Funny Family Stories
Here's What To Do
This is an activity for the whole family to join in! Tell your children and family members to gather around in a circle for a funny family story!
Begin the story by saying a funny sentence that is real or imagined, like “Today I ate an apple and made friends with the worm living inside!”
Ask the next person in the circle to tell the next part of the story. Each person keeps adding to the story until the story is complete.
(Optional). Ask someone in the group to write down everyone’s sentences and read the whole story at the end.
Put PEER Into Action
Pause:
- Sit in a circle with your family in a comfortable space inside your home or outdoors. Take three deep breaths together…now we’re ready to begin!
Engage:
- "Once upon a time, there was a dragon who lived in a castle. Okay, your turn. What happens next in the story?"
- Laugh, be silly, and have fun with this activity.
Encourage:
- If your child or children struggle to think of a sentence, suggest one element from the story for them to use in a sentence. If younger children are participating, help them turn a word they know into a sentence.
- Say, “that’s funny” or “way to be creative” when your child adds to the story.
Reflect:
- Ask your child or children to draw a picture about the story.
Not quite ready?
Ask younger children to add a word to the story, and make it into a sentence for them. Or ask them a yes or no question, like, "Should the bear to to the forest or the beach?"
Ready for more?
Make your family story into a picture book. Encourage your child to draw pictures of the story and write a few important words.
As your child masters this skill...
They will be able to tell a story out loud using use long, complex sentences with verbs, nouns, and adjectives.