What's the Story? Four Ways to Inspire Fantasy in Creative Writing

Most children love stories with a fantasy element. They love to read them, watch them on screen and - in my experience - they also love to write them. In this resource there are four images of things I’ve photographed when I’ve been out and about. I’ve put them together in a collection to create a resource to help explore fantasy in creative writing.

The resource consists of four photographic images (A bear with human hands sitting on a bench; A tiny woman sitting in the ivy on a wall; A rearing horse with wings, made of metal; A sculpture of a man peeping over the top of a wall) plus an accompanying set of questions which are particular to each image, to generate creative thinking. The questions could be used for individual students to write their answers, or for pair/group/class discussion.

There is a printable planning sheet for students to plan their own story about their chosen image and blank printable story pages.

The resource is aimed at students aged approximately 10-14 years, but it could be used as an extension activity for slightly younger students with strong creative writing skills. It can be used to develop literacy skills and also practice speaking and listening skills, both during discussion and if the stories are read out to the class.