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 or in school.
The Book That Wouldn't Stay Shut
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When the Music Started
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The Impossible Goal
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The School Trip That Went Too Far
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Download the Literacy Activities poster
Pobble Literacy Activities 5-7. upload
Download the Pobble poster to inspire story writing this summer.
Need more inspiration?
Back to 500 Words
Click here for more information on 500 Words.
The winners of 500 Words 2025/26
Watch the highlights of the 2025/26 competition and celebrities read out the winning stories.
The importance of 500 Words' stories
Three of our judges, Sir Lenny Henry, Frank Cottrell-Boyce and Charlie Higson, breakdown the Oxford University Press report.
