Prompt picture: Picture Prompts — The New York Times
Posted on20 Picture Writing Prompts for Kids
A picture is worth a thousand words, and that’s certainly the case with visual writing prompts!
Be it a simple object or a fantastical scene, a picture is all it takes to spark a child’s imagination.
That’s why I love picture writing prompts for kids who are learning how to write.
They help alleviate the burden of not knowing where to start while providing creative flexibility for students to pen their own stories.
I especially like to use picture prompts for teaching descriptive writing. They encourage children to focus, study, and evaluate an image with all its colors and scenery, which naturally sparks more descriptive text.
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What Is Picture Prompt Writing?
If you’re unfamiliar with picture prompts, they are a type of writing prompt that uses an image to start a story.
Students then create a story, using the picture as either the setting or simply a jumping off point.
The benefit of visual writing prompts is that it gives students a place to start. Not only that, it encourages them to use more adjectives and write in more detailed sentences.
Most students need some guidance beyond “write about this.” The again, too many details can be overwhelming.
Picture prompts give kids just enough information to act as a stress-free starting point, and from there, they can tell their own stories.
They aren’t necessary for every writing activity, but they’re a fun and simple way to spark creativity—and they often prompt students to think (and write!) outside the box.
How to Use Picture Writing Prompts
Students who struggle to write may naturally gravitate towards picture prompts.
In fact, picture writing for kids is particularly helpful for reluctant writers who struggle with expressing themselves in words.
The prompts can be paired with any number of writing activities, from freewriting to journal writing to creative writing.
Choosing pictures for kids to write about will largely depend on the skill level and age of your student.
As a general rule of thumb, you want to use the most interesting pictures for writing prompts you can find.
As kids get older, their writing world expands, so their prompts can be more in-depth and structured.
You can even try using two unrelated prompts and have your students develop a story that incorporates both perspectives.
Here are a few more specific ways to use visual writing prompts:
1. Choose pictures that aren’t so clear-cut. Ambiguous images lead to more brainstorming, providing plenty of room for interpretation and creativity.
2. Give students ample time to look at and study the image.
3. Give them 5-10 minutes to write everything they can think about when they look at the picture.
4. Use the 5 Ws to start the conversation. This encourages young writers to look closely for clues about a possible storyline.
- What? What’s going on in the image?
- Where? Where is it taking place?
- Who? Who or what is the subject of the scene?
- Why? What caused the scene in the image? Why did it happen?
- When? What happened before the picture? What happens after?
5. You can also give them a series of pictures for story writing. This is a great option for older elementary up to middle school students.
As you can see, picture prompts are pretty open-ended. You can tweak and use them whichever way works best for your student.
Want to try using picture prompts?
We’ve provided 20 creative, engaging visual prompts below.
Have fun!
For more writing fun, try these fall-themed prompts, winter writing prompts, or one-sentence story starters.
20 Picture Writing Prompts for Kids
The IceBreaker
- Something mysterious caused the cracking.…
- What do you think is underneath this sheet of ice?
- How far will the cracks spread? What will happen?
The Gardener and the Magical Plant
- It’s not an ordinary seed sprouting…
- What do you think will grow?
- Who is planting the seedling?
Adventures Of The Dive Club
- Did they find treasure under the sea?
- What did they capture on camera?
- Where in the world are they?
The Lion and the Lost Lambs
- It was an unlikely friendship…
- Do the lambs feel safe with the lion?
- What is the lion thinking?
Runaway Cow
- Why is the cow so far away from the rest of the herd?
- What is the cow looking at?
- What’s going through her mind?
Sunset at the Meadow
- The tire swing was still swaying as they left…
- Who was playing here?
- Where are the birds going?
A Kitty of a Different Kind
- Why does the cat have different eye colors?
- It’s not just his eyes that made him different…
- What is the cat’s name?
The Missing Plane
- Where is the plane going?
- How did it get lost?
- What happens next?
Best Friends in a Snowstorm
- What are their names?
- How did they become friends?
- What are they talking about?
The Icky Sticky Ice Cream Cone
- The person who dropped this ice cream was startled…
- What made them drop their ice cream?
- Describe the scene, the emotions, etc.
A Bug’s Life
- What is the bug doing?
- What is his name?
- His friends made fun of him because he was green…
The Secret Spy Frog
- What or who is the frog watching?
- Why is the frog hiding?
- What is his secret mission?
The Surprise of a Lifetime
- What is this little boy’s story?
- What or who surprised him?
- What happens next?
The Hidden House in the Woods
- There is something very special about this house…
- Could this be the house everyone in the village spoke of?
- Who lives there?
Beneath the Waves
- Who took this photo?
- Where are all the fish going?
- Are they running away from someone/something?
The Boy and the Giant Roly-Poly Pumpkin
- It was no ordinary pumpkin…
- What’s inside the pumpkin?
- What is the boy going to do with it?
The “Cat-tastrophe” Shower
- The cat made such a mess…what happened?
- What is the cat thinking?
- What does he do after getting bathed?
World-Famous PupStar
- What is the dog’s name?
- What made this dog famous?
- Why is he taking the photo?
The Sinking House
- What do you think caused the house to sink?
- Where are the people who lived in the house? Are they still there?
- Use your imagination!
The Dinosaurs and the Broccoli Forest
- Why are these dinos eating broccoli?
- Where are all the other dinosaurs?
- Are there other animals in the forest?
Download and Print FREE Picture Prompts (PDF)
No matter what grade your kids are in, they will love these fun (and often funny!) elementary picture writing prompts.
The concepts are suitable for a wide age range and can be used by first graders all the way up to middle school students.
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Now when you hear the dreaded, “I have nothing to write about!” just pull out these picture prompts, provide pencil and paper, and let your young writers create!
The Images Shed — THE LITERACY SHED
Winter Scene Writing Prompts
Abandoned Places
Double click the image to make fullscreen
Landscapes
|
Watch the film through. Simply pause the film on a beautiful scene and then ask the children to describe it. Simple! |
Some forest/woodland stimuli
A pathway to where?
|
Thanks to Louise Brookes @lobroo on Twitter for providing this collection of stunning images. |
Key Questions |
Use similes and metaphors along with personification to descrbe how some of these paths ‘move’ across the landscape. |
Tiny Dragon
Questions for discussion:
- Where is it from?
- Why is it so small?
- Are there more like him?
- Where does he live?
- How will you look after it?
- Will you keep it a secret or tell someone?
- What is it called?
- Is it magic? What magic can it do?
I like to imagine that it is a really small dragon which you can keep in your pocket but when you need to it can grow huge so that you can ride it.
Flying Houses
I came across these amazing images in a Sunday supplement.
Your class could debate what is meant by ‘being healthy’.
Write ‘A guide to keeping healthy’ include sub headings such as; Diet, Exercise, Drugs etc
Statues
All statues have a back story, the children can write that. Who is it? What is? Where is it? Does it come alive? What happens? Is it watching us? What is it thinking?
With thanks to Jane Hewitt
|
Everyone has a favourite season or favourite seasonal activities. 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.
Download File |
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Its pouring down and he is just stood there. Who is he and who is he waiting for?
Friend or foe?
There is a Wizard in My Potting Shed
Imagine you discover this ‘shed’ at the bottom of your garden, What is inside? I can imagine it’s magical inside, much bigger than it seems on the outside. Perhaps lit by candles, strange instruments on the tables, cobwebbed and dusty.
Behind you the door closes gently and you espy this man sat in emerald green robes, peering at you over his glasses, the candles flicker and die out. It’s pitch black and he whispers….
|
|
|
Allow the children 10 words only. No more and no less. What does the Wizard say to them? Make it mysterious.
This is the opening scene to a story. Perhaps something like «Come, follow me.. Don’t make a sound, she is upstairs!»
Time stood still for all but one man.
What has happened? How did it happen? Who did it? Why did they do it? What will happen next?
I saw her and then she was gone, I heard her whispering for me to follow. It only took me a few seconds for me to decide…
These moving images can be copy and pasted into powerpoint etc and they still move.
Where does it lead to? Who is at the other end? Who are the two people?
Who made it? When was it made?
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70 Picture Prompts for Creative Writing (with Free Slides)
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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 favourite ways to incorporate image prompts into your writing times.
- 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.
Good luck!
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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.
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Picture Prompts For Writing: A teacher’s guide
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Classroom Practice
Paul Main
How can we use images to develop and scaffold the writing process for children?
What are picture prompts for writing?
Everything that makes a learner is already in children. Unlocking and developing this potential is one of the most significant rewards as instructors. Children are born with an innate ability to learn, but it takes time and effort to develop their natural skills.
Children have all the skills to be enviably creative because they are naturally interested, energetic, driven, spontaneous and exploratory. In this article, we will look at how simple visuals can be manipulated into different manifestations to generate ideas. This playful approach can fuel the creative writing process and be incorporated into all kinds of student writing.
Our job is to help each kid discover and develop their unique talents while also allowing them to do so from a position of strength. Simple imagery can create new thoughts that act as writing prompts. Whatever type of writing you are developing, an intriguing image can generate story ideas to spur on child imagination. The key to helping each kid flourish is providing a secure atmosphere in which innate talents may grow, develop, and mature.
Why should we use picture prompts in KS1 literacy?
Children benefit significantly from visual cues in their quest to make sense of the world around them. Picture writing prompts can help a child add more meaning to their work and put them on a path to developing the art of writing. Whether your school is trying to embrace a daily writing challenge or advance non-fiction writing, picture writing prompts are a very useful utility.
In recent years, Dual coding has received a lot of attention and it has shone the light on the importance of incorporating pictures in all kinds of writing. Descriptive writing assignments can also benefit from inspiring images that help pupils generate new adjectives.
Using a wide variety of ever-evolving skills and expertise, images can…
- Invoke recollections
- Develop vocabulary
- Generate fresh ideas ideas
- Sequence and organize ideas
- Assist memory
- Develop imagination
- Encourage us to «think beyond the box.
Picture prompts using dual coding methods
How should we use picture prompts?
Talking
A simple image or series of photographs might prompt children to describe what they see. Amazing images are waiting to be explored using rich language. This type of generative activity can very quickly help young school children find the words they will use in a piece of writing.
Argumentative writing can be developed with pictures that cause someone to take a certain position. This conflict can be discussed through Oracy activities acting as the perfect writing stimulus.
Fear of giving an incorrect response is eliminated by opening the assignment to interpretation. The children will believe that this is a secure place to express their creative thinking without fear of consequences. Talk is the prerequisite for personal writing as children discover what they believe by entertaining different perspectives.
Encourage pupils by asking:
- Can you locate a picture of anything you like?
- What do you think you’ve noticed so far?
- What is it, exactly?
- Is there anything else it may be?
Children will soon be talking, reasoning, and explaining due to this process. For children who don’t want to talk, we can show them how to make observations, play with words, and develop imaginative ideas.
They’ll develop the confidence to join their friends and give it a go on their own in due time.
Using picture icons as a writing prompt
Sequencing picture prompts for structuring writing
Fantasy images are very useful for stimulating new ideas but the photos don’t always have to be stunning images. Simple icons available from sites like the Noun Project can be used instead of complex imagery that might distract the child away from the task at hand. These visual writing prompts are often one colour and represent one idea. As pupils place the image next to another they often combine the meanings and generate new ideas. This can act as a very effective story starter for even the youngest children. Having a collection of story picture prompts in your top draw will mean that you’ll always have new ideas ready to be forged.
How do we go about using a simple photo prompt to structure writing? Request that the children select two or three photographs that they like or find fascinating.
You may then use a simple yet engaging statement to link these images.
For example:
‘A big dinosaur once went into a dark wood and discovered a magical potion.’
Using pictures to sequence ideas together
Celebrate the children’s innovative ideas that they came up with, which you then expressed aloud. Children can then choose two or three additional images they like and explore them by linking them. You should expect to hear them discussing the photographs in various ways shortly after you introduce them. Using their speed, they can connect and expand their thoughts.
It is possible to create high expectations for vocabulary and creative content in young children as early as the stages of language development allow for sensitive inquiry.
For example:
- What do you think will happen next?
- What are their options?
- What are their movements like?
- What are their emotions?
- What’s the best way to put it?
By linking more and more photos, children may build on this.
As time goes on, they’ll be able to compose whole stories, poems, and recounts that enable them to immerse themselves in their creativity and communicate the fascinating worlds they possess in their thoughts.
Ordering ideas using ‘Writers Block’
Picture prompts can help build tomorrow’s enthusiastic writers
Utilising imagery into a daily writing habit is not cheating. We are utilising a different medium to help pupils order and combine their thoughts ready for writing. Children will remember good experiences like this for the rest of their lives, creating a formative sense of what it means to be a writer. If you are interested in this process and want to explore other areas relating to this practice you might want to read our other articles on:
- Dual coding
- Dialogic teaching
- Oracy
- Colourful semantics
- Critical thinking
- Mind maps
- Graphic organisers
We educate even the youngest children to own language without limitations via empathetic, enjoyable and liberated creative activities.
After all, the world is their oyster, and they are more than able to put these abilities to use — all we need to do now is plant the seed.
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What are picture prompts for writing?
Everything that makes a learner is already in children. Unlocking and developing this potential is one of the most significant rewards as instructors. Children are born with an innate ability to learn, but it takes time and effort to develop their natural skills.
Children have all the skills to be enviably creative because they are naturally interested, energetic, driven, spontaneous and exploratory. In this article, we will look at how simple visuals can be manipulated into different manifestations to generate ideas. This playful approach can fuel the creative writing process and be incorporated into all kinds of student writing.
Our job is to help each kid discover and develop their unique talents while also allowing them to do so from a position of strength. Simple imagery can create new thoughts that act as writing prompts. Whatever type of writing you are developing, an intriguing image can generate story ideas to spur on child imagination. The key to helping each kid flourish is providing a secure atmosphere in which innate talents may grow, develop, and mature.