149 Whimsical Journal Prompts For Creative Writing For All Ages

Writing can be a marvelous creative outlet for both young and old. When we write creatively, we tap into parts of our brain that aren’t called upon for many of the other more routine tasks that consume our days.

Creative writing has been shown to be therapeutic as well. People who have experienced trauma in life find creative writing a way to work through their feelings.

Expressing feelings through a story or poem gives us a freedom that makes it easier to talk about uncomfortable feelings or experiences.

Creativity has been identified as one of the key aspects of thinking and problem-solving.

Creative writing can be done pretty much anywhere. Technology, like cell phones, makes it possible for people to write without the necessity of a desk or pen.

When we engage in creative writing through journaling, we have a very low-risk environment for self-expression.

Journaling provides us with a safe way to express our ideas. We don’t need to be worried about someone reading our work and passing judgment.

Our writing is just for us unless we choose to share it with others.

Come along with me as I look at journal prompts for creative writing. You’ll find categories for children, too!

Creative Night Journal Prompts

Journaling is something that can be done on any and all topics and at any time of the day or night.

For some people, beginning their day with some quiet time before the rest of the household wakes up is the perfect time to sit in a comfy chair with a cup of coffee or tea and reflect and write.

Other people prefer the stillness and quiet of night to process their thoughts and write down their ideas.

I am a morning person and find it much easier to channel my thoughts at that time. I love to start my day with some quiet time - just me and my journal.

I also find that starting my day with journaling gets me in a positive mindset and provides me with an intentionality that allows me to get the most out of my day.

For those people who find it hard to get their brain in gear in the morning, it’s more logical to journal at night.

Journaling at night can also provide a sense of calm and peace that may help you sleep well.

The prompts in this article have an emphasis on dreams, assessing your dreams, and trying to figure out their significance.

Whether you like to journal at night or in the morning, there are great prompts for you here!

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46 Creative Night Journal Prompts

1. "What’s your current dream/goal?"

2. "What’re your greatest accomplishments or proudest moments so far?"

3. "Describe a dream you had last night or this morning, and explain what it was like for you to have that dream at that time of day/night, etc."

4. "What do you think about your family?"

5. "Write a letter to your future self."

6. "Who’re your favorite people in the world, and why do they mean so much to you?"

7. "Describe your dream home."

8. "Who’re the people in your life that make you feel good? Why do they make you feel that way?"

9. "Where would it be and why if you had the opportunity to travel somewhere in the world tomorrow?"

10. "Do you’ve any regrets in your life? If so, what’re those things, and why do they bother you so much?"

11. "Write down ten things that make you laugh out loud when other people say or do them (if you’ve more than ten things on your list, you can use this prompt more than once)."

12. "Have any dreams come true recently? If so, what were they like?"

13. "How do you share your feelings with the people who care about you?"

14. "Write down three things you’re grateful for this week."

15. "What’s the best dream you’ve ever had?"

16. "What are the most important areas you need to work on to improve?"

17. "If someone asked you for advice on how to make their dreams come true, what would it be (and why)?"

18. "What do you wish someone had told you earlier in life?"

19. "Describe in detail the last dream you had."

20. "Who did you spend time with this week, and how did they make you feel?"

21. "What’s something that helps you feel better on a bad day?"

22. "Write down ten things that make you feel angry or frustrated when other people say or do them (again, you can use this prompt more than once)."

23. "What would it be if there was one thing in the world you could change? And why?"

24. "What makes you feel most connected to nature (e.g., being outside)?"

25. "How do you feel about your job?"

26. "Write down ten things that inspire you: What stirs your heart? What stirs your imagination? What makes it easy for you to get excited about life and what it’s in store for all of us?"

27. "What do you think about your love life?"

28. "If you could’ve any job in the world, which one would it be and why?"

29. "Who’re the people in your life that make you feel bad? Why do they make you feel that way?"

30. "How does the night feel to you?"

31. "What’s the best thing about being alone?"

32. "Write down a short story about yourself as a child."

33. "What’re you worried about?"

34. "Have you ever felt like you had to give up something important to you? How did you overcome that feeling?"

35. "Have events or experiences in your life had or are having an impact on people other than yourself (for better or worse)?"

36. "How can you take better care of your mental health?"

37. "Write down something you could help someone with today, even if it’s just listening to them talk about their problems or giving them advice on how to solve them (but don’t give advice unless they ask for it)."

38. "If you could ask God one question, what would it be?"

39. "Have you ever been on a good path, and something happened that completely threw you off track?"

40. "What do you want to do before you die?"

41. "What character traits do you admire in others and want to cultivate in yourself?"

42. "Who’s a person you admire and why?"

43. "Write a letter to your younger self."

44. "What does gratitude mean to you?"

45. "What’s your favorite childhood memory?"

46. "What’s something you’re afraid of?"

Fun Journal Prompts For Creative Writing

Journaling can be serious in nature. In fact, journaling has the power to help you work through the most challenging and profound issues in your life, but journaling can also be lighthearted and whimsical.

The prompts in this section of the article are fun in nature.

Sometimes, I need a break from heavy-duty thinking and writing. It’s good for me, from time to time, to engage in thinking and writing that is not serious in nature.

It’s important to intersperse those more serious journaling days with lighter journaling days because it gives our mind and our emotions a break.

When we take a break from the serious stuff, we give ourselves time to emotionally and mentally repair.

Think of it like a physical workout. If you do a weight training day that focuses on biceps and triceps, then the next day, you need to rest those muscles so they can repair and get stronger.

When you give your mind and heart time to rest from intense stuff, then you will be able to approach the serious contemplation in a more productive way when you return to it.

Check out these fun journal prompts and take the opportunity to do some fun, creative writing!

You’ll be so glad you did!

RELATED: 145 Inspiring Journal Prompts For Your Mental Well-Being

20 Fun Journal Prompts For Creative Writing

47. "If I could live in any time period or place, where would I choose and why?"

48. "If I could have any superpower, what would it be and why?"

49. "What is something about myself that I know is quirky?"

50. "What is my favorite meal or type of food, and why do I love it so much?"

51. "What is my favorite dance move, and can I teach it to someone else (or describe it in words)?"

52. "What is my favorite silly joke or pun, and why does it make me laugh?"

53. "What is a book or movie that always puts me in a good mood, and why?"

54. "What is one funny story about my life that I don’t mind sharing with other people?"

55. "If I could be any fictional character, who would I choose and why?"

56. "What is my favorite childhood toy or game, and why did I love it so much?"

57. "What is something silly that always makes me laugh?"

58. "If I were a superhero, what would be my name, powers, and costume?"

59. "What is the most outrageous outfit or costume I’ve ever worn? Where did I wear it, and how did I feel?"

60. "If I could travel anywhere in the world (or beyond), where would I go and what would I do there?"

61. "What is the best gift I have ever given, and why was it so special?"

62. "What is something I’ve always wanted to try but haven’t yet? How might I make that happen?"

63. "What is a favorite childhood memory that still brings me joy?"

64. "If I could magically switch lives with anyone for a day, who would it be and why?"

65. "What is one thing I can’t live without?"

66. "What is the funniest prank I have ever played on someone, or that someone has played on me?"

Whimsical Journal Prompts For Kids

You know the incredible power that journaling has in your life, well, it can be just as powerful for young people!

The benefits of journaling for kids are numerous.

Journaling provides them with a way to express their feelings and thoughts without fear of being judged.

Tweens and teens find journaling a helpful way to work through things that are weighing on them.

By getting down those feelings in writing young people can come to an understanding of the problem, and even see how to handle it.

It can sometimes be difficult for young people to talk to adults about their issues, but journaling provides them privacy that talking to someone doesn’t.

They will feel more at ease expressing themselves when there is no one they have to respond to or worry about what they think of them.

There are a lot of very serious issues in the world today that weigh on young people. These issues, like climate change or unemployment, can increase anxiety in youth to such a degree that they are unable to cope.

Just as fun and lighthearted journaling can be beneficial for adults, so too can it be helpful to young people.

Help your kids release some tension and even build their writing skills by encouraging them to look at this great list of whimsical journal prompts and have some writing fun!

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40 Whimsical Journaling Prompts For Kids

67. "Write a story about what you think your parents were like when they were younger."

68. "What is one thing you're really good at?"

69. "Write about a time you did something kind for someone else. What did you do, how did it make you feel, and how did it make the person you helped feel?"

70. "Describe three goals you have for yourself."

71. "What is the bravest thing you've done in your life? Why did you make the choice you did? How did you feel during and after the situation?"

72. "Imagine your life in ten years. What do you think you will be like? What will you be doing?"

73. "If you could be famous for anything, what would it be?"

74. "Choose an object in the house and describe it in as much detail as you can without saying what it is. Then, have a parent or sibling try to guess what you described."

75. "Write a poem about your favorite season."

76. "Imagine you are creating your dream restaurant. What kind of food would you serve, what would the menu look like, and how would the restaurant be decorated?"

77. "Your character survives a shipwreck and washes up on a mysterious island. What is on the island and how does (s)he get back home?"

78. "What is your favorite holiday or holiday tradition?"

79. "Write a story about a character who gets lost in the woods and discovers a mysterious person there."

80. "Start a story with a lyric from a song."

81. "Do some people watching out your window. Write a story using one or more of them as the characters. Make up backstories and imagine what they're doing."

82. "What would your perfect weekend look like? What things would you do? Who would you see? What would you eat?"

83. "How would your best friend describe you? How would you describe your best friend? (You can also have your friend do this prompt and read each other's responses.)"

84. "Write about your least favorite chore. What don't you like about it? What would you invent to make the chore easier? "

85. "Pretend you're writing an autobiography and need to create a table of contents. What would you name each chapter?"

86. "Write a scary story that includes: a spooky pumpkin patch, a vampire afraid of garlic, and a black cat."

87. "What three pieces of advice would you give to your younger self?"

88. "What is your earliest memory? Write every detail you can remember about it."

89. "Invent a new pet. What would it look like, and what would you call it? What would it eat, and how would you care for it?"

90. "Pretend you are a professional reviewer and write a review of a book you recently read or a TV show/movie you recently watched. How many stars would you give it? What did you like about it, and what didn't you like?"

91. "Make a list of your favorite activities for each season."

92. "Write your own silly internet quiz."

93. "Do you like your name? If so, why? If not, what would you change it to?"

94. "What is the funniest thing you've ever seen?"

95. "Imagine you can choose to be any animal for a day. Which animal would you choose? What would you do?"

96. "Write about the craziest dream you've ever had."

97. "If you had the power to change one thing about school, what would you change and why?"

98. "Write a new chapter for your favorite book or new scene for your favorite movie. Which characters would be there, and what would they be doing?"

99. "What is your dream job?"

100. "Write a story about a character taking a submarine ride under the sea. What sort of things do you think they would see there? Would they be afraid or excited?"

101. "Pick something nearby (toy, pet, flower, etc.) and write a haiku about it. Bonus points if it rhymes!"

102. "If you could create a new law, what would it be? Do you think it would be hard to enforce?"

103. "Write about a time you think one or both of your parents made a mistake. What did they do, and what do you think they should have done? Did they admit their mistake?"

104. "If you could learn one thing about your future, what would it be? Or, if you prefer not to know anything, why would you make that choice?"

105. "If you could go back in time for one day, which time period would you choose?"

106. "If you could build your dream house, what would it look like? What rooms would it have? What would the yard be like?"

Journal Prompts For Elementary Children

Elementary-aged children, those who are in the grades before high school, can benefit in many ways from journaling.

You may have wanted to share your love of journaling with your young kids but needed to have prompts that were specific to them.

Well, here they are!

When kids are young, it is a perfect time to introduce them to journaling.

This can become a life-long love affair with this marvelous process for working through problems, setting goals, and getting to know oneself better.

The forty-two journal prompts in this list are inspiring for kids.

They’ll be excited to write about their favorite superhero or make up a magical land of mythical creatures.

If your child does not yet have writing skills, you can introduce them to journaling by getting them to tell you their ideas, and then you can write them down.

You can extend the fun by having your child draw a picture or make something from clay that depicts their journaling response.

Keeping it super positive is the name of the game when journaling with kids. If they’re not in the mood, try again another day.

Have fun!

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43 Journal Prompts For Elementary Children

107. "You’re the mayor. What will you do to make your community better?"

108. "Practice writing letters with this printout. Imagine you’re living on a moon base. Write a letter to your cousin on Earth describing how things are going."

109. "Suddenly you’re nocturnal and stay awake all night long. What happens late at night that’s different from daytime?"

110. "You’re the world’s greatest detective. Describe your favorite unusual case. Did you solve it or is it still a mystery?"

111. "Rewrite the ending of your favorite movie the way you want it to be."

112. "Write a letter to your favorite author telling them what you like about their books! Use this free printable template."

113. "Write a superhero story where the villain wants to become good. How do they convince the superheroes to trust them?"

114. "One morning, the world doesn’t have electricity any more. What are your days like now?"

115. "There’s a light switch in your home but nobody knows what it’s for. One day, you discover the secret. What does it light up?"

116. "Oh, no! Suddenly ducks love you and won’t leave you alone! How do you get them to let you be?"

117. "You trade places with your parents for a day. What would you do?"

118. "You get to go shopping at a magical grocery store with your family. What special treats would you buy?"

119. "You get to make a new national holiday. What is it about and how do you celebrate?"

120. "One night, you discover that garden gnomes come to life until the sun rises. What fun do they have all night long?"

121. "You get to build your own dream treehouse. Describe what it’s like."

122. "You go back in time and meet your parents when they were your age. What do you tell them?"

123. "You have a pet dinosaur. What’s your dinosaur’s name? What’s your day together like?"

124. "What does your shadow do when you’re not around?"

125. "Write a journal entry from the point of view of a time traveler who visits 100 years into the future. What surprises them in that different world?"

126. "You find a mysterious treasure map. How would you start your treasure hunt?"

127. "Write about the best magic trick you can imagine."

128. "Your family takes a big road trip that goes wrong in the funniest way possible. What happens?"

129. "You’ve just won the world championship. What did you win it in? Describe the competition."

130. "Suddenly ducks don’t like you. They quack at you and chase you away at the park. How do you get them to like you again?"

131. "Describe yourself with rhyming words!"

132. "You are an inventor whose job is to create the best toys. What will you make?"

133. "It’s the first day of school for robots. What do you learn at robot school?"

134. "You get $100 but you have to spend it by the end of the day. What do you do with it?"

135. "Write a story about a superhero who loses their powers but still has to find a way to be a hero."

136. "You discover an island no one has ever seen before. Describe what it’s like."

137. "You’re the star of your favorite sports team, and you’re playing for the championship. Write about the game."

138. "Rewrite the ending of your favorite book. Will it be happy or sad?"

139. "The chicken finally tells you why it crossed the road. What is the secret?"

140. "You show up to the first day of school and discover that your new teacher is a wizard or a witch. What will they teach in class?"

141. "Space aliens land and it’s your lucky job to show them around. Where will you take them?"

142. "You can fly like a bird. What kind of fun would you have soaring in the clouds?"

143. "Tonight you cook dinner for your family. What interesting food is on the menu that will surprise them?"

144. "You can have the powers of any animal in the world. What animal is it? What would your powers be?"

145. "You’re the world’s youngest astronaut and get to fly to the moon. Describe your space trip."

146. "You have a magic wand. What spells will you cast?"

147. "You’re a paleontologist and find a new type of dinosaur. What did it look like, and what did it do back in the past?"

148. "You wake up stuck in the last movie you watched. What is it, and what do you do?"

149. "Your favorite superhero needs your help! What can you do to save the day?"

Frequently Asked Questions

What Are Journal Prompts For Creative Writing?

Journal prompts for creative writing are thought-provoking questions or statements designed to inspire and guide writers in generating creative ideas, overcoming writer's block, and exploring their imagination. They serve as a starting point for writing and can cover a wide range of topics and themes.

How Often Should I Use Journal Prompts For Creative Writing?

The frequency of using journal prompts depends on your personal preferences and goals. Some writers use prompts daily as part of their routine, while others use them sporadically whenever they seek inspiration or face writer's block. It's flexible and can be tailored to your needs.

Can I Use Journal Prompts For Self-Reflection And Personal Growth?

Yes, journal prompts can be used for self-reflection and personal growth. They can help you explore your thoughts, feelings, and experiences, providing a valuable tool for introspection and self-discovery alongside their creative writing applications.

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