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Winter, the season of chilly winds and snowstorms. The season of icicles, sleds, snow people, and my personal favorite, the invitation to stay inside, sit by a fire, get cozy, and write! (Looking to dive right in- below, you’ll find my favorite winter writing prompts.)

For some, like my daughter, winter brings pure delight. For others, such as myself, it’s the very worst season. THE VERY WORST!

Did you know winter and writing have a few things in common? Besides the obvious W, some people love to write, and others feel for writing as I do for winter. Big NO, thanks!

Like it or not, writing, like winter, is something we all have to embrace.* It stinks. No one wants to do something that brings them little joy. I, for one, want to sit in the corner with my arms crossed and scowl at winter. But, alas, that brings me nothing but more pain.

How do we embrace what we can’t stand?

I think we can agree to give it a chance as long as it is fun.

By fun, I do not mean the greatest thing you have ever done. I do not mean the best time of your life. There is still going to be snow in your boots. Your hands will be cold, and someone will probably throw a snowball at your head.

By fun, I mean, you might not hate it. You won’t sit in the corner, arms crossed, with a scowl. You might even laugh and think to yourself- “Huh, that wasn’t so bad. I think I could do that again. Maybe, I don’t hate writing as much as I thought.”

*Unless you live someplace warm all year round, which is totally unfair, and I’m super jealous!

The winter writing prompts below are merely places to start. There is no right or wrong way to use them. Let kids choose the one that speaks to them. Invite them to just write. Tell them not to worry about spelling or grammar or how many lines they write. Tell them if their inner critic, starts talking to them, to tell it to buzz off.

Winter Writing Prompts

• Write about the first memory you have when you hear the word Winter.
• What is something you love about winter? What is something you don’t love?
• Write an acrostic poem using the word Winter, Snow, or Cold.
• Write about a time that something unexpected happened in winter.
• Write about a time that something funny or horrible happened in winter.
• Finish the sentence- Winter is… and see where it takes you.

• You find tracks in the snow. Where do they go? Write a story that leads the reader on an adventure.
• Write about a person or creature who lives in a snow cave. What do they do all day?
• Tell a story about a snow person or snow family. If they came to life, what would they want to do?
• Write about a lost scarf or ski.
• Create a conversation between two snowflakes.

• If you were an icicle, where would you want to hang?
• If you were a snowflake, where would you land?
• If you were a sled, where would you slide to?
• If you were a pond frozen over, what would be happening under your ice?

• Write about a dog seeing snow for the first time.
• Write about a person seeing snow for the first time. Do you remember the first time you saw snow? If you have never seen snow in person, what do you imagine it’s like?
• What do the trees think about snow? Write a story from a winter tree’s perspective.
• Write about a flower that is too eager to bloom and comes up in the wrong season.
• Create a comic about winter. Maybe start by drawing the pictures and then add the words.

Winter Writing Play

If you kids are little, resistent to writing, or you just want to play, here are a few ideas to take writing outside!

• Go on a scavenger hunt. Collect items, take pictures or draw what you see in a sketchbook. Use what you find to inspire writing.

• Fill squirt bottles with colored water and have kids write messages to each other in the snow.

• Fill a sheet pan with snow. Pack it down and have kids use their fingers, a stick, or the bottom of a fork to write in the snow.

• Create oral stories. Go outside and pretend you are on an adventure. Let kids create what is happening and follow their lead.

Winter Reads

Read books about winter to inspire kids to write their own winter stories.

Looking for more writing prompts or ways to get kids excited about writing.

Activities & Games to Get Kids Writing

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