Story Starter Blocks for Creative Writing

Looking for a fun and engaging way to spark your child’s imagination and help them fall in love with writing? These Story Starter Blocks are a hands-on creative writing activity for kids that will have them laughing, thinking, and building stories in no time!

Whether you’re a homeschool parent, classroom teacher, or just looking for an educational rainy-day activity, this simple project turns blank blocks into endless storytelling inspiration.

I have been trying to come up with creative ways to teach my son to write.  Writing is not his favorite thing to do.  We are really having lots of fun and giggles with these.

What Are Story Starter Blocks?

Story starter blocks are a DIY creative writing tool made from colorful cubes. Each block includes a different part of a sentence—like a character, action, or setting—that kids roll and use to generate silly or imaginative story ideas.

This activity encourages:

• Creative thinking

• Grammar and sentence structure awareness

• Writing confidence

• Fine motor skills

• Collaboration and speaking skills (great for group storytelling!)

How to Make Your Own Story Starter Blocks

You can easily make these with a few simple supplies. Here’s what you’ll need:

Supplies:

• 9 wooden craft blocks (2-inch size works well)

• Acrylic paint (3 different colors)

• Permanent marker (like a black Sharpie)

Instructions:

1. Paint the Blocks – Paint 3 blocks yellow, 3 blocks blue, and 3 blocks green. (or your choice of three colors) Let dry.

2. Label the Blocks – Use a permanent marker to write on each side:

• Yellow blocks = nouns (people/characters)
• Blue blocks = verbs or action phrases
• Green blocks = places (locations or settings)

Tip: You can also use dry-erase cubes instead for a reusable, changeable version!

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Word Ideas for Your Story Starter Blocks

Feel free to come up with your own words based on your child’s interests, but here are some to get you started:

Nouns (Yellow Block – “Who?”):

• policeman
• gorilla
• Grandma
• birds
• mom
• dinosaur
• farmer
• monster
• my pet
• king
• pirate
• clown
• fairy
• Dad
• octopus
• superhero
• baby
• teacher

Verbs/Action Phrases (Blue Block – “Did what?”):

• rode a bike
• slips on a banana
• drives a bus
• reads a book
• dances around
• milks a cow
• jumped on me
• swims underwater
• rides a pony
• sings a song
• jumped rope
• eats candy
• flies an airplane
• plants a garden
• paints a picture
• saves the day

Places (Green Block – “Where?”):

Finally on the green blocks I wrote places or locations. 

These locations are part of what makes these story starters so interesting.  This is what sets the theme for this creative writing project!  Let kids help you choose interesting places.

How to Use Story Starter Blocks

To use the blocks:

1. Roll one block of each color.

2. Use the results to create a sentence or story beginning.

3. Encourage your child to expand it into a full story, draw a picture of it, or act it out!

Examples:

• An octopus jumped rope at the garbage dump.

• The king drives a bus at the beach.

• The superhero eats candy in outer space.

This is a great icebreaker for writing warm-ups, group storytelling games, or party-time giggles.