Writing Prompts for Kids (In Spanish & English)
A list of writing prompts in Spanish and English for kids to help them exercise their writing skills.
These Spanish writing prompts also include the English translations in the post. Check out our whole series Learn Spanish for Kids.
What are writing prompts?
Writing prompts or essay prompts are questions or statements that direct students to write about different topics.
Why are writing prompts important?
Writing prompts are an effective strategy used for developing good writers.
It helps kids by exercising and even challenging their writing skills, making them think deeply about different subjects and looking at things from different perspectives.
Reading and writing is an integral part of our language use and it’s very important to develop these skills in the target language if we want children and adults to be truly bilingual.
For this reason, we have developed a series of fun English and Spanish writing prompts that can be used for students of different ages. Below you will find:
- English & Spanish writing prompts for kids early writing
- English & Spanish writing prompts for kids Grade 1-2
- English & Spanish writing prompts for kids Grade 3-4
- English & Spanish writing prompts for kids Grade 5-6
- English & Spanish writing prompts for kids Grade 7-8
- English & Spanish writing prompts for kids High School
Writing Prompts in Spanish & English for Early Writing
When children are first learning their letters and letter sounds, a great way to start them with their writing is through drawing.
Presenting them with opportunities to express themselves and tell a story through drawing is the beginning of writing for them.
It’s important to let children draw freely and then ask them questions about what they have drawn. As they tell you what each thing is, you can write out the words in their drawing.
You can also ask them to write the first letter of whatever they have drawn.
1. ¿Cuál es tu animal favorito?
What is your favorite animal?
2. ¿Cómo es tu familia?
What is your family like?
3. Haz un autorretrato.
Draw a self-portrait.
4. Dibuja un día en la playa.
Draw a day at the beach.
5. Diseña un carro.
Design a car.
6. ¿Cuál es tu cuento favorito? Haz un dibujo sobre el.
What is your favorite story? Make a drawing based on it.
7. Dibuja tu juguete favorito.
Draw your favorite toy.
8. ¿Cómo es tu mejo amigo/amiga? Haz un retrato de el o ella.
What is your best friend like? Draw a portrait of them.
9. Haz un retrato de tu mascota.
Draw a portrait of your pet.
10. ¿Qué quieres ser cuando seas grande?
What do you want to be when you grow up?
Writing Prompts in Spanish & English for 1st and 2nd Grade
First and second grade is a special time for children, whether they are going to school or being schooled at home. They are finally “big kids” and have a lot of emotions and ideas to contend with.
Helping them learn how to express themselves will serve them well for the rest of their lives. Here are some Spanish writing prompts for this age group.
1. ¿Cómo sería tu vida si fueras un pirata?
What would like as a pirate be like?
2. ¿Cómo sería el mundo si el cielo fuera rojo y la grama fuera morada?
What would it be like if the sky was red and the grass was purple?
3. ¿Qué te gusta hacer cuando hace calor afuera?
What do you like to do when it’s warm outside?
4. ¿Quién es el mejor personaje de dibujos animados? ¿Por qué?
Who is your favorite cartoon character? Why?
5. ¿Cuál es tu animal favorito? ¿Por qué?
What is your favorite animal? Why?
6. Escribe sobre un momento en que te disgustaste por algo que sucedió en la escuela o en tu casa. ¿Que hiciste?
Write about a time when you got upset by something at school or at home. What did you do?
7. ¿Qué es algo especial que haces con tus padres? ¿Cómo te hace sentir?
What is something special you do with your parents? How does it make you feel?
8. ¿Cuál es tu parte favorita del día? ¿Por qué?
What is your favorite part of the day? Why?
9. Si pudieras viajar al espacio, ¿qué te gustaría ver?
What would you like to see if you traveled to space?
10. ¿Cuál es tu modo favorito de transporte? ¿Por qué?
What is your favorite method of transportation? Why?
Writing Prompts in Spanish & English for 3rd and 4th Grade
By the time students are in 3rd and 4th grade, they should be writing regularly and know how to tackle a few different styles.
Sometimes, the hardest part may be knowing how to get started. Here are a few writing prompts in Spanish & English that will inspire them!
1. Piensa en algo que te asusta y explica por qué.
Write about somethign that scares you and why.
2. Imagina que puedes teletransportarte, ¿a dónde irías?
Imagine if you could teleport, where would you go?
3. ¿Qué acto bondadoso harías para alguna otra persona si tuvieras $50 dólares para hacerlo?
What act of kindness would you do for someone else if you had $50 to do so?
4.¿Qué significa ser un buen amigo?
What does it mean to be a good friend?
5. Algunos niños en 3er grado tienen teléfonos celulares. ¿Crees que eso es bueno o malo?
Do you think it’s ok for a 3rd or 4th grader to own a cell pone? Why or why not?
6. Escribe el proceso paso a paso para hacer un sándwich de mantequilla de maní y mermelada.
Describe the step by step process of making a PB&J sanwhich.
7. ¿De qué tareas domésticas eres responsable? Explica cómo las haces.
What chores are you in charge of? Explain how you complete them.
8. Alguna vez has estado en una emergencia? ¿Qué hiciste?
Have you ever been in an emergency? What did you do?
9. Investiga un insecto y escribe un ensayo al respecto.
Investigate an insect and write abotu it.
10. ¿Los grandes tiburones blancos son realmente comedores de hombres? Investiga esta pregunta y escribe un ensayo sobre el tema.
Are Great White Sharks really man eaters? Write about this subject.
Writing Prompts in Spanish & English for 5th and 6th Grade
5th and 6th graders are at the gates of adolescence. Pre-teens begin dealing with a whole new slew of issues, and teaching them to think for themselves and be able to express those feelings is crucial at this age.
These Spanish writing prompts will be helpful in this practice.
1. ¿Cuál es la diferencia entre un privilegio y un derecho?
What’s the diference between a priviledge and a right?
2. ¿Quién es tu héroe de la vida real?
Who is your real life hero?
3. Escribe sobre la sorpresa más grande que hayas recibido.
Write about the biggest surprise you’ve ever received.
4. ¿Dónde te sientes más en casa? ¿Qué te hace sentir tan cómodo?
Where do you feel most at home? What makes you feel so comfortable?
5. Escribe sobre un momento en que no cumpliste una promesa. ¿Cómo te sentiste? ¿Hiciste algo para remediarlo?
Write about a time when you didn’t keep a promise. How did you feel? Did you do something to make-up for it?
6. Haz una lista de las cosas que quieres hacer en tu vida antes de morir. ¿Por que son importantes para ti?
Write out your bucket list. Why are these things important to you?
7. Escribe sobre un momento en que hiciste algo porque todos los demás lo estaban haciendo. ¿Cómo te sentiste después?
Write about a time when do did something because everyone else was doing it. How did you feel afterwards?
8. ¿Qué significa tener una responsabilidad con alguien?
What does it mean to be responsable to someone?
9. Escribe sobre un problema mundial y cómo se pudiera resolver.
Write about a global problem and how it could be solved.
10. Si pudieras retroceder en el tiempo, ¿a qué período irías? ¿Qué te gustaría ver?
What time period would you visit if you could go back in time? What would you like to see?
Writing Prompts in Spanish & English for 7th and 8th Grade
Writing ss a form of learning and as an outlet. That’s where our 7th and 8th grade students are. Getting them to learn, process and create information is an important step in helping them face their teenage years both personally and academically.
Here are a few Spanish writing prompts to get them started:
1. Escribe sobre una persona que admiras. ¿Cómo puedes emularlo?
Write about someone you admire. How can you emulate them?
2. ¿Cuál es tu mayor sueño? Escribe sobre por qué es tán importane para ti.
What is your greatest dream? Why is it so important to you?
3. ¿Alguna vez sentiste que tenísa que hacer algo porque un amigo te lo pidió? Escribe sobre tu experiencia.
Have you ever felt like you had to do something because a friend asked you to? Write about your experience.
4. ¿Cuál es tu pasatiempos favorito? ¿Por qué?
What is your favorite hobby? Why?
5. ¿Con qué frecuencia participas de voluntario? ¿Que haces? ¿Por qué crees que es importante hacerlo?
How often do you volunteer? What do you do? Why do you think it’s important?
6. Escribe acerca de cómo la tecnología podría cambiar la forma en que los estudiantes aprenden en el futuro.
Write about how technology could change education in the future.
7. Escribe sobre una forma en que actúas de manera diferente en casa que en la escuela.
Write about the ways in which you act differently at home than at school.
8. Escribe una reseña sobre un libro que hayas leido recientemente.
Write a review on a book you have recently read.
9. Escribe sobre una notícia que hayas leído recientemente.
Write about a news article you have read recently.
10. ¿Cuál es tu cualidad favorita de ti? ¿Por qué?
What is your favorite quality about yourself? Why?
High School Writing Prompts in Spanish & English
Writing in high school takes on a new tone. Students are expected to communicate well, while honing their critical thinking, grammar and language skills.
More and more they are expected to become producers of information. These prompts are more mature and will help students grow and hone their skills.
1. ¿Cómo es tu relación con tus padres?
What is your relationship with your parents like?
2. ¿Cuáles son los problemas y las soluciones al “activismo de las redes sociales”?
What are the problems and solutions to “internet activism”?
3. ¿Alguna vez has tenido sentimientos por alguien que no fueron correspondidos? ¿Cómo manejaste la situación?
Have you ever had feelings for someone that weren’t reciprovated? How did you handle the situation?
4. ¿Cuál es tu libro favorito? ¿Por qué es tu favorito y cómo te ha afectado?
What is your favorite book? Why is it your favorite and how has it affected you?
5. ¿Cuáles crees que son los pros y los contras de la experimentación con animales?
What are the pros and cos of animal testing?
6. ¿Cómo será tu vida en 10 años?
What will your life be like in 10 years?
7. ¿Cuál crees que debería ser la edad legal para votar? Escribe un ensayo corto defendiendo tu posición.
What should the legal voting age be? Write an essay to defend your position.
8. ¿Cuál es la relación más importante en tu vida en este momento? Describe esa relación.
What is your most important relationship right now? Describe that relationship.
9. ¿Cuáles son tus planes después de la graduación de la escuela secundaria?
What are your plans for after graduation?
10. ¿Qué significa para ti ser bilingüe? ¿Cuáles cree que son los beneficios y los inconvenientes?
What does being bilingual mean to you? What are the benefits and drawbacks?
Spanish Writing Prompts for Kids & Students
We hope that these Spanish writing prompts will help your children and students begin writing in Spanish.
If Spanish is a second (or even third) language, it might be intimidating to start this process.
However, as with anything else, you have to start somewhere. Writing is a muscle that needs to be flexed and the more often that you and your children practice it, the better it will get!
How about you guys? Do you ever use writing prompts for kids? What are some of your favorites?
Author: Keli Garcia Allen is a certified Spanish teacher & Head of Content for Learn Safari. She is currently working on Spanish Safari, a Spanish Learning game for kids 4-10 years old. Follow her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter.
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