Creative Writing Prompts for Kids
Creative writing prompts are an excellent way for kids to get creative and write! They are a great way to break through the blank pages and get the imagination flowing!
Writing prompts also build confidence in writing!
But not all students like writing, even with a fun or creative prompt.
So how do you get those students interested in writing?
Change things up, make it mysterious, or a challenge and appeal to their curiosity!
CURIOSITY, MYSTERY, & CHALLENGE.
When I was a child, my brother and I would race to the kitchen each morning to choose our cereal box.
Why? Because we wanted to be the first to solve the puzzles on the back! (After the toy was taken of course). The cereal boxes provided puzzles, clues, codes, mazes, riddles and other fun games that we couldn’t wait to solve!
I would sit at the table and eat my cereal while reading the back of the cereal box everyday! I was so excited when I solved one, I had no clue that I was learning or using important problem-solving skills! It was genius!
Kids today still love problem-solving and mystery!
How I do it
I appeal to the kids’ curiosity by using secret codes to disguise the writing prompts! Students have no idea what they will be writing about. They must use a decoder to reveal the writing prompt. They are excited to see what writing prompt they decode! As soon as they see the decoder key, they focus on figuring out the prompt and the room is full of suspense! Students are problem-solving and cracking a code rather than complaining about writing!
Now that I homeschool, I give each child their own wheel decoder key to assemble and use. Then, I give them the code and the race is on to see who figures it out first!
You can use the table format decoder key to display for the whole class or use the wheel format decoder key for individuals or partners.
*I have a rule that no one can blurt out the answer. This gives it away and others will just fill in the rest. When they figure it out, they raise thier hand and I give them a proud smile and thumbs up!
Once students have figured out the prompt, with huge smiles of accomplishment, they begin to write! Some may still have trouble putting together what they want to say, but I have found that they are more willing to try and less agitated by the writing process after the energy and time they spent decoding the prompt!
When they are finished, display each student’s writing for everyone to be proud of. These creative writings prompts for kids turn borning topics into mysterious challenges and students that didn’t like writing look forward to it!
If you want more fun decodable writing prompts to get your kids curious about writing, they are available for each season and holidays, separately and in a bundle. (see below)
10 Comments
Kayla
Love this idea! I’m sure cracking the code gets them excited about writing!
admin
Thank you! Yes, cracking the code gets them curious about the prompt and excited to write!
Allie Elliott
This is such a fun idea!! Great to build excitement and my students love to solve mysteries! This would definitely make my writing center more engaging!
admin
Thank you! It definitely builds excitement and a love for writing!
Jessica Capell
I am obsessed with your crack the codes! They are so fun and engaging!
admin
Thank you so much! I love piquing a child’s curiosity and giving them new ways to engage!
LESLIE DUNN
bright, fun activity! Thanks so much for sharing! My students always enjoy secret code activities!
admin
Thank you so much! Codes are always a kid-pleaser!
Nicole
What a fun way to start the writing block! Even having kids create a code would be fun too! Thanks for sharing!
admin
Thank you! I agree, having them create aa code would be fun and challenging!