I love collecting ideas to stimulate writing…in fact I think I am bordering on obsessive…

I always start the school day with a ten minute thinking / writing time which I sometimes expand into an extended writing activity. My children are often limited in life experiences and are not immersed in stories at home so they can sometimes struggle when it comes to using their imaginations, or pulling ideas from stories they know.  I use a lot of Pie Corbett’s word warm up activities (his training is the most inspiring and useful I have ever been on!) and am constantly referring to ‘JumpStart’ for ideas.

I try to plan so that the children can respond to the picture through words and drawing depending on their level of need so I have to think very carefully about the types of questions or sentence starters I use.  The more mystical and weird the picture the better!!!

Here are some of the ideas I have used…

As she touched the mirror her hand disappeared into the world beyond… Draw what was on the other side of the mirror.  Continue the story.

As she turned towards him she began to change…Draw how she changed.  Continue the story from the point of view of ‘him’.

The mist began to take form in front of him and an earth-rumbling, guttural growl reverberated in his chest. What appears from the mist?  Why is he there? Write the story before this moment.

Through the driving rain and darkness he saw before him a house.  His only hope… Why is this is only hope?  Who lives in the house?

The Elven Kingdom has been a place of peace and safety for thousands of years.  All that was about to change… Write the story that explains why.

Would you stay here?  Write a diary entry as a guest of this little hotel.

Here is my collection on Pinterest –