How to Help a Child Write a Story
Help motivate your child by analyzing books or stories that your child reads., Help your child come up with the subject of the story., Help your child brainstorm characters., Have your child pick out the main character., Have your child select the...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Help motivate your child by analyzing books or stories that your child reads.
When your child reads stories, take the time to ask her questions about what she is reading (this is much easier done if you also read the story).
These questions can help your child to begin to recognize the different parts of stories, as well as to generate her own ideas.
Ask questions like:
Can you define the beginning, middle, and end of the story? Who is the main character of the story? Who are the supporting characters? What do you like about the characters? What do you not like about them? Where does this story take place? Can you identify a conflict in the story? How does this conflict get resolved? -
Step 2: Help your child come up with the subject of the story.
If your child is having trouble coming up with a storyline, help her to refine her ideas by prompting her with different topics.
Tell her to think about what she experiences in her daily life, or about people that she finds interesting.
Consider prompting your child by asking her to write a story that is based on a situation she found herself in that made her feel a certain way.
Borrow ideas from your child’s favorite stories.
Give your child three unrelated objects or events and allow her to craft a story around a connection she makes with all three things.
For example, three things you could mention could be a dragon, the ocean, and a volcanic eruption. , Before trying to help her, ask your child to come up with her own characters that she feels could fit into the storyline she has just created.
Give your child a piece of paper for each character and ask her to write down different traits, skills, and the appearance of each character.
If she gets stuck, ask her questions like:
Why is he so grumpy? Did something make him angry or was he always like that? Where are the parents? Are these children alone in this story? Why is that? Does this little girl wear the blue dress always? Is it her favorite dress or her only one? You can make a table to help your child keep track of her characters.
The table could have the following columns:
Name of character, relationship with other characters, appearance, and behavior. , Ask your child who the main character of the story is.
If she doesn’t understand what the main character is, explain that the main character is the one that is involved in most of the action in the story.
Once she has selected the main character, suggest that she flesh out the character a bit some more.
What was the character’s childhood like? Who is his or her best friend? What does the character love more than anything else in the world? , Once your child has picked out the place that she would like the story to take place, ask her about the setting to help her generate a description or image of the place.
Ask questions like:
If you were standing in this place, what would you see? What would you hear? What are the main colors of the landscape? What are the main features? Are there mountains nearby, or does this take place in a city? Is the setting a large landscape, or will the whole story take place in a house, cave, or inhabited area? , A plot generally revolves around a challenge or problem that the main character has to face and overcome.
The main character could have to go on a journey to do this, or could seek help from a variety of unique characters.
Because she is only brainstorming, you can help your child to come up with the beginning, middle, and end of the story.
Ask her:
What caused the problem in the first place? What does your character have to do to find the answer or overcome the challenge? What is the outcome? Ask your child to describe each section of the story in a short paragraph; these don’t have to be detailed, they can simply offer a glimpse into what will happen in each part of the story.
You can help your child to keep track of her story by helping her to draft a map or outline of everything she says for each section of the story.
You can also have your child draw pictures of the main events of each section of the story to help her visualize the plot. -
Step 3: Help your child brainstorm characters.
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Step 4: Have your child pick out the main character.
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Step 5: Have your child select the setting.
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Step 6: Help your child create a plot.
Detailed Guide
When your child reads stories, take the time to ask her questions about what she is reading (this is much easier done if you also read the story).
These questions can help your child to begin to recognize the different parts of stories, as well as to generate her own ideas.
Ask questions like:
Can you define the beginning, middle, and end of the story? Who is the main character of the story? Who are the supporting characters? What do you like about the characters? What do you not like about them? Where does this story take place? Can you identify a conflict in the story? How does this conflict get resolved?
If your child is having trouble coming up with a storyline, help her to refine her ideas by prompting her with different topics.
Tell her to think about what she experiences in her daily life, or about people that she finds interesting.
Consider prompting your child by asking her to write a story that is based on a situation she found herself in that made her feel a certain way.
Borrow ideas from your child’s favorite stories.
Give your child three unrelated objects or events and allow her to craft a story around a connection she makes with all three things.
For example, three things you could mention could be a dragon, the ocean, and a volcanic eruption. , Before trying to help her, ask your child to come up with her own characters that she feels could fit into the storyline she has just created.
Give your child a piece of paper for each character and ask her to write down different traits, skills, and the appearance of each character.
If she gets stuck, ask her questions like:
Why is he so grumpy? Did something make him angry or was he always like that? Where are the parents? Are these children alone in this story? Why is that? Does this little girl wear the blue dress always? Is it her favorite dress or her only one? You can make a table to help your child keep track of her characters.
The table could have the following columns:
Name of character, relationship with other characters, appearance, and behavior. , Ask your child who the main character of the story is.
If she doesn’t understand what the main character is, explain that the main character is the one that is involved in most of the action in the story.
Once she has selected the main character, suggest that she flesh out the character a bit some more.
What was the character’s childhood like? Who is his or her best friend? What does the character love more than anything else in the world? , Once your child has picked out the place that she would like the story to take place, ask her about the setting to help her generate a description or image of the place.
Ask questions like:
If you were standing in this place, what would you see? What would you hear? What are the main colors of the landscape? What are the main features? Are there mountains nearby, or does this take place in a city? Is the setting a large landscape, or will the whole story take place in a house, cave, or inhabited area? , A plot generally revolves around a challenge or problem that the main character has to face and overcome.
The main character could have to go on a journey to do this, or could seek help from a variety of unique characters.
Because she is only brainstorming, you can help your child to come up with the beginning, middle, and end of the story.
Ask her:
What caused the problem in the first place? What does your character have to do to find the answer or overcome the challenge? What is the outcome? Ask your child to describe each section of the story in a short paragraph; these don’t have to be detailed, they can simply offer a glimpse into what will happen in each part of the story.
You can help your child to keep track of her story by helping her to draft a map or outline of everything she says for each section of the story.
You can also have your child draw pictures of the main events of each section of the story to help her visualize the plot.
About the Author
Teresa Robinson
A seasoned expert in lifestyle and practical guides, Teresa Robinson combines 13 years of experience with a passion for teaching. Teresa's guides are known for their clarity and practical value.
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