Stories and Story Scrambles

Easy to do, but the results are magical!

ADDED April 14, 2009

When most people are asked by their kids to tell a story, they freeze up.  The idea of coming up with a new story is a bit overwhelming.  

Today we're here to help you come up with kids' stories easily and effortlessly.  This will help any parent, not just when a story is requested by a kid, but when you need something to talk about or fill the time during waiting.  Making up original stories is very easy . . . especially when you have your kids do all the hard work!

Here are three parts to any and every story:  a beginning, a middle, and an end.  Not too difficult a concept, right?

These two sentences have all that you need to know to make up stories for kids:  "A story has a beginning, a middle, and an end.  Everything else is details."  Remember those two sentences, and you're set!

Start at the beginning.  Tell your kids, "In the beginning of this story, there was . . . "  If you can think of what there was in the beginning, great.  If you want to let your kids come up with the answer, even better.  What was there in the beginning of the story?  A whale, a snail, a kid who missed his mom, a guy who felt grumpy, a race car, an old neglected house.  The list is, as you might imagine, limitless.

Next the middle.  What happens next?  The kid who misses his mom goes and looks for her.  The whale accidentally swallows an empty rowboat.  Someone mysterious buys the old neglected house and brings in a team of painters.  Again, your kids are fully capable of supplying this important part.  Ask them, "What happens next?" and they will think it up!

And of course, the end.  This is the part that wraps up the story.  You can ask your kids, "What happens at the end of the story?"  Your kids will certainly have ideas about this.

And as it says above, "everything else is details."  Once you guys start your story, it's easy to add some details.  If your kid says the story is about a dog, you can chime in with "What color is the dog?  What is the dog's name?  What kind of dog is it?"  Details are so easy -- your kids will think up tons of them, and so of you.

Remember, the story does not have to be great.  No perfect prose or surprise endings are required.  Just have fun!

And what's a Story Scramble?  These are easy, too -- easy to think up and helpful for passing some waiting time with the kids.  Just tell a simple story with the beginning, middle, and ends scrambled up.  Super simple is allowed, people!  For instance, check this one out:  (1)  I brushed my teeth, (2)  I went to bed, and (3)  I ate dinner.  Can your kids unscramble the story?  Here's another one:  (1)  I watered the seed, (2) I had a beautiful sunflower, and (3) I planted a sunflower seed.  Get it?  Your kids will.

Here's one more scramble for you guys to puzzle out:
(1)  Fun, fun, fun for all!  (2)  You read Today is Fun, and (3)  You share the creative idea from the site with your kids.  (4) You tell your friends about TIF (5) They thank you!

ages 4-12, good any time, good at home, good for a restaurant or public place, good for the car, no 'props' needed, verbal activity,

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