Pause the Story
What you need
- a picture book they know well
How to do it
- Read a favourite book together, the way you always do.
- Stop at a big moment and ask "Why do you think she did that?" or "What will happen next?"
- Listen to the whole answer, then turn the page and see what happens.
- At the end, ask how one of the characters felt, and why.
Why it matters
A pause in a story they know invites them to explain it in their own words, and a "why" question about a story has no wrong answer.
What they're learning
- Talking about stories
- Saying what happened and why, with the pictures to help.
- Because
- A why question invites a because answer.
- How others feel
- Wondering how a character feels, and what made them feel that way.
What to look for
Notice them saying "because" in an answer, or telling you what happens before you turn the page.
A tip
Pick one or two pauses per book, not every page, so the story still flows and the questions feel like part of it.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: ask "Who is that?" and "What is she doing?" instead of why
Harder: ask them to make up a different ending, and act it out together
