skill development .  Learning to write has more to do with learning to share ideas in pictures and words, Children learn writing skills through freewriting, writers workshop, and instruction in the writing process.

To help children learn to write and share ideas we recommend providing various opportunities for writing practice. Try things like:

• Modeled writing where you as an adult write and think aloud as you share what you are writing with input from students
• Shared writing where adults assist in recording information and invite children to share the writing tool as they add information (pictures, letters, or words)
• A lot of unstructured, independent free writing through pretend play opportunities and informal writing that students choose
• Authentic writing activities like making cards, writing letters, making shopping lists, etc
• Ideas for writing journal prompts that are part of a weekly or daily writing routine

Another helpful resource is this article from Days with Grey about helping preschoolers develop early writing skills.

WHAT ARE WRITING PROMPTS?

Let’s take a closer look at the concept of writing journal prompts. Writing journal prompts are questions or topics that give kids an idea to write about. They can be on a  wide variety of topics, and they often include different types of writing. Writing prompt ideas should include opportunities to experiment with narrative, expository, and argumentative (opinion) writing. They can also be descriptive writing that helps a child expand on stories and thoughts. 

It is helpful if writing prompts are broad enough and related to a topic of interest that allows kids to easily respond and come up with ideas to write about.

BENEFITS OF USING REGULAR WRITING PROMPTS

While some kids are naturally inclined to write often on their own, others are not as drawn to regular writing activities. This is where variouus writing lessons can come into play. By incorporating creative writing prompts into your daily or weekly routine, kids will get the chance to do meaningful writing more regularly. This can help develop confidence in their writing abilities and lead them to want to write more on their own.

Writing prompts also expose kids to a wide variety of topics to write about. Journal writing can be an excellent way to discuss new vocabulary and encourage kids to then use vivid word choices in their writing. The more that they practice writing, the more comfortable they will get. 

By using writing prompts you can also get kids participating in different types of writing . In our writing journal prompts we’ve included informational non-fiction (expository) writing prompts, narrative writing prompts, and persuasive (argumentative) writing prompts. Throughout each set kids will have the chance to write factual or procedural responses, tell or make up their own stories, and share their own opinions on various topics.

Writing sentences helps with the fluency of spelling, punctuation, thinking skills, and imaginary writing strategies as well. 

VIDEO GUIDE 

This training video includes:

• Helpful tips for strengthening fine motor skills needed for handwriting
• A quick introduction to the stages of writing development
• Meaningful ways to provide beginning writers with engaging opportunities to write
• Tips for beginning writing workshop and using writing prompts in preschool and kindergarten

TIPS FOR USING THE WRITING JOURNALS

Be mindful of your students’ stages of writing and be sure that the approach you use is developmentally appropriate for their needs.

For younger preschoolers modeled writing or shared writing are terrific ways to start using writing journal prompts. Start by sharing the writing prompt. Discuss the prompt with kids and help brainstorm some possible responses. Then model drawing a detailed picture to go along with the prompt on chart paper or dry erase board. As kids are ready use the unlined writing prompt pages and have kids draw their own pictures to respond to the prompts. Later in previous writing sessions as kids are ready move on to labeling the items in the picture or writing a sentence on your modeled writing.

If you have kids with a wide range of writing abilities, remember that writing instruction can be done in small groups to allow for more differentiation.  You might do a whole group modeled writing on a topic. Then in small groups work with kids at their level. Pre-writers can use the unlined prompt pages to draw detailed pictures that share their ideas. Beginning writers can also use the unlined prompt pages but in addition to the detailed picture they can add labels to the objects in their picture or write a phonetically spelled sentence to go along with the picture. As kids learn to phonetically spell a simple sentence on their own and use some basic sight words, you can switch to using the lined writing prompt response pages.

As you incorporate writing journals into your routine, consider how you’d like to present your journals. For some kids it is easiest to provide one page at a time and then compile into a journal after pages are completed. Other options include:

• stapling small sets of prompts into a weekly or monthly journal for each student
• adding hold-punched pages to individual binders (best for homeschool or individual use)
• using a binding machine to create spiral bound monthly journals

Remember to focus on quality writing over quantity. We’ve included many options in each of our writing journal prompt sets so that you have a lot of choices, but we do not recommend that you use  every prompt. In the beginning you could focus on really modeling the steps taken to respond to a prompt–brainstorming ideas to respond, drawing a detailed picture, then labeling objects or writing–over the course of a few days or a week. Then move to individual responses as kids are familiar with the process.

Writing should be fun, not a chore. Most kids will enjoy the variety of topics included in the writing prompt sets. However, some might do better if they are able to choose between different prompts when responding. If that is the case for your child or group, consider offering the option between choosing two different prompts to respond to. This little change to your routine can help increase student motivation.

Once the kids start following prompts, this will just help to reinforce various writing strategies and also help with storytelling. They’ll actually have fun when they practice writing because it allows them to think about what to write and then they’re able to put those ideas for writing on paper. Creative prompts and creative writing exercises are a fun way for the kids to write something that they’ve wanted to while working on grammar as well. 

Use these free printable writing checklists to help students review their writing and focus on key developmental writing skills.

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT OUR WRITING PROMPT SETS

“Amazing product!! I always struggle with writing prompts- great ideas!! Can’t wait to see December’s prompts– glad I got the bundle!!”

“This is such a great deal! We have some advanced Pre-Kindergarteners who needed something more they could do! So we printed these in a booklet form and they LOVE them! They get to keep them in their cubby and any time they want to do something a little harder than the tracing letters, counting up items, etc., they can get their “journal” and have the teacher explain the prompt for them to follow. We let them do it in any order. It’s been great so far. I also love that they are in monthly folders with MULTIPLE front pages! Genius!”

“It is great to have many monthly journal prompts in one spot. I will be purchasing the other months too.”

SEE THE WRITING PROMPTS IN ACTION

Throughout the Writing Journal Prompts series we’re sharing a quick glimpse into what is inside each new set. Below is a quick summary of the themes included in each set and the links for more details.

If you love them all, grab the complete growing bundle . You can get it at the current price which includes all sets below, and you’ll get any new versions we add in the future. Score!

AUGUST JOURNAL PROMPTS

In addition to some general prompts this set also includes prompts for the following themes: End of Summer, Back to School, All about Me, and Family.

Learn more about the August prompts .

Get the complete set .

SEPTEMBER JOURNAL PROMPTS

In addition to some general prompts this set also includes prompts for the following themes: 5 Senses, Fall, Apple, Leaf, and Pumpkin themes.

Learn more about the September prompts .

OCTOBER JOURNAL PROMPTS

In addition to some general prompts this set also includes prompts for the following themes: Community Helper, Spider, Bat, Monster, and Halloween themes.

Learn more about the October prompts .

NOVEMBER JOURNAL PROMPTS

In addition to some general prompts this set also includes prompts for the following themes: Farm, Kindness, Food, Gratitude, and Thanksgiving themes.

Learn more about the November prompts.

DECEMBER JOURNAL PROMPTS

In addition to some general prompts this set also includes prompts for the following themes: Gingerbread, Winter, Holidays and Space themes.

Learn more about the December prompts.

JANUARY JOURNAL PROMPTS

In addition to some general prompts this set also includes prompts for the following themes: Snow, Robots, Balls, and Bird themes.

Learn more about the January prompts.

FEBRUARY JOURNAL PROMPTS

In addition to some general prompts this set also includes prompts for the following themes: Dental Health, Valentine’s Day, Friendship, and Habitat themes.

Learn more about the February prompts.

MARCH JOURNAL PROMPTS

In addition to some general prompts this set also includes prompts for the following themes: Rocks Worms & Mud, St. Patrick’s Day, Spring, and Seed themes.

Learn more about the March prompts.

APRIL JOURNAL PROMPTS

In addition to some general prompts this set also includes prompts for the following themes: Eggs, Insects, Butterflies, Trees & Earth themes.

Learn more about the April prompts.

MAY JOURNAL PROMPTS

In addition to some general prompts this set also includes prompts for the following themes:  Flower, Zoo, Ocean and Fish themes.

Learn more about the May prompts.

JUNE JOURNAL PROMPTS

In addition to some general prompts this set also includes prompts for the following themes:  Beach, Pirate, Ice Cream, and Super Hero themes.

Learn more about the June prompts.

JULY JOURNAL PROMPTS

In addition to some general prompts this set also includes prompts for the following themes:  America/Fourth of July, Camping, Watermelon, and Bubble themes.

Learn more about the July prompts.

TRY A WEEK FOR FREE

Want to try out a few writing prompts? Get a whole week of prompt ideas for free! In this 19-page free printable we’ve included 2 journal covers and 5 journal prompts. Each journal prompt is presented in all three formats (without lines, with lines, and label only) that are offered in each monthly journal set.

SAVE WITH THE WRITING PROMPT BUNDLE

Get kids writing often with regular journal writing prompts. This 800+ page writing journal BUNDLE includes simple writing prompts on a wide variety of topics with different purposes for writing for the ENTIRE YEAR. Kids will grow in their writing abilities and confidence in them through consistent opportunities to write.

Because we know kids are at all different stages in the writing process each writing prompt set includes both unlined and lined journal response pages.

If you already have pre-made journals use the mini prompts and glue them directly into your existing journals.

All Writing Journal Prompt Sets Include :

1) Tips for and a quick overview of Writer’s Workshop

2) Multiple Journal Cover Page Options

3) Journal Pages with Writing Prompt Idea (with lines and without lines)

4) Extended Page with Lines (for advanced writers)

5) Mini Journal Prompts (to be cut and glued into notebooks or writing journals)

Get the Growing Bundle Set on Teachers Pay Teachers

Reading Worksheets, Spelling, Grammar, Comprehension, Lesson Plans

Kindergarten Writing Prompts

Below you'll find some fun writing prompts for your kindergarten students. Each writing prompt is designed to help students develop beginning writing skills and focuses on easy concepts like friendship, weather, and days of the week (e.g. What's the Best Day Ever?"). As students write more, they develop confidence to continue learning to improve. We've included enough fun prompts for each week of the school year! Check out all of our writing prompts .

A Helpful Person Writing Prompt

What are some ways to be helpful? Why should we be helpful? A free worksheet to print out so your students can write about how they are helpful and who they help! A great activity anytime!

About a Car Writing Prompt

Cars! Cars! Cars! What kind of car do you like? Would it be blue or red? Or maybe polka dots! Print out this free worksheet today and your students will describe their favorite kind of car and share with the class!

About a Spider Writing Prompt

Have you ever wondered how your kindergartener would describe a spider? Do you think it would be scary or silly? Find out when you print this free worksheet for your student. With a whimsical picture to color and space for them to describe a spider, you will be amazed when you see their idea of a spider!

Acrostic Poetry Worksheet Activity: Write It!

Here’s a great prompt for writing acrostic poetry.

An Interesting Animal – Writing Prompt

Your student will practice informative writing with this worksheet.

Comic Strip Templates – 5 Designs

Students love it when they get to try new things. Here is a free comic book template you can print out for your students. Give them a chance to write in a way out of the ordinary!

Finish the Snowman Story – Writing Prompt

Have your little writer stretch her imagination with this snowman writing prompt.

Fun Kindergarten Writing Prompt About Rain

Here’s a writing prompt for your student to explain rain. This fun practice activity is ideal for Kindergarten but other students will enjoy it as well.

My Christmas Tree Writing Prompt

A Christmas worksheet for students to write about their own Christmas trees! Fun for all students and a great creative activity!

My Christmas Wish

Encourage your students in their writing skills with this Christmas wish writing activity.

My Favorite Book – Writing Prompt

Your youngster will write about his favorite book in this writing worksheet.

My Favorite Food

Your little author can tell about his favorite food in words and pictures in this writing prompt.

My Favorite Snack Writing Prompt

Who loves snacks? Most kindergarteners do and here is your chance to find out what their favorite snacks are! A colorful writing prompt for students to answer questions about some of their favorite foods, this is a free worksheet to print out and share!

My Pet Painted a Picture Writing Prompt

My Restaurant Visit

Every great writer draws from personal experience, and your little one will also in this narrative writing prompt. It’s aligned…

School is Fun Writing Prompt

Everyone thinks school is fun for different reasons. Accomplish two things when you preint out this free sheet for your students! Not only will they be practicing their writing skills, but you will find out what their favorite part of school is!

Something Green

In this writing worksheet, your student will write about something green.

Tell the Story – Kitty on the Roof Writing Prompt

Have your little student become a storyteller with this kitty rescue writing prompt.

The Cows Go Shopping

Your student will develop her creativity and writing skills with this fun writing prompt.

The Genie and the Three Wishes Writing Prompt

What would you wish for if you had three wishes? When you print out this free worksheet, your students can jump into a land where a magic genie grants them three wishes! What do they wish for? Have them complete the questions and share with each other!

• Kindergarten Sight Words
• Kindergarten Curriculum
• Kindergarten Worksheets

Interactive Guided Writing Prompts for Kindergarten

Interactive Picture Writing Prompts

Interactive: Our writing prompts are interactive, meaning students will be doing more than just writing. They will be coloring, cutting, pasting, and even interacting with friends and family members to complete the writing tasks. The writing prompts are all intended to be cut out and placed inside a writer’s notebook. The notebook can be used for a portfolio of work for homeschoolers or as a take-home keepsake for families.

Guided Writing Prompts

Guided: Our writing prompts feature easy to follow instructions that will build writing independence in your students. Each sheet includes a fill-in-the-blank style response that serves as a jumping-off point for even the most reluctant of writers. A word bank featuring common responses is provided so students are about to build sentences independently when possible.

Kindergarten Writing Prompts

For each month of the year, we’ve developed fun, interactive writing prompts that are sure to be a hit with your students. Each month will build upon the previously learned skills from the prior month, so you can rest assured that you’ll be developing strong, creative writers with this standards-based curriculum. Here is a look at each individual month:

Kindergarten Writing Prompts for September

Check out these fun and interactive writing prompts for September. September themes include back to school, all about me, apples and more!

Kindergarten Writing Prompts for October

Autumn is in full swing with these free fall writing prompts for kindergarten. Students cover fun topics including pumpkins, squirrels, Halloween, bats, spiders and more!

Kindergarten Writing Prompts for November

November writing themes cover squirrels, owls, veteran's day, voting, thanksgiving, turkeys and more!

Kindergarten Writing Prompts for December

December writing themes cover Christmas, snow, presents, ugly sweaters, gingerbread, Yeti and so much more!

Kindergarten Writing Prompts for January

January writing themes cover arctic animals, penguins, extreme winter sports, snow, and so much more.

Kindergarten Writing Prompts for February

February writing exercises cover Groundhog's Day, Valentine's Day, President's Day, Black History, and Dental Care themes.

Kindergarten Writing Prompts for March

Spring is in the air with these fun writing prompts for March. Themes include Book Reports, St. Patrick's Day, Butterflies, and Frogs.

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8 Ways to Create AI-Proof Writing Prompts

C reating 100 percent AI-proof writing prompts can often be impossible but that doesn’t mean there aren’t strategies that can limit the efficacy of AI work. These techniques can also help ensure more of the writing submitted in your classroom is human-generated. 

I started seeing a big uptick in AI-generated work submitted in my classes over the last year and that has continued. As a result, I’ve gotten much better at recognizing AI work , but I’ve also gotten better at creating writing prompts that are less AI-friendly. 

Essentially, I like to use the public health Swiss cheese analogy when thinking about AI prevention: All these strategies on their own have holes but when you layer the cheese together, you create a barrier that’s hard to get through. 

The eight strategies here may not prevent students from submitting AI work, but I find these can incentivize human writing and make sure that any work submitted via AI will not really meet the requirements of the assignment. 

1. Writing AI-Proof Prompts: Put Your Prompt Into Popular AI tools such as ChatGPT, Copilot, and Bard 

Putting your writing prompt into an AI tools will give you an immediate idea of how most AI tools will handle your prompt. If the various AI chatbots do a good, or at least adequate, job immediately, it might be wise to tweak the prompt. 

One of my classes asks students to write about a prized possession. When you put this prompt into an AI chatbot, it frequently returns an essay about a family member's finely crafted watch. Obviously, I now watch out for any essays about watches. 

2. Forbid Cliché Use

Probably the quickest and easiest way to cut back on some AI use is to come down hard on cliché use in writing assignments. AI tools are essentially cliché machines, so banning these can prevent a lot of AI use. 

Equally as important, this practice will help your students become better writers. As any good writer knows, clichés should be avoided like the plague. 

3. Incorporate Recent Events

The free version of ChatGPT only has access to events up to 2022. While there are plugins to allow it to search the internet and other internet-capable AI tools, some students won’t get further than ChatGPT. 

More importantly, in my experience, all AI tools struggle to incorporate recent events as effectively as historic ones. So connecting class material and assignments to events such as a recent State of Union speech or the Academy Awards will make any AI writing use less effective. 

4. Require Quotes

AI tools can incorporate direct quotations but most are not very good at doing so. The quotes used tend to be very short and not as well-placed within essays. 

Asking an AI tool for recent quotes also can be particularly problematic for today’s robot writers. For instance, I asked Microsoft's Copilot to summarize the recent Academy Awards using quotes, and specifically asked it to quote from Oppenheimer's director Christopher Nolan’s acceptance speech. It quoted something Nolan had previously said instead. Copilot also quoted from Wes Anderson’s acceptance speech, an obvious error since Anderson wasn’t at the awards .  

5. Make Assignments Personal

Having students reflect on material in their own lives can be a good way to prevent AI writing. In-person teachers can get to know their students well enough to know when these types of personal details are fabricated. 

I teach online but still find it easier to tell when a more personalized prompt was written by AI. For example, one student submitted a paper about how much she loved skateboarding that was so non-specific it screamed AI written. Another submitted a post about a pair of sneakers that was also clearly written by a "sole-less" AI (I could tell because of the clichés and other reasons). 

6. Make Primary or Scholarly Sources Mandatory

Requiring sources that are not easily accessible on the internet can stop AI writing in its tracks. I like to have students find historic newspapers for certain assignments. The AI tools I am familiar with can’t incorporate these. 

For instance, I asked Copilot to compare coverage of the first Academy Awards in the media to the most recent awards show and to include quotes from historic newspaper coverage. The comparison was not well done and there were no quotes from historical newspaper coverage. 

AI tools also struggle to incorporate journal articles. Encouraging your students to include these types of sources ensures the work they produce is deeper than something that can be revealed by a quick Google search, which not only makes it harder for AI to write but also can raise the overall quality.  

7. Require Interviews, Field Trips, Etc. 

Building on primary and scholarly sources, you can have your students conduct interviews or go on field trips to historic sites, museums, etc. 

AI is still, thankfully, incapable of engaging in these types of behavior. This requires too much work for every assignment but it is the most effective way to truly ensure your work is human- not computer-written. 

If you’re still worried about AI use, you can even go a step further by asking your students to include photos of them with their interview subjects or from the field trips. Yes, AI art generators are getting better as well, but remember the Swiss cheese analogy? Every layer of prevention can help. 

8. Have Students Write During Class

As I said to start, none of the methods discussed are foolproof. Many ways around these safeguards already exist and there will be more ways to bypass these in the future. So if you’re really, really worried about AI use you may want to choose what I call the “nuclear option.” If you teach in person you can require students to write essays in person. 

This approach definitely works for preventing AI and is okay for short pieces, but for longer pieces, it has a lot of downsides. I would have trouble writing a long piece in this setting and imagine many students will as well. Additionally, this requirement could create an accusatory class atmosphere that is more focused on preventing AI use than actually teaching. It’s also not practical for online teaching. 

That all being said, given how common AI writing has become in education, I understand why some teachers will turn to this method. Hopefully, suggestions 1-7 will work but if AI-generated papers are still out of hand in your classroom, this is a blunt-force method that can work temporarily. 

Good luck and may your assignments be free of AI writing! 

• 7 Ways To Detect AI Writing Without Technology
• Best Free AI Detection Sites
• My Student Was Submitting AI Papers. Here's What I Did

More From Forbes

Writing good ai prompts isn’t just for analysts—leaders should explore ai as well.

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Founder and CEO of HData , helping the energy industry manage and understand regulatory information.

"Summarize Utility Company ABC’s proposal on Net Metering, in a poem in the style of Dr. Seuss."

That’s an actual AI prompt I used yesterday (except I identified the utility company). And it worked, on multiple levels.

The answer to my prompt came back, in seconds, in whimsical rhyming couplets, earning chuckles from my colleagues at the end of a tiring workday.

More customers join, year by year

With 350 to 400 new ones, we hear

And incentives for solar, they’re on track

Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act.

But the cost to non-solar folks, it’s not so neat,

It’s growing rapidly, and that’s no small feat.

Quite apart from the fun of getting utility regulation answers served up in the style of Dr. Seuss, the answer was right. The key points of this utility company’s proposal to reduce reliance on net metering, in which homeowners with solar panels are subsidized by customers without them, all showed up in the rhymes, accurately.

My net metering answer underscores one of the new dynamics of prompt engineering, which, according to McKinsey , is "the practice of designing inputs for AI tools that will produce optimal outputs."

Experimenting With Structure

When a human researcher answers a question, the substance usually determines the structure. Not so with prompt engineering. Using AI solutions, you can request the answer in any structure you want: bullet points, boldfaced headings or even Seuss. Yesterday, I wanted an accurate answer about a complex utility regulation topic, and I also wanted a fun delivery method for that answer. I received both.

I’m sure some utility regulatory professionals could do their jobs better if the entire substance of a net metering proposal, and responses to it, were conveyed in rhyming couplets. Others would probably prefer bullet points. I’m a lawyer, so I’m going to want paragraphs with nice, neat citations to the source material. AI technologies, when they’re applied properly, can deliver exactly the same substance in all three ways.

Different Structures For Better Decision-Making

This separation of substance and structure presents both a challenge and opportunity for those of us who learned to read, write and research before generative AI technologies got so good. We’re not used to it, so we’re slow to take advantage.

But the whole point of these technologies is to help humans do their jobs better. In our example, it used to take days or weeks for a utility regulatory professional to read hundreds of pages of policy proposals, and only afterward be able to decide whether to approve, deny, support, oppose or modify. These technologies can reduce the time spent on rote reading and summarization and maximize the time for deciding.

If different human brains require the same information served up in different structures—bullets, citations or Seuss—in order to inform better, faster, more efficient decisions in the end, then AI’s separation of structure from substance can be a very good thing.

Next time you’re using an AI tool to help you research a complex question to inform your decisions, experiment with the structure. Ask for the same information, presented in alternating ways. Maybe it will boost your comprehension and help you get your job done faster—which, ultimately, is the goal.

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