| It's fun to read child stories to your kids, | | | | and imagine how people lived. This can be |
| but it's even MORE fun to make up your own. | | | | educational, too. You could make up a story |
| You don't need to be a creative genius to do | | | | about a Viking boy who becomes a great |
| so. All it takes is a little imagination and | | | | warrior and philosopher king.8. Bring them to |
| patience (with yourself). Follow these 10 | | | | LifeWhat if all the objects in your life |
| suggestions, and you'll find that making up | | | | suddenly SPRANG TO LIFE? What would your car |
| entertaining child stories is as easy as | | | | say? What would your TV do?9. BorrowIf you're |
| talking with a good friend.1. A Picture's | | | | really "stuck", you can always borrow (but |
| Worth a Thousand WordsSelect a picture or | | | | don't steal) ideas from other people's |
| series of pictures from a magazine, book, | | | | stories or get inspiration from folktales, |
| newspaper or wherever. Then describe what's | | | | parables, legend or myth. Just put your own |
| happening in the picture or pictures.2. Truth | | | | ideas and names into the stories to |
| is Stranger than FictionDraw in events from | | | | personalize them. For example, you could take |
| your everyday life and then embellish them. | | | | the Greek "Myth of Icarus" and update it for |
| For example, instead of "Jason played in the | | | | the 21st century. Instead of wings make from |
| basketball game last Saturday," you could say | | | | feathers and wax, Icarus has a solar-powered, |
| "when Jason played in the basketball game | | | | artificial exoskeleton made from composite |
| last Saturday, he put on his magic shoes and | | | | materials. With his hi-tech exoskeleton, he's |
| scored 50 points!"3. Look at the Larger | | | | actually able to land on the sun, but then he |
| WorldChoose a story from the newspaper | | | | gets so hot that he plunges back to earth, |
| (nothing too heavy) and make up a story | | | | drinks up half of Lake Ontario, and gets a |
| around it. You can personalize the news this | | | | terrible tummy ache.10. Let Your Kids Tell |
| way so that your child sees that real people | | | | YOU a StoryKids are often more creative than |
| are behind the events. This has the added | | | | adults, probably because they don't engage in |
| benefit of being highly educational.Just to | | | | self-censorship as much. They're not |
| prove that this can be done with even a "dry" | | | | embarrassed to let their imaginations run |
| topic, here's a headline from The Financial | | | | wild! So, you could have your kids make up |
| Times (the British business daily): "Crop | | | | stories, too. They'll love getting involved |
| Resistance - Why a Transatlantic Split | | | | and having the chance to express |
| Persists Over Genetically Modified Food." | | | | themselves.You can combine any of the tips |
| Depending upon your political views on this | | | | here with that approach. With tip #1, for |
| issue, you could make up a story that London | | | | example, you could take turns describing |
| is threatened by gigantic ears of corn, that | | | | what's happening in a picture. It's fun to |
| soybeans morph into aliens or that wonderful | | | | see how different people interpret a picture |
| new species of flora and fauna evolve in a | | | | differently.Another approach that I use with |
| genetically modified jungle that springs up | | | | my own kids is the "story round robin". We |
| outside New Orleans.4. Get Back to | | | | take turns telling a single story, passing it |
| NatureNature is a rich source of ideas. You | | | | on from one person to the next. The plot can |
| can make up a story about the animal kingdom | | | | get very intricate, indeed!ConclusionThese |
| (e.g. an ant colony). You might imagine what | | | | are just a few ways you can get inspired to |
| it would be like to become an ant and see the | | | | make up child stories. I'm sure you'll think |
| world from that perspective. Or you could | | | | of more. Above all, I hope you'll have a lot |
| make up a story about the elements. Did you | | | | of fun with your storytelling!P.S. If you |
| know that each element has a concept | | | | record or write down any of your stories, you |
| associated with it? Air = Thought, Fire = | | | | can send them to me and I'll publish them on |
| Desire, Water = Emotions, Earth = Stability. | | | | my website with your name (and copyright) on |
| The universe or astronomy (sun, moon, | | | | them.P.P.S. Here is a very interesting |
| planets, stars, etc.) is another possible | | | | website that I discovered (not affiliated |
| source of inspiration.5. Help from Your | | | | with me in any way) about the elements, |
| HobbiesWhy not make up a story centered | | | | astrology, dragons, etc.: You'll find this a |
| around one of your hobbies? If you're an avid | | | | rich source of ideas.Paul Arinaga is founder |
| golfer, a story could be about how you got | | | | of the Child Stories Bank. |
| your golf ball back from a talking alligator | | | | |
| in Florida.6. Famous PeopleYou could make up | | | | |
| a story about a famous person (either | | | | |
| deceased or still living) such as Jesus | | | | The Child Stories Bank provides FREE |
| Christ, Alexander the Great or Justin | | | | original children's stories as well as |
| Timberlake (might be best to try to stick | | | | resources to help writers create and get |
| roughly to known facts).7. Choose a Time | | | | their stories published, and a directory of |
| PeriodIt's always exciting to go back in time | | | | child storybook illustrators. |