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Creative writing techniques for kids: a step-by-step guide to writing a story

The way literacy is taught in primary schools has changed radically in the last couple of decades; when I was at school in the 80s we copied from blackboards, had whole hours of handwriting practice and sweated over spellings without any formal teaching of phonics whatsoever. While I think the more structured approach to literacy teaching we see in classrooms today makes learning more fun and accessible, my one worry is that there’s little time left for writing creatively.

When I was at school I adored writing stories – even stories with chapters and illustrations. I know my author brother did too – we found some of his old stories a few years back, and I felt so pleased he’d had the time to write these endless pages of action, adventure, characterisation and twisting plotlines.

As a primary teacher I ensured I would have a week each term when, during literacy sessions, we would focus solely on creating stories. I wasn’t deviating from the curriculum – far from it. During this week children would be consolidating their learning of phonics and  be ‘writing for purpose’, considering carefully the aspects of story and who their audience might be.

It may very well be that your children write stories at home regardless of whether they’re required to for school, because most children have a seemingly natural urge to want to do so from time to time. This is just a little guidance on how you can support them and encourage a more structured approach to their story writing.

Plot planning

Firstly, ask your child where the story is going to take place . It could be somewhere fictional or real, it could be a planet, a country, a town or a house – anywhere! 

Then, ask when the story is taking place – now? In the future? In the past? 

Finally ask what they think is going to happen . Remember that this doesn’t have to be accurate and they don’t have to stick to what they say; many of the best writers say that their plots develop organically as they write. If they do have a firm idea of where they want to go with the plot, though, they can create an outline by completing a story planner, which could look something like this:  

• And finally….

Download a FREE Creative Writing toolkit!

• KS1 & KS2 workbooks
• Bursting with fill-in prompt sheets and inspiring ideas
• Story structure tips, style guides and editing suggestions

Characterisation

Ask your child who is going to be in the story. How do they want their readers to feel about each character? Again, they may want to jot some ideas down. You could make a table for them to help them organise their thoughts, with these headings:  

• Name of character
• Relationship to other characters
• What he/she looks like

Story language

Ask your child to think of some fabulous words to use in their story writing . They might be long words or simple ones, or they might be great descriptive words or words that help create pace and tension. Encourage them to jot these down and refer to the list as they write their story.

Story starters

All writers know that you’ve got to capture the attention of your readers right from the start; you want to make them desperate to read on. Ask your child to think of some good story openers that’ll entice people to find out more. Here are a few examples:

First sentences that are mysterious… Molly had no sense of the day that lay ahead.

Story starters that use language tricks like alliteration… It was damp, dark and dreadfully dusty when Molly entered the house.

Story openers that create tension… Molly could hear her heart beating faster than ever before. Could this really be happening?

Stories that go straight into dialogue… “But I don’t want to go to school, Mummy,” groaned Molly.

Encourage your child to look at some of the books they like to read and see how they begin in order to offer inspiration.

Get writing!

Once they’ve got all of these ideas in place, they can start writing. They could do a draft in the first instance and then a neat, polished version later. They may wish to write in short chapters, use illustrations, or make their own book to write in – let them use their imagination and creativity when it comes to presentation, and make sure you show how much you value the end product by keeping it to read again with the other books in your house.

If your child finds writing a story a little daunting, start with something small from our list of 9 fun writing projects to do with your children .

We also recommend the free art and creative writing challenges on the Night Zookeeper website ; your child will be contributing to a co-created animated television show.

You could also try a great story-making app and get your child writing fiction on their tablet!

Plus, find out how to support storytelling skills for children in EYFS , KS1 , KS2 and KS3 to get them thinking about story elements, plot and character development.

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7 techniques for generating story writing ideas in ks2, key stage 2 is a great time for children..

Typically, they will have settled into the flow of learning new subjects, and as KS2 teachers you get to help them flourish by practising, repeating and refining their learnt skills. When it comes to teaching literacy this also means encouraging your class’s creativity. 

However, on occasion creativity can be hard to come by and story writing lessons might not produce the outcomes you were hoping for. To help you combat this, here are some techniques and ideas to help you inspire your class with creative writing tasks.  

1. Create a Classroom Story Generator 

Write the ideas on paper and cut them out, then fold them up so you can’t see what’s written on them.

Find three bags (or any kind of container). Place all the folded character ideas in the first bag, the scenes in the second and the situations/tasks in the third. Ask each pupil to come up and draw a folded piece of paper from each bag. This will be the start of their story. Alternatively, you could build up five story-starting sentences from the bags and write them on the board. Your class could then choose which story they want to write.

Here are some examples to get you started:

You can tailor the ideas to suit your pupils’ abilities, age and preferences, which should really help to spark their imaginations.

2.  Watch or Listen

It doesn’t have to be long or have any dialogue, but showing a short film to your class may help to trigger inspiration. Luckily there are literally millions of free videos available for this kind of thing. Vet them first to make sure they are completely suitable for your class, then turn down the lights and press play. You can show the video more than once, maybe asking the children to write notes on the second viewing which will help to inspire their stories. 

Alternatively try playing a piece of instrumental music and ask your class to imagine what might be happening. Write their ideas and thoughts on the board and ask them to use this as the inspiration for a story.

3.  Folklore and Fairy Tales 

4.  Storyboards

You’re not asking your class to be artists; they can use simple stick figures and words to get their ideas down on paper. But asking your class to draw out their ideas will help them generate some interesting story twists. By getting the structure of their stories down on paper in a sequence, they will know the beginning, middle and end of their stories so when they come to start writing it out there’s not an ounce of KS2 writers block in sight!

5.  A Newspaper Clipping

Newspapers can be a huge source of inspiration. Interesting or unusual stories can be cut out and stuck into a scrap book to bring out and show your class in times of creative need! Alternatively, you could show your whole class a newspaper clipping and ask them all to write a story about the same extract.

6.  Rewrite A Known Story 

Rewriting a known story with a different ending or a different character is a great way to generate inspiration. This technique for generating story ideas can’t fail to produce results since the possibilities are endless!

For example:

• What if Little Red Riding Hood lived in a jungle instead of a forest?
• What if the three little pigs were the three little wolves instead, and the big bad pig wanted to eat them for his dinner?
• What if Hansel and Gretel were actually the bad ones and wanted to eat the old lady?
• What if you asked your class to swap the characters in one story with the characters in another – Snow White and the Magic Beans, Jack and the Seven Dwarves. Let your class’s imaginations run free and look forward to reading the end results!

7.  Let the Children Choose

Set some homework for the children to go away and think of something they care about, something they are interested in, something which makes them happy, sad or angry and why that is. You could ask them to find a picture or a news story themselves which sparks their interest or emotion.

From the ideas generated at home, ask them to write a story in class. Passion is a wonderful muse after all, so if the children choose a topic that they really care about you should end up with some very good results!

How Can Mighty Writer Help?

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Classroom Stars

10 Creative Writing Activities to Spark Magic in Your KS2 Primary Classroom

• 12 Jun 2024

Keeping KS2 pupils engaged with writing can sometimes feel like wrangling a roomful of kittens. But fear not! This blog post is here to reignite the writing fire with ten exciting activities that will have your learners crafting captivating stories, persuasive arguments, and beautiful descriptions in no time.

In the age of instant messaging and short-form content, nurturing a love for expressive writing is more important than ever. These activities cater to various learning styles and interests, while sneakily reinforcing key literacy skills like vocabulary development, sentence structure, and creative thinking. So, grab a pen, gather your pupils, and get ready to unleash their inner wordsmiths!

Now, let’s dive into the 10 activities and explore how they can spark magic in your classroom:

Picture Prompts Find captivating images online or in old magazines. Historical scenes, fantastical landscapes, funny animals, or even abstract shapes all work well. Project the image on the board or provide individual copies. Give children a set amount of time to study the image and jot down any thoughts, ideas, or emotions it evokes. Then, have them write a story inspired by the image. Encourage them to consider the setting, characters, plot, and mood based on their observations.

Character Interviews This activity helps develop well-rounded characters with strong voices and personalities. Have pupils brainstorm character ideas – they could be historical figures, fictional heroes, or even everyday people with interesting jobs. Once they’ve chosen a character, learners can write a list of interview questions to get to know them better. What are their hopes and dreams? What are their biggest fears? Finally, children write the interview itself, embodying the voice of their character in their responses.

Setting Showdown This activity challenges pupils to adapt their writing style and vocabulary to fit different environments. Choose two contrasting settings – a bustling city square at rush hour versus a deserted island paradise, or a spaceship hurtling through space compared to a cozy cottage nestled in a forest. Have learners write a story that takes place in both of these contrasting settings. This could be a single character experiencing both environments or two separate stories linked by a common theme.

Sentence Swap This is a fantastic activity to show learners the power of sentence structure and word order. Write a short paragraph on the board, with several sentences. This could be the opening of a story, a news report, or a descriptive passage. Challenge children to swap the sentences around in different orders. Have them read the paragraph aloud after each swap to see how it changes the flow and meaning of the text. Discuss as a class how sentence order can build suspense, create emphasis, or simply improve the rhythm of the writing.

News Flash! This activity brings historical events or fictional scenarios to life and helps children with factual writing and research skills. Present learners with a historical event they might not be familiar with (the invention of the printing press, the eruption of Mount Vesuvius) or a fictional headline from a fantasy world ( “Dragons Take Over Local Bakery!”). Have pupils research the event or brainstorm the details of the fictional scenario. Then, have them write a news report on the event, complete with a catchy headline, factual information, and quotes from “witnesses” (real or imagined).

Poetry in Motion This activity is a wonderful way to bridge the gap between visual imagery and written language. Show pupils a short video clip that is particularly evocative or visually stimulating. This could be a nature documentary scene, a silent movie chase sequence, or even an abstract animation. After watching the clip, give learners some time to think about what they saw and how it made them feel. Then, have them write a poem capturing the essence of the video clip. Encourage them to use vivid language, figurative speech, and sound devices to bring their poem to life.

Dear Diary… This activity is a fantastic tool for character development and creative storytelling. Ask children to choose a historical figure, fictional character, or even an inanimate object (a tree in the schoolyard, a forgotten toy in the attic). Have them write a series of diary entries from the perspective of their chosen subject. These diary entries should reflect the character’s thoughts, feelings, and experiences. For historical figures, pupils can research real diaries or letters to guide their writing.

The Persuasion Game This activity hones persuasive writing skills and encourages pupils to think critically about different viewpoints. Give learners a product, idea, or policy (flying cars, a four-day school week, uniforms in school) and have them choose whether they are for or against it. Then, have them write a persuasive letter arguing their chosen viewpoint. This letter should be addressed to a specific audience (e.g., the government, parents). Pupils should use strong arguments, factual evidence, and persuasive language to convince the reader of their point of view.

Comic Strip Capers This activity is a fun and engaging way to introduce learners to graphic novels and comic book storytelling. Provide pupils with a simple comic strip template, with a set number of panels. Challenge them to write a short story using illustrations and dialogue within the panels of the comic strip. This can be a humorous story, a dramatic scene, or even a factual account of a historical event.

Six-Word Stories This activity is a fantastic challenge for creative thinking, conciseness, and impactful writing. Challenge children to write a complete story in just six words! This forces them to think carefully about their plot, characters, and setting, and to deliver their message in an impactful way. Six-word story prompts can be provided to get pupils started (e.g., “Lost princess finds happy robot friend”, “Last human wanders through ruined city”).

Remember, the key is to make writing fun, engaging, and relevant to your children’s interests. With a little creativity, you can transform your classroom into a vibrant writing workshop where imaginations soar, and words truly come alive!

If you liked this post, you may like Beyond the Classroom Walls: 15 Outdoor Learning Activities for Key Stage 1 .

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• Character Writing Ks2 Wagoll

Character writing KS2 – Writing an awkward meeting with Emma Carroll

Peer inside the mind of an author and help pupils understand how to write an awkward meeting with this character writing KS2 WAGOLL resource pack. It’s based on Emma Carroll’s novel The Houdini Inheritance .

This resource contains:

• Extract from The Houdini Inheritance by Emma Carroll
• ‘How writers can create an awkward meeting’ poster
• ‘Exploring writers’ techniques’ worksheet
• ‘Exploring writers’ techniques’ working wall display
• Potential awkward meeting images
• Planning sheet

Your class will work towards planning and writing their own awkward meeting in which a ‘celebrity’ of some kind visits a very normal, perhaps humble, setting, using a first-person narrator to describe everything and give personal reflections.

Their challenge will be to suggest the bizarreness through contrasts and actions. They may even attempt to suggest backstory through a tiny flashback, and hint at later plot-points with mysterious objects.

Character writing KS2 tips

As most writers will tell you, there’s no drama without conflict, so sometimes we need characters to feel awkward with each other for them to then work through their differences.

Unlikely characters

Make sure your characters don’t connect straight away. This might be because they’ve previously had an argument or don’t like each other, or maybe they’re simply people who don’t have anything in common.

Setting the scene

Have the meeting take place somewhere physically uncomfortable, so it’s obvious your characters aren’t relaxed.

It might be in a stuffy train carriage, for example, or on the street in the pouring rain. An awkward setting will add to the tension.

Choose your words

The right verbs and adjectives can really enhance the mood of a scene. When you’re trying to create tension, go for a few well-chosen words rather than lengthy descriptions.

Pace is important – you want your reader to be on edge.

Verbal communication

Speech is a great way to show tension. In real life people often don’t say exactly what they mean, especially when they’re uncomfortable, so try to include interruptions, long pauses, and people saying too much or not enough.

Non-verbal cues

Over 93 per cent of human communication is non-verbal, so it’s a vital way to indicate how your characters are feeling.

Tell us about their body language, facial expressions and tone of voice. Describe the way they fidget when they’re on edge

What is The Houdini Inheritance about?

Best friends Glory and Dennis are thrown headlong into a world of danger and mystery when they find themselves in possession of world-famous performer Harry Houdini’s travelling trunk.

Nowadays, in real life, ‘Trunk No8’ resides in a museum in New York, put there by Houdini’s brother, to whom it was bequeathed when the magician died suddenly in 1926.

The final months of Houdini’s life were plagued by his paranoia that a rival, or one of his many enemies, would steal the props and top-secret notes the trunk contained.

In the first scene Glory and Harry Houdini meet. Things don’t go well. The handcuffs jam. Houdini is left humiliated on stage. Glory wants to die on the spot.

Her only remedy is to take him back to her house, where the keys to the cuffs are kept. There, Glory faces not only Houdini’s fury but that of her elder sister, Effie, who’s barely forgiven her for bringing a puppy home the previous day.

This scene develops into the inciting incident, the moment when Glory’s ordinary life changes for ever. By the time Houdini finishes his cup of tea and leaves her kitchen, she’s already stepped into his world.

Browse more  WAGOLL packs from real authors .

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Creative writing worksheets for KS2

Subject: English

Age range: 7-11

Resource type: Worksheet/Activity

Last updated

19 December 2017

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AgnesMHolly

Helpful for planning lessons. easy to navigate.

Empty reply does not make any sense for the end user

Really lovely prompt pages with clear instructions but not too wordy

silverstarsilver

Fantastic resource

Useful. Thank you.

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