ideas for middle school essays

Writing Prompts

150 Writing Prompts For Middle School (+Free Printable)

Make writing fun and easy, with these 150 writing prompts for middle school students.

The more you write, the better you become at writing. But the problem is not all middle schoolers enjoy writing. There’s always something better to do, playing video games , watching YouTube videos , hanging with friends , lazing about the house – Why bother writing, right? The trick is to understand that even the smallest piece of writing can make a huge difference in a student’s attitude towards writing.

If you unload too many lengthy assignments, such as writing 1,000 words on topic X or 3,000 about something, something – Writing can seem like a long, boring chore for some students. But if you break it down, and mix it up a bit, then your students have a real chance of actually liking writing for fun. Think of creating small writing tasks that take no longer than around 10 or 15 minutes to complete. As students complete these small tasks with ease, their confidence will grow, eventually turning them into avid young writers.

To help inspire and motivate young writers, we have created this list of 150 quick and easy writing prompts for Middle School students. Keep reading for a free printable writing pack for middle schoolers as well! Here is a quick generator that will generate a random middle school prompt for you:

For more fun writing ideas, check out this list of over 300 writing prompt for kids .

150 Writing Prompts For Middle School Students

This list of prompts is great for whenever your middle-schooler is bored and needs some quick ideas to write about:

Make a list of at least three different opening lines for this story idea: A space knight living in outer space wants to fight a real fire-breathing dragon.
Complete this sentence in at least three different ways: When I’m bored, I like to…
Draw a picture of your dream house, and describe some of the coolest features it has.
Make a top ten list of the scariest animals in the animal kingdom. You could even write down one scary fact about each animal.
Write an acrostic poem using the letters that spell z-o-m-b-i-e.
Describe the scariest monster that you can think of. You could even draw a picture of it.
Complete the following sentence in at least three different ways: My goal for the next month is to…
Make a top ten list of your favourite foods of all time. You could even write down one reason for why each food is your favourite.
Create your own A-Z book or list of monsters. For A is for Abominable Snowman, B is for Bogeyman and so on.
Research and write down five facts about an endangered species of your choice. Examples of endangered species include the blue whale, giant pandas, snow leopards and tigers.
Create a postcard for your local town or city. What picture would you draw on the front? And what message could you include on the back?
Write an acrostic poem using the letters that spell out your own first name. This poem could be about yourself.
Make a top ten list of your favourite movies of all time.
Make a top ten list of your favourite songs of all time.
Complete the following sentence in at least three different ways. When I grow up I want to…
Which is your favourite season, Winter , Spring , Summer or Autumn? Write a haiku poem about your favourite season.
Create a party invite for a dinner party at your house. Think about the party theme, entertainment, food and dress code.
Write down a recipe that uses eggs as one of the ingredients.
Write a how-to guide on how to take care of a kitten or puppy.
What do you enjoy doing on the weekends? Start by making a list of activities that you do on the weekend. Then you can pick one to write about in more detail.
Using a photograph (or one of these picture writing prompts ), write a short caption or description to go alongside it.
Imagine you are the owner of a new restaurant. Create a menu of the dishes you will serve at this restaurant.
What has been the best part of your day so far? And what has been the worst part of the day?
Imagine that you have a time machine. What year would you travel to and why?
If you could have one superpower, what would it be and why?
If you could keep one dinosaur as a pet, which dinosaur would you pick and why?
Write down everything you remember from a recent nightmare that you had.
What is your favourite country in the whole wide world? List at least five fun facts about this country.
Make a list of at least 3 different story ideas about aliens.
Create a character description of the world’s most evil supervillains.
What is your greatest achievement to date? What are you most proud of and why?
Write an action-packed scene that contains the following: A car chase, a lucky pair of socks and a talking parrot.
What advice would you give to someone who is being bullied? You could make a list of at least three pieces of advice that you might give.
Imagine you are stuck on a desert island. Write a diary entry of your first day on the island.
Imagine you are a pirate sailing the seven seas. Talk about the scariest thing you faced while out at sea.
You just discovered a new planet . Can you describe this new planet in detail? What would you call it? Does any life exist on the planet? What type of climate does it have?
Would you rather have a magical unicorn as a pet or a fire-breathing dragon?
Complete the following sentence in at least three different ways: One day I was walking through the forest and discovered…
Write a letter to your friend about a favourite memory you have of them. You can use the following starter as inspiration: Remember that time…
Make a list of book title ideas for a story about a girl who can go invisible whenever she wants.
A talking cat is fast asleep, then suddenly someone wakes it up. Write down a short script between the cat, and the person arguing.
What is the nicest thing that anyone has done for you recently?
Make a list of 10 online safety tips to help you stay safe online.
Can you think of at least 5 ways to prevent climate change in your daily life?
Make a list of your top ten favourite books of all time.
Think about a movie that you’ve seen recently. What did you enjoy most about this movie, and what did you dislike about it?
You are just about to take a bite of an apple. And then suddenly the apple starts screaming. What do you do next?
Describe a magical forest in great detail. What makes this forest so magical?
Write a super scary scene, using the following starter: As I walked into the haunted house…
What is your greatest fear? Is it possible to ever overcome this fear? If so, how would you do it?
Make a list of at least five things you like about yourself. And then make a list of five things that you would change about yourself.
What would the perfect day look like for you? How would it start? What activities would you do? And how does it end?
You are standing in the playground when you hear two of your classmates making fun of your best friend. What do you do next?
A young boy yells at his pet eagle to fly away into the wild. The eagle does not respond. Write down this scene between the two characters in great detail.
Describe a pencil in the greatest detail possible.
Create your own superhero character. What are their strengths and superpowers? What about their weaknesses? Also, think of a cool superhero name for them!
What is your dream job? What skills and traits do you need to do this job well?
Imagine that you have had the worst day ever. Write down what happened to make it so bad.
What is your favourite colour? Now write a short rhyming poem about this colour.
If you had three wishes, what would you wish for and why? Wishing for extra wishes is not allowed.
Write an action-packed scene of a lion chasing a zebra in the wild from the perspective of the lion.
Imagine you own a video gaming company. Your task is to come up with a new video game idea. Explain this new video game idea in detail.
What would you do if you were given $1 million dollars?
What is your favourite hobby or interest? Can you provide at least five tips for beginners who might be interested in starting this hobby?
Make a top ten list of your favourite celebrities or YouTube stars.
Write the opening paragraph of a fairytale about a zombie prince who has returned from the dead.
Write an alternative ending to a fairytale that you are familiar with. For example, you could write a sad ending for Cinderella or a cliff-hanger style ending for Jack and the Beanstalk.
Write down a conversation in a script format between two people waiting for the bus at a bus stop.
Would you rather get abducted by aliens, or discover a magical portal to another realm in your bedroom? Explain your answer.
Write a shape poem about your favourite food in the shape of this food.
If you had to prepare for a zombie invasion, which three items would you pack in your bag, and why?
Describe the most beautiful garden in the world in detail. What type of flowers would it have? Would it have any garden furniture?
You receive a strange parcel in the middle of the night. You open the parcel to discover… Write down at least one paragraph of what you discover in the parcel.
Use the word, ‘Stampede’ in at least three different sentences.
Complete the following metaphor in at least three different ways: Your smile is like…
Describe the city of the future. What would the buildings look like? How will people travel? What kind of homes will people live in?
What is Marie Curie (the physicist) famous for? Research and write down five facts about her research and studies.
You have just been made leader of the Kingdom of Kinloralm. As the leader, what rules would you set for the kingdom? Make a list of at least 10 rules that you will enforce.
A witch has cast a spell on you. Every night at midnight, you turn into a werewolf. Describe this transformation in great detail. What does it feel like when you are transforming? How does your skin change? What about your teeth and fingernails?
Using the following starter , write at least one paragraph: When I look outside the window…
After a deep sleep, you wake up to find yourself locked inside a cage. No one else is around. What do you do next?
You keep on having the same nightmare every night. In your nightmare, you are running as fast as you can, and then you suddenly fall. When you turn around you see… Write at least one paragraph about what you see.
Write down at least 10 interview questions that you can ask your favourite celebrity. If you have time, you can even write down the potential answers to these questions from the perspective of the celebrity.
Write a how-to guide on how to grow tomatoes at home.
Make a list of at least five tips for keeping your bedroom clean.
Would you rather drive the fastest car on Earth for one hour or own a custom-made bicycle? Explain your choice.
Write a limerick poem about an old snail.
Find something in your room that begins with the letter, ‘R’, and write a paragraph describing this object in detail.
Research the history of how the first mobile phone was invented. Create a timeline of mobile phone inventions from the very first mobile to the current time.
If you were the headteacher of your school, what changes would you make and why? Try to list and describe at least three changes.
What are the benefits and drawbacks of having access to the internet? Try to think of at least five benefits and five drawbacks.
Write about the best day of your life so far. Then write about the worst day of your life so far.
Imagine that you are an agony aunt for a newspaper. A reader has written to you with the following problem: Dear Agony Aunt, I have no friends at school. And my classmates are always making fun of me… What advice would you give this reader?
Imagine that you are a salesperson. Your task is to sell a new chocolate bar to customers. Write down a sales pitch that was selling this chocolate bar. What features would you highlight? What are the benefits of this chocolate bar?
Can you complete the following sentence in three different ways: When I feel upset, I …
What is the most difficult part about being in middle school? What is the best part of middle school?
Imagine that your best friend has just revealed a huge secret. How would you react? Write down a script of the conversation between you and your best friend.
Have you learned any new skills recently? How did you learn these?
Imagine you are sitting at a dinner party with a group of strangers. Describe the atmosphere in great detail. Who are you sitting next to? What sort of conversations are the other guests having? What food is being served?
Five years from now, where will you be? Will you be the same person? How would you have changed?
Write about your plans for the weekend.
Describe a day in the life of being a goldfish in a fishbowl at a pet shop.
While at the seaside, a message in a bottle washes up onto the shore. You open the bottle and read the message. The message reads: Help Me! I’m stranded on an island! What do you do next?
A mother and her son are baking some muffins in the kitchen. Write down a conversation that they might have while they bake together.
Make a list of indoor activities you can do when it’s raining outside. Try to think of at least ten activities.
Write down a diary entry from the perspective of an alien secretly living undercover on Earth.
Write at least three different opening lines for the following story idea: A king needs to keep his kingdom safe from the ravenous trolls that come out at night.
Imagine you are a secret agent cat, write about your most recent mission.
Complete the following sentence in at least three different ways: If I could change the world, I would…
If you could program a robot, what tasks would you program it to do, and why?
Imagine you are the owner of a toy shop. Your task is to hire some toy makers. Write a job description for a toymaker. Think about the skills and traits required to become a toymaker.
You are the owner of a zoo. Suddenly you hear people screaming as the lions are accidentally released. What do you do next?
Your future self comes from the future to warn you about something. Write a conversation that you would have with your future self.
If you had a choice to become a superhero or a supervillain, which one would you be and why?
Can you think of at least three things that no one knows about you? Why have you kept these things a secret?
During a science experiment, you mix up the wrong chemicals. The liquid turns blue and jumps out of the glass container. It then slides into your backpack. What do you do next?
Write down at least five things that you are grateful for in your life right now.
You notice some strange footprints in your backyard leading to your shed. You follow these footprints and discover…
When was the last time someone upset you or hurt your feelings? How did they hurt your feelings? Do you remember what was said?
You walk inside a magic shop. You see all sorts of weird and fun things. Describe the inside of the shop in as much detail as possible.
Write at least three different opening lines for the following story idea: A young werewolf wants to be a human again.
Make a list of three different story ideas about dragons.
Write from the perspective of a kite flying high in the sky. Think about what you feel, see and hear.
Write about your favourite subject at school. Why do you like this subject?
Write a haiku poem about the full moon.
Imagine you are the manager of a TV channel. Make a list of at least three new TV show ideas you can air on Saturday evening.
You find a baby alien in your basement. What do you do next?
Think of at least three newspaper headlines for the following article idea: The new mayor of your town/city is planning on creating more homes.
Imagine that your pet dog has gone missing. Create a missing poster to find your dog. Remember to describe any important details relating to the dog in your power.
Write an advertisement for the brand new mixer 3000. It mixes all the best music tracks with sounds to create the ultimate track.
Write down three sentences. One of something interesting that happened to you today. Another of something positive that happened. And finally another sentence of something negative.
Write down four different character descriptions. Each character must have a different background story or history when growing up.
Imagine you had a terrible experience at a restaurant. Write a complaint letter to the restaurant manager, outlining the problems you had.
Imagine your family is planning to go on a cruise. As you drive to the boat, a person walks up to your car window, holds up a flyer, and demands that they do what they were told. What is your family’s reply?
As you’re making your way home, you pass by a group of people. It turns out the person who was walking next to them is a ghost. What do you do next?
Your best friend has had a terrible year. You need to plan the best birthday party ever for them. Make a list of items that you will need for the party.
Using the 5 W’s and 1 H technique, outline the following newspaper article idea: A new breed of wolves was discovered nearby. The 5 W’s include: What, Where, When, Who and why. The one H is How.
Write a positive self-talk poem, using the following starter: I am…
Take a recent picture that you have drawn at home or during art class. Using this picture, can you think of at least three ideas for stories from it?
How can you prevent bullying in your school? Make a list of at least five different ways to prevent bullying.
Write a list of at least 10 interview questions that you can ask your favourite teacher at school. If you want, you can actually ask these questions and write down the responses your teacher gives.
Describe a day in the life of being a mouse that lives in your school.
What qualities to look for in a friend? Make a list of at least 3 qualities. Also, think about what qualities you try to avoid.
Complete the following sentence in at least three different ways: When I wake up in the morning, I feel…
Do you ever wish you could do more to help people? Make a list of at least five ways you can help a friend who is going through a tough time.
When was the last time you felt angry? How did you deal with this anger? Do you think it is okay to be angry all the time?
Write down at least three predictions for the future. These predictions can be personal or about the world. You can use the following starter: In 10 years time…
Do you enjoy writing? If yes, then what kind of things do you enjoy writing about. Explain your answer.
Think about the last book you read. Which scene in the book stood out to you the most? Why did it stand out for you?
Complete the following sentence in at least three different ways: The biggest question on my mind right now is…

What did you think of this list of quick and easy writing prompts for Middle School students? Did you find this list useful or difficult to use? Let us know in the comments below!

Printable Writing Pack for Middle Schoolers

Thank you for reading this post! You can download the free PDF writing prompts for Middle School students pack here .

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.