Kids have a big range of writing skills by the end of first grade. You’ll notice that their sentences are more sophisticated because they’re learning to use conjunctions — such as, but, so, and, or, because — to connect thoughts.
How do you help kids become better writers? Help them enjoy it! Writing at this age should be fun. Keep sessions playful, low pressure, and no more than 15 minutes long. Don鈥檛 correct their spelling mistakes or grammar. Instead, ask questions and be enthusiastic. Writing should be a positive experience about communicating ideas, not a chore or something they get 鈥渨rong.鈥�
For more, check out our overview of first grade writing skills and check out our video showing what first grade writing looks like.
10 1st grade writing prompts
Superpowered opinions
Where to start: This prompt gives kids practice writing about their opinions, and lets them use their imagination, too. Start with a conversation about super powers. How many can they think of? Which are the most useful? The most fun?
Prompt: What’s the best superpower? What would you do if you had that power?
How to go deeper: How could you use that power to help other people? Could it be used to solve a problem the world is facing? (Use the back of this page to write.)
Imagination express
Where to start: Start with a conversation about an imaginary trip they would like to take. Is there someone who lives far away that they would like to visit? Some trips by train take so long that people sleep on the train overnight in compartments called sleeper cars. Does that sound like fun?
Prompt: You’re about to take a train ride. Where are you going? What will you pack?
How to go deeper: What kind of scenery are you likely to see where you’re going? A forest? Mountains? City buildings? Draw a picture of what you see out of the train window. (Use the back of this page to draw.)
Family matters
Where to start: Start with a conversation about family. What do they like to do with each member of their family? Do they help a parent with grocery shopping, read books with a grandparent, or cuddle on the couch with a baby sibling?
Prompt: Think of a person in your family. What’s something special you do with that person?
How to go deeper: Write and draw about each person in your family. (Use the back of this page to draw and write.)
Joining the family
Where to start: In this writing exercise, kids tell a narrative story about their own birth or about the day they became part of their family. Start with a conversation that recalls some of the happiest parts of that day. What day of the week was it? What was the weather like? Who was there? If they don’t know, they can use their imaginations to fill in the details.
Prompt: What do you know about the day you were born or came home?
How to go deeper: If you have a younger sibling or pet, what do you remember about the day that person or animal became part of the family? (Use the back of this page to write.)
Just like you
Where to start: This writing exercise asks kids to think about characters in books or TV shows. Start with a conversation about a favorite character. How would they describe that character? (Encourage the use of words such as brave, serious, sneaky, curious). Does their favorite character have siblings? Live in a city? Ride a bike? Speak different languages at home and at school?
Prompt: What character from a book or TV show are you a little bit like? How?
How to go deeper: What’s something this character does that you would like to do? (Use the back of this page to write.)
Favorite animal
Where to start: In an informative piece of writing, kids name what they’re writing about and give some information, facts, or details (e.g. Dinosaurs lived on Earth a long time ago. Some dinosaurs were bigger than people are today…). Start with a conversation about an animal they鈥檝e learned about, either at school or on their own.
Prompt: Draw your favorite animal and write three facts about that animal.
How to go deeper: Choose an animal you don’t know about. Can you gather three new facts about it by researching online? (Use the back of this page to write.)
Winning games
Where to start: Kids are experts on their favorite games and they will enjoy explaining the ins and outs of Uno or Animal Crossing. Start with a conversation about games they like to play inside. How do you set it up? How many people can play? How does someone win the game?
Prompt: What is the best game to play inside? How do you play it?
How to go deeper: If it’s a video game, can you imagine a board game version? What would it look like? If it’s a board game, would it make a good video game? (Use the back of this page to write.)
Toy story
Where to start: In this prompt, kids get to exercise their imaginative and descriptive writing skills. Start with a conversation about books or movies where toys come to life. If their toys came to life, what silly things might they do? How would they get around in the human world?
Prompt: Imagine there’s a kickball game and it’s dolls vs. stuffed animals. (Or robots vs. monsters, or any other toys you can think of.) Which team would win? Why?
How to go deeper: Draw an all-star team with all different kinds of toys. What advantages do toys with wheels have? How about with wings? (Use the back of this page to draw.)
Faraway family
Where to start: Kids are gathering facts all the time, from many different sources 鈥� their teachers, the internet, books, and conversations at home. Start with a conversation about family members or friends who live far away. Do they live in another state? Another country? In a city? Or somewhere rural? Is it hot? Near water?
Prompt: If you have family or friends who live far away, what are some things you know about where they live?
How to go deeper: Think of three things you don’t know about your family member鈥檚 home, but are curious about. What would be a good way to find the answers? Explore finding out. Could you visit the library, do online research, or write a letter to the person and ask them? (Use the back of this page to write.)
Visiting another world
Where to start: This exercise asks kids to practice their storytelling skills by drawing on details from something they’ve read or watched. Start a conversation about book and movie settings. Can you think of any books or movies that take place in space? In a magical realm? In an ordinary town? How about in another time period? Encourage them to use descriptive words, and not just adjectives (beautiful, scary, purple), but adverbs (quickly, tragically, calmly) and strong verbs (leap, spread, spin), too.
Prompt: What book or movie world would you want to visit? What would you do there?
How to go deeper: Imagine that a character in that book or movie spent a day in your class. Would they like it? Would anything seem strange to them? (Use the back of this page to write.)
