Summers are almost here and along with it plenty of free time. The extended summer breaks and sticky afternoons demand a relaxing yet stimulating activity to make those long free days fruitful and appealing.
Well, what’s better than engaging in a productive activity such as writing to make your days more fruitful? Writing helps declutter and organize your thoughts and provides a fresh perspective on different things. You can either make a DIY Journal or buy yourself a stack of sheets and journal your thoughts in it over the summers or simply engage in story-writing activities.
To help you begin your writing journey and make your writing process smoother, we have curated an extensive list of some amazing summer writing prompts that are relevant for all age groups and cover a wide range of interesting themes to choose from.
Fun summer writing prompts
I. Generic Summer Writing Prompts
Here is a list of some generic summer writing prompts that are useful for day-to-day writing.
- Describe any summer memory that you are fond of.
- What is your favorite summer activity and how do you usually execute it?
- What is your ideal summer day? What makes it ideal?
- Describe your favorite summer trip and why it is your favorite.
- Which one do you prefer the most, enjoying sunny days outdoors or indoors? Why?
- Long summer days with friends or family. Which one do you prefer the most and why?
- What is your favorite summer tradition that you always look forward to? Describe the tradition.
- Describe your favorite summer meal and why is that meal your favorite.
- Pick any random summer day and describe that day in detail in terms of emotions, thoughts, and actions.
- What is your favorite summer read? What makes that read special?
- What is your ideal summer song or playlist? Why is that ideal and what artists rule your playlist? Talk about your liking of the song themes and work of the artists.
- What is the one place you wish you could spend your summers in? Why do you want to spend your summers there?
- What is your most fun summer activity with your friends that still makes you happy? Describe that memory.
- Recall a memorable summer camp experience and describe it thoroughly.
- What do you think is the best part of the summer that always excites you and fills you with joy? Describe it.
- What do you think are the best for summer fun, swimming pools or beaches? Why? How do you enjoy these places?
- Describe your favorite outdoor summer game or activity. Why is that game or activity your favorite?
- What are your summers mostly about? Fun or some studies or a combination of both. Describe your experiences.
- What is your favorite summer hobby? Why is that your favorite and how do you adjust it in your schedule? Also, describe your love for the hobby in detail.
- What is your favorite summer picnic spot? Do you wish to go there with your friends or families and what do you plan on doing there?
- What is your favorite summer ice cream flavor? Why is that flavor your favorite? Can you recall any fond memories related to your favorite ice cream?
- What is your favorite summer recipe? Why is that your favorite and describe its recipe in detail?
- When is it that you feel most relaxed during the summer? Why and how do you make that experience more refreshing and relaxing?
- Can you recall a specific summer friendship moment that led to a lasting bond and a lifetime friendship? What role does summer exactly play in it?
- What is that one summer adventure that you wanted to do and are looking forward to doing? What is so special about that adventure?
- What is that one summer project you always wanted to work on and are looking forward to working on this summer? Describe that project and why it is important to you.
- What is the one thing that you love about summer festivals? Describe your experience of any summer festival and the lively energy that surrounds the festival.
- Recall your best summer night experience and describe it in vivid detail. The fireflies, chatters, laughter, etc. that make that night more special and joyful.
- Which one do you prefer the most? Schools in summer or holidays in summer. Why? Share your experiences of both.
- What is the one thing you dislike the most about the summers? Why? Describe in detail your experience and memories of the same.
II. Brain-stimulating Summer Writing Prompts
Here is a list of some brain-stimulating summer writing prompts that will force you out of your comfort zone and think out of the box.
- If Summer had been a person, what do you think his traits and temperament would have been like? Do you think you would have been friends with Summers?
- What do you think of how different months of summer are unique from each other? For instance, how May is different from June, June is different from July, July is different from May, and so on.
- Using each of your senses (vision, auditory, touch, smell, and taste), describe your favorite summer experiences or memories.
- What is the one thing you wish to achieve before the summer ends this year? How do you plan on achieving that? And why is that thing important?
- Compare this summer at the beginning and the end. What are the major changes? Are those good or bad?
- What are your goals for this summer? Why those goals and how do you plan to fulfill them?
- List any three positive habits that you wish to cultivate in yourself by the end of this summer. How do you plan on doing that?
- Can you write a summer poem? Put a special emphasis on your feelings and thoughts while curating that poem and include it in your poem.
- Summer sunrise or summer sunset. Which one do you prefer the most? Why? And which one left a lasting impression on you that still fills you with joy?
- What is that one historical city or country that reminds you of summers? What will you do if you get a chance to spend a summer in that specific location?
- Do you think the summer in space will be the same as summer on Earth? If not, what will be the difference, and what will be your preferred location to spend your summers in?
- What is your favorite summer-based theme that you wish to inculcate in your room? Describe how you will decorate your room based on that theme and be specific to the details.
- What is your dream summer job? Why so?
- If you could add one summer tradition to your family, what would that be and why?
- What is that one lesson that you gained in the summers that left a lasting impression on you? Describe the experience in detail.
- If you had to choose between one sense from taste and smell for a whole summer, which sense would you prefer? Why?
- What is your favorite thing in nature that you came across only in summer? Why is that your favorite?
- Summer day skies or summer night skies. Which one do you prefer the most and why?
- What is your favorite summer go-to activity?
- What is the one thing you wish to do to make the world a better place? How do you think you can do that?
III. Summer Story Writing-based prompts
Here, we have added some story writing prompts that you can use to curate a story. We suggest making your stories vivid and detail-oriented. Add as many characters as possible and let your imagination flow freely. You can make your story revolve around these prompts or simply add these prompts to your story.
- Lost in the woods on a summer night among the slow rustling of plants and small animals, I and my friend…….
- The adventure that begins as fun soon turns into a life experience when…….
- On an exceptionally warm day on a beach, my sibling and I went swimming when…….
- On a mission to find the lost treasure in the dense woods of a local town, we found the secrets of the history that has the power to…….
- A boring summer internship day turned into an adventurous day when the organization fell into trouble and was on the verge of collapse when the interns……
- Two best friends accidentally made a time-traveling device that helped them travel to different eras and time zones.
- They meet up with some locals in a new town and a new country and forge a lasting friendship over their food preferences.
- A spontaneous solo trip on a mountain expedition on a summer afternoon ends up with an amazing surprise.
- An experience of a secret historical society that can only be found in summer in the most abandoned place in the town.
- How a boring summer day led to an inspiration that helped you transform into a better self.
- Two best friends decide to embark on a wild journey of oceans and discover the mystery of oceans and marine animals.
- When a curious teenager stumbles upon a secret passageway that leads him from one country to another in a matter of few seconds.
- A fun prank that results in the establishment of a hidden organization for the welfare of the youth.
- A competition for life when on a sunny beach day you and your friends encounter a bunch of kids and compete to make the biggest sand castle possible and learn the lesson for life.
- How you helped a retired detective solve the mysteries surrounding the town over your summer break.
- When you stumble upon a summer academy for mythical creatures and get an opportunity to spend a summer with those creatures learning and training.
- How a short trip to your friend’s house turned into a journey filled with adventure, joy, and life-changing decisions.
- A face-to-face with a monster on your ocean expedition leads you to save your friends or a town and meet the queen of the ocean.
- A mistaken trip to space that leads to fun, adventure, friendship, and memories.
- How a scientific experiment went wrong and turns out completely different from what you and your friends are planning to do but leads to an amazing discovery that…..
IV. Summer Listicles prompts
Lastly, we have added some summer listicle prompts that will help you organize your summers better. We suggest not simply making a list but rather expressing your opinions and reflecting on your likings and dislikings while making those lists. Try to make it detail-oriented.
- Make a list of shows you plan on watching this summer.
- Make a list of books you wish to read this summer.
- Write down three practical skills you wish to gain before the summer ends.
- Note down at least three acts of kindness for a week that you did.
- Make a list of grocery items you need to make your favorite recipe this summer.
- Jot down the local places you wish to explore before the summer ends.
- Make a list of activities you plan on doing with friends and family this summer. You can make a separate list for both.
- Make a list of new artists you wish to explore more of, in terms of music, drama, or any other activity you are fond of.
- Note down the ten positive as well as negative points of visiting the local swimming pool in the summer.
- Make a list of all the points examining why you like the summers and why you don’t.
- Make a list of qualities or activities you are looking forward to having in your themed summer camp.
- List ten most fun outdoor as well as indoor games that you are looking forward to.
- Imagine you are going to a desert this summer. Make a list of all the items you need to carry with you.
- Make a list of food items you wish to taste or learn to make this summer.
- Note down all the essentials required for summer, including every aspect of your life.
- Make a list of all the destinations you want to explore in your summer road trip.
- List the ten best and worst places to visit in the summer.
- List the features that make summer festivals more enjoyable. Also, make a list of all those things you dislike in summer festivals.
- List all the indoor activities that you plan to do this summer.
- List all the people you plan on meeting before this summer ends.
How to get the most out of these summer writing prompts
At this point, you might be brimming with ideas and itching to use that pen to write down some creative stories and experiences based on the above prompts. However, a direction to make this process more smooth can make your writing more fluent. While using these prompts in your summer writing, ensure to-
1. Identify a writing style
Free writing style is indeed very creative but you can also experiment with new and unique writing styles or adopt some author’s writing style to make your content more engaging. For instance, the rich vocabulary used by Shakespeare or the elaborative yet on-point writing style of Stephen Hawking, there are plenty of options to choose and try from.
2. Express and Reflect.
Don’t stop yourself from fully expressing your thoughts and emotions and reflect on your attitude and learning. It’s your personalized touch that will make your writing more appealing and intriguing.
3. Incorporate new themes
We believe you will be experimenting with various prompts over the summer. So, instead of sticking to one theme, experiment with multiple. For instance, you can make your writing mysterious, funny, memoir, autobiographical, detail-loaded, full of learning, and so on. Try new themes and witness your writing game improve through the summers.
4. Incorporate multiple perspectives
Whether you are sharing a personal experience or making a story, try to perceive the situation from other’s perspectives and include them in your writings. You can include aspects like how a situation affected others, how others felt during a special incident, etc. to make your writing more enriching.
5. Walk up the ladder
It’s the learning and growth that makes a story attractive and appealing. While writing a story, do include your setbacks but be sure to mention how you overcome them. Point out how your characters develop throughout the stories or how your personal experience shaped you for good.
Wrapping up
The above-mentioned summer writing prompts are a perfect summer activity to make those long and boring summer days fun and refreshing. Writing has multiple benefits and these summer writing prompts will help master those benefits and improve the skills of writing over the summers. You can either choose one prompt daily or maybe two to three prompts in a week and work on them. The key to great writing is consistency and these prompts are a wonderful tool to achieve so.
I am Sehjal Goel, a psychology student, and a writer. I am currently pursuing my Masters’s from Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi. Child psychology has always fascinated me and I have a deep interest in learning about disabilities in children and spreading awareness regarding the same. My other areas of interest are neuropsychology and cognitive psychology. Connect me on Linkedin