18 story prompts for kids: tell, draw or write

For a giggle

• The hiccuping mountain

  Every hiccup moves the village a little. Who notices first?

• A hat with a job

  Your hat announces it is now the mayor. What is its first rule?

• The backwards bakery

  The bread arrives before anyone bakes it. Who follows the crumbs?

• An extremely polite puddle

  A puddle keeps apologising when people jump in it. What would make it happy?

• The dragon’s tiny sneeze

  Instead of fire, one little sock comes out. Who does it belong to?

• A very slow race

  Everyone wants to finish last. What is waiting at the finishing line?

For a gentle adventure

• A pocket-sized sunrise

  You find a warm glow in your coat pocket. Where would you take it?

• The shy lighthouse

  Its light only shines when someone sings softly. Who knows a song?

• A blanket for the moon

  The moon looks cold tonight. What could your character make?

• The last seat on the cloud

  Two friends arrive, but there is room for one. What do they try?

• A garden of whispers

  A flower has a quiet message. How could someone hear it?

• The returning pebble

  A pebble rolls back to your doorstep each morning. Where has it been?

For curious explorers

• The upside-down rain

  Raindrops rise from a lake into the sky. Who needs a ride?

• A door under the table

  It is only as tall as a spoon. What could fit through?

• The island with no shadow

  Every nearby island has one. What would you investigate?

• A map that listens

  A path appears when you describe a sound. Which sound do you choose?

• The borrowed sea

  The sea has moved into a teacup until tomorrow. Who is looking after it?

• A parcel for nobody

  The address says ‘Someone who has never received a parcel.’ Who could that be?

Turn a starter into a story

Choose a character, name one place and decide what they want. Then ask ‘What could they try?’ You don’t need to answer every question in the prompt. Keep the part your child finds interesting.

Make the invitation smaller—or bigger

• Point or make a sound

  Draw two quick symbols: a mountain and a hat. Let your child choose one. Make the mountain’s hiccup together before asking for words.

• Draw three moments

  Fold paper into three: what was there, what changed, what happened next. An adult can write captions exactly as the child tells them.

• Tell it from another side

  A confident storyteller can become the puddle or the lighthouse. What does that character notice that the visitor misses?

Use the printable cards your way

Our free sheet has six character, place and twist cards to cut out. Pick one from each kind, or choose just one. The drawings are cues, not correct answers. Turn a card over and invent a completely different idea if you like.

Stop while it is still enjoyable. Save a favourite starter for another day: the same beginning can lead to a different adventure with a different character.