Just because summer is here doesn’t mean the kids need to stop learning! I wanted to make learning fun this summer so with the help of some friends I put together a list of 20 Creative Writing Ideas for Kids of All Ages. My kids are all very creative, and come up with some great story-lines while they are playing. The problem is that a few of my kids need to practice handwriting, grammar, punctuation and the like. Getting them to work on these skills is like pulling teeth though. I want to really put a focus on writing this summer, and make it less of a chore. I’m hoping this list will help us move beyond basic book reports towards unique writing experiences, and I’m even cooking up a few rewards for writing. I want to keep those little minds sharp until the next school year and improve the writing skills all around.
20 Creative Writing Ideas for Kids of All Ages
Create Your Own ABC Book ~ This is a great project for new writers or those who are need some pre-writing practice! I created the project with preschool and kindergarten aged children in mind, but older children would get a kick out of it as well.
Creative Writing Prompts for Kids ~ I really like these prompts…they will give you insight into what your kids are thinking about themselves and the world around them.
Creative Writing Prompts for Sci-Fi & Fantasy Lovers ~ These prompts are geared toward older writers, I think that tweens and teens could really create some cool stories with these.
Creative writing photo prompts that tickle the imagination ~ These picture prompts are EPIC as my kids would say.
Fairy Tales from a Different Point of View ~ My friend Jenny who teaches in Elementary school suggested having the kids re-write fairy tales from a different character’s point of view. What would Rapunzel sound like from the witch’s perspective? There are also books out there that tell fairy tales from a different character’s POV, so after the kids write their own we can head to the library to check some out!
Gingerbread Man Story Starters ~ This is a really fun creative writing project to work on after reading “The Gingerbread Man”.
Making Books with Children: All About Me
Minecraft Story Starters (need I say more?)
Penpals ~ I’m a huge fan of snail mail, and I encourage my children to write thank you notes to other people. I’m also going to start asking them to write letters to people they don’t see very often, because I think this will be good writing practice!
Recipes ~ Ask your children to come up with a creative food dish and then write the recipe to create this dish. Encourage them to be outlandish…think outside the box! How about Rainbow Sprinkles Stew? Or Dinosaur Steak Burgers? The other way you could approach this would be to ask them to write actual recipes they want to try to cook themselves.
Rewrite the Classics ~ Amy B. from Educrazy for School says that she asks her kids to rewrite their favorite books and then act them out so she can hear their hilarious spins on their favorites.
Scholastic Story Starters ~ Sam’s teacher recommended a really cool way for grade school writers to come up with a an awesome story, plus it’s just a fun tool to use to find the perfect story starter.
Storytelling Through Classical Music {Free Printable Included}
Summer Journals ~ These journals are a tradition in our family every summer, perfect for keeping writing skills sharp while the kids are out of school.
Super Hero Story Starter ~ A teacher at my children’s school suggested this fun story starter: “One superpower that would have helped me out today was…”. I could see this turning into a bigger project than just writing…I’m thinking comics, costumes and more!
Tell Me a Story: Storytelling Prompts in a Jar {free printable}
Totally Un-Boring, Seriously Cool Free Printable Writing Prompts for Kids
Travel Journals ~ This is a project I do with my kids any time we take a trip and they love journaling about our vacation adventures!
Using Comic Strips To Make Homeschool Creative Writing Fun
55 Creative Writing Prompts for Teens and Preteens
