May being an eventful month, this Get Creative feature focuses on topical themes to help kids get stuck into a range of writing projects. From crafting inventive acrostic poems, to conjuring kingly stories, we’ve got budding writers covered when it comes to finding creative inspiration this May!

Fit for a King - sovereign story starters
With the coronation of King Charles III being held on 6 th May, here are some right royal story ideas. Use these titles and first lines as prompts:

a) A right royal mix-up — the day I traded places with the King
b) When the King lost his Crown
c) King Splot and the Throne of Plop
d) The Rainbow King and his Crown of Bling
e) The Royal Boil
f) “Oh my!” gasped the Queen to the King. “Why have you woken up green?!”
g) “I hereby declare, from this day hence, my Kingdom shall be ruled by ten-year-olds!”

For more king-themed material, browse our collection of books fit for (and about) kings!

May Day Madness!
Use the words “May Day” to write an acrostic poem about… May Day! An acrostic poem is a poem in which the first letter of each line spells out the word the poem is about.

Before you begin, think about the different meanings of “May Day” and what it means to you.

a) May Day is a bank holiday, so you could write a poem about having a day off school! What will you do with your free time?

b) May Day was also an ancient festival, held to celebrate the beginning of summer. Why not do some research and write about ancient festivities? They often revolved around (quite literally...) maypole dancing, bonfires and wearing garlands.

c) When written “Mayday!” and shouted three times, it’s an international distress call. So, you could write your poem about a cry for help.

For more creative inspiration and activities, check out the rest of our Get Creative series.

Joanne Owen is a writer and publishing professional with over twenty years’ experience of the book industry, and the author of a how-to children’s guide to creative writing, You Can Write Awesome Stories. Alongside writing and reviewing books, she hosts writing workshops and is an Editorial Expert for LoveReading.