Writing Questions Activity-Fun Writing Ideas for Kids

This writing questions activity can be played anywhere. All you need is pen and paper. A teacher or parent says or writes an answer on the board or a piece of paper. Children have to write a question that fits it perfectly.

What’s so fun is that the question can be ANYTHING, as long as it fits grammatically. These get funny. I always look forward to and enjoy reading what the kids come up with!

Common Core State Standards

Also note that this game can address the following Common Core Standards: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.K.1.D, L.K.1.F, L.K.2, L.K.2.A, L.K.2.B, L.1.2, L.1.2.B, L.2.2, L.3.2, L.4.2, L.4.2.A, L.5.2, RF.K.1.C, RF.1.1.A,

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Setting Up the Game

First, start this writing questions activity by having your students brainstorm question words.

Write these question words on a whiteboard at the front of the group (a chalkboard or Smart Board can work fine too.)

Smaller Groups

For a smaller group, I will divide the whiteboard into 3-4 sections so the pairs can take turns writing at the front of the room.

Larger Groups

For larger groups (8+), or if I don’t have a large whiteboard, I divide the group into pairs. I give each pair a small white board, a black dry erase marker and a sock to serve as an eraser. You can purchase a class pack on Amazon*.

Next, explain to the group that they’re going to write a question. They have to write a question that can fit perfectly with the answer.

Fine, thanks. How are you? is an easy example. It gets tricky when the answer is:

The example, “Where are you?” doesn’t work because “at the store” would be the response to that.

A correct question to fit, “to the store” would be, “Where are you going?”. The fact that it gets technical is what makes it fun!

The children will write a question that doesn’t work. When you smile and shake your head no, they’ll often laugh in their attempt to try again.

Earning Points

In order to earn a point, the question has to have a capital letter, spacing, correct spelling and punctuation. Once students have completed their sentence, they don’t say anything. Instead, they just hold up their white board.

Thumbs Up!

I look at it. If there is one mistake, I hold up 1 finger. If there are 2 mistakes, 2 fingers, 3 mistakes, 3 fingers, 4 mistakes, 4 fingers. When there are no mistakes, students get a thumbs up and tally a point.

Those that have a mistake, continue to correct the sentence until they get them a thumbs up.

Writers who get a thumbs up right away can keep writing new questions, earning more points, until each writer has completed their one question.

Once each pair has correctly written a question, we move onto the next turn.