Deschutes Public Library

Children need to use their imagination and creativity; that’s an important part of being a child. It helps them to use their vocabulary when they make up games and stories, and it teaches narrative skills, one of the early literacy skills needed to learn to read.

What can you do?

• Make up silly stories! Maybe it’ll be about a zebra with polka dots or a man who walks on his hands.
• Start reading aloud a book, but ask your child to make up the ending.
• At dinner, ask your child to tell everyone what they did that day, helping them to keep the events in order.
• Get down on the floor and pretend to be snakes, or act like monkeys in the backyard.
• Act out a familiar story with stuffed animals or puppets.
• Have a prop box with costumes, puppets, and toys for creative play.