Storytelling 101

I got so many good ideas from that Early Literacy conference. Here's another one.

You know when you've been out (like to the library) and you're headed home just about at naptime. You're thinking to yourself No! Don't fall asleep in the car! You'll never take a decent nap when we get home! Here's a wonderful way to keep your little one awake and build verbal and narrative skills along the way. But don't think of it in those edu-speak terms. Just think of it as fun!

Use this format to start a story:

Once upon a time there was a ________________. (Your child fills in the blank.)
And one day he was ______________________.
He was wearing a _____________________.
He (or probably "they" by now) went to _____________________.
He/they found a ________________________.
This happened (you make up the event), so they decided to________________.
Finally ________________________________.
The End

I asked my 13-year-old to pretend she's three, and this is what she said.

Once upon a time there was a fairy. And one day she was flying. She was wearing a flower petal dress. She went to Peter Pan's house. They found a pony. They pony was lost and afraid so they decided to help it find its master. Finally, they found its master who was an indian. The End

Funny thing is, that's exactly what she would have said at three. She lived and breathed Peter Pan at the time.

Grab your kid and try this story framework. Write his/her story in the comments and lets share it with each other!