Roll-and-Tell Stories

1. 1

   Make two picture dice. Add animals, people, or toys to one; add settings such as a rainy day or a forest to the other. Say, “Roll the dice and tell a story with the two pictures.”

2. 2

   Before starting, look at every picture together. Let your child roll the setting die first and the character die second.

3. 3

   After the roll, pause and give your child time to imagine the story.

4. 4

   As they tell it, ask an occasional question that adds detail or moves the action forward: “What color is the cat?” or “What happened next?”

5. 5

   If the story stops, roll both dice again and add the new pictures to what has already happened.

6. 6

   When the story is complete, retell it from beginning to end and notice how it has a beginning, middle, and ending.

What to notice

• Tells a short story related to the two pictures rolled Comprehension and Text Structure
• Continues the story after you offer a question or picture cue Cognitive Self-Regulation (Executive Functioning)

Tips

• A short story is enough if your child can make the idea clear.
• If they get stuck, point to a picture and connect it with experience: “What did we do the last time it rained?”
• If making dice is too involved, use picture cards, toy figures, or familiar household objects as story prompts.

Developmental benefits

• Language: Using random picture clues to invent what happens first, next, and at the end helps your child organize and tell a simple story.
• Cognitive: Staying with the dice, planning an idea, and carrying it through to a complete story gives your child practice sustaining attention through a creative task.