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Story Reenactment

After a favourite story, child uses household props to act it out and change the ending, deepening narrative and agency.

Cartoon illustration of a parent and child at home doing Story Reenactment.
  • Age3 to 6 years
  • Time15 to 30 minutes
  • EnergyModerate
  • CostFree
  • WhereIndoors
  • PrepNone

After a story your child knows well, they use everyday household props to act it out, and then get to change the ending however they like. Retelling and reinventing the story are the fun of it.

How to do it

  1. Choose a story your child knows well and gather a few household props that could stand in for the characters or places (a spoon, a cup, a cloth, a toy).
  2. Retell the beginning together to set the scene, letting your child lead as much as they can.
  3. Act out the middle with the props, following your child's version even if it wanders.
  4. Near the end, ask "what if it ended differently?" and let them invent a new ending.
  5. Act out their new ending, then let them retell the whole thing their way if they want.

What you need

  • Household props
  • Familiar story

Make it yours

Younger, 3-4 years: Keep to a very short, familiar story and act out just one part. Older, 5-6 years: Let them invent a whole new middle, or add more props and characters. Siblings: Assign each child a character to voice and move.

Try this with your child.

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