Kindergarten Writing Prompts

Sure, a Kindergartner may just have learned to write his name, but, believe it or not, he is ready for writing prompts! 

Learn the ins and outs of Kindergarten writing prompts.

Kindergarten Writing Prompts

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Why You Should Use Writing Prompts in Kindergarten

I know what you’re thinking, “Kindergartners are a little young for writing prompts, aren’t they?

After all, they are in the early stages of handwriting instruction.”  

Let me convince you.

The subject of writing is more than pencil strokes and mechanics. 

Writing is composition, which is communicating your ideas to others. 

Kindergartners are not too young for that!

How to Adapt Writing Prompts for Kindergarten

Kindergarten writing prompts look different from writing prompts for older grades because we accept several forms of expression: verbal, written, or artistic. 

Yes, some precocious Kindergartners may be ready to write full sentences (and even short stories), but all are ready to express their ideas in a coherent way.

Consider these three ways for a Kindergartner to complete a writing prompt:

Method 1: The Child Writes

This is the traditional idea of a writing prompt. 

The Kindergartner writes a short response to the prompt (typically 1-3 sentences).

Method 2: The Teacher Writes

This is a wonderful alternative to the first method, as it frees up the child’s mind to focus on the task of composition. 

The child composes the sentence and dictates it to the teacher to write. 

The teacher can point out the correct mechanics like beginning with a capital letter and ending with a punctuation mark.

Method 3: The Child Draws

The child can respond to a writing prompt with a drawing. 

This way she has a chance to process her ideas. 

She can then verbally explain the drawing or dictate the explanation to the teacher to write.

Method 4: Fill in the Blank

This method allows the child to think of his answer but not have to write a full sentence. 

He need only supply a word or phrase. 

The mechanics of the sentence (the beginning capital letter and ending punctuation) are already included.

Kindergarten Writing Prompts

Writing Prompt Ideas for Kindergarten

The keys to a successful Kindergarten writing prompt are that the prompt must be a) simple and b) engaging. 

You want the child to enjoy pondering the prompt, but you also want a response that the child can write or dictate easily.  

Here are some prompts to try:

Fill-In-the-Blank Prompts

  • My favorite dessert is ____.
  • If I could be an animal, I would be a ____.
  • My hero is ____.
  • My favorite hobby is ____.
  • When I grow up, I want to be a _____.

Would You Rather Prompts

  • Would you rather be able to fly or breathe underwater?
  • Would you rather eat only chocolate or eat only waffles for a day?
  • Would you rather go sledding or build a snowman?
  • Would you rather collect seashells or crabs?
  • Would you rather sleep in a hammock or in a spaceship?

For more Would You Rather prompts, search this site.  We have oodles!

Short Response Prompts

  • Describe your pet.
  • Tell me about your favorite meal.
  • Who are the people in your family?
  • What do you like to do on Saturday?
  • Tell me about something soft.
  • Tell me about something sweet.
Kindergarten Writing Prompts

Writing Prompts for Kindergartners

Writing prompts for Kindergartners are a little different from the traditional prompt, but they serve the same purpose. 

They help train the child to organize his thoughts and express his ideas clearly. 

Even pre-writers can benefit from working on the task of composition. 

They will be happy to write/draw/explain with these fun Kindergarten writing prompt ideas!

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