Getting dd to practise creative story writing, and story starter ideas please...

[Julie999]

My dd seems to be stronger in Maths and her school doesn't seem to focus much on story writing.... Consequently I am trying to build her confidence and ability in story writing, i would be very grateful if any parents and/or teachers out there could recommend some story starters or even point me in the right direction of where to get these....

Why don't you start by just making up stories verbally, the sillier the better. Around the dinner table is a good place, or you start making one up at bed time, and then ask what happens next. Also when reading a story, stop and ask what happens next.

However story writing doesn't seem as important in the curriculum nowadays as in my youth (it plays no part in GCSE English for example).

Hi mummy time, thanks for your reply. I had no idea that story writing doesn't play a part in English g.c.s.e for. Bit of back ground, my dd is in year 4 and my concerns about story writing are fuelled by the 11+ exam she will be sitting... I would rather start on her weak points now, than be panicking in year 6.... At school they hardly do any creative writing, more putting words in alphabetical order, writing a book review.... But nothing about creative writing. If they don't practise this at school, how will she be able to do this for the 11+.....confused

there's a log circle in the park near us, and it has become the story telling the circle. The idea is that the kids jump onto the stump in the middle, and tell a story (it has to end with THE END - good idea to set that a rule as kids otherwise tend to just keep going). Most of the time the story doesn't make sense or isn't that interesting (the man went in the rocket and the alien tried to eat his food and the man said don't touch THE END) or a rehash of a TV show they've seen. But it does get them going!

Thanks gate gypsy, great idea to do story telling in the park.... Doesn't seem too much like work!

You might also investigate which aspects of story writing she finds hard. Is it actually writing the ideas down, or does she not have a clue where to start?

Lots of games around making up stories is a good way forward. Try to get Dad and siblings involved too.

We were given some story cubes, with lots of pictures, you throw the 9 dice and have to make up a story including all 9 pictures.

I don't think you should bother with writing at home. You would be much better of exposing her to lots of stories by reading extra each day. Eventually she will have her own mental repertoire of stories. Look for library books that are fun and make her want to read more. Quantity of reading is really important here as she will access lots of different story themes. Don't push her to read harder books outside of her comfort zone, she will more on to them naturally anyway - so why make it a struggle now.

Story cubes are ace. My ds is starting reception this year and obviously he can't write yet but he comes up with some brilliant stories with these. And also if you want to make the stories longer and more complicated you just throw the dice again and keep going.

DS (year 5) sometimes has to write his weekly spellings into a story.

Thanks for all your replies, story cubes sounds great, may make some and stick to draw pictures on... Love the idea of using weekly spellings to write a story, good way to reinforce spellings... And finally I think skybkuepearl hit the nail on the head, dd isn't much of a reader so maybe we need to increase the quantity of books.... She just doesn't seem to enjoy reading... It still appears like work to her, rather than a fun thing to do in her spare time.... How to create a love of reading. But I guess that's another thread.

I used to get dd1 to give me 'three things' (the wilder the better!) to put in a story, and make one up for her as her bedtime story. Now in Y3, I give her 3 things to put into a story at bedtime - then she tells me the story in the morning over breakfast (note: this is partly a ploy to get her to go to bed more easily, but it does mean she's an ace storyteller!)

We did lots of story telling in the car when dd was pre-school. One day, mommy and flappergirl were driving along the road when bang (I made the appropriate noise) a witch fell on top of the car. The witch tried to break open the windows and snatch flappergirl from inside (cue delighted, squealing child). Then the car went under a bridge (as bridge appears) and goblins fell on top of the witch. They were angry with her because she'd chopped down all the trees in their glade to make her home. Yah de yah der.

We used anything in the scenery for ideas. Sometimes the stories were repetitive, sometimes they were a bit bizarre and long winded, always they were impromptu. After I'd done a couple, I'd ask dd what do you think happens next? She'd just look out the window and pick a landmark and in she'd come. Or I'd say, what do you think those goblins look like?? I think they're green with blue spots. Her dad might add he thought they were grey with yellow spots. She'd say they were pink with brown spots. And on you go. I'd always praise her ideas and say, wow, I'd never have thought of that one. You're a great storyteller. Guess what? She's 11 now and thinks she's the best darned story teller ever!

Used to drive me demented at the time though, especially when I was trying to concentrate on the traffic or was feeling a bit under the weather, but dd is tops at literacy now and always gets glowing reports on her story writing.

Now if someone could tell me how to do the same kind of thing with maths and an 11 year old, I'd be mightily grateful!

We also did different spellings of the same word. She was a geeky little girl when I think about it. At bed time I'd tell her, 'do you know there are two kinds of witches W-i-t-c-h like a lady with a black cloak and a hooky nose and a broomstick and a black cat and which, w-h-i-c-h like when we say 'which ice cream would you prefer madam''. She'd BEG for more examples, til I started to run out! She was the only child in Y3 who got all 100 High frequency words right. (polishes child's halo). Mind you, her friends soon caught up, so you won't find me being too smug on that score :)

Thanks elibean, dd is going to get three words with bed time today... Witches, goblins and castle.... That,s in preparation for flabbergasteds story in the car tomorrow..which we can take turns doing..

Thanks flabbergasted, I am going to try the witches story on the school run tomorrow... My dd won't know what's come over me lol... Never done anything like that before.

Re Maths... You may already know but bond do 11+ practise on line... At a monthly fee, Working at the computer may help... Also carol voradamon books are great as are the letts. Revise books. I tend to the the one for my dd current year group and one ahead to extend her a bit.

I'm sorry if someone has already corrected this but, as an English teacher, I have to correct the poster who stated that story writing is not a part of the English GCSE. It is! The exam board that I use has it as a controlled assessment, worth 7.5% of the final grade. All exam boards feature it one way or another.