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23 1st Grade Writing Worksheets To Practice New Skills

Spelling, reading, and writing are three of the most important skills children will learn in their first few years of school—that’s why having access to an assortment of first grade writing worksheets will make your life easier as a parent or a teacher. By the time students reach first grade, many have started learning basic words and are able to write basic ideas out on paper. The writing worksheets below offer a variety of different activities for all skill levels and help students focus on essential writing skills and develop them. Worksheets are great support for learning through practice—the unique offerings and the classic activities alike will create a strong foundation to build on!

Table of Contents

What should a first grader be able to write.

• Best First Grade Writing Worksheets 

Should First Graders Be Able To Spell?

Check out these additional 1st grade resources.

First grade introduces the basics of spelling, grammar, and vocabulary to students. As they practice all of these skills, they’ll inevitably grow as writers. First grade teachers want to see kids who can write simple, complete sentences. They should ideally be using proper capitalization and end punctuation. 

Even if their spelling isn’t perfect, the ability to use their knowledge of letters and letter sounds to take an educated guess is really what teachers are looking for. First graders should also be adept at copying down words and sentences provided to them, and able to produce their own simple sentences from scratch.  

In partnership with Teach Simple , whose marketplace is full of educational materials created by actual teachers (plus 50% of all revenues go to them), I’ve gathered 23 totally-awesome grade 1 writing worksheets to help inspire your students and support their core language arts skills!

Best First Grade Writing Worksheets

• You Write The Story Soccer Picture Worksheet By Have Fun Teaching

This writing worksheet offers students the chance to practice writing using a visual prompt. The use of visuals supports learning and aids students in idea generation. This 1st grade worksheet will help you teach brainstorming and the elements of a story. 

• Other Ways To Write Worksheet By Have Fun Teaching

This worksheet may seem like it is just focused on writing, but it also engages essential critical thinking skills. Understanding that writing is a process that can happen on paper or on a computer will set your students up for success well beyond first grade!

• Search The Word By Worksheet By Splash Learn

Search the word by Worksheet is aimed at enhancing children’s literacy skills, particularly their familiarity with common sight words. Through an engaging, picture-based activity, it encourages learners to identify and understand the usage of a specific sight word in various contexts. The exercise is designed to improve reading fluency, speed, and comprehension, making it a valuable tool for early literacy development.

• Capitalization Errors Worksheet By Have Fun Teaching

There are many elements of grammar that students need to learn throughout elementary school, but capitalization is truly fundamental. Catching errors is a fantastic practice to reinforce learning! This worksheet will certainly engage your reader and support their knowledge of grammar as they fix the errors in seven different sentences.

• Writing About Me Worksheet By Have Fun Teaching

Cultivating a strong sense of self and identity is an important element of social-emotional learning for young children. This worksheet blends together writing, spelling, and those SEL elements to create an engaging and fun activity where students can write about someone they know very well!

• In My Own Words Worksheet By Have Fun Teaching

Summarizing paragraphs and retelling narratives with a focus on key information are essential skills. They support not only reading and reading comprehension but also critical thinking as a whole. This worksheet asks students to retell four different quotes in their own words and offers particularly effective practice for your first grader! 

• Once Upon A Pancake For Younger Storytellers — Creative, Interactive Activity Book For Kids From A Story Book Day

This workbook is full of writing prompts and unfinished stories to spark kids’ creativity and enhance their writing by finishing up each one. This workbook is a fun way for children to develop their reading, writing, and storytelling abilities, using prompts about superheroes , friendships, magic, and more!

• “I” Handwriting Practice B By Have Fun Teaching

Handwriting is key to academic success and legibility is a key part of writing in the first grade . This simple worksheet let’s students practice uppercase and lowercase “I” handwriting while also constructing sentences starting with I or making silly sentences that only use “i” words.

• Journal Writing Prompts By Minds And Heart

Whether you need beginning of year writing activities, literacy centers, morning work, or early finisher work, these prompts will work for any time! With a checklist to self-edit for capitals, punctuation, and details, students will be reminded to utilize the components of strong writing that they are learning every day. 

• You Write The Story Artist Picture Worksheet By Have Fun Teaching

This worksheet offers another delightful visual writing prompt—this time about some artists and a dinosaur. The benefits of the visual prompt paired with the writing practices will lead to fun and learning all at once!

• Draw A Story Worksheet By Have Fun Teaching

Kids love to draw, and visuals are wonderful supports for reading and writing. This worksheet blends the two and guides your little author through the process of creating a story and illustration of their very own. 

• My Opinion The Big Orange Splot Worksheet By Have Fun Teaching

Opinion writing includes elements of informational texts. This worksheet asks first graders to think critically about the prompt, practice writing, and focus on their opinion of the characters and plot of the story .

• The Big Orange Splot From Art with Mrs. F

• Capitalization And End Punctuation Worksheet By Have Fun Teaching

A sentence has distinct features to indicate where it begins and where it ends. Early literacy skills focus on these text features to support students in their grammatical understandings. This practice worksheet is a wonderful resource for emerging readers and writers to practice capitalization and end punctuation on different types of sentences.

• Comprehensive Language Arts Skills Practice Test For Grade 1 By Twin Sisters Digital Media

Knowing where your students are is important to tracking progress. These worksheets are designed to be used as a practice test, focusing on core writing and reading skills. Ranging from punctuation and grammar to story structures and more, this is a great assessment tool to check in on your student’s learning. 

The worksheets in this bundle include topics like:

—Consonant Sounds

—Blends and Digraphs

—Compound Words

—Contractions

—Synonyms and Antonyms

—Adjectives

—Sequencing and Story Mapping

—Capitalization

—Punctuation and Grammar

• Writing Sentences Printable Workbook By Twin Sisters Digital Media

A simple but useful tool, this sentence writing practice looks at the writing basics younger students need to learn and focuses on each one!

• Writing Conventions And Applications Printable Workbook By Twin Sisters Digital Media

Make learning more fun with a variety of activities and games related to all things about writing conventions! This set features various types of practice with nouns, verbs, plurals,  subject-verb agreement, adjectives, statements vs. questions, capitalization, punctuation, complete sentences and beginning/middle/end-story structure. Packed in a set of unique worksheets, this practice is fun and effective.

• Describing Emotions Worksheet By Have Fun Teaching

This worksheet is a double whammy! Not only are you getting engaging writing practice, but you will also be supporting students’ emotional learning. A simple but effective way to ask kids to write about their own feelings in descriptive words.

• Make Sentences With The Sentence Maker By Guinea Pig Education

A choose your own adventure of sorts, this worksheet allows students to piece together words and create sentences. A fun and tactile tool, this activity encourages students to be creative while offering a support scaffold and building a solid foundation for writing sentences on their own.

• Silly Stories Story Starters By Have Fun Teaching

Who doesn’t love a silly story? Inspire your students to flex their imagination with this worksheet full of story starters. They’ll have ideas to jump off from and will practice writing while being creative and thinking of stories that are outside of the box.

• Scholastic Success With Writing, Grade 1 By Worksheetbee

This comprehensive writing workbook from Scholastic focuses on several different parts of writing skills in 1st grade including identifying sentence parts, building sentences, sequencing, writing descriptive sentences, and identifying story parts.

• Star Wars Workbook: 1st Grade Writing Skills From Workman Publishing 

Get kids hooked on writing by providing them with writing activities about their favorite characters from Star Wars. This workbook is aligned with Language Arts Common Core Standards and combines editorial quality, fun presentation, and the rigorous educational standards that Workman applied to the Brain Quest Workbooks as well.

• Space Poetry Worksheet By Have Fun Teaching

This charming worksheet is a perfect way to practice poetry and tie in science. The creative writing elements and cross-curricular connections make this a wonderful resource for your first grader to think about how to write a poem about space.

• Uppercase And Lowercase Letters Worksheet By Have Fun Teaching

Having two versions of each letter can be a weird concept to wrap your brain around as a child. This set of practice worksheets around the basics offers a quick and easy way to support students in understanding the difference. It also serves as handwriting practice making it a double whammy!

• Capital Letter Examples Worksheets By Have Fun Teaching

Let your students apply what they know with this worksheet. A little more capitalization practice can’t hurt, and with this sheet you can easily check their understanding of the concept before you move on from the topic.

The answer is yes and no. We want our first graders to be able to spell out CVC words they’ve memorized and can identify by sight. They should also have a handle on some decodable words—mostly those that can be broken down into their composite letter sounds. 

Complex, compound, and trickier letter combinations are not going to be words teachers expect first graders to spell correctly, but with practice they will come! Using these first grade writing worksheets will support your students in becoming proficient readers and writers in tandem with developing spelling skills they’ll need for second grade and the rest of elementary school.

About the Author Ali Pierce has been a proud public school teacher for nearly a decade. An English teacher by day, Ali works with educators throughout K-12 in a variety of coaching and support roles. A proud Wildcat, Ali earned both her BA in Creative Writing and M.Ed. in Teaching and Teacher Education from the University of Arizona. When not teaching, Ali can be found hanging out with her two young sons and sneaking in some reading for fun.

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25 Fun First Grade Writing & Storytelling Prompts (Free Printable!)

I’m excited to learn about …

First graders have lots of big ideas and opinions, but they are still learning how to put letters and words together in order to communicate in writing. Help spark their imaginations and get them writing with these 25 first grade writing prompts.

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

(Want this entire set in one easy document? Get your free PowerPoint bundle by submitting your email here, so you’ll always have the challenges available!)

1. After school I love to_______.

2. I’m proud of myself when_____.

3. To be a friend you must_____.

4. One of the fun things my family likes to do together is _____. 

5. Would you rather fly like a bird or swim like a shark? Why?

6. If you had three wishes, what would you wish for?

7. What would you put in a treasure chest?

8. This is how you make a sandwich.

9. If I were as tiny as an ant, I would ______.

10. My favorite color is ____ because_____.

11. I’m excited to learn about _____. 

12. Who is the funniest person you know?

13. If I could fly, I would go_____.

14. My favorite thing to do on the playground is_____.

15. I’m really good at_____.

16. Listening is really important because_____.

17. When a friend is sad how can you help them feel better?

18. List five things you know about bugs.

19. What is your favorite sport? Why?

20. I like to read books about_____.

21. My favorite art activity is_____.

22. One thing I find very interesting is_____.

23. I am different because_____.

24. When I am by myself I like to_____.

25. What are three things you do before you go to bed at night?

Get My First Grade Writing Prompts

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35 First Grade Writing Prompts that Encourage Longer Paragraphs

These engaging prompts will have students eager to write and help them write increasingly longer paragraphs.

Writing is a new and exciting skill for first graders. They spent much of their kindergarten year learning to read and write the alphabet. Now that they’re in first grade, they’re ready to start writing different genres of texts.

Whether your students are writing in a journal or doing a more formal writing project, the first-grade writing prompts below will keep their pencils moving all year long.

Descriptive Writing Prompts

In writing assignments for first graders, you’ll often find that younger students are literal in their writing. Most kids this age are too young to write with or even understand figurative language. 

However, they can learn about descriptive writing. Be sure to tap into the five senses to help them hone their craft.

• Describe your favorite food.
• Describe your favorite time of day.
• Imagine a perfect planet. What’s it like there?
• Describe a secret animal. Trade with a friend and see if you can guess each other’s animal.
• What is your favorite color? Make a list of everything in your favorite color.

Nonfiction Writing Prompts

Nonfiction is often a good place to start learning to write, especially for kids who think they’re not creative. Nonfiction doesn’t require them to come up with as many unique ideas but teaches them to put information in their own words.

• What are some of the best ways to stay healthy?
• How should you care for a pet?
• What are the things that make a good friend?
• Why is it important to obey the rules on the playground?
• Explain the rules of a sport or game.
• What items do kids need for learning?

Opinion Writing Prompts

Kids have a lot of opinions, but teaching them to express them formally can be challenging. You may want to preface these opinion writing prompts for first grade with a lesson on facts and opinions. If students plan to share their writing, you may also need to discuss respecting others’ opinions.

• What do you think should be a new school rule?
• The best food in the world is…
• _____________ is the best sport because…
• What’s one food we should get rid of?
• Which animal is the best?
• Why kids should have fewer chores

Narrative Writing Prompts

Narrative writing is often the easiest type of writing for younger students.

Most kids think that all writing is stories and like using their imaginations. Prompts are helpful because kids’ stories can often go off on tangents. A prompt can help them stay focused on a single topic.

• Rewrite a fairy tale from the villain’s point of view.
• Write a story about the craziest thing that ever happened to you.
• How did you meet your best friend?
• Write about your best family vacation.
• Tell a story about an animal going on an adventure.
• You’re stranded on an island. How do you get off?

Fun Writing Prompts

Sometimes kids need a chance to be silly. Fun 1st-grade writing prompts help kids to see that writing doesn’t have to be a chore. It can be fun.

Encourage kids to be creative and funny as they answer these prompts.

• You wake up as a shoe. Describe your day.
• What would happen if the whole world was made of ice cream?
• If I were president for a day, I would…
• Describe a silly planet and the aliens who live there.
• If you could have any superpower, which one would you have? Why?
• You meet a genie in a bottle. What are your three wishes?

Seasonal Writing Prompts

Seasonal writing prompts are a good go-to. Kids pay attention to the changing seasons and are usually excited about most holidays.

• What do you like to do on the first snow day?
• Describe your perfect summer vacation.
• What do you think an elf does the day after Christmas?
• Write a spooky Halloween story.
• Write three things you love about fall.
• Tell a story about the missing Easter egg.

What First Grade Writing Should Look Like

At the beginning of the year, your expectations can be too high for writing assignments for first grade students. While a few kids may write entire paragraphs, many will only manage a sentence or two. 

Kids can get used to writing and build stamina with frequent writing assignments and first-grade journal writing prompts. By the end of the year, they may be writing five-ten sentences per assignment.

Make Writing Fun

If you want your students to enjoy writing time, you must make it enjoyable. Give them special journals to use for their writing. Let them use special pens, stickers, and anything else that makes their writing feel special. You can also create a special spot that kids can only use while writing.

Writing Up a Storm

These first-grade writing prompts are intended as a resource you can use to get your students to write with enthusiasm. The right prompts not only motivate students but also serve as a guide to help them write longer paragraphs.

1st Grade Writing Worksheets

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50 1st Grade Writing Worksheets

A series of events

What did you do today? In this language arts worksheet, your child gets practice looking up words in a dictionary, writing words in alphabetical order, and drawing.

Airplane message banners

This worksheet presents airplane-drawn messages and gives your child practice with counting, reading, and writing skills.

It's the opposite! In this language arts worksheet, your child gets practice identifying antonyms such as on/off, light/dark, and night/day.

In this language arts worksheet, your child learns about using commas to separate words in lists and practices writing sentences using commas.

Conjunctions

Conjunctions are words that join sentences. In this writing worksheet, your child gets practice combining two sentences into one using different conjunctions.

Counting bugs!

How many snails are there? This coloring math worksheet lets your child count and draw bugs, draw the corresponding number of dots, and write the numbers.

Learn how to use a dictionary! In this language arts worksheet, your child learns why dictionaries are helpful and how to use one.

Editing is an important step that follows writing. In this language arts worksheet, your child gets practice deleting extra or unneccessary words and then rewriting the new, shorter sentences.

Poems: a mysterious story (pronouns)

The writer avoids pronouns by repeating the nouns. In this language arts worksheet, your child will get practice identifying nouns and pronouns by comparing and contrasting a section of a poem with pronouns replacing nouns.

Poems: calligrams

A calligram is a type of shape poem that uses the form of letters to add to the meaning. In this writing worksheet, your children will read two calligrams and then create their own.

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100 Fun Writing Prompts for 1st Grade: Journal Prompts

• Narrative Writing Prompts
• Informative Essay Writing Prompts
• Research Writing Prompts
• Funny Writing Prompts
• Self-writing Prompts
• Fiction Writing Prompts
• Animal Writing Prompts
• Journal Writing Prompts For 1st Graders
• Descriptive Writing Prompts

Writing prompts are important tools that parents can use when they want to improve their child’s inherent abilities. The right 1st grade writing prompts can help your kids improve their writing, reading, comprehension, and visual processing abilities.

By having prompts of different themes, styles, and objectives, you can diversify the way that your child approaches writing. You can also enhance their divergent thinking abilities with the right writing prompts. Let’s start with our list of the 100 best writing prompts for 1 st graders.

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Here are more educational resources for your first grader so that they never stop practicing!

10 Narrative Writing Prompts

Narratives can be powerful teaching tools to help kids understand the importance of sequencing in writing. They can practice the core skills of narration, including storytelling, plot design, and conclusion. The best narrative-driven 1st grade journal prompts can help kids refine their writing capabilities. You can use these 1st grade narrative writing prompts to help your young ones develop their storytelling. 

1. What if you had a magical wand? What would you do with it?  

2. What are your favorite after-school activities?

3. Describe a time when you felt lost. What did you do? How did you feel?

4. What superpower would you love to have the most?

5. What are your favorite things about being in the 1 st grade?

6. Describe a difficult time in your life when you had to face some form of adversity.

7. What is your best memory from a vacation that you took with your family?

8. If you could meet one cartoon character in real life, who would it be?

9. Describe your favorite animal. What are its characteristics?

10. What is your favorite holiday? Why do you love that time of the year? 

10 Informative Essay Writing Prompts

Informative prompts help kids understand the value of being accurate, precise, and descriptive. You can have them talk about events, historical figures, and facts in greater detail with the right informative prompts.

1. Write an informative essay about animated movies for kids .  

2. Pick any stationery item from school. Write about the importance of using that tool.

3. Talk about why it is important to consume healthy foods. Why are vegetables good for us?

4. Talk about how you would teach a special skill to someone you’ve never met.

5. Talk about your favorite hobbies. Why do you enjoy participating in them?

6. Think about what you want to be when you grow up. Talk about your plan on how you’re going to achieve it.

7. Explain in detail why reading is important for all 1 st grade kids.

8. Talk about a time when you failed at something. How did you get back up and succeed?

9. What do you like the most about your best friend? Why is your friendship so special?

10. Select a food item that you love eating, and talk about why it is your favorite.

10 Research Writing Prompts

Research writing is an innovative way of instilling the right work ethic in kids at an early age. You can have your kids practice reviewing, researching, and fact-checking when they prepare their writing prompts. The best 1st grade writing prompts are research-driven ones that require extensive analysis and reviewing. 

1. Talk about the origin of alligators.

2. What is the lifecycle of a butterfly? Write about all major stages.  

3. What is germination? Write about the process of germination.

4. Why does the earth have oceans?

5. Why does an elephant have large tuskers?

6. Write down five facts about your favorite teacher.

7. Research your family history. What are some interesting facts that you could find?

8. Find ten facts about your city and what makes the city special.

9. What is a biome? Why do we have biomes?

10. What does an ant eat? Describe its journey.  

10 Funny Writing Prompts

Funny 1st grade writing prompts can be hilarious to work on, giving younger kids a chance to develop their humor. You can have them imagine funny scenarios and come up with jokes that are in the form of long paragraphs. You can talk to them about the idea of a premise, a funny line, and a storytelling joke for kids .

1. Imagine a world where every house is a gingerbread house. What would your living room look like?

2. Write a funny story about going to space and meeting an alien.

3. Write an adventure short story about saving your friend from ghosts.

4. Write a funny story about futuristic methods of transportation.

5. Imagine that you’re permanently stuck on a ship. What would your life be like?

6. Write a story about what would happen if you woke up in a dog’s body.

7. Write a story about diving into the deepest ocean in the world.

8. If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

9. What would you do if you had a tiger as a pet?

10. You have just invented a translation machine to talk to animals. What would you say first? 

10 Self-writing Prompts

Poems for kids can be an excellent form of self-expression. You can introduce poetic 1st grade writing prompts and have your little ones practice their creative thinking skills. Poems can also empower kids to sound letters and words, which helps in cementing phonics and other concepts.

1. Write a poem about your favorite animals. 

2. Talk about your day, but in the form of a poem. Make it rhyme to AABB.    

3. Create a poem about the spring season.   

4. Write a Haiku about the sky.

5. Create a Limerick about how much you love dancing.

6. Write a poem about the tiniest things in the universe.

7. Can you write a poem about words that don’t rhyme? Try it!

8. Write a poem about the letters of the alphabet.

9. Write a short poem about how much you love your family.

10. Write a poem about counting fruit, vegetables, or marbles. 

10 Fiction Writing Prompts

Fiction-based 1st grade writing prompts are also amazing writing tools that can help your child access new areas of their creative thinking. You can help them uncover their true writing potential and improve their problem-solving skills with the right fiction-themed 1st grade writing prompts.

1. You’re suddenly thrust into a game of Island survival and are tasked with saving the people. What would you do?

2. On your next fishing trip, you spot a deep-sea monster. Describe it in detail.

3. You suddenly have wings and are able to fly freely through the sky. Where do you go first?

4. You just slipped on a banana peel and made a mess. How do you clean it up?

5. You left for school and realized that all the streets are made of candy. What happens next?

6. You met Santa’s reindeer in the spring. What kind of questions would you ask it?

7. There are dinosaurs everywhere, and they’re taking control of the city. What happens next?

8. You’re a time traveler and you decided to visit ancient Egypt. What do you see?

9. Start a fairy tale and complete it with the prompt – “There was once a fire-breathing dragon protecting middle earth.”

10. You’re asked to write a completely new language. What would it sound like? 

10 Animal Writing Prompts

Animal-themed 1st grade writing prompts can bring a sense of joy back into practicing writing. Your kids can explore the depths of their imagination with prompts about different habitats and species. With the right animal-based 1st grade writing prompts, you can also improve their visual processing capabilities. 

1. What is your favorite animal in the whole wide world? Why?

2. Describe your last visit to a petting zoo.

3. If you met a talking cat, what would it say?

4. Which dog breed do you love the most?

5. I love dogs because they are _.

6. What magical animal would you like to meet and why? (Unicorn, dragon, etc.)

7. If you could pick up three animal traits, what would they be?

8. Think of a completely new imaginary animal. What would it look like?

9. Who’s the scariest animal in the jungle?

10. What kind of animal makes the best pet? Why? 

10 Prompts to Help Your Kids Understand and Appreciate Emotions

Some of the most impactful 1st grade journal prompts focus on writing about emotions. While opinion writing prompts 1st grade questions are great, you can really get into the mental framework of a child with emotion-driven prompts. 

1. When was the last time you were brave?

2. How do you feel when you goof up? Do you feel angry or sad?

3. What I love about myself is _.   

4. What makes me happy is when I am _.

5. How do you comfort a friend who is feeling scared?

6. Recall the last time you burst out laughing. How did you feel?

7. Sometimes I feel sad about _.

8. If I could change one thing in the world, it would be _.

9. Sometimes I am hard on myself about _.

10. Something I wish I were better at is _.  

10 Journal Writing Prompts For 1st Graders

The best first grade journal prompts are the ones that involve introspection, critical thinking, and active recalling. You can improve their writing and comprehension skills with some fun writing prompts for 1st grade students.

1. How are you feeling today? Talk about what emotions you felt.

2. What are five things that you are grateful for?

3. What is the one thing that surprised you today?

4. I love my mom because she’s _.

5. My idea of a fun vacation is.

6. If I lived on a mountain, my daily routine would be.

7. This spring season, I plan on doing _.

8. I love my sibling because _.

9. Write about your last vacation.

10. My favorite day of the year is.  

10 Descriptive Writing Prompts

When it comes to writing topics for 1st graders, descriptive ones are some of the most fun for little kids. The top writing ideas for 1st grade students can involve describing events, objects, narratives, and storylines, giving them more control on their vision for their answers. You can use these creative writing prompts 1st grade level questions at any time during the year. 

1. Describe a dream walk through a garden.

2. Describe a typical school day in detail.

3. What type of music makes you happy? Describe why you love your favorite artist.

4. Describe the most interesting birthday you’ve had.

5. What’s your favorite hobby? Describe it in detail.

6. How would you describe a smartphone to someone from 1920?

7. What’s your favorite dessert? Why do you love it so much?

8. Which is your favorite memory in the whole wide world?

9. Talk about someone you look up to in detail.

10. Is there a comic book hero you love? Describe their qualities and what makes them special. 

Quick Tips on Helping Your 1st Grader Improve Their Writing Skills

Now that we’ve explored the best writing prompts for 1 st graders, you can help them become better at the craft with the right strategies. You can use the best 1st grade journal prompts and encourage your kids to write with clarity and purpose.

You should also use different types of writing prompts for 1st grade kids. This will help you keep things interesting for your little ones while making them feel joyful when writing. In fact, the best 1st grade journal topics are the ones that are within your kids’ realm of interest.

Additionally, you can continue to reward them for writing extensively. By giving them toys, books, and colorful stationery, you can subtly encourage them to continue improving their writing and comprehension at the 1 st grade level. 

Start With The Best Prompts That Appeal to Your Kids

You can start by mixing around writing prompts for your kids with different styles. You can also prepare your own prompts by referencing the examples mentioned above. The best way to get your kids excited about writing is to give them prompts that make them think outside the box.

So, what are you waiting for? Get your kids writing engaging narratives with these amazing writing prompts!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How do i select the right writing prompts for my 1st grader.

You should start with topics that they enjoy talking about organically.

How do I improve participation and excitement for writing prompts?

You can have them write about their favorite cartoons, movies, and books during the initial stages of writing prompts.

What are some ways to improve my child’s writing?

You can use prompts, worksheets, and tracing sheets, to help your kids improve their writing.

What are some writing activities for 1st graders?

You can have them write letters, poems, stories, and other narrative-driven pieces.

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Grade 1 Writing Activities

8 fun grade 1 writing activities.

We’ve compiled a list of seven exciting writing activities to inspire your little ones to get started on their writing journey.

1. Read, Read, Read!

Your first-grade child may have a book that they just love! Why not get them to read it one more time and then write a short paragraph explaining why they love it so much. Which character do they like the most and what would they want to ask them if they met in real life?

Reading is generally a wonderful way to improve writing levels in young children and is especially effective when done on a regular basis! On Night Zookeeper , we love to encourage children to write about what they are reading in an interactive journal called ‘Reading Light’.

2. Get Active, Get Outdoors

A great way to inspire your little ones whilst burning off some excess energy is to get outside with pencils and paper. Before heading out on your adventure, make a chart like the one below:

The great outdoors is the perfect place to get your children using all of their senses. Begin your adventure by asking your child to write down an object that catches their eye in the first column. Then challenge them to describe the sounds they can hear around this object, how it feels and how it smells. Once your chart is complete, find a quiet place to sit with your child and invite them to write a sentence about each object using some of the lovely descriptions that they added to their chart.

3. The Sentence Building Game

Spelling often holds children back from getting started on their writing journey at first-grade level. You can help alleviate this barrier by giving children words they can use to build sentences with.

The idea of this activity is that children use the words provided to make as many sentences as they possibly can. Points can be awarded for each complete sentence that starts with a capital letter and ends with a punctuation mark. Here’s an example of how you could set this up:

4. Get Crafty!

A wonderful way to make writing fun for your child is to combine the writing process with an arts and crafts project.

For example, challenge your children to paint a picture of an animal they love. This could be a pet or an animal they love to visit at the zoo. They could also use magazine clippings and other materials you have at hand to add a layer of collage to their picture. Finally, complete the activity by asking them to write three sentences about why they chose this animal in particular.

5. The Daily Journal

Keeping a journal is a great way to get your first-grade child writing in small chunks, on a regular basis, about a topic they know better than anyone!

Here’s a format you might like to use:

You could even ask your childr to be involved in the template creation process. Ask them which questions they would like to answer on a daily basis and incorporate these into the activity. This will give your child a sense of ownership and a deeper understanding of the activity.

6. The Greeting Card

Ask your child to make a card for a person in their family. This is a wonderful activity to get your children writing whilst also spreading love and joy in the process.

The card could be to celebrate a special occasion such as a birthday or holiday, or it could simply be a card to share their thoughts and feelings with their chosen family member. Children can be encouraged to write as much as they like about this special person, writing down all of their thoughts and feelings.

7. “When I am older, I want to be…”

Plan a special day for your child when they get to dress up as an adult they admire. This could be someone famous that they look up to, or it could simply be a profession that they admire, such as becoming a teacher, pilot or doctor. Set up activities to give your child the opportunity to explain verbally what they would like to be when they grow up and give them time to act as the person they have dressed up as. Towards the end of the day, present them with a template of questions for them to answer in writing. The below template may be helpful, or you can invent your own with your child.

8. Night Zookeeper

Night Zookeeper makes writing fantastically fun for children aged six to twelve!

Our writing program for kids features an array of writing activities, such as prompts, games, and interactive lessons, created to inspire children while keeping them focused and engaged.

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• Grade 1 Picture Writing Prompts
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First Grade Writing Prompts

In first grade, students are beginning to develop their writing skills for the first time. These students should work towards complex writing goals–i.e. composing a chronological narrative and expressing an opinion–but should be given flexibility in how that writing is produced. For example, first graders may construct a narrative by drawing a series of pictures, or convey an opinion by dictating their thoughts to a teacher.

These simple but creative first-grade writing prompts will help students begin to develop their narrative, informative, opinion, and research writing skills.

Narrative Essay Writing Prompts

Students in first grade will develop their skills in writing narrative essays by relating the details of a real or imagined event and placing the details in sequential order. They can also include their reaction to the event. 

• The Purple Crayon . Imagine that you have a magic crayon like the boy in  Harold and the Purple Crayon . Describe something you would draw.
• Wings. Imagine that you are a bird or a butterfly . Write about what you might do in a day.
• Superpowers. Name one superpower you’d like to have and explain how you would use it.
• The Dumps. Think of a time when you were sad. What cheered you up?
• Scary Story. Do you remember a time when you were really scared? What happened?
• Family Fun. Does your family go on vacations together? What is your best memory from your last family trip?
• Lost. Have you ever been lost? What did you do and how did you feel?
• Shark Tales. What would your life be like if you were a shark ?
• Movers and Shakers . Has your family ever moved to a new house? Describe the experience.
• Dressing Up. Imagine that you have a magical dress-up box that turns you into whoever you dress as. Who would you be?
• Teacher’s Pet . What if your teacher had a talking pet dragon and she brought it to school one day? Tell what you think would happen.
• After School. Describe what you usually do in the first half hour after you get home from school each day.
• Pet Dreams. What kind of pet do you have? Imagine a dream he or she might have and describe it.

Opinion Essay Writing Prompts

First graders can begin to develop their opinion writing skills by responding to a simple topic with their own thoughts and opinions. They should focus on understanding the concept of an opinion and providing basic justification for their own opinions .

• First is Fun. What is the most exciting thing about being in first grade?
• Must Read. What is one book that every kid should read and why should they read it?
• School Food. Name your favorite lunch in your school’s cafeteria. Why is it your favorite?
• Wild Side. What is your favorite wild animal and why?
• New Friends . You may be meeting lots of new kids in first grade. What qualities do you look for in a friend?
• Weather Woes. What is your least favorite type of weather?
• Toy Story. Which of your toys is your favorite and what makes it so special?
• Holidays . What is your favorite holiday and why?
• Getting Older. Why is being in first grade better than being in kindergarten?
• Weekend. What is your favorite thing to do on the weekend?
• Watch or Join.  If you are at a birthday party, are you more likely to be first in line to play all the games or do you like to hang back and watch others for a while?
• Fish or Frog. Would you rather be a fish or a frog? Why?
• Extra Hour. If you could stay up for an hour later than you’re allowed to each night, what would you do with the extra time?

Expository Essay Writing Prompts

Expository writing includes informational and how-to pieces. Students in first grade may use drawings, writing, or dictation to identify their topic and supply information about it.

• Admiration. Name someone you admire and list three reasons you look up to them.
• PB&J. List the steps you’d take to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
• Healthy Teeth . Explain why it’s important to take care of your teeth by brushing them every day.
• Game Changer . Explain how to play your favorite board game.
• Lost and Found. Describe what you should do if you become separated from your parents in a crowded place like a store or an amusement park.
• Tough Tricks . Do you know how to do something that your friends haven’t figured out yet, such as blowing a bubble with chewing gum or jumping rope? Explain how to do it.
• Pet Care. You’re going out of town, and your friend has agreed to take care of your pet while you’re gone. Explain what he or she needs to do.
• Self Portrait. Describe your appearance to a friend as if he or she had never seen you.
• Apology. Explain how you would apologize to a friend or relative if you hurt their feelings.
• No More Germs. Describe the steps for washing your hands.
• My Space. Describe your room. What does it look like? What kind of furniture and decoration do you have?
• Rules. Choose one school rule and explain why it’s important for students to obey it.
• Step-by-Step. Explain, step-by-step, how to complete a process such as tying a shoe or folding a paper airplane.

Research Writing Prompts

With help from an adult, first graders can begin to understand the research process. These prompts may be best utilized in a group setting, with a parent or teacher leading the student(s) through the research process using a single source (e.g. a book or magazine) to answer a question.

• Dogs. List five things you know about dogs.
• Favorite Author. Write down three facts about your favorite author.
• Insects . Choose one of the following insects and find out where it lives, what it eats, how it moves, and what it looks like: butterfly, ant, bumblebee, or cricket.
• Reptiles and Amphibians. Choose one of the following creatures and find out where it lives, what it eats, how it moves, and what it looks like: frog, toad, turtle, or snake.
• My Town. Find out three facts about the history of your town.
• Volcanoes . What is a volcano ? Where are volcanoes found? What do they do?
• Dinosaurs. Choose a type of dinosaur and write 3 to 5 interesting facts about it.
• Habitats. Choose a habitat such as an ocean, desert, tundra, or forest and describe the plants and animals that live there.
• African Animals. Choose an animal that lives in Africa, such as an elephant , lion, or zebra, and write 3 to 5 interesting facts about it.
• Sports . Choose your favorite sport. What are three important facts about how the game is played?
• Famous People. Read a story about a famous person from history. Then, find out when the historical person was born and where they lived.
• Second Grade Writing Prompts
• 4th Grade Writing Prompts
• Engaging Writing Prompts for 3rd Graders
• Writing Prompts for 5th Grade
• Writing Prompts for 7th Grade
• Writing Prompts for Elementary School Students
• 24 Journal Prompts for Creative Writing in the Elementary Classroom
• Fun March Writing Prompts for Journaling
• 49 Opinion Writing Prompts for Students
• February Writing Prompts
• November Writing and Journal Prompts
• January Writing Prompts
• October Writing Prompts
• Journal Writing Prompts for Easter
• December Writing Prompts
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First Grade Writing Prompts: Engaging Ideas for Youg Writers

By: Author Paul Jenkins

Posted on Published: March 27, 2023  - Last updated: July 31, 2023

Categories Writing

Teaching first graders to write and express their thoughts is crucial to their educational journey. Developing a love for writing at an early stage can have lifelong benefits, improving communication skills and nurturing creativity. One of the best ways to engage young students in writing activities is by introducing them to exciting writing prompts that can spark their imaginations.

First grade writing prompts are designed to be simple yet thought-provoking, offering topics that first graders can understand and relate to. These prompts come in various forms, such as story starters, journal ideas, and opinion-based questions, allowing students to explore different writing styles and subjects. By encouraging first graders to write about their experiences, emotions, and opinions, teachers can effectively develop young learners’ writing abilities and make the process enjoyable.

Numerous resources are available online, offering diverse and age-appropriate first grade writing prompts. These prompts can be easily integrated into daily lessons, both in-person and in virtual classrooms, and are designed to hone essential writing and critical thinking skills among young students.

The Importance of Writing Prompts

Writing prompts are crucial in fostering early literacy skills in first grade students. They provide a starting point for children to begin expressing and organizing their thoughts, subsequently improving their writing abilities. The use of writing prompts can also help children build confidence in their writing and develop a habit of self-expression through words.

One of the main goals of using writing prompts with first graders is to minimize writer’s block. Writing prompts remove the anxiety of creating ideas from scratch by offering a specific topic or situation to write about. This allows students to focus on formulating sentences, using proper grammar, and developing creativity.

First grade writing prompts can be a fun and engaging way to help children improve their reading skills. As they write, they gain exposure to essential vocabulary and learn the fundamental principles of sentence structure. Moreover, when students actively participate in the writing process, they are more likely to retain information and new concepts.

Teachers can tailor writing prompts to align with educational objectives and curriculum guidelines. Examples of writing prompts include sentence starters, open-ended questions, story scenarios, and prompts that encourage using specific vocabulary or grammatical structures. Variety is key in providing both enjoyment and learning opportunities for students.

First Grade Writing Skills

In first grade, students develop foundational writing skills to help them throughout their academic careers. This section focuses on three crucial areas for first grade writing skills: understanding basic sentence structure, building vocabulary, and developing storytelling abilities.

Understanding Basic Sentence Structure

Children are expected to recognize and adequately use basic sentence structure at this stage. They should be able to write complete sentences with a subject and a predicate. Furthermore, they should practice using capitalization, punctuation, and spacing between words.

Teachers and parents can support this learning through various writing prompts. For instance, they can practice writing sentences by answering these prompts, such as “What is your favorite animal?” or “Describe someone you love.”

Building Vocabulary

Expanding vocabulary is an essential aspect of writing development in first grade. Students must learn new words and meanings to express their thoughts and ideas more effectively. Introducing new words through reading and writing activities helps foster a rich vocabulary.

One way to encourage vocabulary development is by using age-appropriate writing prompts. These prompts may include words that are unfamiliar to the students, which can spark curiosity and lead to learning new words.

Developing Storytelling Abilities

First graders are learning to create simple stories using their imagination and experiences. Developing their storytelling abilities is important for building their writing skills and allowing them to communicate thoughts and ideas coherently.

Teachers and parents can use creative writing prompts to inspire young learners to write stories.

These prompts can range from imaginative scenarios like “What would you do if you could fly?” to prompts based on personal experiences like “What is your favorite memory from kindergarten?” Encouraging first graders to write about these topics helps them practice organizing their thoughts and expressing them through stories and sentences.

Types of First Grade Writing Prompts

Narrative prompts.

Narrative writing prompts help first graders practice storytelling, which helps enhance their creative thinking and language skills. These prompts usually ask students to develop fictional stories or share real-life experiences.

• What did you do on your favorite day ever?
• Tell a story about a day when it rained ice cream.
• Write about your favorite superhero and their adventures.

Expository Prompts

Expository writing prompts encourage first graders to gain knowledge, analyze, and convey information. These prompts typically focus on science, social studies, or other educational subjects.

• How do plants grow? Explain the process.
• Why is recycling important for our environment?
• What is your favorite season, and why?

Descriptive Prompts

Descriptive writing prompts aim to improve first graders’ ability to observe and describe things in detail. These prompts use vivid language and sensory details to give the reader a clear picture of the subject.

• Describe your favorite place to visit and what makes it unique.
• Write about your favorite animal and its features.
• How does your favorite food taste, smell, and look?

Seasonal Writing Prompts for 1st Graders

Winter writing prompts: ideas and examples.

Winter-themed writing prompts can inspire young students to express their thoughts and opinions about the season. These prompts encourage creativity and allow first graders to explore their imagination. Here are some winter writing prompt ideas for first grade:

• Describe your favorite winter activity, and explain why you enjoy it.
• Would you instead build a snowman or a snow fort? Explain your choice.
• Imagine you are an ice skater in a winter show. Describe your performance.
• Write a story about a snow day adventure with friends or family.

Summer Writing Prompts: Ideas and Examples

In contrast to the cold and snowy winter months, summer offers children a warm and sunny environment to write about. First graders can draw from their experiences during summer vacations or other activities to develop imaginative writing prompts. Here are some examples of summer writing prompts for first grade:

• Describe your favorite summer activity, and explain why it is unique.
• Imagine you are exploring a secret island during summer vacation. Tell a story about your adventure.
• Would you rather spend a day at the beach or an amusement park? Explain your choice.
• Write about an unforgettable summer experience with your friends or family members.

Seasonal writing prompts help first graders connect their writing and the world around them. By incorporating themes and experiences relevant to each season, young writers can develop their writing skills while sharing their unique perspectives.

Fun Writing Prompts for Young Writers

Story starters – definition and purpose.

Story starters are engaging and thought-provoking sentences or questions that provide a jumping-off point for young writers to express their thoughts and ideas on paper. Story starters encourage creativity, spark imagination, and help first graders develop their writing skills while having fun.

Examples for 1st-grade students

Here are some examples of story starters specifically designed for first grade students. These prompts are crafted to inspire and motivate young writers to explore their thoughts, feelings, and experiences creatively.

• One sunny day, a little caterpillar named Charlie decided to adventure to…
• In a magical forest filled with talking trees, a brave squirrel named Squeaky set out to…
• Every night, when the moon brightened, Luna the owl loved to…
• In a tiny village of friendly dinosaurs, a young Triceratops named Trixie discovered…
• Far away on a planet made of candy, a group of friends decided to…
• Deep in the ocean, a curious dolphin named Dolly found a secret underwater cave and…
• On a quiet, peaceful morning in the jungle, a young elephant named Ella stumbled upon…
• When the first snow of winter arrived, a group of animal friends decided to build…
• In a colorful garden filled with magical flowers, a friendly bumblebee named Buzz discovered…
• Once upon a time, in a land where animals could speak, a clever fox named Felix decided to…
• High up in the mountains, a playful goat named Greta found a hidden treasure chest and…
• One rainy day, a cheerful frog named Frankie discovered a magical umbrella that could…
• In a mystical land filled with fairies and unicorns, a brave princess named Penelope set out on a quest to…
• On a warm summer day, friends discovered a magical treehouse in their backyard and…

By incorporating these story starters and similar prompts into your lesson plans, you can foster a love of writing in your first grade students, helping them develop essential literacy skills and instilling creative confidence.

Favorite Things

Exploring “favorite things” allows young writers to think about personal preferences and share their thoughts with others. This section offers simple, engaging writing prompts to help first grade students explore their favorite colors, places, and things.

Favorite Color

First grade students can use colors as inspiration for their writing. Ask your students to describe their favorite color and explain why they like it. Encourage them to include specific details and emotions associated with that color. For example:

• Why is it their favorite color?
• What objects or things do they associate with this color?
• How does that color make them feel?

Favorite Place

Writing about favorite places helps students practice using descriptive language and develop spatial awareness. Have your students describe their favorite place and mention what makes it unique. Some prompts could include:

• What is the setting of the place (indoor or outdoor)?
• What are the specific features of this place that they enjoy?
• What memories and experiences are associated with their favorite place?

Favorite Thing

First graders can write about their favorite things to express personal interests and learn about their peers’ preferences. Encourage them to describe their favorite thing, explaining why it is essential to them. Possible questions could be:

• Why is it their favorite thing?
• What emotions do they experience when interacting with their favorite thing?
• How has this particular object or activity impacted their life?

These writing prompts will encourage first grade students to explore their thoughts and preferences while developing essential writing skills. Use these sub-sections as a starting point for creating fun and engaging writing activities for your first grade students.

Engaging First Grade Students

Keeping first grade students engaged and motivated is essential for improving their writing skills. Generating creative writing prompts is a helpful way to ignite their interest and inspire them to express their thoughts.

Creating Interesting Prompts

One way to create exciting prompts is to use relatable topics. Young children are more likely to engage with a subject if they identify with it. Consider using fun writing prompts that revolve around their favorite activities, places, and people.

Additionally, incorporating seasonal themes into writing prompts benefits in maintaining their engagement level. For instance, consider incorporating prompts based on winter, spring, summer, or fall activities to allow students to express their experiences or excitement toward an upcoming event.

Encouraging Creativity

First graders’ creativity can be encouraged by introducing open-ended questions in the writing prompts. Avoid questions with a simple yes or no answer and encourage them to delve deeper into their thoughts and feelings. Examples include:

• What would you do if you could be invisible for a day?
• Describe a day in the life of your favorite animal.
• If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

Another approach for nurturing their creative thinking is incorporating visual aids as part of the writing prompt. Providing them with images or illustrations can help spark their imagination, allowing them to create a more vivid and descriptive story.

To promote a collaborative and enjoyable environment, consider integrating group activities and sharing sessions where their writing prompts are discussed. This way, children will refine their writing skills and learn to appreciate others’ perspectives.

Sample First Grade Writing Prompts

First grade writing prompts are essential to help young students develop their writing skills. These prompts encourage creativity, expression, and storytelling.

Opinion writing is also essential for first graders to develop, and prompts encouraging them to share their thoughts and perspectives are particularly useful.

The following examples are just a few of the many engaging prompts available:

• If you could have any animal as a pet, what would it be and why? Describe what it would be like to have your chosen pet.
• Imagine that you found a secret door in your room. Where does it lead, and what adventures do you have when you go through it?
• What would it be called if you could create a new holiday, and how would people celebrate it? Describe the decorations, food, and activities for your special day.
• Pretend you are a superhero with a unique power. What is your superhero name, and what can you do? Describe a day in the life of your superhero self.
• What if you woke up one morning and could talk to animals? Which animal would you talk to first, and what would you ask them?
• Write a story about a day when everything you touched became your favorite snack. What would happen, and how would you feel?
• Imagine you are an astronaut exploring a new planet. What does the planet look like, and what kind of creatures live there? Describe your adventure on this new planet.
• What would it be if you could invent a new toy, and how would it work? Describe the toy’s appearance, how to play with it, and why other kids would enjoy it.

Using imaginative prompts like these, first grade students can practice forming coherent sentences and paragraphs while developing their unique voice in writing. Providing a variety of prompts that cover different styles and topics allows young writers to explore a range of genres and discover their preferred style of expression.

Resources and Tips for Teachers

When planning writing activities for your first graders, consider the following tips:

• Create a supportive and comfortable environment that encourages students to share their ideas and creativity.
• Provide clear instructions and expectations for each writing assignment.
• Introduce activities that allow students to practice different types of writing, such as stories, letters, and lists.
• Offer consistent and constructive feedback on your students’ writing, emphasizing their strengths and providing guidance on areas for improvement.
• Incorporate peer review activities to help students learn from one another and develop their editing skills.

Remember to adapt activities to the needs and interests of your specific group of students. This will ensure they remain engaged and motivated to develop their writing skills throughout the school year.

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Writing Prompts for Grade 1

Sentences and texts.

Various types of writing prompts to encourage students to write sentences, paragraphs or texts.

Sentence writing prompts : series of linked prompts on various topics

Letter writing prompts : write a letter to a teacher, a friend ...

Draw and write prompts : draw a picture and write a paragraph

Free form writing prompts : write free form text in response to the prompt

Writing prompts for grade 1

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