Family Stories

Family Stories

Family stories let your child know about the people who are important to him. They also give him an idea of how one thing leads to another in a story.

What to do:

The first activities in this list work well with younger children. As your child grows, the later activities let him do more. But keep doing the first ones as long as he enjoys them.

1. Tell your child stories about your parents and grandparents or others who are special to you and your family. You can put these stories in a book and add old photographs.

2. Think out loud about when you were little. Make a story out of an event, like a family trip, a birthday party, or when you lost your first tooth.

3. Have your child tell you stories about what she did on special days, such as holidays, birthdays, and family vacations.

4. If you go on a trip, write a trip journal with your child to make a new family story. Writing down the day's special event and pasting photographs into the journal ties the family story to a written history. You can also include everyday trips like going to the store or the park.

The storyteller's voice helps your child hear the sounds of words and how they are put together to mean something.

Source: Helping Your Child Become a Reader, U.S. Department of Education