Using these really fun cards from Barefoot Books, take the following elements to write a story of your own! Work on your writing skills by creating a story (make sure it has a beginning, a middle, and an end!), or share a story out loud with the whole family as a bedtime story!
Better yet, have one person start the story with one idea from the cards, then someone else pick up the same story on the next prompt, and have yet another person tell the ending with the last card prompt. (I call these “dot dot dot” stories… each person tells part of the story and ends with “dot, dot, dot…” and then the next person tells part of the story, until... dot, dot, dot!)
You might combine these ideas by starting to write a story to a friend or relative, on paper or on the computer, and then stop…. and have them write the next part back to you! Make it silly, suspenseful, full of adventure – whatever you and your family enjoy, just make it fun!
The red cards are character ideas for your story; use one or all in your story! What is his/her name? How is she feeling? What is he doing? Are your characters siblings? Do they get along with each other?
The yellow cards are the setting; again, you can choose one, or challenge yourselves to incorporate them all. Where is your story happening? What does it look/smell/feel like? Do your characters move from one place to another?
The blue cards are objects – things your characters might find or can use; choose one to focus on or see if you can make them all fit into your storyline! What is the object? How does your character use it? Is it something they found, or an old favorite object?
Share your stories below in the comments, or email kids@amesfreelibrary.org to let us know what you’ve been working on!