Be a Storyteller
In this activity, your child will use pictures from a book to retell a story.
Learning Area(s): Language and Communication; Reading and Writing
MATERIALS
- A children’s picture book (one with characters and a clear plot: beginning, middle, and end)
- Chair for the storyteller (optional)
LET'S PLAY
Begin by sitting with your child and saying, “Let’s pretend to be storytellers. When we retell a story, we want to say all the important things that happened in the book. We can talk about the people or animals in our story. They are called characters. We can also talk about the setting of our story, or where the story takes place.”
Read the book aloud. Next, have your child sit in the storyteller chair or on your lap and retell the events in the story.
Help your child remember as much as possible about the characters, setting, and major events by asking questions such as, “Who are the characters in our story?”,“Where did this take place?” or “Do you remember what happened first?”
Your child can also look at and show you the pictures in the book to help her retell the story. If your child isn’t sure where to begin, look at the first page of the book together and ask what happened at the beginning of the story. Let her use the book as much as she needs to help her retell the story.
TIPS
- If you have a pet in your home or a baby sibling, you can invite your child to retell the story to the pet or to the baby. Even though they won’t understand the words, they may be drawn to your child’s voice and your child may enjoy this practice. Children can also tell stories to dolls or stuffed animals.
- If your child likes to draw, she could extend this activity by drawing her favorite scene from the book. You can model writing by writing your child’s description of her picture.
- Look for props in your home (e.g., puppets, dolls, or objects from the story) that your child can use to help retell the story.
