Welcome to Just For You Stories: the place where you can commission an award winning Poem/Story/Audio CD as unique as the little ones that love them
 

Imagination BOx

Picture
This one is so much fun and can be changed each time you play it. It can become a bit of a game in itself!

My grandmother used to do a similar kind of thing at Halloween and our imagination ran wild with what was inside! As a child I really believed that she had eyeballs hidden in the box ... alas as an adult you realise, they were just grapes ...

Anyway, this is the idea of the Imagination Box: it can be played in all weathers with a variety of ages. Right, so, are you sitting comfortably?!

STEP 1: Find a box, any box (or a tray, or well anything you could hide things in a little bit)....

STEP 2: If you want to make it a game you play again and again, you could always decorate it first (another fun activity to do)

STEP 3: Find different items to put in the box. Have at least 5 items to get you started. They can be anything you like....but remember we will be using them to get our imaginations going and  making up a story....

STEP 4: Get your child to pick an item from the box. A fun way of doing it (if they are up for it.....younger children may not like it), is to feel it without looking. 

STEP 5: Ask them what it feels like, what they think it could be etc....You could always write it down so that you remember. Get them to describe the item, by the feel, the texture, the smell (if any), and the colour (when they see it).

STEP 6: Get a bit more in-depth.....Get them to think (you can always do it together if they'll let you :) ) about where it could have come from, what or where it could be going or doing....make up it's life story :)

STEP 7: Play around with the different ideas that come about, see if there is a fun story idea that comes forward.....and then go for it....write it and have fun.

ITEM IDEAS: feathers, soil in a pot, a hat, corrugated cardboard, cuddly toys, plastic toys, cars, dolls, various food, flowers (real or fake), bouncy balls, stress pump, leaves, conkers, squidgy putty, Plasticine, rolling pin, spoons, instruments.....the list is endless to be honest. Anything and everything.....

VARIATIONS: use one item at a time or choose a few items to link together to make the story. For example: 

Miss feather is floating along, dancing through the sky when a big gust of wind pulls her down into a pot of soil. It spoils her dress and makes a mess and she doesn't feel like prancing about any more. She tries to get out but no one hears her shout, so she just sits there and pouts.....but then, she hears a little cry, coming from further up in the sky, she hears a delightful voice, tinkling hi from up somewhere up high. She looks around, she stops, her heart pounds as she hears the hi again....and then, she spies Mr Cap, climbing down a sunflower strand, holding out his hand. She was saved! She smiled and waved and shouted yay! And that was how they met on that fateful day... Miss feather and Mr Cap, they did indeed make a very special hat. 

Have fun! If you like you share your ideas here, I would love to hear some of your stories......



 

Spider Word Play

Picture
Right, this one can be made as fun or educational as you like. As silly or rational as the mood may take you....I verge on the silly and fun in my ones....

STEP 1: Get a piece of paper and a pen or pencil :) and maybe even a seat or space on the floor while you're at it....

STEP 2: Pick a word...any word... (maybe even start with their favourite word - if they have one). Mine is 'Hullabaloo'...though you may want to start with smaller word depending on how old they are.

STEP 3: Make a spider diagram (spider web, list of words, free form it!) of all the words/themes/ideas/colours/things that connect with your chosen word. Be as imaginative as you  (or they) like....

STEP 4: Have a giggle at all the funny things you may have come up with. Creative writing isn't about being right or wrong or coming up with the most intelligent idea or word....it's about having fun....from fun something wonderful can be done!

STEP 5: Use the ideas you come up with to either make a picture or write a story. You do not necessarily need to use all the ideas you come up with. You may just use one or two main ones and adapt from there. 

The idea is that it gets your creative juices flowing and you have fun playing about with words and ideas. 

STEP 6: Enjoy reading your story to whoever will listen! :)

P.S. you can always review it afterwards and make changes or do another 'spider-word' if you get stuck on something.
P.P.S here: yours and theirs is really the same thing as is you and them :)


Mr Moo caused a huge Hullabaloo when he went to the Zoo: he wreaked havoc in the paddocks when he mooed his way through. He made the animals club together and sing a song or two, but all they did was prattle about and eat a few of the others too. So Mr Moo confessed it was such a mess and flew off out the zoo. 

JUST FOR YOU STORIES
UA-39490835-1 file:///C:/Users/Pablo%20Manali/Downloads/justf49085.html UA-39490835-1