When a first grader hands you a story that says, “The cat ran,” you might find yourself thinking, “How can I help them say more?” That’s where word choice in writing comes in. Teaching young writers to carefully choose their words helps bring their writing to life—and it starts with something as simple as the five senses.
In this post, I’ll share practical ideas you can use right away to teach word choice writing using categories your students already know—color, feelings, verbs, weather, shapes, taste, and texture. These lessons help kids “show, not tell,” and add spark to their stories. And the best part? You’ll get sentence frames, mentor text suggestions, and kid-friendly activities to make it fun.
Colors: Describing the World More Vividly
Why it matters: Kids naturally use color words, but teaching them to go beyond basic colors helps expand their vocabulary and sensory language.
Activity Idea:
Crayon Descriptions – Give each student a crayon from a 64-pack. Have them read the color on the side of the crayon and think of objects with that color. Then have students write a sentence using the color of the crayon.
🖍 Example: The macaroni and cheese yellow bird flew across the yard.
Sentence Frames:
- The ____ was as bright as _______.
- It looked like ______ and made me think of ______.
Mentor Texts:
- The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt
- A Day with No Crayons by Elizabeth Rusch
- The Big Book of Colors by Felicity Brooks
- Green by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
Feelings: Making Emotions Come Alive
Why it matters: Words like “sad” and “happy” are a great start, but sensory-based feelings help kids write with more empathy and depth and develop word choice in writing.
Activity Idea:
Feelings Freeze Dance – Play music and call out an emotion. When the music stops, students freeze with a facial expression and describe it: “My heart felt ____,” “My face looked like ______,” “My hands were ____.”
Sentence Frames:
- When I felt ____, my tummy felt ______.
- My eyes got ____ and I wanted to ______.
Mentor Text:
- The Way I Feel by Janan Cain
- Crabby Pants by Julie Gassman
- Grumpy Monkey by Suzanne Lang
- Joy by Corrinne Averiss
Verbs: Using Strong, Specific Action Words
Why it matters: Replacing weak verbs like “went” or “said” with vivid ones adds life to student writing.
Activity Idea:
Act It Out Verbs – Choose a simple verb like “walk” and ask students to act it out in different ways: tiptoe, march, stomp, slink. Then write sentences to match each action.
Sentence Frames:
- I didn’t just run—I ______ through the ______.
- She didn’t walk, she ______ toward the ______.
Mentor Text:
- Stomp, Wiggle, Clap, and Tap by Rachelle Burk
- The Recess Queen by Alexis O'Neill
- Little Bunny Foo Foo
- We All Play by Julie Flett
Weather: Setting the Mood
Why it matters: Weather gives students a natural way to create setting and tone.
Activity Idea:
Weather Mood Match – Show pictures of weather scenes. Ask students how it feels, sounds, and looks. Then brainstorm story starters that begin with a weather detail.
Sentence Frames:
- The sky was ______ and smelled like ______.
- Raindrops tapped the window like ______.
Mentor Text:
- The Rain Came Down by David Shannon
- Strictly No Elephants by Lisa Mantchev
- Waiting by Kevin Henkes
- Summer is Here by Renee Watson
Shapes: Adding Visual Detail
Why it matters: Describing shapes helps students build stronger visuals in both informational and creative writing helps students increased their word choice in writing.
Activity Idea:
Shape Bag Mystery – Place objects in a bag and have students describe them by shape and texture without naming them. Others guess the object.
Sentence Frames:
- The _____ was shaped like a ______ and felt ______.
- It looked like a ______ that had been ______.
Mentor Text:
- Round is a Tortilla by Roseanne Thong
- Not a Box by Antoinette Portis
- This is a Book of Shapes by Kenneth Kraegel
- City Shapes by Diana Murray
Taste: Delicious Descriptions
Why it matters: Taste is a powerful memory trigger and helps students describe food, holidays, and experiences with rich language.
Activity Idea:
Taste Test Writing – Use safe food samples (pretzels, apple slices, crackers). Have students describe what they taste using comparison and sense words.
Sentence Frames:
- It tasted like ______ and reminded me of ______.
- Each bite was ______, ______, and ______.
Mentor Text:
- Eating the Alphabet by Lois Ehlert
- Dumpling Day by Meera Sriram
- India on a Plate by Archana Sreenivasan
- Ganesha's Sweet Tooth by Sanjay Patel
Texture: What Things Feel Like
Why it matters: Texture deepens description, especially in personal narratives and nonfiction writing.
Activity Idea:
Texture Walk – Take students on a walk around the school or playground. Have them touch surfaces (walls, playground equipment, leaves) and describe the textures.
Sentence Frames:
- It felt like ______ under my fingers.
- The surface was as ______ as a ______.
Mentor Text:
- Touch and Feel by Little Hippo Books
Wrapping It Up: Making Word Choice a Daily Habit
Teaching word choice in writing doesn’t need to be a one-and-done lesson. It’s something we model, practice, and celebrate all year long. Using the five senses in writing is one of the best ways to help young writers feel empowered—and excited—about their words.
Try This Tomorrow:
Pick one category above and spend 10 minutes doing a quick sense-based writing activity with your students. Watch how quickly their descriptions grow and their word choice broaden!
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