Inspire Creativity in Your Children + Gnome Writing Prompts

Sometimes getting your child to write can be like pulling teeth. They don’t want to do it, but once you finally get them started, they have a lot of words ready to come flying out. Writing prompts are a great way to get kids writing past that initial block. When your child doesn’t quite know what to write about, our Valentine Gnome Writing Prompts are perfect.

I like to give my child a variety of choices when I offer writing prompts. Not all kids will respond to the same type of idea. Some of the writing prompts in our Valentine set are plot twists or unexpected story starters. Others are simple question/answer format. This will give your child a chance to pick something that sparks his imagination and fits with his personality.

Related: Valentine’s Day Writing Prompts.

How writing prompts work

Writing prompts are meant to get the ball rolling. They provide a starting point for a story. With writing prompts and journaling, there are no right or wrong answers. You can, if you like, respond to the writing prompt quite literally. Or, you can get as creative and out-of-the-box as you want with your response. As I was testing the Valentine Gnome Writing Prompts with my kids, it was interesting to see how each one of them responded very differently based on their personalities and interests.

Setting Expectations

When you are assigning a writing prompt to your student, it’s important to lay out the expectations. A one-word answer or short answer is not really going to help with your ultimate goal of helping you child improve writing skill. Here are the writing prompt ground rules I recommend:

• Write in complete sentences.
• Be as descriptive as possible.
• Help your audience picture it in their heads.

You can add additional rules or guidelines if you think it will help. You should adjust the rules or guidelines to fit your child. Growing up, I remember one teacher, in particular, who required us to write for fifteen minutes straight without stopping each day. We were never judged on grammar, spelling, or even sentence structure. In fact, we were encouraged to ignore all of that and just get words on a page. Instead, we were graded on whether or not we wrote for the entire fifteen minutes and filled up our journals within each month.

What Writing Prompts will Accomplish

First, Writing prompts will help kids learn how to get their thoughts on paper. This can very hard for some children, and the more they practice the easier it gets.

Second, writing prompts help kids learn how to form complete sentences. This is one of the only points I’ll be a stickler on. Writing prompts only help your child if they make an effort. Each sentence your child writes should be a complete sentence. Make corrections to any sentences that are incomplete and have them re-write those sentences. Start where your child is at and keep working on improving this skill gradually. It takes practice.

Third, writing prompts encourage kids to use a rich and descriptive writing style. Setting a time limit or expecting a minimum amount of writing to be done will encourage your child to use a bunch of words. Descriptive words and rich vocabulary. Let them be wordy! It is always easier to help your child learn to dial it back for formal writing if they have plenty of experience with verbosity.

Use these phrases to encourage your students verbally while they work on the Valentine Gnome Writing Prompts.

1. The best thing about writing prompts is that you get to make up everything.
2. There are no right or wrong answers.
3. I can’t wait to read what you write.
4. You are working so hard over there, I know you are going to do a great job.

As your child’s teacher, you have the power to set the tone for this assignment. Have fun with it and keep your attitude positive. While you should expect complete sentences, otherwise don’t be too critical. If you are consistent with writing prompts you will see improvement in your child’s writing over time. I’ve found one of the best ways to encourage young writers is to consistently read and respond to what they write in a positive way.

You may also like Valentine’s Day Activity Place Mats.

Valentine Gnome Writing Prompts

Be sure to find even more Valentine themed resources at the end of this post!

Give your child as much freedom as possible with these writing prompts. Children need space to create. If your child has trouble choosing one of the Valentine Gnome writing prompts, offer these suggestions.

• Pick the one that you know the most about. The more you know about a topic, the easier it is to write about.
• Pick the one that makes you laugh. So many of the images and writing prompts in this printable are funny. Which one made you laugh out loud? Why? Use that momentum to write.
• Pick the one with the best story potential. If you read one of these writing prompts and immediately started wondering “how” or “why” — that’s perfect! Answer the “how and why” as you write.

The Valentine Gnome Writing Prompts include twenty different options to choose from. Each option has an image, an open-ended writing prompt, and space to write. If your child writes more than the space provided, that’s great! Let them work in a separate notebook, or print extra copies of the pages. I’ve included two different types of lines so that you can use these writing prompts with various ages of students.

To download the Valentine Gnome Writing Prompts, simply add it to your cart and then checkout. **Upon checkout, you will be added to my Weekly Newsletter list.**

More Valentines themed resources for you!

Every year I go searching for holiday activities for my kids. Sometimes I spent hours trying to find fun activities for my kids. So this year, I joined forces with some of my fellow homeschool bloggers to bring you some super fun Valentine’s Day Activities for Kids. Check them out!

Inspire Creativity in Your Children + Gnome Writing Prompts from In All You Do
Creative writing can be difficult for many kids. Try encouraging and inspiring them with some fun writing prompts. Don’t miss these tips (and free printable).

10+ Awesome Valentine’s Day STEM Activities for Kids from Hess Un-Academy
What kid doesn’t love a good hands-on STEM activity? These Valentine’s Day STEM activities are perfect for enjoying some learning adventures with your kids this February.

Chocolate Secrets from Julie Naturally
Chocolate is the all time top Valentine’s candy. Learn more about this delicious and nutritious food.

Valentine’s Day Unit Study from The WOLFe Pack
Kids will LOVE this Valentine’s Day Unit Study because it’s filled with fun ways to enjoy this special day. And Mom is sure to LOVE it too since it’s chock-full of educational opportunities!

The History of Valentine’s Traditions from Homeschool on the Range
Have your kids ever wondered why we celebrate Valentine’s Day? Learn the history behind our Valentine’s Day traditions!

Love songs from Musicals from Music in Our Homeschool
Do a quick 15-minute music lesson for Valentine’s Day while listening to some of the greatest ever love songs from musicals.

DIY Felt Fortune Cookies Valentine’s Day Craft + free Valentine printable from Making Room 4 One More
These DIY felt fortune cookies make a sweet Valentine’s Day craft. It is so simple, that your kids can help make a batch.

Valentine’s Day Language Arts Resources for Homeschooling Families from Whole Child Homeschool
Valentine language arts resources and printables for all your kids: toddlers up to high school. Vocabulary games and grammar fun including a silly sentences activity.

Make Some Easy Sweetheart Popcorn For Valentine’s Day from Our Crazy Adventures in Autismland
Make a fun treat with your kids while learning the history of Valentine’s Day!

How to Have a Valentine’s Day Homeschool Party from Everyday Graces Homeschool
Are you looking to throw a Homeschool Valentine’s Day Party? Check out these tips and ideas for a party they won’t forget!

Valentine’s Chocolate Pudding Cream Cheese Frosting from Homegrown Motherhood
Valentine’s Chocolate Pudding Cream Cheese Frosting – have the kids help make a fun and easy 5-minute frosting for their favorite Valentine dessert!

27 Valentine’s Day Books for Kids from Heart and Soul Homeschooling
Don’t miss these fun Valentine’s Day books for kids to fill your book basket this month!

5 Valentine’s Day Snacks that Teach About God’s Love from Stand Up, Reach Out
Whisk in some Faith lessons with your Valentine’s day goodies! These 5 low-prep, easy snacks teach kids how to love God and others (and they’re so simple, your kids can make them on their own next week)!

Story Time: Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch from Orison Orchards
‘Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch’ is one of those special, inspiring books that will help you see the world a little differently and stick with you long after you read the last page. Mr. Hatch will make you want to be a better person! This fun Story Time includes some fun, Valentine-themed literature activities and an easy snack to enjoy with your littles.

15  Fast and Fun Valentine’s Day Snacks for Kids from Thrive at Home
Looking for a fun, fast, Valentine’s Day snack for your kids that won’t take a ton of prep time? Here are 15 of our favorites.

DIY Valentine’s Day Craft Ideas – Beautiful Heart-Shaped Upcycled Book Decorations from Geez, Gwen!
Valentine’s Day Craft Idea – Beautiful Upcycled Book Page Paper Heart Garland! This fun art project is something every tween and teen will enjoy making and you’ll be happy to display!