Create Your Own Storytime Adventure With Pea

Do you know a budding story teller?

We believe in the power of imagination and the importance of inspiring stories. Childhood is an adventure lived through little imaginations, that will one day change the world. Storytelling is at the heart of everything we do at Pea so we’ve put together a guide on story writing for children to create their own story.

Why creative writing?

Creative writing is a great way for kids to express themselves. And it powers the brain too. Studies show children who practice creative writing make great problem solvers and perform better in other subjects like maths and science. More importantly, it’s fun!

Feed your child’s creative energy with these top tips for aspiring storytellers:

Read, read and read some more

The best storytellers enjoy story after story! So make sure your mini scribbler has plenty of material. And let them try a variety of books to feed their growing imagination. Writers’ minds are like sponges, absorbing all the exciting and interesting ideas they encounter.

But it is important to remember that reading isn’t the only way to enjoy stories. Many children have dyslexia. In fact it is reported that 1 in 10 people are dyslexic. The charity MADE BY DYSLEXIA explains that Dyslexic brains are wired slightly differently, meaning they have a different way of processing information making it much more challenging for dyslexic children to read and write. Yet, this difference results in strengths like creativity and communication skills. Which is all you need to become a skilled storyteller! 

So if it’s too hard for your child to read by themselves, then get them listening to audiobooks or read to them. The important thing is the more stories they hear or read, the stronger their storytelling will become.

Be a magpie

Writers are always borrowing from the world around them. Start your child’s storytelling toolkit by encouraging them to keep a notebook. Get them to make notes or doodle drawings of things that interest them. A silly word, a conversation they heard, an unusual cloud or a new nature fact they’ve learned. It’s all notebook-worthy. This is your child’s personal treasury of thoughts and ideas. Who knows, that twisty tree on the way to school could be the inspiration for their first story.

Write often

Your child’s imagination is a bit like a muscle – it needs exercising. So encourage them to tell stories as often as possible. If they’re unsure where to start, go back to the notebook. Find a photo or picture. Who are the people in the picture? How might they feel and what might they say? Your child could create an adventure for a favourite book character or write an alternative ending to a familiar story.

And just as we said with reading, if writing is challenging for your child there are some amazing learning tools embedded in Microsoft software with free features like Dictation and Read Aloud. Dictation uses speech recognition to convert spoken words into text. And Read Aloud allows children to hear their writing read back. This helps them edit their work and clearly communicate their ideas. Did you know that school pupils are eligible to sign up for Office 365 Education for free? All your child needs is their school email address and they can get free access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote. Given most schools are now using Microsoft Teams for virtual lessons, this is an amazing resource to take advantage of if you’re not already. And if they're already using it, ask them if they know about these amazing features.

Start with character

Great stories happen when characters come to life. Ask your child to create their own character. This could be a person or an imaginary creature. What will their character look like? Do they have any special powers? What is the problem they must overcome? What are they called?

Next add a simple setting – perhaps your child’s favourite place or the location of a recent day trip.  How does the character behave in this new space and what does this tell us about their feelings?  Before you know it, a story is emerging!

Share

Stories are made for telling so encourage your child to share theirs whenever they can. This doesn’t have to involve writing - they could draw or even perform it. Alternatively, try creating a story together. Take turns to come up with a sentence and see where it goes.

For a really proud moment, print their work and bind it like a real book. They could even design a book jacket complete with blurb to impress friends and family.

Need inspiration?

Try one of our story ideas for kids (aged 6-9). We have two free downloadable story starters, inspired by both our Enchanted Forest and Treetops collections. Each story starter provides the beginning of a magical tale for children to complete themselves.

Enchanted Forest Story Starter Treetops Story Starter

And for younger ones, why not use our repositionable Wall Stickers to bring a story to life. Pea adventures begin with our children’s bedding and unfold decoratively around the room. Made from a special low tack vinyl, they can be removed and reapplied again and again without damage. Perfect for little ones to imagine a different adventure every time.

Inspire stories.Transform their world.