First Grade Writing Prompts

These first grade writing prompts are packed with fun, fresh ideas to promote literacy. Your early learners will be using grade-level words as they respond to age-appropriate prompts. 

Text from the Printable Page

If you don't require the illustrated printable page, here is the text from this set of first grade writing prompts. Note that each prompt contains a bold word, from our 1st grade spelling words.

See my suggestions below for using these prompts. 

1.  Why does this hippo like the water?

 2.  What person would you like to meet?

3. What will the cow see if he jumps over the moon?

 4. Write two sentences about things that are yellow.

5. What will happen in this nest?

6. What part of your day do you like best? Why?

7.  Tell two places where you can run around a lot.

8.  Where will this map lead you?

 9. Would you rather drive a jet or a car? Why?

 10. Pretend you dig in your yard and find a wonderful surprise. What is it?

11. Give this bug a name. Write two sentences about the bug.

 12. What would you like to bake?

Tips for using these first grade writing prompts:

• For extra spelling practice, ask students to use the words in BOLD at least once or twice in each piece that they write. 
• Encourage kids to illustrate their work.
  
• When appropriate, post student work on a classroom display. Be sure they've had the opportunity to edit their work before posting it.

Remember...

Students write best from their own experiences and their own imaginations when given appropriate prompts, vocabularies, and opportunities. 

Continue to provide your students, as often as possible, with rich experiences, both inside and outside the classroom. 

1. A walk around the school playground, looking for insects or interesting pebbles, can spur new vocabulary words, new ideas, and these new prompts:

A) The best part of our playground is...

B) I saw a magic ___________ outside...

C) When I picked up a red rock, I ....

2. A grab bag full of mystery items can yield SO MUCH fun! I have used this idea many times with all ages, even adults. Use a large bag that is NOT transparent. Ask students not to peek, and reach into the bag and pull out one item. Put three students together to write one paragraph or one short story that uses all three items.  This fosters cooperation and fun! (Items can include a bell, a ball of string, a picture of the moon, a small stuffed animal, a keychain with keys, a toy car, a small pad of paper, a sock, and so many more.)

3. Interesting images displayed on the classroom wall can lead to magnificent discussions. What is it? Where is it from? How is it used? What are some new uses for it?  Would it be possible to make one? And on and on...

And this is just the beginning! Keep an IDEA journal on your desk for future brainstorming sessions that will help your students develop into great writers, even at an early age.

More Writing Resources

Try these 2nd grade writing prompts, too!

Set #1 - What will a lion say to a mouse? What's in the hole in your yard? What will you do about the panda in your pool? Assign these second grade writing prompts to your students and learn what they think!

Set #2 - What does your pet lizard like to read? When should you NOT give your teacher a big red apple? What should always do in the morning? Your early learners will love these 2nd grade writing prompts!

Literacy Worksheets for Early Learners: 3 fun reproducibles your kids can customize. Simple kindergarten or first grade writing prompts!

Worksheets for 1st Grade: 2 fun spelling practice pages! Students will practice initial consonants and visual discrimination. 

First Grade Vocabulary Words  1st graders will enjoy this great list of 175 words! Find them first in alphabetical order, then secondly, see 100 of the words in 9 popular categories including sports, people, animals, the outdoors, compound words and more! Use these words to build vocabulary skills in ESL students and every other student, too!   

Be sure to check out our collection of Fun Spelling Worksheets for grades 1 and 2.  You'll find lots of all-new pages, not on the website, to help boost your first and second graders' spelling and phonics skills!

Ann Richmond Fisher is a longtime published educational writer, a former classroom teacher and a former homeschool teacher. Ann's spelling bee resources, graded spelling word lists, spelling games, worksheets, and other language arts resources have become respected around the globe since she launched Spelling-Words-Well in 2010.

Ann is also the creator of www.word-game-world.com.

Visit my YouTube Channel for fun spelling practice videos!

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AnyWord Spelling Practice Series Worksheets, Games and Prompts that work with almost ANY spelling words!

Fun Spelling Worksheets for Grades 1 and 2    50 All-new reproducible pages for early learners!

Young Spellers Spelling Bee Word List for Grades 1 & 2 only