Story ideas for kids: 50 writing prompts by age

How to turn a prompt into a story

1. Pick a character and give them a goal, a flaw and a secret.
2. Choose the place and describe it with two senses.
3. Start with the problem, not the breakfast.
4. Let the character try twice and fail before the ending.
5. End with a change: what is different for the character now?

For a visual way to plan, try our free strip story template or the story character builder.

Adventure story ideas (ages 7+)

1. A map falls out of an old library book.
2. Your kite pulls you into the sky and does not let go.
3. A door appears in your bedroom wall overnight.
4. The school trip bus takes a wrong turn into a hidden valley.
5. You find a key that opens any lock, but only once.
6. A message in a bottle washes up with your name on it.
7. A treasure hunt clue is hidden in your grandfather's watch.
8. You shrink to the size of an ant on sports day.
9. Your bicycle can fly, but only when it rains.

Funny story ideas (ages 7+)

1. A homework book that answers back.
2. The day your parents swapped places with you.
3. A goat gets into the school assembly.
4. Your shadow decides to go on holiday.
5. A robot tries to cook biryani for the first time.
6. Every lie you tell turns your hair a different colour.
7. The class pet is elected head of school.
8. A sneeze that sends you to a different country each time.

Mystery story ideas (ages 9+)

1. Every clock in town stops at 3:15.
2. Someone is leaving cupcakes on the doorstep with secret notes.
3. The new student knows things nobody told them.
4. A painting in the museum changes every night.
5. Your best friend's diary has a page in your handwriting.
6. All the cricket balls in the neighbourhood disappear.
7. A phone keeps ringing in the empty classroom.
8. The lift stops at a floor that does not exist.

Animal story ideas (ages 7+)

1. A cat who is scared of mice.
2. A camel who wants to live by the sea.
3. A parrot who only tells the truth.
4. A lost puppy follows you home with a strange collar.
5. A goldfish plans its escape from the bowl.
6. The zoo animals hold a meeting at midnight.
7. A snow leopard comes down from the mountains for help.
8. An elephant who is afraid of being noticed.

Space and science-fiction ideas (ages 9+)

1. Your new teacher is secretly an alien.
2. A robot wakes up and does not know who built it.
3. The first school on the Moon has its first day.
4. You can hear what plants are thinking.
5. A time machine that only goes back ten minutes.
6. An app that predicts tomorrow's news.
7. The last tree on a future Earth.
8. A spaceship lands in your school playground.

Pakistan-inspired ideas (ages 7+)

1. A truck art painting comes to life on the motorway.
2. A wish made at the Badshahi Mosque gardens comes true in a strange way.
3. A kite fight on Basant decides a family argument.
4. A lost sheep on the eve of Eid.
5. A rickshaw driver who can see the future.
6. A trip to the northern areas where the clouds can talk.
7. Grandma's recipe book holds a family secret.
8. Load-shedding night: what happens when the lights go out.
9. A new friend at school who has just moved from another city.

Ages and length

Want structured feedback on your child's writing? See Creative Writing for ages 8 to 10, ages 11 to 14 and Tales and Telling, or read how to build a reading habit in kids.

Frequently asked questions

What are good story ideas for kids?
Ideas that combine a character, a place and a problem in one line work best, such as a shy dragon giving a school speech or a map falling out of a library book.

How do I help my child start writing a story?
Give a prompt, then ask three questions: who is the character, what do they want, and what goes wrong? Planning in a six-panel strip story first also helps reluctant writers.

How long should a story be for a 7-year-old?
About 5 to 10 sentences with a clear beginning, middle and end is plenty at that age.

Are these writing prompts free to use?
Yes. Use them at home or in class. Many teachers print the list and let children choose.

What makes a story interesting for children?
A character who wants something, a problem that gets worse before it gets better, and an ending where something has changed.

Written by the Learning Bubble teaching team. If something here does not match your situation, ask us. We would rather give you a straight answer than have you guess.