Journaling prompts for kids or children’s writing prompts don’t need to be boring! Whether you’re looking for journal writing for elementary students, writing prompts middle school, creative writing prompts for kids / story prompts for kids, ways to introduce kids to journaling, or you’re wondering how can I help my child write journals, you’ll love these ideas!
Fun Ideas for Journaling Prompts For Kids
These writing ideas work for a variety of ages — from journal prompts for kindergarten to even fun journal prompts for adults — and will encourage creativity and promote fun!
What is a good journal prompt for kids?
(See the full list of daily journal prompts ideas and fun journal prompts for kids below!)
Journal writing doesn’t always have to be about mindfulness journal prompts for students and kids! Let children be creative in their journals, including what they use (from collage, to sketching, and writing!). You want to encourage kids, not make them feel like writing is a chore!
ALSO CHECK OUT: 13 Best Types of Journals for Kids
Ideas for Children’s Creative Writing Prompts
Using writing prompts daily is a great way to get kids into the habit of journal writing or to help spark creativity!
Here are the best children’s journal writing prompts ideas!
Journal Prompts Idea #1: Picture Prompts
Picture prompts are one of the most creative writing prompts you can use for children.
Here’s how picture writing prompts work:
You give a child a picture, and then ask them to write about it.
(Really! That’s it!)
You can even give them a start to the story:
The man found an unexpected box on his porch. What did he find in it? What was his reaction? Where did it come from?
Or, just give them a super interesting picture and say something like, “What do you think happened in this picture?”
When you use picture prompts for journal writing or creative writing, the possibilities are endless.
WRITING TIP: Use the free photo site Pixabay.com to find fun pictures for your writing prompts.
Journal Prompts Idea #2: Finish The Story
Another fun way to get kids inspired to write is to have them finish a story.
Choose a short story, a classic kids book (even Little Golden Books for journaling!), or even a lesser known children’s book and read part of the story.
Stop right before you get to the end and ask the child to complete the story by writing what they think happens.
This is also a great compare/contrast writing activity, where you can discuss the differences between the actual ending and the ending the child journaled.
Journal Prompts Idea #3: Nature Walk and Write
Not only are there a ton of benefits to nature journaling for your kids, but there are also so many benefits to getting them out and hiking or taking nature walks.
Nature journaling is such a fun activity for kids because not only are they outside getting exercise and enjoying nature, but using a nature journal forces kids to slow down and observe what is happening around them.
So, why not combine the benefits of writing and the benefits of hiking?
(This is where having a journal is beneficial! You can just grab your journal and favorite writing utensil and go!)
While hiking or on a nature walk, point out different items and scenes that will inspire the child to write a story.
For example:
I wonder how that hole got in the tree? Does someone live in there?
See these tracks? Wonder what kind of animal they belong to?
That squirrel is in a hurry! Where do you think it is going?
Don’t forget to pack some crayons or chalk so you can get some nature rubbings right in your nature journals!
Journal Prompts Idea #4: Movie Prompts
Anytime you engage multiple senses, you get the creative juices flowing and watching a movie or cartoon does this!
Watch a short story or cartoon and then ask the child to continue to the story in their journal where the movie left off.
What happened after?
Where did the characters end up?
Why?
Draw a picture of what you think comes next.
(REMEMBER: Journaling can be drawing, too!)
Journal Prompts Idea #5: Recipe and Write
We use cooking a lot in our learning and food is a fantastic writing prompt, especially if you’re introducing children to new dishes and flavors.
Food is fun because you can cook together and then also use the recipe and write prompt.
You can have kids journal:
• The recipe in their own words by rewriting what they just cooked / baked (or even drawing).
• A new recipe creation (and let them try it out by cooking or baking it!).
• Where they think a dish (or fruit or vegetable) came from (if they’ve never had it before), then look up the origin and write about that, too.
Journal Prompts Idea #6: Travel Flyers
Do you ever stop at a rest stop or a tourist center?
If so, you’ve probably seen a stand full of pamphlets and information about local, city, or state attractions.
The next time you’re near that information (or even if you see them at hotels), gather up some of those informational booklets and flyers because they make great writing prompts.
Hand out a pamphlet to each child and then have them take an imaginary vacation and write about that destination.
Where is it?
What is it?
What can you do there?
How will you get there?
Where will you stay?
What do you think happens there?
Why is this an attraction?
This is also a fun journal writing activity to pair with map studies. You can find the place on the map, how far it is from you, how much it would cost in gas (if you can drive there), etc.
Journal Prompts Idea #7: Time Travel
Time travel is a fun journal prompt series because you can go forward in time and also back in time.
You wake up during pioneer times. You have no electricity, no games, no phone, and no television. What does your day look like? What do you do to pass the time?
You wake up and it’s 200 years later. What is different? What kind of technology are people using? How do people get around? What do they eat?
On time travel writing day, you can actually hand out “time travel watches” and tell the kids this is how they go into the future (or the past) and get back to the present when they’re ready.
You can actually combine this with a history study unit and time travel to different historical periods.
The possibilities are endless with this one as a journal writing prompt for kids!
Journal Prompts Idea #8: Decipher the Music
Pick some different music and read the lyrics aloud, or just play the music and see if the kids can figure out what the lyrics are!
What does the song mean?
What lyric would you write next?
What do you think the singer or composer was feeling when they sang/wrote this?
Let music play while your kids write about it!
Journal Prompts Idea #9: Stuck In A Video Game
Most kids love video games, but they may not have experienced old-school video games.
Find a video of 80s video games (or whatever decade) online and show them to the kids.
Let them pick one of the video games and tell them they’ve been transported into it.
How/why did you get stuck in the game?
What’s it like inside the game?
How will you complete the game?
Who is the enemy?
Who or what do you have to defeat?
How do you finally get out?
Journal Prompts Idea #10: Wonka Candy Creator
The Charlie and the Chocolate Factory book or the Willy Wonka movie make for great creative writing prompts!
Imagine that you inherited Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory.
What candy would you create?
What changes would you make to the factory?
How would you improve the the candy room where the chocolate river is?
What would you add or take away from the factory?
Journal Prompts Idea #11: Writing Prompts Generator
If you’re out of ideas, you can always use a writing prompts generator.
A journal prompt generator, like the one from Scholastic, works where you choose a theme of sci-fi, adventure, fantasy, or “scrambler.”
Then, choose a grade level from K-6.
Enter the child’s name and “pull” the lever and a set of windows will fill and voila!
You have a creative writing prompt for journaling for kids!