105 Short Story Ideas

These short story ideas are ideal for classroom use, or for anyone looking for prompts to spark creative thought and writing. These ideas loosely follow the calendar with many holiday and seasonal topics. Be sure to read through all of the prompts, because some are useful for anytime of the year.

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Short Story Ideas for January 

1. It's a brand new year! You made a New Year's resolution, but so did your computer. Write a story about your new relationship.

2. Write a story about a new friendship with an animal. 

3. January is Oatmeal Month. Tell about your top five new uses for oatmeal. 

4. It's so cold in North America, and so hot in South America! Plan a trip to trade places with a distant cousin from the opposite side of the world. Write about both of your experiences.

5. For MLK, Jr. Day your family plans  a day of service projects. Where do you want to serve? What happens?

6. The snow is really piling up at your house. It’s so deep, it’s covering your windows! Write a story about what you'll do with this excess snow.

7. Write about a new food you’ve invented that tastes cold when you eat it but warms you up on the inside.

8. The headline in today’s paper is: STUDENT DISCOVERS NEW HEAT SOURCE IN OUR CITY. What’s the story?

9. Write a story about the first day in the first spaceship to Venus.

February

10. For Black History Month, travel back in time and befriend one of your favorite black heroes of the past. Write a story about your friendship.

11. You are in charge of planning a Groundhog’s Day party for your school. Explain why your party will be a smashing success!

12. Now it’s Valentine’s Day, and no one wants another party! What can you do instead to celebrate the day at school and/or at home.

13. Write a story about five things that you love.

14. Everything is RED today. How did this happen? What will you do about it?

15. What would George Washington and Abraham Lincoln think about how President’s Day is commemorated today? Write an imaginary conversation between the two.

16. You’ve been elected president of a club. What will you do to improve it?

17. February is the shortest month of the year. Write a story convincing others that it’s also the best month of the year.

18. Leap year comes around only once every four years. Write about the marvels of being born on leap day.

Short Story Ideas for March  

19. March is often full of changeable weather. Write a story in which the weather changes drastically throughout a single day, affecting the events of the day.

20. March 8 is National Proofreading Day. Write a story in which a proofreading error causes quite a stir.

21. March into Spring is a clever phrase based on double-meaning words. Write a story using at least eight double-meaning words.

22. National Plant a Flower Day is on March 12. What happens if you plant a magical talking flower seed? 

23. The luckiest person in the world is born on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17. Describe why this person is SO lucky, with at least three examples.

24. While dusting an old lamp in the attic, a genie pops out and offers you three wishes. Continue this story.

25. The roof of your house disappeared. Write a description of your roof for law enforcement officers. Also write a statement to the police about where you think your roof might be, and how it may have ended up there.

26.  World Water Day falls on March 22. Write a story about you and a friend going over Niagara Falls inside a water barrel, as some have done in the past.

27. National Spinach Day is March 26. Write a letter to your governor proposing that spinach become your state’s vegetable.

28. Vegetables are now illegal! What will your mom serve instead? What happens in the school cafeteria? Write this story as a comedy, drama or news report.

April

29. Write a story with this title: The Best April Fool’s Joke Ever.

30. Now try this title: The Worst April Fool’s Joke in the World.

31. National One Cent Day is April 1. Write a story in which a penny saves a life.

32. The Easter Bunny needs to talk to you. What does he want to say, and why?

33. April 9 is National Unicorn Day. What would you call a horse with three horns? Write a story about this unusual animal, showing its unique qualities.

34. Lots of things come in a dozen. Write a story that contains at least three of them.

35. Write a story called My Amazing Washing Machine in time for National Laundry Day on April 15.

36. Write a story in which you find three new uses for animal crackers. Try to finish before National Animal Crackers Day on April 18.

37. On National Earth Day, April 22, write a story about a classroom of students and their quest to save the earth.

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New! 101 Journal Prompts for upper elementary and middle school students! Use all year long, at home or in the classroom! Prompts are arranged into 20 topics including pets, imagination, music, celebrations, the future, technology, and more. Assign a topic at time, or turn your students loose to select their own. Appropriate responses could be a sentence or two up to a full page. It's your choice, or theirs!

Short Story Ideas for May

38. Learn about the tradition of May Day. Write a descriptive piece of a new, updated version of this day.

39. May 1 is School Principal’s Day. Write a story about a big good surprise that you and your friends planned for your principal.

40. Ladybugs have invaded the school cafeteria! Tell how you can move them back outdoors.

41. Cinco De Mayo is, of course, on the fifth of May. Pick another date on the calendar that’s important to you. Write its name in Spanish. Write a story about why that date is important.

42. World Red Cross Day is May 8. Your Red Cross friends gave you a special job to help donors at their next blood drive. Write about this experience.

43. Mother’s Day occurs on the second Sunday of May. Write a story about the most unusual things you did to help your mom on her special day.

44. You play the world’s best miniature golf course for National Miniature Golf Day on May 13. Write the story, describing some of the best holes on the course.

45. May 29 is National Paper Clip Day. What will you do with your mile-long chain of paper clips?

46. You’re playing your tuba in the Memorial Day parade. Something goes terribly wrong. Tell the story.

June

47. June 1 is National Game Show Day! Write a story about your appearance on your favorite television game show.

48.  As school comes to a close, write a story about your best day this past year, either real or imagined.

49. June is National Dairy Month. While sipping on your favorite strawberry milkshake, you suddenly end up inside the shake. Write about what happens.

50. Observe National Start Over Day on June 5 by writing a story about starting something over in your life.

51. You just caught a giant softball on World Softball Day, June 13. As the ball hits your glove, it begins to unravel and inside you discover a ….

52. You’re performing on World Juggling Day, June 17. Write a story about what you’re juggling and how the audience responds to your act.

53. World Refugee Day is June 20. Imagine you had to leave the country of your birth due to war, violence or famine. In what other country would you like to settle, and why?

54. Your garden is overcome with weeds, and you hate pulling weeds. Write a story about how you convince your younger sibling to pull weeds for you.

55.  Summer begins in June. Write a story about your summer dreams and goals.

Short Story Ideas for July

56. It’s National Picnic Month! Write about an imaginary picnic for a group of parrots and peacocks.

57. July is National Cell Phone Courtesy Month. Write a conversation between you and a dreaded telemarketer in which you exhibit supreme phone courtesy.

58. Write a story about a 4th of July fireworks display that is out of this world!

59. Invent three new flavors of freezer pops for the summer. Write an advertisement to convince everyone you know to try them.

60. It’s your first day of a vacation road trip. Write a story about ten things that go wrong.

61. It’s your second day of a vacation road trip. Write a story about how you fixed the bad things from yesterday.

62. Write a story detailing how you showed appreciation to your favorite cow for Cow Appreciation Day on July 11.

63. Write a story about five foods that you improved by adding chocolate.

64. Tell how a fortune cookie changes your friend’s life.

Short Story Ideas for August

65.  August is both National Back to School Month and Happiness Happens Month. So, write a story about how going back to school brings you happiness!

66. Invent a new crayon color and name. Then write a story about how your new crayon makes friends with the rest of your crayon collection.

67. August 3 is National Watermelon Day. Make a list of ten words using only the letters in WATERMELON. Use those ten words to write a story.

68. It’s National Wiggle Your Toes Day on August 6.  Write a story about a conversation among your happy toes!

69. National Book Lovers Day is on August 9. Write the opening paragraphs of a new book that your friends and family are sure to love.

70. World Elephant Day, August 12, is the perfect time to ride an elephant. Write a story about your ride through either the elephant’s habitat or your own.

71. Write a story about a day in the life of a mosquito.

72. It’s National Tooth Fairy Day on August 22. Pretend YOU are the tooth fairy. Tell a story about your nightly escapades.

73. Write a goodbye letter to summer.

Short Story Ideas for September

74. September is Fall Hat Month. Design the perfect fall hat. Describe it and explain who will want to wear it, where and why.

75. September is also National Potato Month. Write a story about a chef who insists on serving a potato dish of some sort to every patron.

76. Labor Day is meant to honor workers of all sorts. Write a story that explains your opinion of the best job in the world, and how you plan to have that job someday.

77. National Be Late to Something Day is September 5th. Write a story about someone who is late to something, and it’s a very good thing.

78. Write a second story where someone is late to something, and it turns out badly.

79. September 10 is National Grandparents Day. Write a letter to one or more of your grandparents, telling them how awesome they are and why!

80. National Day of Encouragement is September 12. Write an encouraging, uplifting story about someone your age who does something amazing.

81. While you’re writing a report about Johnny Appleseed, whose birthday was September 26, 1774, apples start falling from the sky. Tell what happens next.

October

82. October is National Stamp Collecting Month. Write a story about your favorite collection, either real or imagined. How did you start collecting? What adventures have you had while collecting?

83. October is National Roller Skating Month. Write a story in which you spend an entire week wearing roller skates.

84. It’s National Pickled Peppers Month. Write a story full of tongue twisters!

85.  Autumn leaves are falling all around you. Suddenly the leaves grower larger and larger until…

86. National Hero Day is on October 8. Write a story to your hero. Deliver it, if possible.

87. Believe it or not, October 9 is National Moldy Cheese Day. Write a story about why you think this came to be an honored day.

88. Use one of your best short story ideas about a gigantic pumpkin that comes to life.

89. Design a brand-new Halloween costume. Write a story about wearing it around your neighborhood.

90. Make a story about collecting the world’s best treats on Halloween.

Short Story Ideas for November

91. National Aviation Month is celebrated in November. Write a story about flying over your city, school or home.

92. November 3 is National Sandwich Day. Write a letter to the President, asking for permission to make your favorite sandwich the national sandwich for the entire nation. Be sure to describe it and explain its delicious flavor.

93. November is National Gratitude Month. Instead of a story, this time write an acrostic, or a poem in which the first letter of each line spells a word. Use the first letters in your first and last names for the beginning of each line. On each line describe something for which you are thankful. See the short example.

94. Veterans Day is on November 11. Write a letter to your classmates, proposing an activity to honor your community’s veterans.

95. Squirrels are starting to prepare for the winter. Write a conversation between a mother squirrel and her young ones, instructing them on what to do.

96. National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day is November 15. Write a story about the surprising things your family finds inside your fridge and what you do about them.

97. Turkeys are scared this time of year. Write a story about how they conspire to avoid your dinner table.

98. Everyone eats too much on Thanksgiving. Write a story about your fool-proof idea for avoiding that problem next year.

December

99.  Did you know that December is Bingo’s birthday month? Write a story about your most amazing game of bingo ever, even if it hasn’t happened yet!

101. National Cocoa Day is December 13, so naturally, you make a nice mug of cocoa. All at once, 99 llamas surround your mug. Finish this tale.

102. Twin Day falls on December 18. Write a story in which you imagine you’re the twin of a famous person.

103. It’s the first day of winter, but the weather goes haywire and…

104. You want to buy your dad the best gift ever this year for Christmas or Ramadan, and so…

105. If you could spend the holidays anywhere, where would you go, and how would you get there?

Ann Richmond Fisher is a longtime published educational writer, a former classroom teacher and a former homeschool teacher. Ann's spelling bee resources, graded spelling word lists, spelling games, worksheets, and other language arts resources have become respected around the globe since she launched Spelling-Words-Well in 2010.

Ann is also the creator of www.word-game-world.com.

References for holidays and special days:

https://nationaldaycalendar.com/

https://www.calendarr.com/united-states/observances-2023/