Prince Alexius has been trapped in a castle by his evil nemesis... and he needs to find a way out.

Step 1

Draw a picture of Alexius. Alexius doesn't have to be a prince - you can decide what gender you want your Alexius to be. You can also change Alexius' hairstyle and clothes.

Step 2

Alexius has 3 things in his backpack that he can use to help him make his escape. Make a list of these items.

Here's one example:

1. a magical gem
2. a sword
3. four doubloons

Your items don't have to be this realistic. Alexius could have all kinds of random stuff in his backpack. He is, after all, a prince... and royalty aren't always known for being the most practical.

Here are some other ideas:

• a piece of rope
• a pocket mirror
• an invisibility cloak
• a signed autograph from his favourite pop singer
• a half-eaten snack
• his math homework
• a kitten
• pepper spray
• water bottle

Step 3

The castle that Alexius is imprisoned in has three levels. Copy this map of the castle into your notebook:

Prince Alexius is trapped in the tiny tower at the top of the castle.

As you can see, the castle has three floors. Each floor has two obstacles that will threaten to stop Alexius from leaving the castle. On your map of the castle, draw in what booby traps, monsters, enemies, or obstacles that Alexius will have to face as he makes his way down each floor.

Here are some examples:

• a hidden trapdoor
• a booby-trapped lever
• a statue that won't let you pass unless you answer its riddle correctly
• a giant spider and its babies
• a burning pool of lava
• his evil nemesis!

Step 4

Write your story of how Alexius escapes from the castle! Start your first paragraph with him in the tower on the top floor, and make your way down each level. Your story should have at least 3 paragraphs.

If you're stuck on getting started, you can use this as a starting point:

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When Prince Alexius woke up, he was in the top tower of a dark, dingy castle. He had to get out of here as soon as possible! He peeked down to see what was on the third floor. The first thing he noticed was...

When he got to the second floor...

On the first floor...

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Remember to have Alexius use the items in his backpack, and explain how he deals with each of the obstacles in the castle to make his way out.

Once Alexius has escaped safely from the castle, you're done!

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If you used this writing prompt, I would love to see what you create! Email me your creations or tag me @flutterdoodle on instagram or twitter - it would absolutely make my day.

This resource is free to use for students, school teachers, or self-employed tutors and teaching artists! For commercial use, especially if you are duplicating or re-distributing my images and lesson plan, please contact me to inquire about usage terms and fees.