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Silly Story Time

When reading familiar picture books with your child, try to adapt the plot, characters and actions to deepen your child’s understanding of the picture book story.

  • 3 years
  • Quick prep
  • At home
  • About 30 minutes
Focus
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Developmental benefits

  • Language：Changing a familiar story and discussing what is different helps your child examine its characters, actions, and sequence from new angles.
  • Cognitive：Inventing alternative characters and events invites flexible imagination during a familiar narrative.

Preparation

What You’ll Need

  1. 1

    A familiar picture book your child has heard many times, such as The Three Little Pigs

Step 1

Choose a Familiar Book

Choose a story your child knows well. Before reading, recall its characters and main events together.

What to notice

  • Names characters or events from the picture book Emergent Literacy
  • Chooses a picture book to read Initiative and Curiosity

Tips

  • Choose a picture book that fits your child’s interests.
  • Connect a new book with something your child already loves: “The Three Little Pigs is your favorite. Would you like a story about a fourth pig and an elephant?”

Step 2

Is That the Right Character?

While telling the story, replace one character and watch your child’s response. If they do not notice, ask a question that draws attention to the change and compare the new character with the original.

What to notice

  • Spots which character has changed Memory
  • Responds with concern to the story characters’ emotions Emotional Functioning

Tips

  • When your child notices the swapped character, respond with playful surprise: “You caught me!”
  • If your child does not notice, offer a clue: “That’s strange—why are Gorilla’s ears pointy now?”
  • If your child’s version differs from the original story, follow their idea and keep telling it together.

Step 3

What Is the Character Doing?

Change one character’s action and compare the new action with the original. Talk about what each action can do—for example, knocking can ask someone to open a door, while scratching can relieve an itch. Choose the action that fits the story and continue reading together.

What to notice

  • Acts out new parts of the story with different movements Creativity
  • Acts out events from the picture book while narrating them Emergent Literacy

Tips

  • For each action you choose, imagine together when someone might do it.
  • Act out each movement with your child.
  • If your child is still interested, change another character or action and continue the new version of the story.

Better Parenting Content Team · Updated September 11, 2026