Story starters for ages 7-11

500 Words has teamed up with Pobble to help spark children's imaginations and get them excited about writing. Use these story starters to give children a helpful starting point to begin writing their own stories.

The slideshows below feature vivid and imaginative images, each paired with a story starter and word bank, tailored to the scene.

You can also download the Reading and Writing Activities Poster, featuring a range of fun activities, so children can continue to be inspired at home.

The Morning the Sea Disappeared

Image gallerySkip image gallerySlide1 of 5, A generated image of a young child on the beach,

The Final Lap

Image gallerySkip image gallerySlide1 of 5, A generated image of a racing driver driving towards a portal ,

The Pattern Nobody Could See

Image gallerySkip image gallerySlide1 of 5, A generated image of a young girl gazing out the school window ,

The Button Nobody Was Supposed to Press

Image gallerySkip image gallerySlide1 of 5, An image of a girl pressing a button,

Download the reading and writing activities posters

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The winners of 500 Words 2025/26

Watch the highlights of the 2025/26 competition and celebrities read out the winning stories.

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