Teaching creative writing in primary school is less about producing perfect pieces and more about unlocking imagination, confidence, and voice. As a tutor, I think the most important thing is creating a space where students feel safe to take risks with their ideas. If a child is worried about spelling every word correctly or “getting it right,” they will often shut down creatively. Instead, we want to build a classroom culture where ideas come first and refinement comes later.

One effective approach is to start with stimulus-based writing. This could be an image, a short video clip, a soundscape, or even a single intriguing sentence like “The door wasn’t there yesterday.” These prompts give students a clear entry point, especially for those who struggle to begin. Talking to them helps ideas flow more naturally.

Another key technique is explicitly teaching sensory language. Primary students often default to basic descriptions, so modelling how to “show, not tell” is essential. For example, instead of saying “he was scared,” demonstrate how to write “his hands trembled and his heart thumped like a drum.” Short, focused mini-lessons on similes, metaphors, and descriptive verbs can dramatically improve their writing.

I also strongly believe in using model texts and joint construction. Writing together as a class or with a tutor allows students to see the thinking process behind good writing. You might co-construct a paragraph, discussing word choices and sentence structure along the way. This scaffolding builds both skill and confidence.

Ultimately, teaching creative writing at the primary level is about nurturing a love for storytelling and wide reading! I hope this helps anyone 🙂

Eleni Nicholas