- Grades 6-12
- School Leaders
Win 10 Summer Reading Books from ThriftBooks đ!
150 Inspiring Picture Writing Prompts To Spark Creativity (Free Google Slides)
Use a picture to write a thousand words!
Creative writing is a challenge for many students, often because they canât come up with anything to write about. Thatâs why we love picture writing prompts. Each one sparks the imagination and helps young writers jump right into crafting a story to match. We rounded up a whole collection of intriguing images for use with kids in grades K-12 along. Plus we designed a set of free Google Slides featuring all of the prompts so you can easily share them with students.
Tip: Start by showing students the picture (or let them choose from among several) without making any comment about what theyâre seeing. For kids who still struggle to get started, suggest a potential title or opening sentence, like the examples included here.
Donât miss our free downloadable. Grab your full set of ready-to-go Picture Writing Prompts Google Slides with all of the prompts below.
Elementary Picture Writing Prompts
Middle school picture writing prompts, high school picture writing prompts, art picture writing prompts.
When kids first see these picture writing prompts, they may or may not immediately feel inspired. If they need some help, ask them questions like âWhat led up to this moment?â or âWhatâs going to happen next?â
When Larry fell in love, he fell hard.
When the new sign appeared on Main Street, everyone in town wondered exactly what it meant.
Snowy Footprints
After that crazy day, all that was left to show for it was footprints in the snow.
Dinosaur Bones
âCome with me if you want to live!â Ash said, reaching out a hand.
Undersea Treasure
For years, no one saw the locked treasure chest but the local fish, who wondered what it could contain.
A Game of Fetch
To Scout, it was a game, but to Mr. Freezy, it was much more.
Ladybug Gossip
The ladybugâs picnic was an excellent chance to meet up with old friends and hear all the latest gossip.
We met them when they peeked into our window, watching us as we ate lunch and watched cartoons.
King of the Jungle
It wasnât the crown that made Amari the king of all he surveyed.
The Final Pitch
It all came down to thisâthe final pitch in a game that was tied 2-2.
Doggie Massage
Every dog in the neighborhood knew that Rocky gave the best massages and was always willing to lend an ear too.
Skateboard Life
When Charli got her first skateboard, she made herself a promise.
Garden of the Past
The woman walked in the garden every day, never saying a word.
Sunset Friends
They met on the jungle gym every day at sunset, sharing everything about their days.
Pink Umbrellas
When the pink umbrellas first appeared, Toni thought they might be magic.
Firefly Forest
Olivia was surprised to discover that the fireflies didnât just glow, they also sang.
Robot Spider
When it first crawled ashore, the mechanical spider moved slowly.
Fallen House
Staring at their house, which was now on its side, the whole family was in shock.
Red Riding Hood
If only sheâd been riding her faithful steed the day sheâd met the Big Bad Wolf, things might have been very different.
Kangaroo Fall
âWell, this is embarrassing,â thought Bouncer, as laughter filled the air around him.
Daciâs big brother said her signs wouldnât help them find their runaway cat, but he was wrong.
Penguin Bookshop
A visit to Mr. Pickerelâs Penguin Bookshop is always an adventure.
Of all the eggs in the carton, Ella was the one who could always crack you up.
That was the year Min was finally tall enough to ride the Sky Swings, but now she wasnât so sure.
Rubber Duck Parade
It was truly an honor to be asked to lead the Spring Duck Parade.
Teddy Story Time
Every afternoon, the three friends gathered for story time in their favorite spot in the woods.
Underwater School
Nia thought going to school underwater would be exciting, but some days she really missed going outside for recess.
The day Amos started his journey down the river, the sun was shining brightly.
Turtle Trouble
âNone shall pass,â growled the old sea turtle, blocking the way.
Dinosaur Race
Pia was supposed to keep Balthazar on a leash, but once they reached the forest, she set him free and they both began to run.
Finally Seeing Eye to Eye
âSo, we meet at last, face to face,â Lord Squeakerton said to his enemy, the Count of Catnip.
It takes a lot to surprise a monkey, but you donât see something like this every day.
Not Coming Out
The day started out normally enough, but by the end, Chris knew he was in over his head.
Life on Other Planets
âHurry up,â Grnklor told his robopup. âWe have to get back inside before nightfall.â
Reindeer Games
The wind had died down, but the setting sun seemed to take all the warmth of the day with it.
Something to Celebrate
Their classmates could hear their shouts of joy from all the way down the hall.
Home Sweet Mushroom
When the fairies that lived in the garden invited her to stay with them for awhile, Maria wasnât sure what to expect.
Loch Ness Mystery
âThere it is! I told you Nessie is real!â Angus whispered to Lee.
Lonely Bear
It was hard to say who was lonelier that night, Amil or his lost stuffed bear, Jasper.
Sometimes You Lose
When his team lost the championship, Miguel was crushed, but it turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to him. Â Â
Middle school writing prompts can be a little more complex, with pictures that have a lot of potential interpretations. Encourage students to delve deeper into the story by describing how the characters feel and why they behave the way they do.
Morgan was incredibly proud of those shoes, paid for entirely with money from after-school jobs.
Never Lose Hope
With his last bit of energy, Kai scrawled his message in the wet paint.
The keyboard button could only be used once, and no one knew exactly what happened when you pressed it.
Piano Lessons
Before she could even speak, Arya was drawn to the black and white keys.
There was no doubt about it, this was was indeed a very special kind of garden.
No matter how you looked at it, it had been a very rough day to be the Easter Bunny.
Empty Chairs
By sunset, all four chairs were empty, and the only signs of life were the gulls swooping down from above.
Floating Treasure
To the birds, it was simply a convenient place to land, but Ali and I knew it was much more than that.
Shadow Question
That was the day they discovered that just because you were invisible didnât mean your shadow was.
Letter and Key
The day she turned 12, Viviâs aunt handed her an envelope containing the family secret.
Space Target
Onyx paused, knowing that once their arrow hit the target, there was no knowing what would happen.
Mermaid Mystery
It was a mermaidâor was it?
World on a String
Her dad had promised to give her the world, but she wasnât expecting three more planets as well.
Bee Standoff
âThis flower ainât big enough for the both of us!â said Bianca.
Solitary Seat
For as long as anyone could remember, Angus McGee spent his evenings in the same chair next to the woodstove.
Best Friends
When you decide to run away from home forever, you canât possibly leave your best friend behind.
Dinosaur Demise
In retrospect, setting the time machine to randomly choose a day and time in the past might not have been such a good idea.
Magic Lamps
âChoose wisely,â said the old shopkeeper, âfor only one of these lamps is truly magic.â
Message in a Bottle
The message floated at sea for more than 50 years before the day we found it on the beach.
Barrel Boat
Of all the ways to impress someone, Jonah thought to himself, this had to be one of the most ridiculous.
Dragon Guardian
When your parents give you your own dragon guardian, your childhood is bound to be enchanted.
Octopusâs Garden
Wouldnât you like to be under the sea, in an octopusâs garden in the shade?
Around the Corner
After finally pressing âsend,â she couldnât resist peeking around the corner to watch him read the text.
Beam Me Up!
Miloâs earliest memory was of watching his beloved tricycle float into the sky above him, caught in a beam of light.
Poison Apple
To join the club, all Aaron had to do was creep up and snatch the apple from the skeletonâs hand without being seen.
Giraffe Council
âIt is now 3 p.m., and I call this meeting of the Mighty Council of Giraffes to order,â announced Imari.
Mystery Creature
At first glance, it was hard to tell whether the little creature was friend or foe.
As the sky turned orange, Keisha ran faster than ever and used the last of her energy to push off and soar over the water below.
The End of Days
Despite their best efforts, they arrived too lateâthe battle had already begun.
Out of the Book
âHappily ever afterâ was about to take on a whole new meaning.
Stopped Clock
I was sure that the time on the broken clock was the clue to solving the mystery.
Dueling Webs
Itâs never a good idea to build your web too close to another spiderâs, but this time I had no choice.
Do Shoes Grow on Trees?
The day I threw my own shoes into the tree was the day I really started to grow up.
Abstract Art
âSo,â asked their art teacher, âwhat do you think this painting means?â
Wandering Robots
Everything about NB-317 was made of cardboard except his heartâthat was made of flesh and blood and very capable of being broken.
Dream Come True
It all started when Quinn watched her favorite movie the night before they assigned partners for the eighth grade science fair project.
Mysterious Cave
The cave was unlike anything weâd ever seen before, and what was more, it almost seemed like the rock was alive.
Storm at Sea
As the rain lashed his face and lightning tore apart the sky, Kiran had to admit heâd always thought it would be a lot more fun being a pirate.
Grasshopper Close-Up
Thatâs when Javed realized it wasnât that the grasshopper was too bigâit was that he was suddenly very, very small.
UFO Parking
âWell, thatâs convenient,â Javdok remarked to Qabow when they saw the sign. Â Â
High school writers are ready to dig deep, exploring character development and detailed plots. These pictures offer a jumping-off point to set their imaginations free.
Cyborg Girl
When she was 14, Tashaâs parents finally told her the truth about what she really was.
BBQ Cookout
âSo, Iâm guessing no one told you Iâm a vegetarian?â asked Sadie with a smile.
The latest app was like a time machine, allowing people to look back in time, but it also had a dark side.
She was surrounded by people but never felt more alone.
Hippo Troubles
Like all parents, hippos sometimes really need a break from their kids.
iPad Farmer
Grandpa Jack never failed to surprise us.
Marching Band Blues
Kaleel sat sadly on the bench, watching the rest of the band march away in jaunty time to the music.
Never-Ending Tunnel
The tunnel seemed to stretch to infinity, but Jayma knew what was at the end, and it terrified her.
Carving Out Love
For years, we wondered who âWPâ was, and who it was who loved them so much they carved it into a tree for all to see.
Glowing Globe
Just then, the globe began to glow, and Jaxson knew he was about to leap through space and time once againâdestination unknown.
See No Evil
It seemed like a funny joke to pose the skeletons in front of old Mrs. Petoskiâs house, but then she turned up dead, and the police said it was murder.
Upside Down
Itâs an odd feeling to wake up one morning and find yourself able to walk on the ceiling.
Face at the Fence
So much depended on which side of the fence you were on.
Bicycle Race
Finley had trained too hard for this race to come in thirdâit just wasnât good enough.
Family Travels
In the picture, my grandmotherâs expression is hard to interpret, but sheâs told me the story many times.
Laundromat Antics
Dani never expected to meet her first love feet first.
Mollyâs mom probably didnât mean for her to be the one to find the note, but thatâs how things turned out.
Through the Storm
Javier knew it would have been smarter to stay put, but he had to make sure his mom was safe before the worst of the storm arrived.
Lifetime Friends
Theyâd been friends for as long as they could rememberâeven longer, in fact.
Stray Kitten
âI am NOT taking you home with me,â Kai told the tiny mewling kitten firmly.
Abandoned Greenhouse
Willow was free to leave at any time, but she couldnât make herself go.
Amaniâs earliest memory was razor wireâmiles and miles of it.
Church Graveyard
Everyone feels differently in a graveyard, but for me, theyâre very peaceful places.
Orb of Death
âDo you really want to know?â Death asked. âBecause once you know, you wonât be able to forget.â
Missed Shot
Steve was sure his shot would make it, but it bounced off the rim just as the buzzer rang to end the game.
First Contact
This was itâthe moment that would change what it meant to be human forever.
One Life To Live
His face said his life had been a hard one, but his eyes told a different tale.
Winter Walk
Snow fell, creating a blank canvas to record the story of that fateful walk.
Train to Nowhere
It certainly wasnât the most luxurious way to travel, but then again, no one really wanted to make this trip in the first place.
Modern Mary Poppins
She dropped into our lives on a gray day in midwinter, a hint of the spring that was to come.
All That Remains
Dust motes filled the air of the abandoned hallway, replacing the voices once heard there.
From the day he found the little creature, Luis refused to go anywhere without him.
The Question
Their happily ever after began quietly, with a bouquet of wildflowers.
Night Lights
Misty rain both blurred and emphasized the lights that lit Suriâs way home that evening.
Forest of Fear
At first, Mateo thought it was a joke, but the screams that followed told him there was nothing remotely funny about it.
At the elite level, being a spy meant serious commitments.
The Yellow Door
On their 14th birthday, every resident of Fresnia was required to stand before the Wall of Doors and make a choice.
Graffiti Palace
To strangers, it seemed random, but every mark on those walls had deep meaning for us.
Fossil Fish
Millions of years ago, the fish gave one final flop before lying still in the deep mud.
On the Rails
Aliyah stood on the tracks, uncertain of where to go next.
These picture prompts are all works of art, some more well known than others. Try providing them to students without sharing the titles first, then offer up the titles if they need some help getting started.
The Dance Class (Edgar Degas)
Greek Funerary Plaque (520-510 BCE)
Washington Crossing the Delaware (Emanuel Leutze)
KyĆsaiâs Pictures of One Hundred Demons
First Steps, After Millet (Vincent van Gogh)
Lady Lilith (Dante Gabriel Rossetti)
A Sunday on La Grande Jatte (Georges Seurat)
After the Hurricane, Bahamas (Winslow Homer)
Drawing Lots for Prizes (Kitagawa Utamaro)
Portions of Field Armor (Jacob Halder)
Sadie Pfeifer, a Cotton Mill Spinner (Lewis Wickes Hine)
Still Life With Monkey, Fruits, and Flowers (Jean Baptiste Oudry)
Man Leading a Giraffe, 5th Century Byzantine
The Three Skulls (Paul CĂ©zanne)
The Madame B Album (Marie-Blanche Hennelle Fournier)
Coiled Trumpet in the Form of a Snarling Feline Face (c. 100 BCE to 500 CE)
Crazy Quilt With Animals (Florence Elizabeth Marvin)
Storytime (Eugenio Zampighi)
Cubist Village (Georges Gaudion)
Zig-Zag Passenger and Freight Train (Unknown)
The Power of Music (William Sidney Mount)
The Large Tree (Paul Gauguin)
After the Bath (Mary Cassatt)
Wedding Gown (Korea, Late 1800s)
The Contemplator (EugĂšne CarriĂšre)
The Girl I Left Behind Me (Eastman Johnson)
24c Curtiss Jenny Invert Single
Creeping Baby Doll Patent Model
Wrecked Zeppelin (British Library)
Skeleton (Tales of Terror Frontispiece)
Get Your Free Picture Writing Prompts Google Slides
Just click the button below to fill out the form and get instant access to free downloadable Picture Writing Prompts Google Slides with all the prompts included above.
How do you use picture writing prompts in your classroom? Come share ideas and ask for advice in the We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .
You Might Also Like
40 Must-Have Anchor Charts for Teaching Writing of All Kinds
Writing information and inspiration for all! Continue Reading
Copyright © 2024. All rights reserved. 5335 Gate Parkway, Jacksonville, FL 32256
- International
- Schools directory
- Resources Jobs Schools directory News Search
Creative Writing Tasks for KS2 Students
Subject: Creative writing
Age range: 7-11
Resource type: Worksheet/Activity
Last updated
7 March 2016
- Share through email
- Share through twitter
- Share through linkedin
- Share through facebook
- Share through pinterest
Creative Commons "Attribution"
Your rating is required to reflect your happiness.
It's good to leave some feedback.
Something went wrong, please try again later.
Very helpful .Thank you.
Empty reply does not make any sense for the end user
Thanks for these. There are lots of interesting ideas and I am sure I will be making use of this resource.
fairlyquasi
This is lovely ! Thank you
Fantastic resource. Thank you so much.
Report this resource to let us know if it violates our terms and conditions. Our customer service team will review your report and will be in touch.
Not quite what you were looking for? Search by keyword to find the right resource:
70 Picture Prompts for Creative Writing (with Free Slides)
Share this post!
Visual writing prompts help young writers generate new ideas and overcome writer’s block. We’ve put together 70 picture prompts for creative writing that you can use in your writing centers or lesson plans to get your students’ creative juices flowing.
Picture Writing Prompts for All Ages
Writers of all ages and experience levels can get stuck thinking about what to write. Writer’s block is not just a challenge for reluctant writers. Even professional writers have days when they feel less than inspired.
Visual prompts can result in a vast array of story ideas. A single image viewed by ten writers will result in ten completely different stories. Even if you use verbal cues to get students thinking about the picture, each student will still write a unique response to the image.
Visual creative writing prompts are fantastic for elementary school because younger students often relate more to a pictorial prompt than a written one, but don’t shy away from using these with high school and middle school students as well. Pictures make a fun alternative to your typical writing prompts and story starters and can help shake up your regular routine.
How to Use Picture Prompts for Creative Writing
There’s no limit to the ways you can use writing prompts. Here are some of our favorite ways to incorporate image prompts into your weekly lesson plans .
- Writing Center. Print cards or writing pages with these images on them and put them in a writing center for your students to discover at their own pace.
- Specific Skills. Use story picture prompts to help kids work on specific writing skills. For example, you could work on descriptive writing by having them describe the setting of the picture in detail. Or you could work on character development by having them make up a history for a person in a picture.
- Warm-up Activity: You could pop the pictures into Google slides and project an image on a screen or whiteboard for the first fifteen minutes of class and have students work on a short story as soon as they enter the class.
No matter how you decide to use them—whether at home or in the classroom—photographic writing prompts are a great way to cultivate a daily writing habit and encourage kids to explore new topics.
70 Pictures for Writing Prompts
We’ve selected 70 of the most interesting pictures we could find for this exercise. When choosing photos for writing prompts, we look for high-quality photos with intriguing subject matter, but we try to go beyond that. We want to share images that suggest a story, that make the viewer ask questions and wonder why things are the way they are.
We want to feel propelled to explore questions like, What happened before the photo that led to this moment? What are we witnessing in this photo? What’s about to happen?
A photo doesn’t make much of a story starter if it doesn’t suggest that there might be a bigger picture lurking beneath the surface.
We hope you and your students love these picture prompts for creative writing as much as we do. If you love them, go ahead and scroll to the bottom to grab your own copy.
We’ve included a couple of questions with each picture that you could use to spark pre-writing conversations in your classroom, which can be helpful when working with younger students who might need a little more direction.
Sign Up for Your FREE Picture Writing Prompt Slides
You have successfully joined our subscriber list.
Whose cat is this? What is he looking at? Where is he?
What is the owl thinking about? Is he alone? What does he hope to eat for dinner?
Who are these frogs? What is their relationship with each other? Why are they taking photos?
How did the dog get a phone? Why is he taking selfies? What is he doing with the pictures he takes?
This cat doesn’t look too happy. What’s bugging him? Did he get too many phone calls or is he waiting on an important call that’s taking too long to come?
What do these chicks think of the dog? What does the dog think of the chicks? Do you think they can communicate with each other? If so, what would they say?
Where do these lemurs live? What are they looking at? What is something unusual that might happen to them?
What is this fox doing? Is he yawning and stretching or is he trying to scare someone away? What kind of mischief does he like to get up to?
Is this wolf alone? If not, who is with him? What is he planning to do? Does he have a family to feed or protect?
What is this child doing on the laptop? Can he actually read and type or is he just playing? If he can read and type, how did he learn that at such a young age? What other cool things can he do?
Where is this woman? Is she lost? How did she get to this street? What interesting things might she discover as she explores this new city?
Why is the dog wearing glasses? Can he see through them? What are he and the girl doing? How does he feel about it?
Who are these two little boys? What is their relationship with each other? What is the teddy bear’s story?
Who are these children? Why are they running? Is it a race or are they playing a game? Who’s going to win?
Whose horse is this? Does the little boy own it or does he just visit it? Can the horse talk? How does the boy feel when he’s with the horse?
What is this boy reading? Does the book have magical powers? Does the boy? Do the stories in the book become real or does something else special happen?
Where is this man? How did he get there? What is he looking for?
Who is walking over the bridge? What’s on the other side? Is it worth the risk?
What are these people doing on the elephant? Where are they? Are they tourists or is the elephant their pet? What would life with an elephant be like?
Who made this map? It looks old. Has it been hidden away for a long time? Who discovered it and how? What does it lead to?
Whose typewriter is this? What important or secretive thing might they be working on? What could happen if the wrong person finds their work?
Who are these three stuffed animals? Are they living? What is their story?
Whose ukulele is this? Why did they leave it here? Who might find it?
Where is the owner of the bike? Where does this path lead? What if the bike’s not there when the owner returns?
Whose shoes are these? Why did they leave them here? Why are they so dirty?
Who was reading the newspaper? What was the most interesting thing they read? Where have they disappeared to?
Who put this sign on the old truck? What do you think of it? How did the truck end up in its current condition and location?
Who set the table? Who are they expecting? What special occasion are they celebrating? What could go wrong?
Whose birthday cake is this? Are they having a party? Who is there? Who did they want to have there that didn’t show up?
Who lives here? How do they access their home? What is their life like?
Who built the igloo? Where is it? How does it feel to spend the night inside it?
What is the history of this castle? Who lives in it now? Does it have any special or magical features?
Is this barn abandoned or do people live on the property? What kind of animals might live here? How do they keep themselves entertained?
What is it like living on a houseboat? What kind of community do you think forms among the neighbors? Imagine you live on one of these boats and think about how your daily life might change. What interesting things could you do if you lived here? What would you miss the most?
Where is this hut? Who lives here? What mystery might unfold if a stranger came knocking at their door?
What is this lighthouse called? Who runs it? How often do they leave? What is the most memorable experience they’ve had as a lighthouse operator?
How did this house get here? Does anyone live in it? What would life be like here?
Where is this festive street? Are the people there celebrating something? Where is everybody?
Who lives here? How did they build this house? Are they hiding from something? What does it look like inside?
Whose notebook is this? Why did they leave it here? What’s written in it and how might it change the life of the person who finds it?
What are these women doing? What are they supposed to be doing? Will they be in trouble if they get caught?
Who might be represented in this statue? Why is she being pulled by lions? What amazing things might she have done to deserve a statue in this prominent place?
Where is this? Who is riding in the hot air balloons? Where are they going and why?
How old is this tree? Where is it? What are some of the most fascinating stories it could tell?
Where is this carousel? Who is riding it? Can you think of a special or strange story about how it came to exist in this particular place?
What are these people thinking about? What’s at stake for them? What happens if one of them sneezes?
Where are these penguins? What are they talking about? Which one of them is the leader?
What is this place? Was it designed to be open like this or was it once part of someone’s home or a public building? How have people’s opinions of this place changed over time?
Who are these kids? Is this what they’re supposed to be doing? What happens when their teacher sees them?
Who is supposed to ride in this boat? Where are they going? Will they make it there?
Is this plane special to someone? What did they have to do to get it/build it? Where will they fly to in it?
Who decorated this train car? Which passengers will fill it up? What will they talk about?
Whose skis are these? Why are they sticking out of the snow? How did their owner get down the mountain without them?
Where does this gondola go? Who rides it? How does it feel to ride it?
Who’s driving the monster truck? Why is it at the beach? What is it going to crush? Who is watching?
Where is the boat going? Who is on it? What is their mission?
What city is the helicopter flying over? Why? Is the driver looking for something specific or do they have a special delivery?
What’s the little boy doing in the boat? Is he alone or is someone with him? Where is he trying to go?
Who is in the sub? What’s it like inside? What are they doing?
Whose book is this? What’s it about? What’s happening to it?
How did that piece of land with the house on it break off from the rest of the world? Why? Where is it going? Is anyone in the house?
Who is this girl? Where is she? Who is she shooting at?
Where does this scene take place? Is the lizard/dragon good or bad? What is its relationship with the girl?
What do these books represent? What kind of world is this? What (or who) is inside the books?
What are these dinosaurs discussing? Where are they? What do they do for fun?
Whose cottage is this? Do they still live there? If not, where have they gone? If so, what do they do there?
What is the moth thinking about? Is it alone? What’s the biggest challenge it faces in this moment?
Who is the owl looking at? Has it read these books? What is its greatest talent?
Where are these trees? Why are they pink? Do they have any special powers or features?
What do you think? Which kind of pictures do you like best for creative writing prompts ? Let us know in the comments.
Tuesday 5th of March 2024
I LOVE these! My daughter has always struggled with written story prompts and an internet search this week convinced me of the value of picture prompts for reluctant readers/writers (https://youcanjournal.com/journal-picture-prompts/ if you're interested!). I'll definitely be using these to help improve her writing skills. Thanks so much!
Tuesday 26th of December 2023
I think the idea of using picture prompts is a great idea. It initiates oral language thus building vocabulary. It allows lends itself to students working in small groups to stimulate new ideas. The prompts engage the students and gives the teacher the opportunity to focus on specific writing skills.
luke elford
Wednesday 13th of December 2023
cloey mckay
Tuesday 17th of October 2023
I tried this with myself and my 6th-grade students, and they love it. it gives room for so much creativity.
Nayyar Abbas
Tuesday 30th of May 2023
This is very good idea and it really works, viewing these one try to think one's own way that what these pictures are telling or asking? I also recommend that this idea should also be given to the students for building their creative instinct.
Privacy Overview
- Image Prompts
85+ Picture Writing Prompts For Kids (+ Free Printable)
A picture is worth a thousand words. So how many words can you write for these 85 picture writing prompts for kids and grow-ups alike! Pictures, whether something as simple as an apple or as complex as an action scene can spark the imagination in more ways than one.
Of course, when looking at pictures you can take the literal route, and describe whatever you see in front of you. Or you can explore your imagination, and think about the âWhat Ifs..â of a picture. What if that person is actually upset? What if this picture is of a broken family? What if the world looked like this years ago? A picture can have so many hidden meanings and can hide so many secrets. The slightest detail could mean everything. Just imagine youâre a detective solving a crime from one picture alone. Examine every detail, write it down and think why? Only then can you fully understand a picture.
For more inspiration take part in our daily picture writing prompt challenge . Each day you will be given a new picture prompt to write about.
Picture Prompt Generator
In this post, we have included a mix of simple pictures, story picture prompts, photographs, fantasy images and even some action-packed images.
You can find the complete list of our picture writing prompts below. We’ve also created a smaller PDF version that includes 30 random picture prompts. Download the printable PDF here .
You might also be interested in the following posts:
- 30 Christmas Pictures To Get You Writing âTis Jolly Season
- 25+ Halloween Image Prompts For Mastering Horror Stories
- How to Use Image prompts To Inspire You
150 Picture Prompts To Inspire
Over 85 picture prompts for creative writing, story-telling and descriptive writing assignments:
How to Use these Prompts
Picture prompts are the perfect writing stimulus especially when you hit writerâs block . Here are a number of ways you can use these picture writing prompts to spark your imagination:
- Descriptive Writing: Directly describe everything you see in extreme detail. You could even go beyond the physical appearance of things, and explore your other senses, such as smell, hear, feel and taste.
- Story-Telling: Pick just one image, and tell a whole story based on this one image.
- Story Starter: Similarly you can pick one image, and use it as the starting place of your story.
- Collaborative Story-Telling: In a group of 5 – 7 students, each student can have a random picture. The first student uses their picture as the story starter, and then the next student continues the story based on their own image. Keep going until the final student ends the story.
- Idea Generation: Pick one image and try to think of at least 3 story ideas related to that one image.
- Daily Writing Challenge: Give your students 7 images, and tell them to write a description for each image every day.
These are just some ways to use images as writing prompts. You can also check our post on 8 fun story-telling games using image prompts for more ideas. Did you find our picture writing prompts useful? Let us know in the comments below!
Marty the wizard is the master of Imagine Forest. When he's not reading a ton of books or writing some of his own tales, he loves to be surrounded by the magical creatures that live in Imagine Forest. While living in his tree house he has devoted his time to helping children around the world with their writing skills and creativity.
Related Posts
Comments loading...
Images to Inspire
Morning surprise.
ENOKI TALES
JUST VISITING
ABOVE THE SKY
YOU CAN (NOT) REPLAY
MAGIC RABBIT
WHO’S THERE?
GIRL AND DRAGON
Having trouble logging in? Some users have reported difficulties following a site update. If this includes you, please email [email protected] so we can get you up and running.
Making great literacy lessons easy. Why join Plazoom?
KS2 imagery â Improve students’ poetry and creative writing
Draw on your pupils' imaginations to help them paint a picture with their words.
By Sue Drury
Last updated 03 August 2020
How does the old saying go? A picture paints a thousand words. While that is undoubtedly true, it could also be argued that it works the other way too.
Well-chosen words can create pictures in our minds that are as vivid as any masterpiece by a skilful artist. Whatâs more, those same words can create subtly different images in the heads of every reader, depending on their own imaginations and experiences.
For proof, just look at any film adaptation of a book you have loved â the chances are that it will be slightly disappointing because what you see on the screen does not match the perfect vision you saw with your mindâs eye.
The way a writer creates those images in your head is all down to imagery. The definition of imagery is language that uses devices such as similes and metaphors to create images in the readerâs mind. It can fuel the imagination.
It can dictate the mood. It can take you to places youâve never been before. It is a very powerful tool for any writer to possess, whether youâre writing a poem, short story, picture book, song or even non fiction texts..
Imagery starts with reading
Like all powerful tools, imagery is something that you ought to see operated by an expert before you start to wield it yourself. That is why it is so important to immerse your pupils in quality texts from accomplished authors.
As well as teaching them all the tricks that will help them with their reading SATs, encourage them to absorb the imagery as much as possible. It sometimes helps to encourage them to close their eyes while you are reading so that they can form their own mental pictures without being distracted by what they can see around the room.
Unless you have an encyclopaedic knowledge of classical texts, if can be hard to go straight to the most appropriate examples. Let us save you the effort by directing you to our own resources, such as our classic poetry reading pack about Robert Louis Stevenson , for example.
Mental images and description
What are examples of imagery? Well, if it is about creating mental pictures, then it has to start with description. This is not just about choosing adjectives. Itâs about selecting the best words, whatever they might be. A thesaurus can often help in these circumstances and you should urge your pupils to reach for them without hesitation. However, it is also important to train them to notice the subtle differences in meaning between synonyms. Do they want to describe their dancer as stylish, for example? Or would their description be improved by a better adjective such as graceful or elegant?
Imagery, mood and theme
Imagery has a crucial role to play in the establishment of mood within a piece of writing. The same thing, described very differently, can create a vastly different mood. Did moonlight sprinkled silvery magic across the garden, for example, or did the cold light conjure nightmarish beasts out of the shadows? Encourage your pupils to pay close attention to the mood they want to create. For practise, why not try our attractive and inspiring challenge mat on creating mood?
Figurative language
Figurative language is a main stalwart of imagery. This is where writers unleash their own imaginations on their readers by using personification, simile and metaphor. All three involve describing things by comparing them with something very different but, if chosen well, the effect can be revelatory. An abstract concept such as a season of the year cannot take hold of anything in reality yet we all know precisely what is meant by the icy grip of winter .
Similes and symbolism
As you will know, this involves using the words like and as to make comparisons. The main thing here is to urge your pupils to check that they are making a useful comparison. As cold as ice is useful; as cold as paper isnât.
Metaphor and personification
Metaphor and personification often take the imagery a step further by stating that the object being described is something else â something human in the case of personification â rather than just saying it was like that. Once again, urge your pupils to make sure their figurative language is creating the right effect. Terror choked off the words in his throat is appropriately chilling; terror asked him not to say anything is less so. To hammer home the possibilities of figurative language, why not adorn your classroom walls with our simile, metaphor and personification posters , which illustrate each device in an appealing and amusing way?
Imagery in persuasive writing
Imagery, including all the tricks and techniques outlined above, is not just important in narratives; it also has its place in persuasive writing. Frozen peas âas fresh as the day the pod went popâ is a good example of the effective use of simile. No doubt you will have your own favourite advertising metaphors or personification, both visual and lexical. As ever, though, the challenge for pupils is to select figurative language that deftly captures the essence of whatever proposition is being peddled.
Scary story writing
Helping pupils to develop these skills calls for a suitable context and what could be better than the scary story? We offer a comprehensive pack of resources for writing scary stories , including instructions, planners and model texts designed to create chilling tales, dripping with blood-curdling imagery.
Hopefully, this has painted a vivid picture of how to inspire your pupils to embrace all forms of imagery. We trust youâll enjoy watching their writing blossom as a result.
You may also be interested in...
> Imperative verb â 10 ways to teach bossy verbs
> Inverted commas â Getting speech punctuation right at KS2
Latest Stories
Imperative verb – 10 ways to teach bossy verbs, inverted commas – getting speech punctuation right at…, save hours of planning. get loads of benefits..
- Access 1,500+ resources
- Over 80 expert CPD guides
- New resources every week
- Full curriculum coverage
- Member-only premium collections
- Plus lots more...
Trending resources
Ks2 comprehension – classic literature – the invisible man, a..., ks1 and ks2 writing templates for english lessons, year 1 home learning pack (1), year 6 spelling revision – ks2 challenge worksheets, editable primary lesson plan template and english unit..., narrative writing ks2 – scaffolds and plot types resource pack, expanded noun phrases year 2 – spag worksheets, conjunctions ks2 – model sentences resource pack, browse by year group, upgrade now.
Click 'Upgrade now' to activate your subscription. An invoice will appear on your accounts page and be sent by email. Once paid, the benefits of your full account will be unlocked within five days.
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
These display posters work well as creative writing prompts in KS2 English lessons. Use these wonderful images to inspire writing. KS2 children will enjoy choosing from a range of creative writing pictures, getting inspired and writing about the topic.Simply download and print, then hand out these posters to small groups in your class. Then, you could instruct your pupils to write a short ...
Let these images spark your memory of a joyous moment you spent with family, friends, or by yourself. You may choose one image or link a few together to tell/show a deeper-more detailed memoir. With thanks to Stephen Yost - Neil Armstrong Middle School - Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, USA for the pictures and ideas.
A set of 22 vivid photographs to be used as inspiration for descriptive, narrative or discursive writing. The pictures are open to interpretation and can be used in multiple ways. The resource includes a brainstorming template for students to use to organise their initial ideas. The download includes both a PPT and PDF version of the images and ...
Using these images for creative writing at home. Creative, descriptive writing is a fun and engaging activity that you can help KS2 children with at home, especially with these images to inspire writing. Not only is writing a way for children to have fun, but it helps to develop their literacy and language skills too.
Our Pictures for Creative Writing for KS2 PowerPoint is a great resource to inspire creativity within your students and help them to get their ideas down on paper. It's the perfect resource to put up on the board where it will act as a visual prompt for your kids to write creatively about. This resource contains 20 slides, each containing a different image which could be used to spark ideas ...
This excellent resource provides descriptive writing images for your children to use as inspiration during your writing activities. The PowerPoint includes 21 different descriptive writing images for your pupils to take inspiration from. Among these pictures for descriptive writing, you can find a starry sky, a dinosaur, an autumnal forest and ...
150 Inspiring Picture Writing Prompts To Spark Creativity (Free Google Slides) Use a picture to write a thousand words! Creative writing is a challenge for many students, often because they can't come up with anything to write about. That's why we love picture writing prompts. Each one sparks the imagination and helps young writers jump ...
Subject: Creative writing. Age range: 7-11. Resource type: Worksheet/Activity. File previews. ppt, 2.89 MB. ppt, 5.43 MB. ppt, 5.36 MB. You can find 48 creative writing tasks with picture prompts in these ppts. Unlike technical, academic, and other forms of writing, creative writing fosters imagination and allows students to have a voice.
These are brilliant images to inspire brilliantly creative writing. The questions are included because 'reading and writing float on a sea of talk' (Britton, 1983) - the quality ideas, language and structures come from a rich discussion of the picture and the possibilities for writing. This sheet is a good starting point for generating ...
Celebrate World Book Day in this fun and interactive KS2 guide from BBC Bitesize. KS2 English Creative writing learning resources for adults, children, parents and teachers.
Fantastic picture prompts for writing KS2 stories. This Picture Writing Prompts are excellent starting points for inspiring creativity within your student's narratives.. They feature six completely different images of various places, people, and events. Using these picture writing prompts, kids can create their own piece of creative writing, using a setting or a person from this resource as ...
The Character Collection. These are my favourite character images (it was a tough choice!) - use them to work on character description (including grammar objectives such as expanded noun phrases and relative clauses) or for character ideas for writing. Try this activity - 20 questions to get to know a character - to fully explore and ...
Pictures make a fun alternative to your typical writing prompts and story starters and can help shake up your regular routine. How to Use Picture Prompts for Creative Writing. There's no limit to the ways you can use writing prompts. Here are some of our favorite ways to incorporate image prompts into your weekly lesson plans. Writing Center.
85+ Picture Writing Prompts For Kids (+ Free Printable) December 18, 2021. A picture is worth a thousand words. So how many words can you write for these 85 picture writing prompts for kids and grow-ups alike! Pictures, whether something as simple as an apple or as complex as an action scene can spark the imagination in more ways than one.
All images are shared with the permission and support of the artists.
The definition of imagery is language that uses devices such as similes and metaphors to create images in the reader's mind. It can fuel the imagination. It can dictate the mood. It can take you to places you've never been before. It is a very powerful tool for any writer to possess, whether you're writing a poem, short story, picture ...
KS2 'A Room with a View' Descriptive Writing Prompt Activity Sheets. 5.0 (3 reviews) KS2 Tell Me a Story Inspiration Activity Pack 2. 4.9 (16 reviews) Creative Writing Ideas for Year 3 and 4 - Morning Activities PowerPoint Week 1. 4.9 (25 reviews) KS2 Mystery/Detective Story Prompt Cards. 4.8 (4 reviews) Creative Writing Stimulus Fantasy Hotspots.
Provide a support sheet with pictures or ideas as inspiration. ... This short film is designed to support the teaching of creative writing for KS2 in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and for 2nd ...