My Story
Listening and writing down
your child's ideas, stories or comments shows him how much you value his
thoughts. Your child may also enjoy hearing his story read aloud, which helps
him connect the written and spoken word.
What you'll need:
Plain paper (preferably white)
Markers, crayons or
paints
Pencil with eraser
A place to display
finished work
What to do:
Provide markers,
crayons or paints and paper for your child.
Invite him to make
a picture about a place you recently visited (Grandma's, the zoo, the post
office) or anything else he is interested in.
Give your child
plenty of time to create. Understand that his creation may not be identifiable
to you. But rest assured, it does mean something to your child.
When he is
finished, ask him to tell you a story about the creation he made and write down
what he says. If there is room and if it's OK with your child, you can write the
story next to the picture.
For young
preschoolers, the story may be one or two sentences and be more of a caption or
statement about the picture, such as, "I went to Grandma's and played in
the sand." Older preschoolers may add more complex or fantasy elements,
like "I went to the post office and there were 100 toys waiting for
me."
Write down exactly
what your child says. After all, it's his story.
When finished, add
your child's name and the date (including the year). Praise your child's
efforts, read the story with your child and share it with other family members.
Together, find a
place to display the story and illustration.