Comic strip story: a creative writing activity for kids

Planning is the part of writing children skip most, and it is why stories wander or stop in the middle. A comic strip is a plan, and it does not feel like one.

• Ages: 7–12
• Time: 40 minutes
• Skill: Story planning and sequencing

What you need

• Paper
• A pencil and a ruler
• Coloured pencils or pens

Step by step

1. Draw six boxes. Draw two rows of three boxes on a page.
2. Plan the story. Box 1: meet the character. Box 2: the problem. Boxes 3–5: what they try. Box 6: how it ends.
3. Sketch each panel. Stick figures are fine: the story matters more than the drawing.
4. Add speech bubbles. One short line of dialogue or a caption in each panel.
5. Turn it into writing. Write one short paragraph for each panel.
6. Compare. Read the paragraphs together with the comic. What did the drawing help you remember?

Make it easier or harder

• Easier: four panels instead of six.
• Harder: add a twist in panel five that changes the ending.

What your child learns

Sequencing, cause and effect, and how to structure a story from start to finish: the foundations of good narrative writing.

This activity is a taste of our free StoryCraft workshop (ages 7–10). For year-round writing, see Creative Writing for ages 8–10.