Storytelling

Toy Tales Required: Your time only Do you know what your child's toys are up to when you're not around? There's one way to find out… ask your child to divulge their secret lives! Ask your child to tell you what a favorite stuffed animal, for e...

Three, Two, One... Required: Your time only Does your child have a favorite number? Now's the time to turn that number into a story. Ask your child to create a tale about a number. The story can be serious or silly, possible or improbable. It sh...

Make a Sentence Required: Index cards or paper, writing/drawing supplies How good are you and your kids at creating stories on the fly? Find out with this activity. First, get five sets of blank index cards, with ten cards in each set. (You can ...

Snowman AliveMaterials Paper grocery bag Cotton balls (white) White tissue paper Glue White Styrofoam Directions Place the bag over your child's head and mark where his eyes and arms are located. Remove the bag and cut out holes for eyes and ...

Plastic Spoon PeopleFoster your child's creativity with this arts and crafts activity.Materials Plastic spoons Cotton balls Pipe cleaners Felt pens Construction and tissue paper Scissors and glue Directions To make little people or puppets o...

Felt StoryboardsMaterials Colorful pieces of felt or flannel fabric Shoe box lid or piece of strong cardboard Glue Sandpaper Photographs or magazine cutouts Directions Cut the piece of felt or flannel large enough to cover the inside of the b...

Silly News FlashTime 10 to 15 minutesMaterials None Directions When you're feeling silly, this one will keep the mood going. Sit in a comfortable position and begin a news story using only 3 words.The next person adds 3 more words, and this conti...

Create an EndingTime 15 to 30 minutes Materials Storybook Directions You can take a favorite story and make it even better when you put your heads together. Read a good book and, when you finish, think of other good ways that the story could end...

Storybook Tea PartyTime 20 to 30 minutes Materials TeaSnacksDishes Directions On the next rainy day, indulge in some fantasy with a tea party right out of your child's favorite storybook. Pick a favorite book and assign characters. For example, y...

Add-On StoriesDirections This is a good game at the dinner table or in the car. One person starts a story and each person takes a turn continuing it. You may want to have each person add a sentence, or choose a "pointer" to conduct the story. Th...

Picture a Story Materials Paper Crayons or markersDirections Have your child draw a series of four or five pictures. Have her then dictate a story to go with each picture. You can write the story on the bottom of the picture as it is told. ...

Tell Me a Story Materials Various household objects Pillowcase or brown paper bagDirections Put five or six various household objects into a brown paper bag or pillowcase: keys, purse, stuffed animal, book, and so on. Remove each item from the ba...

Write a StoryLook in your local library for information on making books with children. Stories turned into books will be treasured for years to come. Materials Paper Pen, markers, or crayons Photographs or old magazines Scissors GlueDirections Wr...

A Spring StorybookTime: An hour or more Type of activity: Reading and writing, arts and crafts Celebrate the coming of spring by telling a story about the season! Materials needed: · White paper (several sheets)· Two sheets of construction ...