Draw A Story Worksheet

Telling a story starts long before a child can spell every word. It starts with a picture in the mind, and this Draw A Story Worksheet gives first graders a place to put that picture on paper and then turn it into writing. When a young writer draws first, the whole story is already in front of them: who was there, where it happened, and what made the day worth telling about. That picture becomes a plan, and planning is the part of narrative writing that new writers most often skip.

This picture prompt writing worksheet keeps the page simple on purpose. The child draws a picture of their best day inside the large box at the top, then writes a story about it on the lined paper below. Hand out crayons, colored pencils or markers for the drawing, and let the picture take as long as it needs. When the drawing is finished, ask the child to tell you about it out loud before the pencil ever touches a writing line. Saying the story first makes the written sentences longer, clearer and easier to spell.

What’s Included

• 1 print-ready PDF worksheet
• 1 full-width drawing box for the child’s own picture
• 5 wide writing lines spaced for first grade handwriting
• An open picture prompt that works any month of the year

Three things make this draw a story worksheet work for young writers. First, drawing lowers the pressure: a child who says they have nothing to write about always has something to draw, and the story follows the picture. Second, the sheet asks for one small moment instead of a whole life, so the writing stays focused and finishable. Third, the writing lines are wide and generously spaced, so letters have room to be formed carefully instead of squeezed, and a child can read back what they wrote.

Teachers and parents can stretch this page in a dozen directions. Use it on the first Monday of a new month as a personal narrative warm up, or after a field trip, a holiday or a snow day when everyone has a story ready. Trade papers and let a partner ask one question about the picture, then add the answer to the story as a new sentence. Read the finished stories aloud in an author’s chair, staple a set together as a class book, or send the page home so a grown up hears the story too. For a child who is still building stamina, cover the last two lines and celebrate three strong sentences.

Related Resources

• Narrative Writing Worksheet
• You Write the Story School Picture Worksheet
• Narrative Writing Brainstorming Worksheet
• Story Elements Song by Have Fun Teaching