Printable Story Prompts: Make Your Own Adventure (Screen-Free, Kid-Led Fun)

The Easiest Way to Get Kids Telling Stories (Without a Screen)

Kids don’t need a perfect plot. They need a doorway.

A fill-in-the-blank prompt gives their imagination just enough structure to start running—especially for kids who freeze when you say, “Make up a story.”

Use these prompts for:

• screen-free afternoons
• bedtime “make-up-a-story” nights
• car rides and waiting rooms
• classrooms and literacy centers

How to Use These Prompts (So It Stays Fun)

1. Let your child choose the prompt.
2. Ask for quick answers (don’t overthink it).
3. You write for younger kids; older kids can write or dictate.
4. Keep it short. End while they still want more.
5. Celebrate the story, not the spelling.

The Adventure Builder (Printable Template)

Copy/paste and print this as a one-page activity.

ADVENTURE BUILDER

Hero: ______________________________

Goal: ______________________________

Setting (where it happens): ______________________________

Helper (a person/animal/object): ______________________________

Obstacle (one problem): ______________________________

Funny surprise: ______________________________

Brave choice the hero makes: ______________________________

Ending (how it gets solved): ______________________________

Fill-in-the-Blank Story Prompts (Pick One)

1) The Mystery Door

“In the middle of ____________________, there was a door that only opened when you said ____________________.

Inside, I found ____________________, and it asked me to ____________________ before the sun went down.”

2) The Lost and Found

“My ____________________ went missing. I searched ____________________, then ____________________.

I finally found it inside ____________________ next to ____________________.”

3) The Friendly Monster (Gentle Spooky)

“Everyone thought the monster under the bed was ____________________.

But it was actually ____________________ and needed help with ____________________.”

4) The Animal Sidekick

“A ____________________ followed me home and refused to leave until I promised to ____________________.

Together, we went to ____________________ and met ____________________.”

5) The Superpower Swap

“Today, my superpower was ____________________. But it went wrong when ____________________.

I fixed it by ____________________, and I learned ____________________.”

6) The Classroom Adventure

“Our class took a trip to ____________________. The guide warned us not to touch ____________________.

Of course, ____________________ happened, and we had to ____________________ to get back.”

7) The Treasure Map

“I found a map inside ____________________. It pointed to ____________________.

The first clue said ____________________. The second clue said ____________________.

At the end, the treasure was ____________________.”

8) The Weather Story

“One day, it rained ____________________. Everyone felt ____________________.

Then the sky did something surprising: ____________________.”

9) The Kindness Mission

“I noticed ____________________ looked sad because ____________________.

So I decided to ____________________. The result was ____________________.”

10) The Time Machine

“I built a time machine out of ____________________ and ____________________.

It took me to ____________________, where I accidentally ____________________.”

Make It Even Easier: Three Rules for Great Kid Stories

If your child gets stuck, offer one of these prompts:

• “What does the hero want?”
• “What is one problem?”
• “How does it end safely?”

That’s all you need.

How Story Land Supports Kid-Created Adventures

Story Land is packed with stories that spark imagination—and inspire kids to create their own:

• Interactive storytelling experiences
• Age-appropriate adventures and gentle spooky tales
• Collections that support screen-free routines

If you want fresh story ideas your child can build on, start your free trial.