100 Exciting Narrative Writing Prompts for 3rd, 4th, and 5th Grade

Are you teaching narrative writing to your students and in need of some unique and creative writing prompts? An exciting writing prompt can be all your students need to finally feel motivated to write!

If your students are bored with regular “write a story about a magical place” narrative writing prompts, then they are going to LOVE these!

These writing prompts are unique and will really get your students’ imaginations churning!

So get the creative juices flowing with this list of 100 creative and inspiring narrative writing prompts!

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And, if you’re teaching narrative writing, be sure to check out ⭐the complete personal and fictional narrative writing units for your grade level in my store.⭐

I’ve bolded some of my FAVORITE narrative writing prompts in each of the categories below.

Adventures Await Narrative Writing Prompts

1. Tell a story about friends going to a secret island full of magical creatures.
2. Write about a forest where time gets mixed up, and you have to solve a mystery.
3. Describe a journey to a volcano where you find a special treasure.
4. Imagine rescuing a special animal from an evil person’s castle. What makes this animal so special and why was it being held in this castle?
5. Sail across through a storm across the sea to find a land with lots of secrets and wonders. Describe the trip and what you discover.
6. Write about a chase to catch robbers who took a map leading to hidden treasure.
7. Tell a story about kids exploring a dark and wet cave under the ground. How did they find it and what’s inside?
8. Write about a thrilling adventure in an old building.
9. Create a story about chasing a thief through a big and magical city. What did the thief steal? Why
10. Tell a tale about kids trying to break an old spell that’s causing trouble. What trouble is happening? How can they break the spell?
11. Describe an exciting quest to solve mysteries in a magic forest. What makes the forest magical? What quest are you trying to solve?
12. Imagine flying to a floating island with strange things and surprises. Describe what the floating island looks like and what strange things happen.
13. Write about an investigation into strange events in a faraway village. Who lives here and what is happening?
14. Create a story about finding a magic thing in a random place. What did you find and what makes it magical?
15. Tell a tale about kids walking through a scary swamp looking for a missing item.
16. Write about a journey to find a special flower that can heal anything. Why do you need to find it?
17. Imagine exploring a frozen world with many dangers and surprises.
18. Describe an adventure through a tricky maze to win a special prize. What makes the maze so tricky and what is so special about the prize?
19. Create a story about saving a magic animal from a secret jail. Why was the animal in jail to begin with? How do you help them escape?
20. Tell a tale about stopping a magic item from falling into bad hands.

Whimsical and Wacky Tales Narrative Writing Prompts

1. Tell a funny story about a magical pet that can talk and go on adventures. What type of pet is it? Where does it go?
2. Describe a day when everything at school starts to float, and the kids have to figure out why. How do you make the floating ultimately stop?
3. Write about a town where animals can do things like people, and they all decide to have a big party. What can they do? What happens at the party?
4. Imagine finding a mysterious door at the back of a closet that leads to a land of make-believe. What do you see when you open the door?
5. Create a story about a giant plant that grows in the middle of a neighborhood and causes all sorts of silly things to happen.
6. Tell a tale about a group of kids who find a map leading to a treasure hidden in their town. What is the treasure? What do they do with it once they find it?
7. Write about a day when all the toys in a toy store come to life and go on an adventure after the store closes.
8. Imagine a world where it rains candy, and kids have to figure out how to save the town from being buried in sweets.
9. Describe a day when everyone wakes up with a superpower and someone has to learn how to control it. What superpowers do people have?
10. Write a story about a magical recipe book that makes food come to life.
11. Create a tale about a mischievous leprechaun causing chaos in a small town.
12. Tell a story about a group of kids who build a spaceship out of cardboard and go on an adventure to outer space.
13. Write about a mysterious box that arrives in a classroom, and when opened, it releases a cloud of glitter that brings everything to life.
14. Imagine a day when all the books in a library start swapping stories, and the characters come out of the pages.
15. Describe a town where everyone’s wishes come true but not exactly as they intended.
16. Write about a magical paintbrush that brings anything it paints to life.
17. Create a story about a talking tree that helps kids solve problems in their neighborhood. What advice does the tree give? Does it ever give bad advice that makes problems worse?
18. Imagine a day when all the colors in the world start mixing up, causing everything to look strange and funny. What color is the sky? How can you fix the colors?
19. Tell a tale about a group of kids who discover a secret passage under their school leading to a magical kingdom. Where did they find the entrance and what do they discover under their school?
20. Write a story about a group of animals in a forest who form a detective agency to solve mysteries. Who is the leader? What sort of mysteries do they solve?

Mysteries and Detective Work Narrative Writing Prompts

1. Write about a group of friends who solve the mystery of disappearing objects in their school.
2. Create a story about a detective dog and its young owner solving a case of missing treats in the neighborhood.
3. Describe a mysterious treasure map found in an old attic, leading to an unexpected adventure.
4. Imagine a school where students work together to uncover the truth behind strange messages appearing on the classroom whiteboard. What do the messages say? Who is leaving them?
5. Write about a secret code discovered in an old library book that leads to a surprising discovery. Where is the code discovered? What does it lead to?
6. Tell a tale about a group of kids investigating strange noises coming from a deserted house in their town. What do they hear? What is making the noise?
7. Write a story about a detective cat who helps its owner solve a puzzling case at a local carnival.
8. Imagine solving a case of a missing class pet using clues hidden around the school.
9. Create a mystery involving disappearing colors in a town’s annual art show, and the kids must crack the case before it’s too late and the art is ruined forever.
10. Describe a daring escape from an ancient maze with hidden traps and secrets.
11. Write about following clues left by a mischievous leprechaun to find a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. What makes the leprechaun mischievous?
12. Imagine traveling to a land of talking animals, where you must help them solve a mystery threatening their peaceful kingdom. What is the mystery? How is it threatening their kingdom?
13. Tell a tale about decoding ancient symbols to reveal the location of a long-lost treasure.
14. Imagine discovering a secret portal to a land of giants, where you must outwit them to earn their trust and find your way home.
15. Write about a daring investigation into the disappearance of famous landmarks. Where has the Statue of Liberty gone? Mount Rushmore?
16. Describe a case where kids must solve the mystery of a missing time-traveling machine. Who stole it and why?
17. Create a story about a group of young detectives solving the case of a stolen precious artifact from a museum.
18. Imagine uncovering the truth behind a series of strange events happening during a sleepover.
19. Write about solving the mystery of a legendary creature that roams the woods near a small town.
20. Tell a tale about a group of kids investigating a series of mysterious messages left at their clubhouse. What do the messages say? Who is leaving them?

Heartwarming Moments Narrative Writing Prompts

1. Write about a special surprise party for a friend who has been feeling sad lately.
2. Create a story about a group of kids coming together to help an injured animal and nurse it back to health.
3. Describe a heartwarming reunion between a lost pet and its owner after a long search.
4. Imagine a day when a shy student stands up to a bully, and the class comes together to support them.
5. Tell a tale about a magical place that brings joy to everyone who visits it.
6. Write a story about a young superhero who helps their neighbors during a big storm.
7. Imagine a day when the whole town comes together to clean up a park and make it beautiful again.
8. Write a tale about a group of friends organizing a fundraiser to help a family in need.
9. Describe a surprise visit from a long-lost relative bringing joy to a family.
10. Write about a community coming together to build a new playground for children to enjoy.
11. Tell a story about a kind gesture that helps a new student feel welcome at school.
12. Imagine a day when neighbors work together to rescue a stranded kitten from a very, very, tall tree.
13. Write about a heartwarming friendship between a child and an elderly person in their neighborhood. How did they become friends? How do they help each other?
14. Create a tale about a group of kids organizing a talent show to raise money for a local charity.
15. Describe a moment when someone receives a thoughtful gift that brightens their day.
16. Imagine a day when a group of kids volunteers at an animal shelter and makes a difference in the lives of the animals.
17. Write about a surprise party to celebrate a teacher.
18. Tell a story about a small act of kindness that starts a chain reaction of good deeds in a community.
19. Describe a moment when someone overcomes a fear with the help of their friends.
20. Write a story about a group of kids organizing a cleanup of a local beach to protect the environment.

Fantastic Voyages Narrative Writing Prompts

1. Write a story about a magical flying carpet that takes you on a journey to a mysterious land.
2. Imagine traveling to the bottom of the ocean in a submarine and discovering a hidden world of sea creatures.
3. Describe a thrilling adventure aboard a spaceship exploring distant planets and encountering alien life forms.
4. Create a tale about a time-traveling adventure to a historical era, where you witness an amazing event firsthand.
5. Write about embarking on a hot air balloon expedition with unexpected discoveries along the way.
6. Imagine setting sail on a pirate ship in search of buried treasure on a remote island.
7. Imagine embarking on an expedition to a land of ice and snow, where you must befriend a polar bear to save your group before you freeze.
8. Describe an expedition to the center of the Earth. How do you get there? What do you see?
9. Write about an adventure riding on the back of a friendly dragon.
10. Create a tale about exploring an abandoned city in the jungle.
11. Imagine visiting a magical kingdom hidden behind a waterfall.
12. Write a story about a thrilling safari adventure in the African savanna where you encounter wild animals.
13. Write about a journey through a land of dreams, where you must rescue a lost teddy bear to help a child find sleep again.
14. Create a tale about a voyage aboard a time-traveling train that takes you to a specific moment in history.
15. Tell a story about an expedition to the frozen tundra, where you meet penguins and witness the Northern Lights.
16. Create a tale about a magical circus that appears only once a century. What makes it so magical? Why does it only appear once a century?
17. Write about a daring adventure on a magical ship navigating through stormy seas and encountering sea monsters.
18. Describe a journey through a forest inhabited by strange creatures, where you must seek the help of a wise old owl to find your way home.
19. Create a tale about exploring a hidden cave filled with glowing crystals.
20. Imagine a voyage to a floating island in the sky where gravity works differently.

If you’re teaching narrative writing, be sure to check out ⭐the complete personal and fictional narrative writing units for your grade level in my store.⭐

Get your copy of these narrative writing prompts!

Teach your students how to write a strong introduction to their narrative!