• Skip to main content

Use promo code: SJT15OFF to take an extra 15% off your first purchase!

Susan Jones Teaching

Teaching Resources

Writing Personal Narratives in 1st Grade: A Week of Lessons!

Susan Jones March 24, 2020 9 Comments

This post may contain affiliate ads at no cost to you. See my disclosures for more information.

Do you need any help teaching personal narratives to your kindergarten, first grade or second-grade students?!

While many parents and teachers are embarking on this new adventure of E-learning or learning from home, I wanted to help out in a way that will provide some relief to both busy teachers and busy parents.

To do this, I decided to create a quick YouTube mini-series titled, “ Learn at Home with Mrs. Jones .”

Within this series, I am releasing videos that are meant to instruct K-2 students. I offer a mini-lesson in each video and share a read aloud, math activity, or writing lesson. Today, I wanted to talk about the writing lessons I filmed.

Writing Personal Narratives: 5 part mini-series

Within this 5 video playlist , I included a video for brainstorming, planning, adding illustrations, adding words, adding the details, editing, and publishing! We essentially walk through the entire writing process in a simple, easy-to-follow format.

These videos and lessons were made for teachers to be able to send home directly to their K-2 students and parents to complete the steps on their own time!

Here is a peek at each video:

In this first video, I walk students through how to brainstorm some different topics for a personal narrative, narrow down on one, and plan out their narrative with the strategy “Say & Sketch.”

The second video is all about the illustrations. We take our “Say & Sketch” sheet and stretch our illustrations across 3 pages. We also add some transition words.

After we stretch our illustrations, it is time to add some words to our writing! I share a simple strategy I use to get students’ ideas out of their brains and onto some paper.

Now, we need to add some details. In video 4, I share a couple of different ways to add more information to our stories and make them more interesting!

Lastly, we must edit and publish! I walk students through an editing checklist and have them create a cover page for their story before they go ahead and read their story to others!

You can either click on each video individually or you can see the whole playlist in order here:

WRITING PERSONAL NARRATIVES: VIDEO LESSONS

personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

Pin to save for later:

Teach your first grade students how to write personal narratives with these 5 easy steps. There are 5 video lessons directed towards students with modeled strategies to get your students working through the writing process from brainstorming through publishing.

You may also enjoy these posts...

personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

Reader Interactions

' src=

March 31, 2020 at 1:47 pm

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! You are saving my life right now with your writing lesson that extends 5 days. It has been a great help guiding me to make my own video. I know you are swamped but if you want a request can you please make more of these for guidance during these hard times teaching distance learning. We are moving into fiction writing soon.

Thanks for your guidance and sharing your talent!! Lisa Schovajsa

' src=

April 3, 2020 at 3:02 pm

Thank you for this, this is awesome and my students will love it. I appreciate you making these for us to share!

' src=

April 14, 2020 at 7:00 pm

Thank you so much for these videos! My first-grade daughter is following along and loving it!

however, we cannot find downloadable files for the circle-map and Say & Sketch templates. The links did not populate in the description area of your YouTube videos. Can you please advise how to locate or can you include here?

' src=

April 17, 2020 at 12:56 pm

Hi Judy! When looking at the YT videos for the links, I think you have to actually head to the YouTube platform to see the description of the video. If this links don’t show, you will press the down arrow next to my video title or press “show more” and the rest of the description should show up for you to access everything!

Here are the links for those 2 videos: CIRCLE MAP: http://bit.ly/SJcirclemap SAY & SKETCH SHEET: http://bit.ly/SJsaynsketch

' src=

April 21, 2020 at 9:26 am

Thank you so very much for sharing your amazing videos. They are such a great help during these unprecedented times,especially for a Luddite like me!!! They have taken all the stress out my teaching life. Thank you again.

' src=

May 13, 2020 at 7:41 pm

What a wonderful teacher you are! I feel very lucky to be able to share your awesome lessons with my students during Distance Learning! Thank you so much!

' src=

August 29, 2020 at 12:08 am

Hi there! I am obsessed with these writing videos! I teach first grade and have been trying to wrap my head around teaching my lesson virtually. I am totally following your lead! How can I get the first, next and last rectangular box page? Thanks, Alex

' src=

March 6, 2022 at 9:52 pm

Thank you soo much! I am new to grade 2 and trying to figure out how to teach personal narratives to my students after 2 years of very little writing due to the Pandemic. Your videos were fantastic and so helpful. Thank you for sharing! Elizabeth D.

' src=

November 5, 2022 at 10:37 am

Love this!!

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

Free CVC Word Mapping Mats

Sign up for my free email newsletter and receive these free CVC Word Mapping Mats to help with your next lesson plan!

Hot in the shop!

Whether it’s writing, math, or literacy resources you’re looking for...we’ve got you covered over in the shop.

personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

Number Sense Activities (0-20)

personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

All About Me Activities for Back to School

personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

Math Games for 1st Grade: Print, Play, LEARN!

personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

Interactive Read Aloud Lessons For The Year | Distance Learning

personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

Decodable Phonics Comprehension Passages (BUNDLE) | DIGITAL & PRINTABLE

personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

Blending Cards for a Phonics Blending Drill

personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

Sentence Writing Activities & Lessons: PRINTABLE & DIGITAL (Seesaw & Google)

personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

Hello Friends!

Welcome to Susan Jones Teaching. When it comes to the primary grades, learning *All Things* in the K-2 world has been my passion for many years! I just finished my M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction and love sharing all the latest and greatest strategies I learn with you through this blog and my YouTube channel! I hope you'll enjoy learning along with me :)

More About Me

  • Grades 6-12
  • School Leaders

Get your free 2024 Leap Year worksheets 🐰!

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

I’m excited to learn about …

Four printed note cards of first grade writing prompts.

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_______.

personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

2. I’m proud of myself when_____.

personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

3. To be a friend you must_____.

personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

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

personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

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

personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

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

personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

7. What would you put in a treasure chest?

personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

8. This is how you make a sandwich.

personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

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

personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

10. My favorite color is ____ because_____.

personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

11. I’m excited to learn about _____. 

personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

12. Who is the funniest person you know?

personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

13. If I could fly, I would go_____.

personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

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

personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

15. I’m really good at_____.

personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

16. Listening is really important because_____.

personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

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

personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

18. List five things you know about bugs.

personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

19. What is your favorite sport? Why?

personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

20. I like to read books about_____.

personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

21. My favorite art activity is_____.

personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

22. One thing I find very interesting is_____.

personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

23. I am different because_____.

personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

24. When I am by myself I like to_____.

personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

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

personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

Get My First Grade Writing Prompts

Love these first grade writing prompts? Make sure to check out our first grade jokes to start the day !

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

You Might Also Like

Student coloring Kind to the Core page

Kind to the Core: Get Our Free Bundle of Kindness Worksheets

Poetry, coloring, friendship stones, and more! Continue Reading

Copyright © 2023. All rights reserved. 5335 Gate Parkway, Jacksonville, FL 32256

Search the blog

Input your search keywords and press Enter.

Vibrant Teaching

Vibrant Teaching

Teaching Resources Creator and Blogger

20 Prompts for Narrative Writing That Spark Creativity

prompt-for-narrative-writing

Using prompts for narrative writing motivates kids and gets them excited to write. Read on to learn more about narrative writing, mentor texts, ideas, and assessments. Plus you will find 20 fun prompts for narrative and personal narrative writing. These will be sure to spark student’s creativity and imagination!

What’s Narrative Writing?

Narrative writing tells a story using a beginning, middle, and end.  It includes elements such as characters, setting, problem, and solution.  The author’s purpose is usually to entertain or teach a lesson.  Narrative writing can be fact or fiction but the process is the same.  When it’s a real story from the author’s life, it is considered a personal narrative.  

Examples for Narrative Writing

There are so many wonderful examples of narrative writing.  Some are even written as personal narratives.  Below you will find a list of mentor texts for elementary school.  It’s helpful to immerse students in the genre before and during a narrative writing unit.  These books model different strategies that kids can try in their writing.

Narrative Writing Mentor Texts:

  • Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
  • Come on, Rain! by Karen Hesse
  • Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts
  • Fireflies! by Julie Brinckloe
  • Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems
  • Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall
  • Enemy Pie by Derek Munson
  • Blackout by John Rocco

what-are-prompts-in-writing

Narrative Writing Teaching

There are many features to include in narrative writing, but it depends on the grade level being taught.  For the lower grades, it’s important to start with the concept of beginning, middle, and end written in sequential order.  Then you can expand to the introduction, body, and conclusion using details.  Other important elements are character, setting, problem, and solution.  As the student’s abilities increase the number of sentences will grow and expand to paragraphs.

For the older grades, you can introduce plot structure.  It follows the beginning, middle, and end format but on a higher level.  This story arc includes exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.  Use the diagram below to see how these features overlap.

Plot Structure

diagram-of-plot-structure

Topics for Narrative Writing

The possibilities are endless when it comes to narrative writing ideas.  Kids can create a fiction piece or write about an experience in their life.  Check out some writing prompt ideas below for narrative and personal narrative writing. You might also like this blog post about opinion writing prompts: 20 Prompts for Opinion Writing That Motivate Kids

Writing Prompts for Narratives

  • I was taking my friend’s picture in front of the volcano when all of a sudden . . .  
  • What if you were given 3 wishes but couldn’t use them on yourself.  Tell a story about what you would wish for and why.
  • Write a story called, “The Luckiest Day of My Life.”
  • Imagine you went to the zoo and could take home any animal for the day.  Tell a story about your time together.
  • Write a silly story that uses these words: airplane, grapes, elephant, and book.
  • You have just been shrunk down to the size of an ant.  Write a story including the good and bad things about being so small.
  • Think about your favorite character from a book.  Tell a story about getting to meet them for the first time.
  • What would happen if you lived during a time when there was no electricity?  Write a story about your school day.
  • Finish this story: The pirates set sail on their ship in search of . . .
  • Suppose you were teacher for a day.  Write a story about the changes you would make.

prompt-for-narrative-writing

Writing Prompts for Personal Narratives

  • Have you ever been so proud of yourself for learning something new?  Write a story about a time this happened.
  • Write a story about a time you felt your heart race.  What happened and how were you feeling at the end?
  • What was your most memorable vacation?  Tell a story from part of that trip and why it stands out in your mind.
  • Have you ever done something you knew would get you in big trouble?  Write a story about a time this happened and how you felt about it.
  • Write a story about the strangest thing that has ever happened to you.  Why was it so unusual?
  • What was your most memorable moment from this year?  Write a story telling why it’s so special.
  • Tell a story about a time when you were so excited and couldn’t wait for an event to happen.
  • Write a small moment story about a time you had with your favorite person.
  • Write about a time that you lost something important.  Tell whether or not you found it.
  • Think about the worst day you ever had.  What made it so terrible and did it get better by the end?

prompt-for-narrative-writing

Rubrics for Narrative Writing

I often hear from teachers that one of the most difficult parts of teaching writing is how to assess it.  Assessments should be accurate and helpful for both the student and teacher.  When it comes to narrative writing, there are many different approaches.  Some teachers prefer to do a more informal assessment for daily writing pieces and then a formal assessment for the final copy.  Informal assessments can be completed with written comments or student-teacher conferences.

It would be very difficult to use a rubric for every narrative writing a student completes in their notebook.  Instead, most teachers prefer to choose one to three writing pieces to assess with a rubric.  These assessments are ideal for benchmarks, progress reports, and report cards.  Below you will find three types of narrative writing rubrics.  Check out this blog post to learn more about student-friendly, teacher-friendly, and time-saving rubrics: 3 Types of Writing Rubrics for Effective Assessments

writing-rubrics-2nd-grade

Narrative writing enables kids to be creative and use their imagination. They can write a fiction story or about a real event from their life. Writing prompts are a helpful tool to get kids engaged and ready to get started. Did you grab your Free Writing Prompt Guide yet? I love using prompts for morning work, writing time, centers, or as a homework assignment. The possibilities are endless! Be sure to try these prompts for narrative writing with your students!

Genre Based Prompts

prompt-for-narrative-writing

Related Articles:

  • 20 Prompts for Opinion Writing That Motivate Kids
  • What is Narrative Writing
  • A Complete Guide to Narrative Writing
  • Personal Narrative Writing for Elementary School
  • Narrative Writing: How to Teach a Story Arc That’s as Exciting as a Roller Coaster

'  data-srcset=

Angela Sutton

Related posts.

back-to-school-writing

Back to School Writing Ideas for Kids

what-are-writing-prompts-blog

What are Writing Prompts? A Helpful Guide for Teachers

writing-rubrics

3 Types of Writing Rubrics for Effective Assessments

No comments, leave a reply cancel reply.

I accept the Privacy Policy

personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

I specialize in helping elementary teachers with writing resources, tips, and ideas. My goal is to save teachers time and energy so they can be vibrant inside and outside of the classroom! Read More

SEARCH THE BLOG

Subscribe to our mailing list.

Get the news right in your inbox!

Health and Wellness

  • Math for Kids
  • Parenting Resources
  • ELA for Kids
  • Teaching Resources

SplashLearn Blog

10 Best Strategies for Solving Math Word Problems

5 Easy Tips & Tricks to Learn the 13 Time Table for Kids

How to Teach Number Sense to Kids: Step-by-Step Guide

How to Teach Decimals: A Step-by-Step Guide

How to Teach Fraction to Kids – 11 Best Activities

How to Choose Best School For Your Kid: 12 Best Tips

Why Kids Get Bored at School: 10 Tips to Keep Them Interested

11 Best Writing Apps for Kids

Homeschool vs Public School: 12 Tips on How to Choose One

15 Essential Life Skills Activities for Kids: Beyond ABCs

50 Best Persuasive Essay Topics for Kids: Inspire & Persuade

20 Animals That Start with “U”

70+ Easy Opposite Words for Kids in 2024

12 Animals that Start with K

12 Animals That Start With ‘E’: From Elephants to Eels

25 Best Websites for Teachers

10 Best Lesson Planning Apps for Teachers

15 Best Literacy Strategies for Teachers to Use in the Classroom

How to teach 4th Grade Kids: 25 Best Tricks & Tips

How to Teach Addition to Kids: From Counting to Calculating

100 Fun Writing Prompts for 1st Grade: Journal Prompts

Child writing 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.

SplashLearn: Most Comprehensive Learning Program for PreK-5

Product logo

SplashLearn inspires lifelong curiosity with its game-based PreK-5 learning program loved by over 40 million children. With over 4,000 fun games and activities, it’s the perfect balance of learning and play for your little one.

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

10 Narrative Writing Prompts

1st grade child writing assignment

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

Child following writing prompt assignment

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

Child writing research writing prompt

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

1st grader completing writing worksheet

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

Child focusing on journaling assignment

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

First grader writing journal prompt

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

Child completing a writing assignment

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

Children practicing emotional writing prompts together

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

Child practicing writing skills

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

Child writing about her favorite day

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

Child writing journal prompts for improved writing

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

Kids writing journal prompts

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.

personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

15 Best Empathy Activities for Kids to Foster Kindness

13 Best Black History Month Activities for Kids

24 Best Sensory Activities for Preschoolers

Preschool

Most Popular

A working mom and her daughter in the bedroom, Mom is working while daughter is playing with her toys.

101 Best Riddles for Kids (With Explanation)

personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

15 Best Report Card Comments Samples

Good vibes quotes by SplashLearn

40 Best Good Vibes Quotes to Brighten Your Day

Recent posts.

Persuasive writing description

40 Top Back to School Quotes to Get Kids & Teachers...

Online education depiction

Math & ELA | PreK To Grade 5

Kids see fun., you see real learning outcomes..

Watch your kids fall in love with math & reading through our scientifically designed curriculum.

Parents, try for free Teachers, use for free

Banner Image

  • Games for Kids
  • Worksheets for Kids
  • Math Worksheets
  • ELA Worksheets
  • Math Vocabulary
  • Number Games
  • Addition Games
  • Subtraction Games
  • Multiplication Games
  • Division Games
  • Addition Worksheets
  • Subtraction Worksheets
  • Multiplication Worksheets
  • Division Worksheets
  • Times Tables Worksheets
  • Reading Games
  • Writing Games
  • Phonics Games
  • Sight Words Games
  • Letter Tracing Games
  • Reading Worksheets
  • Writing Worksheets
  • Phonics Worksheets
  • Sight Words Worksheets
  • Letter Tracing Worksheets
  • Prime Number
  • Order of Operations
  • Long multiplication
  • Place value
  • Parallelogram
  • SplashLearn Success Stories
  • SplashLearn Apps
  • [email protected]

© Copyright - SplashLearn

  • Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

student opinion

550 Prompts for Narrative and Personal Writing

Questions that invite students to tell stories, describe memories, make observations, imagine possibilities, and reflect on who they are and what they believe.

personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

By The Learning Network

Update, Sept. 9, 2022: We published a new collection of 445 narrative and personal writing prompts.

We’ve been posting fresh writing prompts every school day for over a decade now, and every so often we create a themed collection like this one to help you find what you need all in one place.

This fall, in honor of our new narrative-writing unit and our first-ever Personal Narrative Essay Contest for teenagers, we’ve rounded up 550 evergreen questions on everything from family, friendships and growing up to gender, spirituality, money, school, sports, social media, travel, dating, food, health and more. (They’re also all available here as a PDF .)

We hope they’ll inspire you, whether you’re entering our related contest or just want to improve your writing skills. Like all our Student Opinion questions , each links to a related Times article, which is free to read if you access it from our site.

So dive in and pick the questions that most inspire you to tell an interesting story, describe a memorable event, observe the details in your world, imagine a possibility, or reflect on who you are and what you believe.

Overcoming Adversity

1. How Resilient Are You? 2. What Do You Do When You Encounter Obstacles to Success? 3. When Have You Failed? What Did You Learn From It? 4. Have You Ever Felt Like an Outsider? 5. What Are Your Secret Survival Strategies? 6. When Have You Reinvented Yourself? 7. How Often Do You Leave Your ‘Comfort Zone’? 8. When Was the Last Time You Did Something That Scared or Challenged You? 9. How Do You Handle Fear? 10. What Do You Gain From Pursuing Something You Do Really, Really Badly? 11. Do You Give Yourself Enough Credit for Your Own Successes? 12. How Often Do You Cry? 13. How Do You Cope With Grief? 14. How Have You Handled Being the ‘New Kid’? 15. How Do You Deal With Haters? 16. How Do You React When Provoked? 17. Does Stress Affect Your Ability to Make Good Decisions? 18. Are You Too Hard on Yourself? 19. How Do You Find Peace in Your Life? 20. Does Your Life Leave You Enough Time to Relax? 21. What Did You Once Hate but Now Like? 22. Do Adults Who Are ‘Only Trying to Help’ Sometimes Make Things Worse? 23. How Well Do You Take Criticism?

Your Personality

24. What Motivates You? 25. What Makes You Happy? 26. What Are You Good At? 27. How Do You Deal With Boredom? 28. Do You Like Being Alone? 29. How Full Is Your Glass? 30. Do You Have a Hard Time Making Decisions? 31. How Much Self-Control Do You Have? 32. Are You a Patient Person? 33. How Well Do Rewards and Incentives Work to Motivate You? 34. How Productive and Organized Are You? 35. Under What Conditions Do You Do Your Best Work? 36. How Do You Express Yourself Creatively? 37. Do You Hold Grudges? 38. How Good Are You at Judging Your Own Talents? 39. How Emotionally Intelligent Are You? 40. Do You Take More Risks When You Are Around Your Friends? 41. Are You a Procrastinator? 42. What Role Does Envy Play in Your Life? 43. How Much of a Daredevil Are You? 44. Are You a Perfectionist? 45. How Impulsive Are You? 46. Are You a Novelty-Seeker? 47. What Annoys You? 48. Do You Apologize Too Much? 49. What Animal Are You Most Like? 50. How Materialistic Are You? 51. How Easy — or Hard — Is It for You to Say No When You Want To? 52. Are You a Hoarder or a Minimalist? 53. Are You an Introvert or an Extrovert? 54. Are You Popular, Quirky or Conformist? 55. How Good Is Your Sense of Direction? 56. How Competitive Are You? 57. What Assumptions Do People Make About You? 58. Are You More of a Leader or a Follower?

59. What Are Your Hobbies? 60. What Are Your Passions? 61. What Would You Choose to Do If You Had Unlimited Free Time and No Restrictions? 62. Are There Activities You Used to Love That Are Now So Competitive They’re Not Fun Anymore? 63. What Activities Make You Feel Most Alive? 64. What Do You Collect? 65. What Work, Sport or Pastime Do You Like to Do at Night?

66. Do You Wish You Had a Different Morning Routine? 67. What Ordinary Moments Would You Include in a Video About Your Life? 68. What Are Your Best ‘Life Hacks’? 69. Do You Spend Enough Time With Other People? 70. How Do You Greet Your Friends and Family? 71. How Do You Remember What You Need to Remember? 72. What’s Your Sunday Routine? 73. How Often Do You Talk to Yourself? 74. When and For What Reasons Do You Seek Silence? 75. What Habits Do You Have, and Have You Ever Tried to Change Them? 76. What Small Things Have You Seen and Taken Note Of Today? 77. What Are the Sounds That Make Up the Background Noise in Your Life? 78. What Sounds Annoy You? 79. What Public Behavior Annoys You Most? 80. What Are Some Recent Moments of Happiness in Your Life? 81. What Are You Grateful For?

Role Models

82. What Heroic Acts Have You Performed or Witnessed? 83. What Are Some ‘Words of Wisdom’ That Guide Your Life? 84. Who Outside Your Family Has Made a Difference in Your Life? 85. What Does the World Need to Know About an Important Person in Your Life? 86. To Whom, or What, Would You Like to Write a Thank-You Note? 87. What Does Dr. King’s Legacy Mean to You? 88. What Six People, Living or Dead, Would You Invite to Dinner? 89. Who’s Your ‘Outsider Role Model’?

90. How Do You Define ‘Family’? 91. What Events Have Brought You Closer to Your Family? 92. What Have You and Your Family Accomplished Together? 93. What Is Your Relationship With Your Siblings Like? 94. Have You Ever Felt Pressured by Family or Others in Making an Important Decision About Your Future? 95. What Possessions Does Your Family Treasure? 96. What Hobbies Have Been Passed Down in Your Family? 97. What’s the Story Behind Your Name? 98. How Have You Paid Tribute to Loved Ones? 99. What Family Traditions Do You Want to Carry On When You Get Older? 100. Did Your Parents Have a Life Before They Had Kids? 101. How Much Do You Know About Your Family’s History? 102. Where Would You Visit To Find Out More About Your Family’s Past?

Parents & Parenting

103. How Close Are You to Your Parents? 104. How Are You and Your Parents Alike and Different? 105. How Much Freedom Have Your Parents Given You? 106. Do You Push Your Parents’ Buttons? 107. How Often Do You Fight With Your Parents? 108. Are Your Parents Addicted to Their Phones? 109. Is Your Family Stressed, Tired and Rushed? 110. How Do You Get What You Want From Your Parents? 111. Do You Ever Feel Embarrassed by Your Parents? 112. Do Your Parents Try Too Hard to Be Cool? 113. Do Your Parents Support Your Learning? 114. Do Your Parents Yell at You? 115. Do You Want Your Parents to Stop Asking You ‘How Was School?’ 116. How Much Do Your Parents Help With Your Homework? 117. How Has Your Family Helped or Hindered Your Transition to a New School? 118. Have Your Parents and Teachers Given You Room to Create? 119. Are You Conforming to or Rebelling Against Your Parents’ Wishes for You? 120. What Advice Do You Have for Teenagers and Their Parents? 121. Do Your Parents Spy on You?

Your Neighborhood

122. What’s Special About Your Hometown? 123. Who Are the ‘Characters’ That Make Your Town Interesting? 124. What Marketing Slogan Would You Use for Your Town or City? 125. After Home and School, Where Do You Find the Strongest Feeling of Community? 126. What Do the Types of Dogs in Your Neighborhood Say About Where You Live? 127. Who Is the ‘Mayor’ of Your School or Neighborhood? 128. How Much Does Your Neighborhood Define Who You Are? 129. What ‘Urban Legends’ Are There About Places in Your Area? 130. Do You Know Your Way Around Your City or Town? 131. How Well Do You Know Your Neighbors? 132. What Is Your Favorite Place? 133. What’s Your Favorite Neighborhood Joint? 134. What Is Your Favorite Street? 135. Do You Hang Out in the Park? 136. What Buildings Do You Love? What Buildings Do You Hate? 137. Have You Ever Interacted With the Police? 138. What Ideas Do You Have for Enhancing Your Community? 139. Where Do You Think You Will Live When You Are an Adult? 140. Would You Most Want to Live in a City, a Suburb or the Country?

141. What is Your Favorite Place in Your House? 142. Do You Wish You Had the Go-to House? 143. Do You Need to De-Clutter Your Life? 144. Do You Plan on Saving Any of Your Belongings for the Future? 145. Is Your Bedroom a Nightmare? 146. What Would You Grab in a Fire? 147. Do You Think You Might Like Communal Living When You’re an Adult? 148. Who Lived Long Ago Where You Live Now? 149. What Would Your Dream Home Be Like? 150. What City or Town Most Captures Your Imagination?

Childhood Memories

151. What Was Your Most Precious Childhood Possession? 152. What Objects Tell the Story of Your Life? 153. Have You Ever Given, or Received, a Perfect Gift? 154. What Were Your Favorite Picture Books When You Were Little? 155. What’s the Best Party You’ve Ever Been To? 156. What Places Do You Remember Fondly From Childhood? 157. What Food or Flavor Do You Remember Tasting for the First Time? 158. What Do You Wish You Could See, Hear, Read or Experience for the First Time All Over Again? 159. Have You Ever Felt Embarrassed by Things You Used to Like? 160. Do You Wish You Could Return to Moments From Your Past? 161. Was There a Toy You Wanted as a Child but Never Got? 162. What Childhood Rules Did You Break? 163. What Is the Most Memorable Thing You Have Ever Lost or Found? 164. What Is Your Earliest Memory? 165. What Nicknames Have You Ever Gotten or Given? 166. What Are Your Best Sleepover Memories? 167. What Old, Worn Out Thing Can You Just Not Part With? 168. What Is Your Most Prized Possession?

169. What Have You Learned in Your Teens? 170. What Rites of Passage Mark the Transition to Adulthood in Your Community? 171. What Letter of Inspiration Would You Write to Your Younger Self? 172. Do You Hate When Adults Ask You What You Want to Be When You Grow Up? 173. Do You Look Forward to Old Age? 174. What Can Older People Learn From Your Generation? 175. What Have You Learned From Older People? 176. What Advice Do You Have for Younger Students? 177. Do You Recognize Yourself in Descriptions of ‘Generation Z’? 178. Do Other People Care Too Much About Your Post-High School Plans? 179. Do You Have ‘Emerging Adult’ Skills? 180. What Do Older Generations Misunderstand About Teenagers Today? 181. What Have You Learned From a Younger Person — and What Have You Taught An Older Person? 182. What Legacy Do You Want to Leave Behind?

Morality & Ethics

183. What Ethical Dilemmas Have You Faced? 184. Have You Ever Taken a Stand That Isolated You From Your Peers? 185. Have You Ever Donated Your Time, Talents, Possessions or Money to Support Anyone in Need? 186. What Acts of Kindness Have You Witnessed or Participated In? 187. Have You Ever ‘Paid It Forward’? 188. How Would You Like to Help Our World? 189. What Would You Invent to Make the World a Better Place? 190. What Would You Risk Your Life For? 191. How Trustworthy Are You? 192. How Comfortable Are You With Lying? 193. When Do You Lie? 194. Have You Ever Lied to Your Parents or Done Something Behind Their Backs? 195. If You Drink or Use Drugs, Do Your Parents Know? 196. Have You Ever Taken Something You Weren’t Supposed To? 197. Do You Ever Eavesdrop? 198. Do You Know How to Say ‘I’m Sorry?’

Religion, Spirituality & Beliefs

199. What Is the Role of Religion or Spirituality in Your Life? 200. How Often Do You Start Conversations about Faith or Spirituality? 201. Do You Believe That Everything Happens for a Reason? 202. How Much Control Do You Think You Have Over Your Fate? 203. Can You Be Good Without God? 204. Can You Pass a Basic Religion Test? 205. What Can You Learn From Other Religions? 206. What Legends and Myths Do You Believe In? 207. Do You Believe in Astrology? 208. Do You Believe in Ghosts?

Gender, Race & Sexuality

209. Do You Feel Constricted by Gender Norms? 210. Do Parents Have Different Hopes and Standards for Their Sons Than for Their Daughters? 211. Have You Ever Been Told You Couldn’t Do Something Because of Your Gender? 212. Is There Too Much Pressure on Girls to Have ‘Perfect’ Bodies? 213. How Much Pressure Do Boys Face to Have the Perfect Body? 214. What Experiences Have You Had With Gender Bias in School? 215. What Does it Mean to Be ‘a Real Man’? 216. What Have You Learned From the Women in Your Life? 217. What Messages About Gender Have You Gotten From Music? 218. How Do You Feel About Being Told to Smile? 219. Have You Ever Tried to Hide Your Racial or Ethnic Identity? 220. Do You Ever Talk About Issues of Race and Class With Your Friends? 221. Have You Experienced Racism or Other Kinds of Discrimination in School? 222. What Has Your Sex Education Been Like?

Money & Social Class

223. What Are Your Attitudes Toward Money? 224. Are You a Saver or a Spender? 225. What Have Your Parents Taught You About Money? 226. Do You Expect Your Parents to Give You Money? 227. How Important a Role Has Money, Work or Social Class Played in Your Life? 228. Do You See Great Disparities of Wealth in Your Community? 229. Can Money Buy You Happiness? 230. What Are the Best Things in Life and Are They Free? 231. What Are Your Expectations About Earning, Saving and Spending Money? 232. How Much Financial Help Do You Expect From Your Parents in the Future? 233. What Choices Do You Make About Money Every Day?

234. Are You Distracted by Technology? 235. Are You Distracted by Your Phone? 236. Are You ‘Addicted’ to Texting? 237. Do Screens Get in the Way of the Rest of Your Life? 238. Do You Experience FOMO When You Unplug? 239. Could You Go a Year Without a Smartphone? 240. Is Your Phone Love Hurting Your Relationships? 241. How Much of Your Day is Voluntarily Spent Screen-Free? 242. To What Piece of Technology Would You Write a ‘Love Letter’?

The Internet

243. How Do You Know if What You Read Online Is True? 244. How Much Do You Trust Online Reviews? 245. What Has YouTube Taught You? 246. What Would You Teach the World in an Online Video? 247. Do You Worry About Your Digital Privacy? 248. Do You Listen to Podcasts? 249. Would You Share an Embarrassing Story Online? 250. Do You Leave Funny Comments Online? 251. What Are Your Experiences With Internet-Based Urban Legends? 252. How Do You Use Wikipedia? 253. Have You Ever Been Scammed? 254. Whom Would You Share Your Passwords With? 255. Do You Ever Seek Advice on the Internet? 256. What Are Your Favorite Viral Videos?

Social Media

257. What Role Does Instagram Play in Your Life? 258. Do You Have ‘Instagram Envy’? 259. Do the Adults in Your Life Follow You on Social Media? 260. Have You Ever Gone to a Place for the Primary Purpose of Taking Selfies? 261. Who Is Your Favorite Social Media Star? 262. How Much Do You Trust the Celebrities and Social Media Stars You Follow? 263. Are You the Same Person on Social Media as You Are in Real Life? 264. What Memorable Experiences Have You Had on Facebook? 265. Why Do You Share Photos? 266. How Do You Archive Your Life? 267. Have You Ever Posted, Emailed or Texted Something You Wish You Could Take Back? 268. Have You Ever Sent an Odd Message Because of Auto-Correct? 269. Would You Want Your Photo or Video to Go Viral? 270. Do You Worry Colleges or Employers Might Read Your Social Media Posts Someday? 271. What Advice Do You Have for Younger Kids About Navigating Social Media?

272. What Are Your Earliest Memories of Music? 273. Who in Your Life Introduces You to New Music? 274. How Much Is Your Taste in Music Based on What Your Friends Like? 275. What Role Does Hip-Hop Play in Your Life? 276. What’s Your Karaoke Song? 277. How Closely Do You Listen to Lyrics? 278. What Is Your Favorite Musical Instrument? 279. What Would You Name Your Band?

Movies, Television & Video Games

280. What Have You Learned About Life From Watching Movies? 281. What Is Your Favorite Sports Movie? 282. Do You Like Horror Movies? 283. What Are Your Favorite TV Shows? 284. What Role Does Television Play in Your Life and the Life of Your Family? 285. What Stereotypical Characters Make You Cringe? 286. Have You Fallen Into ‘Friends’ or Any Other Older Television Shows? 287. How Much Are You Influenced by Advertising? 288. Do You Play Violent Video Games? 289. Who Are Your Opponents in Online Gaming? 290. What Classic Video Games Do You Still Enjoy Playing? 291. Are You a Fortnite Addict? 292. Do You Gamify Your Life?

Books & Reading

293. Read Any Good Books Lately? 294. What Books Do You Think Every Teenager Should Read? 295. What Role Have Books Played in Your Life? 296. Has a Novel Ever Helped You Understand Yourself or Your World Better? 297. Has a Book, Movie, Television Show, Song or Video Game Ever Inspired You to Do Something New? 298. What Book Would You Add to the High School Curriculum? 299. What Have You Learned from Comics? 300. Do You Read or Write Poetry? 301. What Is the Scariest Story You Have Ever Heard?

302. What Purpose Does Writing Serve in Your Life? 303. Do You Keep a Diary or Journal? 304. Do You Want to Write a Book? 305. When Do You Write by Hand? 306. Do You Write in Cursive? 307. Do You Write in Your Books? 308. What ‘Mundane Moments’ From Your Life Might Make Great Essay Material? 309. What Is Your Most Memorable Writing Assignment? 310. Do You Ever Write About Challenges You Face in Life? 311. What’s Your Favorite Joke? 312. If You Had a Column in The New York Times, What Would You Write About? 313. What Would You Write in a Letter to the Editor?

314. What Has Arts Education Done For You? 315. What Work of Art Has Changed Your Life? 316. What Are the Most Memorable Works of Visual Art You Have Seen? 317. Who Is Your Favorite Visual Artist? What Is Your Favorite Work of Art? 318. Which Photograph Stays In Your Memory? 319. What Would You Like to Learn to Make by Hand? 320. Are You Intimidated by Classical Music and Art? 321. Do You Love to Dance? 322. Have You Ever Performed for an Audience or Shared Creative Work With Others? 323. Have You Ever Stumbled Upon a Cool Public Performance? 324. What Show Do You Wish Your School Would Stage?

Language & Speech

325. What’s Your Favorite Word? 326. What Words Do You Hate? 327. Do You Say ‘Kind of, Sort of’ More Than You Realize? 328. What Makes a Great Conversation? 329. How Often Do You Have ‘Deep Discussions’? 330. Do You Wish Your Conversations Were Less Small Talk and More ‘Big Talk’? 331. How Much Information Is ‘Too Much Information’? 332. How Good Are You at Coming Up With Witty Comebacks? 333. Do You Sometimes ‘Hide’ Behind Irony? 334. How Good Is Your Grammar? 335. Do You Speak a Second, or Third, Language? 336. What Does Your Body Language Communicate?

337. Do You Like School? 338. Are You Stressed About School? 339. Are High School Students Being Worked Too Hard? 340. Would You Want to Go to a School Like This One? 341. How Much Do You Speak Up in School? 342. What ‘Pop-Up’ Classes Do You Wish Your School Offered? 343. Is Your School a Safe Learning Space? 344. Would You Want to Be Home-Schooled? 345. What Can Other Schools Learn — and Copy — From Your School? 346. What Do You Hope to Get Out of High School? 347. What Are Your Thoughts on Riding the School Bus? 348. Do You Feel Your School and Teachers Welcome Both Conservative and Liberal Points of View? 349. Do You Want to Be ‘Promposed’ To? 350. How Big a Problem Is Bullying or Cyberbullying in Your School or Community? 351. Can Students at Your School Talk Openly About Their Mental Health Issues? 352. What Career or Technical Classes Do You Wish Your School Offered?

Learning & Studying

353. Do You Have Too Much Homework? 354. Do You Need a Homework Therapist? 355. What’s the Most Challenging Assignment You’ve Ever Had? 356. Are You Afraid of Math? 357. How Would You Do on a Civics Test? 358. What Was Your Favorite Field Trip? 359. What Are Your Best Tips for Studying? 360. What Kind of Time Management Skills Are You Learning from the Adults in Your Life? 361. What Would You Like to Have Memorized?

362. What Do You Wish Your Teachers Knew About You? 363. When Has a Teacher Inspired You? 364. What Teacher Would You Like to Thank? 365. Have You Ever Been Humiliated by a Teacher? How Did it Affect You? 366. Have Your Teachers or Textbooks Ever Gotten It Wrong? 367. Does Your Teacher’s Identity Affect Your Learning? 368. Has a Teacher Ever Changed Your Mind-Set? 369. Do You Have a Tutor?

370. What Personal Essay Topic Would You Assign to College Applicants? 371. How Prepared Are You For College? How Well Do You Think You’ll Do? 372. What Worries You Most About the College Admissions Process? 373. What Worries Do You Have About College? 374. What Role Has Community College Played in Your Life or the Life of Someone You Know? 375. What Qualities Would You Look For in a College Roommate? 376. Would You Want to Take a Gap Year After High School? 377. Do You Intend to Study Abroad While You Are in College? 378. Are You Worried About the Rising Cost of Attending College? 379. Do You Want Your Parents to Live Nearby When You Go to College? 380. What Specialty College Would You Create?

Work & Careers

381. What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up? 382. Do You Have a Life Calling? 383. What’s Your Dream Job? 384. Would You Pursue a Career If You Knew You Likely Would Not Make Much Money? 385. What Jobs Are You Most Curious About? 386. Will You Follow in Your Parents’ Footsteps? 387. Would You Consider Moving Overseas for a Job? 388. Would You Want to Be a Teacher? 389. Would You Rather Work From Home or in an Office? 390. What ‘Back-to-the-Land’ Skills Do You Have, or Wish You Had? 391. What Skill Could You Teach in Two Minutes? 392. What Have You Made Yourself? 393. Do You Have an Idea for a Business or App? 394. How Did You Start Doing Something You Love? 395. Did You Ever Take a Break From Doing Something You Love? 396. Would You Quit if Your Values Did Not Match Your Employer’s? 397. Do Your Summer Plans Include Employment?

398. Do You Have Satisfying Friendships? 399. How Alike Are You and Your Friends? 400. Do You Have Any Unlikely Friendships? 401. Do You Like Your Friends? 402. Do You Have a Best Friend? 403. Have You Ever Been Left Out? 404. Do You Ever Feel Lonely? 405. How Often Do You Spend One-on-One Time With Your Closest Friends? 406. How Do You Feel About Introducing Friends from Different Parts of Your Life? 407. Do You Find It Easier to Make New Friends Online or In Person? 408. How Good a Friend Are You? 409. How Have You Helped a Friend in a Time of Need? 410. Is Competitiveness an Obstacle to Making or Keeping Friendships? 411. How Should You Handle the End of a Friendship?

412. Are You Allowed to Date? 413. Is Dating a Thing of the Past? 414. What Advice Would You Give to Somebody Who Just Started Dating? 415. How Do You Think Technology Affects Dating? 416. Have You Ever Been in Love? 417. How Much of a Romantic Are You? 418. Have You Ever Been Ghosted? 419. What’s the Best Way to Get Over a Breakup? 420. Would You Want to Be Proposed to on a Jumbotron? 421. If You Get Married Someday, Do You Think You Will Change Your Last Name?

Sports & Games

422. Why Do You Play Sports? 423. Have You Ever Learned Something From a Professional Athlete? 424. How Would You Change Your Favorite Sport? 425. Does Being a Fan Help Define Who You Are? 426. What Kinds of Games and Puzzles Do You Like? 427. What Are Your Favorite Board Games? 428. Are You a Good Driver?

429. Where Do You Want to Travel? 430. What Is Your Most Memorable Family Vacation? 431. How Would You Spend Your Ideal Family Vacation? 432. What Do You Think You Would Learn From Traveling to All 50 States? 433. What Would Your Fantasy Road Trip Be Like? 434. What Crazy Adventure Would You Want to Take? 435. What Local ‘Microadventures’ Would You Like to Go On? 436. How Has Travel Affected You? 437. What Kind of Tourist Are You? 438. What Are the Best Souvenirs You’ve Ever Collected While Traveling? 439. What Famous Landmarks Have You Visited? 440. What’s the Coolest Thing You’ve Ever Seen in Nature? 441. Would You Like to Live in Another Country? 442. If You Could Time-Travel, Where Would You Go?

Shopping, Looks & Fashion

443. What’s Your Favorite Store? 444. Could You Stop Shopping for an Entire Year? 445. Are You an Ethical Consumer? 446. Do Politics Ever Influence How or Where You Shop? 447. What Is Your All-Time Favorite Piece of Clothing? 448. Are You a Sneaker Head? 449. Do You Wear Clothes for the Logo? 450. Would You Like to Be a Fashion Model? 451. What’s Your Favorite T-Shirt? 452. What Does Your Hairstyle Say About You? 453. How Do You Feel About Your Body? 454. Have You Inherited Your Parents’ Attitudes Toward Their Looks? 455. What’s Your Favorite Room?

Exercise, Health & Sleep

456. What Rules Do You Have for Staying Healthy? 457. Do You Like to Exercise? 458. Do You Get Enough Exercise? 459. How Has Exercise Changed Your Health, Your Body or Your Life? 460. Do You Vape? 461. How Do You Get Your Nature Fix? 462. How Strong Is Your Sense of Smell? 463. What’s Your Favorite Mood Booster? 464. Do You Have Any Bad Health Habits? 465. Do You Learn Better After Moving Around? 466. How Often Do You Engage in ‘Fat Talk’? 467. Do You Pay Attention to Nutrition Labels on Food? 468. What Are Your ‘Food Rules’? 469. What Are Your Healthy Habits? 470. What Health Tips Have Worked for You? 471. What Are Your Sleep Habits? 472. Do You Get Enough Sleep?

Meals & Food

473. What Foods Bring Up Special Memories for You? 474. What Are the Most Memorable Meals You’ve Ever Had? 475. Are You Now, or Have You Ever Been, a Picky Eater? 476. What Foods Best Represent Your Hometown? 477. Have You Ever Experienced Food Insecurity? 478. What’s Your Favorite Holiday Food Memory? 479. What Convenience Foods Make You Happy? 480. How Do You Like Your Pizza? 481. What Are Your Favorite Junk Foods? 482. What’s Your Favorite Candy? 483. What’s Your Favorite Sandwich? 484. What Food Would You Like to Judge in a Taste-Off? 485. Do You Cook? 486. What Would You Most Like to Learn to Cook or Bake? 487. What Messages About Food and Eating Have You Learned From Your Family? 488. How Often Does Your Family Eat Together? 489. What Are Your Favorite Restaurants? 490. What Restaurant Would You Most Like to Review? 491. What Do You Eat During the School Day?

Holidays & Seasons

492. How Do You Celebrate Your Birthday? 493. How Much Scare Can You Handle in Your Halloween Entertainment? 494. Did You Take Part in Any Thanksgiving or Post-Holiday Traditions? 495. What Will You Talk About on Thanksgiving? 496. What Has Been Your Most Memorable Thanksgiving? 497. What Do You Look Forward to Most — and Least — During the Holiday Season? 498. What Are Your Tips for Enjoying the Holiday Season? 499. What Does Santa Claus Mean to You? 500. How Do You Fight the Winter Blues? 501. How Do You Feel About Valentine’s Day? 502. What Would Your Ideal Summer Camp Be Like? 503. What’s Your Favorite Summer Food? 504. Do You Choose Summer Activities to Look Good on Applications? 505. What’s the Most Memorable Thing That Happened to You This Summer?

Animals & Pets

506. What Are the Animals in Your Life? 507. What Have You Learned From Animals? 508. What’s Your Relationship Like With Your Pet? 509. What Are Your Thoughts on Cats? 510. Would You Want to Hang Out at a Cat Cafe? 511. How Do You Feel About the Spiders, Insects and Other Tiny Creatures in Your Home?

Environment

512. How Concerned Are You About Climate Change? 513. How Do You Try to Reduce Your Impact on the Environment? 514. Do You Ever Feel Guilty About What, or How Much, You Throw Away? 515. How Much Food Does Your Family Waste? 516. What Could You Live Without? 517. Would You Change Your Eating Habits to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint? 518. Could You Live ‘Plastic Free’?

History, Politics & Current Events

519. What Event in the Past Do You Wish You Could Have Witnessed? 520. What National or International Events That You Lived Through Do You Remember Best? 521. Is Your Online World Just a ‘Filter Bubble’ of People With the Same Opinions? 522. Do You Ever Get the ‘Bad News Blues’? 523. Have You Ever Changed Your Mind About a Hot-Button Issue? 524. What Do American Values Mean to You? 525. How Much Do You Know About the Rest of the World?

526. Would You Want to Live Forever? 527. Would You Want to Live a Life Without Ever Feeling Pain? 528. If You Had an Extra Billion Dollars, What Cause Would You Support With Your Philanthropy? 529. Are You Hopeful About the Future? 530. If the World Was Ending, What Would You Want to Say? 531. Would You Like to Be Famous? 532. Would You Like to Be Cryogenically Preserved (Frozen!) Upon Your Death? 533. Would You Like to Be a Farmer? 534. What Items Would You Place in a Time Capsule for Future Generations? 535. What Fantasy Invention Would You Want to Exist in Reality? 536. What Do You Want to Be Known for After Your Death? 537. Do You Like Your First Name? Would You Change It if You Could? 538. What Would You Do if You Won the Lottery? 539. What Era Do You Wish You Had Lived In? 540. Would You Want to Be a Child Prodigy? 541. What Kind of Robot Would You Want? 542. What Would You Outsource if You Could? 543. What Would You Like to Learn on Your Own? 544. What Would You Be Willing to Wait in a Really Long Line For? 545. Do You Want to Live to 100? 546. Given Unlimited Resources, What Scientific or Medical Problem Would You Investigate? 547. What Scientific Mysteries Do You Want Solved? 548. What Idea Do You Have That Is Ahead of Its Time? 549. How Would Your Life Be Different if You Had Better Listening Skills? 550. What Do You Want Your Obituary to Say?

Terrific Teaching Tactics

Make Learning Fun

First Grade Narrative Writing Prompts and Worksheets

First Grade Narrative Writing Prompts and Worksheets

These first grade narrative writing prompts and worksheets are perfect for writing lessons, writing centers, or writer’s workshop. Your 1st grade students will love these activities during literacy lessons. If you’re looking for a narrative writing lesson idea or narrative writing prompts, there are 30 pages of printables for you! These are for personal narratives and fictional narratives.

DIGITAL DOWNLOAD

Description

  • Reviews (0)

This 30 page first grade writing resource is a must-have for teaching narrative writing. If you want fun and engaging prompts for writing personal narratives, fictional stories, and recounts, then these writing prompts and worksheets are perfect for you!

This story writing resource has 25 prompts in 5 different worksheet styles, with 5 blank templates. This is no prep, simply print and go!

Note: These worksheets can be used for Kindergarten students, depending on their capabilities.

When/how to use these First Grade Narrative Writing Prompts:

  • Whole group writing lessons
  • Small group work (literacy or writing centers)
  • Independent writing practice
  • Early finishers
  • Morning work

What is included:

30 pages of writing prompts/worksheets (25 ready to go and 5 blank templates).

The prompts are in 5 different template styles. Some are more scaffolded with boxes or steps, whereas others have more lines, for more advanced writers.

First, Then, Next, Last with Picture Boxes

  • My Camping Trip, My Vacation, My Recess, My Day at the Beach, My Sick Day, Blank Template

3 Pictures Prompt

  • Fairy Tale, Space Adventure, Hunt for Treasure, The Thief, The Little Frog, Blank Template

First, Then, Next, Last Writing Boxes

  • If I Saw a Shark, If I Turned Into a Robot, If I Had a Pet Dinosaur, If I Were Royalty, If I Met a Troll, Blank Template

Lined Writing Page

  • The Magic Castle, I Saw a Superhero, My Pirate Adventure, The Day I Turned Into a Mermaid, The Day I Met a Unicorn, Blank Template
  • My First Day of School, My Summer, My Ouch, My Birthday, My Trip to the Zoo, Blank Template

Let’s Connect!

There are no reviews yet.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Name  *

Email  *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

You may also like…

First Grade Writing Prompts Bundle - Opinion, Narrative, Informational, How To

First Grade Writing Prompts Bundle – Opinion, Narrative, Informational, How To

Teacher instagram.

personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

TPT Seller Instagram

Save 10% on your first purchase! Use the coupon code TERRIFIC10 at checkout. Dismiss

We noticed you're visiting from Australia. We've updated our prices to Australian dollar for your shopping convenience. Use United States (US) dollar instead. Dismiss

Mrs. Winter's Bliss - Resources For Kindergarten, 1st & 2nd Grade

Time-saving + research-backed resources, professional development training, activities, and centers aligned with Science of Reading!

View My Account

Use coupon code SAVE10 for an extra 10% on your first order!

personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

Narrative Writing Prompts and Graphic Organizers – printable & digital 1st grade

Earn 7.00 Reward Points $ 7.00

This Narrative Writing Unit has all you need to incorporate NARRATIVE WRITING into your 1st grade literacy centers!  Designed with standards-based research, this mini-unit includes a mini-lesson, suggested mentor texts and online resources, academic vocabulary posters, anchor chart, graphic organizers and seasonal writing prompts.

⭐ CLICK to PREVIEW RESOURCE ⭐

Description

Reward points, ask a question.

  • Reviews (3)

This narrative writing unit includes everything you need to incorporate personal and imaginative narrative writing into your 1st grade literacy centers!  This resource is designed with  standards-based research  and includes two mini-lessons to use as a review, suggested mentor text and online resources, academic vocabulary posters, anchor chart, and seasonal writing prompts.

This writing center includes seasonal writing prompt choice boards for personal narratives and imaginative narratives. The writing prompts and publishing paper include  vocabulary word banks  to assist young writers in  brainstorming ideas  and spelling words while writing.

In addition, students can edit their work with the  self-editing checklists.   This narrative writing center is perfect for whole-class writing, small group writing, literacy center activities, homework, or as a meaningful writing activity when you have a substitute teacher.

Resources Included:

  • Unpacking the standard & notes for the teacher
  • Suggested mentor text & Online resources
  • Mini-Lessons for Personal narrative & Imaginative narrative
  • Academic vocabulary teaching posters
  • Graphic Organizers (multiple options to differentiate)
  • Publishing Paper- primary lined with temporal word bank
  • Personal narrative seasonal prompt choices (6 each Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer)  PRINTABLE & DIGITAL (GOOGLE SLIDES)
  • Imaginative narrative seasonal fiction titles choices (6 each Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer)  PRINTABLE & DIGITAL (GOOGLE SLIDES)
  • Rubrics (Personal narrative and Imaginative narrative)
  • Prompt Images to Upload to  Seesaw  if desired

I’ve created a simple point system for giving back to loyal customers! 

  • For every $1 (US dollar) you spend, you earn 1 point!
  • 20 points can be redeemed for $1 (US dollar) on a future purchase!
  • When you leave feedback (review), you get 5 points!
  • Reward Points can be viewed under My Account.

This means that you effectively get 5% back on everything you buy, plus extra points for feedback. Points are valid for one year and can be used for anything in the store!

Note: Point award system is subject to change.   View full terms here.

3 reviews for Narrative Writing Prompts and Graphic Organizers – printable & digital 1st grade

' src=

Dalia Elgamal (verified owner) – April 7, 2022

This is a must have resource for any teacher. This has helped my students tremendously with their writing

' src=

jtorres (verified owner) – July 15, 2022

I needed a jump start for narrative writing so I knew I had to come to this shop. Christina never fails to create the best resources for writing! This mini unit was loaded with resources! I especially liked the mini lesson and suggested mentor text.

' src=

Jenna Tomkins (verified owner) – December 4, 2022

Writing has been such a struggle for me to teach. Coming across this resource has been a game changer! It has everything I needed to teach narrative writing! I HIGHLY recommend this for purchase!

Only logged in customers who have purchased this product may leave a review.

How do I access my digital download?

  • An automatic email with the download link is generated every time you make a purchase so check your inbox and spam/junk box then click on the link in the email.
  • Log in to your account and you will find a list of your purchases, which you can download at any time onto any of your devices.

Is this a shipped item?

You may also like….

personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

Write the Room Decodable Sentences – Yearlong BUNDLE

personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

1st Grade Opinion Writing Graphic Organizers & Centers – Printable & Digital

personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

Informative Writing Graphic Organizers & Centers – Printable & Digital

Find what you need.

  • MEET CHRISTINA
  • Shop teaching resources
  • Access your account
  • Privacy Policy

Teaching Resources

personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

Bliss in your Inbox

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. See full disclosure here.​

personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

IMAGES

  1. Writing personal narratives is one of the first writing genres we learn

    personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

  2. Narrative Writing For Grade 1

    personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

  3. First Grade Narrative Writing Prompts

    personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

  4. First Grade Narrative Writing Prompts and Worksheets

    personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

  5. 1st-Grade-Narrative-Writing-Prompts-SMI.jpg

    personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

  6. First Grade PERSONAL NARRATIVE WRITING

    personal narrative writing prompts 1st grade

COMMENTS

  1. 30 Narrative Writing Prompts for 1st Grade

    Take a look now! 30 Narrative Writing Prompts for 1st Grade Write a story about your best friend. What is he or she like? What are his or her favorite toys? Write about the best vacation you ever had. Why was it so special? Write about a time when you went to a special party. What did you do there? Write a story about your earliest memory.

  2. 1st Grade Narrative Writing Prompts: 61 Great Ideas

    Here you will find a cool collection of 1st grade narrative writing prompts. Not only do these narrative prompts reduce writer's block, they prompt students to reflect on personal experiences, develop ideas, and strengthen writing skills. First graders, even reluctant writers, will enjoy sharing about their lives using these engaging ...

  3. Writing Personal Narratives in First Grade

    Step One: What is a Small Moment? To kick off our unit, I introduce what a small moment is with this anchor chart: The first grade teacher above, purely.primary , just projected the mini anchor chart from my narratives unit and traced it onto chart paper!

  4. Writing Personal Narratives in 1st Grade: A Week of Lessons!

    Writing Personal Narratives in 1st Grade: A Week of Lessons! Susan Jones March 24, 2020 9 Comments This post may contain affiliate ads at no cost to you. See my disclosures for more information. Do you need any help teaching personal narratives to your kindergarten, first grade or second-grade students?!

  5. My Life in Words: Personal Narrative Writing Prompts for Elementary

    Here is a free printable graphic organizer for narrative writing that you can have them use to stay on track. In addition to the techniques above, you can give your students prompts to help build their personal narrative skills. 1. Tell me about the most important moment in your life.

  6. 25 Fun First Grade Writing & Storytelling Prompts + Download

    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.

  7. 20 Prompts for Narrative Writing That Spark Creativity

    Tell a story about what you would wish for and why. Write a story called, "The Luckiest Day of My Life.". Imagine you went to the zoo and could take home any animal for the day. Tell a story about your time together. Write a silly story that uses these words: airplane, grapes, elephant, and book.

  8. First Grade Writing Prompt and Story Writing Worksheets

    140 filtered results 1st grade Narrative Writing Show interactive only Sort by Knight in Shining Armor Writing Worksheet Narrative Writing Prompt Worksheet Sentence Writing: Feelings Worksheet What Will Happen Next? Worksheet Writing Prompt: Rainy Day Worksheet 100th Day of School Worksheet Make Your Own Comic Book #1 Worksheet

  9. 50 Fun First Grade Writing Prompts (With Printable)

    These fun first grade writing prompts will help them expand their skills while sparking their imaginations at the same time. Fun Journal Writing Prompts for First Graders Regular journal writing is a great way to get kids in the habit of writing, but the prompts need to be inspiring to make it fun.

  10. 100 Fun Writing Prompts for 1st Grade

    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.

  11. 550 Prompts for Narrative and Personal Writing

    550 Prompts for Narrative and Personal Writing. Questions that invite students to tell stories, describe memories, make observations, imagine possibilities, and reflect on who they are and what ...

  12. Personal Narrative Writing Teaching Resources for 1st Grade

    Explore personal narrative writing in your ELA classes this year with graphic ... Celebrate Presidents' Day and your growing writers with writing worksheets for Kindergarten and first grade. ... Differentiate writing instruction this Thanksgiving with a group of "I Am Thankful" writing prompts for second grade and under.

  13. Sharing Stories: Writing a Personal Narrative, 1st grade

    For more information about this unie, please contact the author(s): [email protected]. For information about the series, including permissions, please contact the administrator: [email protected]. Sharing Stories: Writing a Personal Narrative, 1st grade. Stage 1 - Desired Results. Stage 1 - Desired Results.

  14. Free Personal Narrative Writing Prompts First Grade Writer's Workshop

    51 Q&A More from Keeping My Kinders Busy Description These narrative writing activities are perfect for kindergarten and first grade students. Sentence starters, picture word banks, graphic organizers, rubrics and vocabulary words provide scaffolding so all students can be successful with their personal narrative writing prompts.

  15. Free First Grade Narrative Prompts Teaching Resources

    These narrative writing worksheets are ideal for kindergarten, first grade, second grade, third grade, and fourth grade writing lessons or writing centers.Students look at the space pictures and write a response/short story based on the pictures. The prompt comes in 5 versions (K-4th grade) with varying amounts/types of writing lines.

  16. Narrative Writing Prompts For 1st Grade Teaching Resources

    These writing prompts for first grade make differentiation EASY! Each of the 60 first grade writing prompts comes with multiple options for drafting paper (with built-in supports). The writing prompts also include graphic organizers and publishing/final draft paper.

  17. First Grade Narrative Writing Prompts

    These first grade narrative writing prompts and worksheets are perfect for writing lessons, writing centers, or writer's workshop. Your 1st grade students will love these activities during literacy lessons. If you're looking for a narrative writing lesson idea or narrative writing prompts, there are 30 pages of printables for you!

  18. Results for 1st grade writing prompt personal narrative

    This 1st - grade structured personal narrative writing unit contains all the lessons, prompts, and activities you'll need.With this curriculum, we literally take your hand and walk you through, step-by-step, teaching personal narrative writing .Teaching writing will seriously become the easiest, and most joyful, part of your day.So get ready to ...

  19. Narrative Writing Prompts and Graphic Organizers

    This narrative writing unit includes everything you need to incorporate personal and imaginative narrative writing into your 1st grade literacy centers! This resource is designed with standards-based research and includes two mini-lessons to use as a review, suggested mentor text and online resources, academic vocabulary posters, anchor chart ...

  20. First Grade Writing Prompts Narrative Teaching Resources

    137. $6.00. Zip. This is a set of first grade narrative writing prompts designed to help you differentiate during writing time!Each prompt comes with several graphic organizers, many options for drafting paper (with built-in scaffolds), and publishing/final draft paper.The built in-scaffolds are included directly on the printable drafting papers.

  21. Narrative Writing Kindergarten

    Narrative Writing Kindergarten - First Grade Personal Narrative Writing Prompts Narrative Writing Kindergarten - First Grade Personal Narrative Writing Prompts 4.8 (1.5k ratings) ; View Preview Grade Levels K - 2nd, Homeschool Subjects English Language Arts, Balanced Literacy, Writing Resource Type Worksheets, Activities, Centers Standards