43 Zoo Writing Prompts Writers Absolutely Love

Here you will find a collection of zoo writing prompts that students of all ages love.

Even your most reluctant writers will love responding to these prompts.

Sharpening writing skills, exploring the imagination, and expressing ideas are just a few benefits of responding to zoo writing prompts.

So pencil into your lesson plans this week a few of these unique writing prompts about the zoo.

Zoo Writing Prompts

1. What is your favorite zoo animal? Why is it your favorite?

2. When was the last time that you visited a zoo? Describe your last zoo visit experience, including the various animals that you saw.

3. What are the differences between zoo animals and household pets?

4. Did you learn any interesting facts about animals at the zoo? If not, research some facts about animals and write a short paper based on your findings.

5. If zoo animals could communicate with each other, what do you think they would talk about?

6. What do zoo animals eat? Pick five zoo animals and research their diets. Write a summary of their eating habits.

7. Describe a zoo to a child who has never visited one.

8. You arrive home from a trip to the zoo and discover a baby lion in your trunk! Write about what happens next.

9. What is the tallest animal in the zoo? What are the advantages and disadvantages of being the tallest zoo animal?

10. Write a short story using these three words: zoo, giraffe, frighted crowd

11. Do you think that zoos in other countries have different animals? Write about the different animals that you may see in zoos around the world.

12. Are you scared of any of the animals at the zoo? If so, which animals scare you and why?

13. What do you think would happen if the zoo animals escaped?

14. Zoo animals require different habitats and enclosures. Describe some of the differences between the animal habitats, such as the size, plant life, and other features.

15. Use your five senses to explain a typical trip to the zoo. What do you see, hear, taste, touch, and smell during your trip?

16. On your last trip to the zoo, did any animals appear sad? Did any animals seem to be having more fun? Why do you think they were sad or happy?

17. What do zoo animals do when everyone leaves? Write a short story about the lives of animals after the zoo closes.

18. Which zoo animal is the fastest? Which is the slowest? What makes each animal fast or slow?

19. Do you think that animals like living in a zoo? Why or why not?

20. What zoo animal would you like as a pet? How would you care for it? What items would you need to keep it healthy?

21. Draft a letter to your teacher convincing him or her to take the class on a field trip to the local zoo.

22. Invent a new zoo animal. What is this animal’s name? How does it look? What does it eat? Where does it come from? Does it live alone or in a pack?

23. Write a detailed report on your favorite zoo animal.

24. Write about the advantages and disadvantages of keeping animals at zoos.

25. Imagine that one of the zoo animals starts talking to you. What does the animal say? Choose a zoo animal and transcribe your imaginary conversation.

26. In your opinion, what is the most dangerous animal at the zoo? Explain your thinking.

27. Imagine that the zoo animals formed a government. Which animal would be elected president? Why?

28. Pretend that you are a newly-arrived monkey living in a cage at the zoo. How do you feel about everyone staring at you? Write about your experience and feelings.

29. Imagine that you are a zookeeper. Write about a typical day at the zoo. What tasks do you complete and which animals do you care for?

30. Write a poem about the zoo.

31. At the local zoo, a hippopotamus and a zebra become great friends. They want to escape from the zoo, so they plan an exit. Describe how they plan their escape, and tell the final outcome of their ambition.

32. Write a first-person narrative story from the point of view of a zoo animal.

33. Write about how endangered species are saved from extinction via zoos.

34. Pretend that you have the ability to understand animals’ thoughts. As you walk about the zoo, what conversations do you hear among the animals? What do they think about all of these strange people staring, pointing, and snapping pictures of them?

35. As you walk past the giraffes at your local zoo, one of them whispers to you, “Please help! Get me out of here! I want to go home.” Write about what happens next.

36. Compare and contrast any two of your favorite zoo animals. 

37. Describe the key characteristics of mammals, birds, fish, amphibians, and reptiles.

38. What are the pros and cons of animals living in zoos?

39. Plan a zoo-themed party for you and your friends. Describe everything you will do and have for your guests. 

40. How does responding to zoo writing prompts improve your writing skills?

41. On your visit to the zoo, you and your best friend sneak into one of the cages. Suddenly, this happens… Finish the story.

42. In your opinion, why do you think the zoo is a good (or bad) place for an endangered animal? Explain your thinking.

43. What are two of the best things and two of the worst things about having a job as a zookeeper?

44. Explain the benefits of responding to zoo writing prompts.

Final Thoughts: Zoo Writing Prompts

Now you have a ready-supply of zoo writing prompts to use for various writing activities.

Round out these writing activities with these fun animal craft ideas.

Did you like these zoo writing prompts? If so, you might also likeanimal writing prompts