Your Child Will Learn
They will learn about story sequence through a personal story
Here’s What to Do
- Think of a story about your child’s life that you’d like to share. It can be something funny or special that captures something about who they are, or just an experience that you remember that brings a smile to your face.
- When telling the story, be sure to explain when and where the story took place, who was there, and what happened in the beginning, middle, and end
- Now switch, and have your child share a story too! Ask them to describe the beginning, middle and end.
- If you have photos or special mementos related to your story, show them to your child as you share!
Put PEER Into Action
PAUSE
- Have your child sit in your lap or close to you for this experience
ENGAGE
- Emphasize how special your child’s story is by sharing the emotions you felt during the experience (love, excitement, happiness, closeness, gratitude etc.)
- As your child shares their story, prompt them with questions like, “Where were you and what did you do first? Second? Last?” “How did you feel?”
ENCOURAGE
- After telling the story, ask your child to retell the beginning, middle, and ending of your story in their own words
- If your child has difficulty thinking of a story themselves, share a couple of examples of recent experiences they’ve had to help get them started
REFLECT
- Ask: “what was your favorite part of our storytelling time?
Not Quite Ready
Your child may only be able to retell short, basic parts of stories about their lives; over time as they hear the story again and retell it multiple times they will be able to add more details
Ready for More
Ask your child to retell their story to a sibling, family member, or friend
As Your Child Masters This Skill
They will be able to retell stories about themselves in the right sequence with details
Time to Complete
10-15 minutes
Materials Needed
None – pictures are nice, but not necessary