100 Writing Prompts for Middle School Students

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If you’ve ever watched your middle schooler stare at a blank page with frustration, you know how discouraging writing can feel when inspiration doesn’t come easily. That’s why I created a list of 100 writing prompts just for middle school students. These prompts range from lighthearted and imaginative (“If I could transport myself anywhere in the world…”) to thoughtful and reflective (“I admire my parents the most because…”). They’re designed to spark ideas, ease the pressure of “what do I write about,” and show kids that writing can be both fun and freeing. Whether you use them for journaling, classroom assignments, or simple at-home practice, these prompts are an easy way to help your student discover the joy of putting words on paper.

I created this list of prompts because I recently asked my 10yo to set a timer and write for thirty minutes. If you’d have heard his “but MOM…” you’d have thought I was torturing him. He claimed he could not think of anything to write. Not one single thing. Um, okay? We chatted for a few minutes about brainstorming, story starters, and writing prompts.  He requested a list of writing prompts to help him get started when he feels stuck. Of course, it took a minute, but I was happy to supply him with a list of of 100 writing prompts for middle school students to spark the creative juices when he feels like the seconds are crawling by on the timer. No more excuses, right?

After I created the list for him, I thought I could share it here, with you. Because if my kiddo gets stumped, maybe yours does, too.

100 Writing Prompts for Middle School Students

Here are ten of the prompts that I gave him. The rest of them are available in the free download I’ve made available to readers.

1. The loud crash happened right after….
2. Walking in the woods makes me feel….
3. That one time I got lost…
4. When I looked out the window, I saw…
5. All the sudden, I couldn’t breathe because…
6. The time is ticking on the clock, I’m running out of time to…
7. My feet hit the pavement harder than ever before…
8. The boulder was huge and hard to move…
9. The train was going at least 100 miles per hour…
10. That clown is incredibly scary because…

Right now, you can get the 100 writing prompts for middle school students with printable writing response sheets for free! I might one day make them a paid resource. I don’t know.

Do you have a middle schooler that resists pouring their heart out on paper?  I recommend snagging a copy of Unjournaling, too! All the writing prompts in this book are entirely impersonal but completely engaging—for both kids and adults.

Unjournaling: Daily Writing Exercises That Are Not Personal, Not Introspective, Not Boring!

***I originally wrote this short article back in 2018. Who knew I’d end up with another middle schooler who thought they hated writing. LOL. I wrote a new article Help, My Middle Schooler Hates Writing! and there’s a whole new set of writing prompts in it. Be sure to check those out, too.***

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