May tends to bring a lot of opportunities to celebrate. Holidays, graduations, birthdays, end-of-school events, accomplishments, gatherings, and all the little moments in between. But alongside the bigger milestones, there are also quieter victories and everyday moments that deserve to be remembered too.

That’s the idea behind this month’s Story Foundations prompt list. The May edition includes 50 story and photo prompts designed to help you document both the celebrations and the real life happening around them. There’s no pressure to use every prompt or keep up daily. Instead, think of this as a flexible collection of ideas you can return to whenever you want a little storytelling inspiration.

Some of the prompts focus on classic celebrations and special occasions, while others lean into the details that help tell the fuller story. The setup before guests arrive, the aftermath once everything is over, candid moments, small wins, meaningful objects, and the little snapshots that might otherwise get overlooked.

The goal is to help you document May as it actually felt. Not just the highlight reel, but the atmosphere, the people, the movement, and the moments that made this season what it was. Often the details surrounding the celebration end up becoming just as meaningful as the event itself.

You can use these prompts however you like. Pick one when you feel stuck, let a prompt spark a memory you already documented, or scroll until something clicks. There’s no right order and no wrong way to use them.

Want to keep this list handy? Download or pin the prompt list so it’s easy to reference throughout the month, and don’t forget to tag me if you share your gratitude pages!

P.S. Love this graphic? Then you’ll love my Story Foundations Collections! This one uses Story Foundations: Milestones, coming May 15th!

Story Foundations May Prompts:

A reason you celebrated this week
A photo from a recent gathering
The setup before an event (table, space, details)
A cake, treat, or special food moment
A decorated space or festive detail
A moment mid-celebration
A favorite photo from a recent event
A celebration outfit or accessory
A snapshot of people together
A candid moment you didn’t plan
Something that made the day feel special
A handwritten card, invite, or note
A celebration at home
A moment just after everything ended
A small, quiet win
A tradition you revisited
A celebration that looked different than expected
A moment you captured quickly
A detail that would be easy to forget
A celebration for someone else
A before-and-after of a space
Something you brought to share
A photo taken by someone else
A moment of laughter
A group shot (posed or not)
Something that felt worth documenting
A celebration you almost skipped
A favorite detail from the day
A snapshot of cleanup or aftermath
A moment you stepped back and observed
A celebration outside
A seasonal detail that made it feel like May
A simple way you marked the day
A moment that felt full
A favorite photo you didn’t expect to love
A small gift or meaningful item
A moment you’d frame
A celebration that was low-key
A moment of connection between people
A photo that tells the whole story
A moment you almost didn’t photograph
A detail that added personality
A moment that went by too fast
A celebration in progress (not finished)
A memory from earlier in the month
A moment you’d describe in one sentence
A favorite scene from the day
A reason this month felt full
A moment you’d want to relive
A story behind one photo

Need some inspiration for how to incorporate these prompts into your memory keeping? The TRD team picked a few prompts that inspired them and created pages!

Hannah - “A Favorite Photo You Didn’t Expect to Love” using the Flower Child Collection

I was inspired by the prompt to scrap a photo that you used to not love. I thought this hat was so over the top but now thinking of how it gave me confidence, I now do love it. It reminds me of a time I loved to have my photo taken and I wasn’t conscience of other people’s thoughts or feelings. I have to remind myself of that more.

Michele - “Something That Felt Worth Documenting” using the Besties Who Brunch Collection

Sometimes you just have to think outside the box! Can dogs have best friends besides their humans? I’d like to think they can — and this Bestie Collection was absolutely adaptable to fit a new theme with some careful selection of embellishments. Use those kits to their potential!

Ophie - “A Photo Taken by Someone Else” using the Story Foundations: Brighter Days + Out & About Collections

I am typically the one behind the lens so it’s not typical for me to have a photo of me taken by someone else. I scrapped this page with Traci’s Story Foundations base kit, Routines, Brighter Days and Out & About. I intentionally kept the page simpler so the focus is on the photo.

Caroline - “A Small, Quiet Win” using the Story Foundations: Out & About Collection

I worked with the prompt “A Small, quiet win” and combined that with the Out and About add on collection. This was perfect for its cheerful palette and its adventure sentiments!
I’m telling such a simple story from an outsiders perspective but so meaningful for me… being out for the day in our little T4 Campervan!
As new puppy parents we haven’t been able to go away in our camper for months. Today we introduced Stanley to our van Pippy … and he LOVED her!!! Excited that this is the first step towards a HUGE win … spending a night away in her!!

Allie - “A Celebration for Someone Else” using The Story Foundations: Brighter Days Collection

The prompt I chose for May was “A celebration for someone else” — which seemed appropriate because we just celebrated my youngest son’s 5th birthday! (gulp!) This one hit me hard because its the final birthday before he starts kinder in the fall, and that just doesn’t seem to be real yet! Even though I had sad-Mom-feelings about my baby growing up, I wanted the page to be bright and sunny, and reflect his silly nature — the 5 ballon on his face was all his idea and it made me laugh! So I pulled out Brighter Days again — it’s such a happy, fun collection, and I know I’m going to be using it ALL spring and summer! I wanted to keep the page simple, but still add some paint and layering, so I kept most of the elements and journaling in one “column” down the middle.