Pobble blog

Dive into imagination: 10 sea-themed writing prompts

Written by Anna from Pobble | 09/06/25 13:02

The sea has always captured our imaginations, from its vast mysteries to its shimmering waves and colourful creatures. It is a theme that naturally sparks curiosity and wonder in young writers, helping them build vivid settings, develop adventurous plots and explore cross-curricular links to science, geography and more.

If you are looking for fresh, engaging writing ideas for your classroom, these sea-themed writing prompts are perfect. Each one comes with a ready-made set of activities, all part of Pobble’s calendar of 365 daily writing prompts, to save you time and inspire your pupils to dive into creative writing.

Here are 10 sea-themed writing prompts to set sail on an ocean of ideas:

🌊 The Lost Ship

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Stefan’s mind floods with questions as he stares through the submarine’s porthole. What secrets lie in the sunken ship below? Let your class continue this suspenseful story of underwater discovery.

🐋 Call of the Sea

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Join a pod of migrating blue whales on their journey to warmer waters. This prompt is perfect for combining writing with marine life science.

🌊 Into the Waves

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Seth has lost something precious in the billowing waves. Now he must activate a secret crisis plan to find it. Challenge your class to build suspense and tension in their stories.

🎪 The Underwater Circus

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In this playful prompt, pupils will join Oscar the octopus as he juggles and performs for a sea of fishy spectators.

🐬 Wave Runners

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Dolphins race through crashing waves, masters of the ocean’s power. Let your pupils explore movement, joy and wonder in their writing.

🐭 An Ocean Voyage

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Four brave mice set out to cross the ocean in search of a mythical island. This prompt blends fantasy adventure with the sea’s perils.

🐚 Sea of Fortune

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A glowing sea and the legend of a magical seashell. Invite your class to weave their own tales of luck and discovery.

🚢 Put to Sea

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A ghost ship sails the world’s oceans, shrouded in mystery. Encourage your pupils to explore the fear and wonder of the unknown.

🦀 Giant of the Deep

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Diving off the Brazilian coast, Marina encounters a giant crab. Use this prompt to inspire suspense and surprise.

The Strange Ship

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A ghostly galleon glides through the sea mist. Who does it belong to, and what secrets might it hold?

These sea-themed writing prompts bring the mysteries and wonders of the ocean right into your classroom. Each one comes with a range of ready-made activities, from story starters and sentence challenges to vocabulary banks. Pobble’s prompts support teachers with daily resources that cover a wide variety of themes, making it easy to build a regular writing habit and inspire every child to become a storyteller.

Why not choose one of these prompts for your next writing session and let your pupils’ imaginations set sail?