Storytelling is a powerful tool that helps children discover the joy of imagination, expression, and connection. By sparking their creativity through stories, we can support their language and literacy development, laying the foundation for future success.
Here are some of our teacher’s top tips to spark your child's storytelling imagination:
1. Create a Story Starter Jar
Fill a jar with fun prompts like ‘A dragon who is scared of fire’, ‘A magic key that unlocks anything’ or ‘A talking dog who wants to be a detective’. Let your child randomly pick one to spark a new story.
2. Use Picture Prompts
Show your child a picture from a magazine, book or even a family photo. Ask them questions like ‘What’s happening in this picture?’ or ‘What happened right before this moment?’.
3. Encourage Storyboarding
Have your child draw a simple comic strip or storyboard their ideas. Sometimes drawing can help unlock creative ideas before they start writing or telling their story.
4. Go on Imagination Walks
Take a walk and invent stories about the things you see: ‘Where is the secret door to a magical world and what does the world look like?’ or ‘What adventures did that squirrel just come back from?’.
5. Use What-If Questions
Challenge your child with playful questions such as: ‘What if animals could talk?’ or ‘What if your teddy bear went to school?’. These questions naturally prompt creative thinking.
6. Mix and Mash Characters
Encourage your child to combine characters from their favourite books, movies or games and imagine what would happen if they met each other.
7. Make It a Collaborative Story
Start a story and pass it back and forth, with each of you adding a sentence or paragraph. This creates an exciting and unpredictable tale!
8. Read Aloud and Discuss
Read books together and ask questions like ‘What would happen if the ending changed?’ or ‘What do you think this character will do next?’.
Want feedback on your child's story?
Send us your child's story (sophie@thephonicsschool.com) and our expert English teachers will provide personalised feedback to help them become even better storytellers!
Let’s make this a week full of fantastic literacy fun! 📚
For more information on the UK’s National Storytelling Week visit www.literacytrust.org.uk/resources/national-storytelling-week/