How to Write a Children's Story
Use a memory from your childhood as inspiration., Take a common thing and make it fantastical., Create a unique main character., Pick a theme or idea for the story., Identify the age group you are writing for., Read examples of children’s stories...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Use a memory from your childhood as inspiration.
One possible inspiration could be a memorable experience or event in your childhood.
Think about memories of your childhood that were exciting, strange, or a bit wondrous.
Use a memory as the basis for the children’s story.
For example, maybe you had a strange day in third grade that you could turn into an entertaining story.
Or perhaps you experienced a foreign country when you were very young and have a story from the trip kids would enjoy. , Pick an everyday activity or event and give it some whimsy.
Make it fantastical by adding an absurd element to it.
Use your imagination to try to view it as a child might.For example, you may take a common event like going to the dentist and make it fantastical by having the machinery used by the dentist come alive.
Or you may take a child’s first time in the ocean and make it fantastical by having the child go into the deep depths of the ocean. , Sometimes a children’s story hinges on a main character that is relatable and unique.
Think about character types that do not get represented often in children’s stories.
Make your character particular by using real life qualities in children and adults that you find interesting.For example, you may notice that there is not a lot of children’s stories where a young girl of color is the main character.
You may then create a main character that fills this void. , Having a central theme for the story can help you generate ideas.
Focus on a theme like love, loss, identity, or friendship from a child’s point of view.
Think about how a child might view the theme and explore it.For example, you may explore the theme of friendship by focusing on the relationship between a young girl and her pet turtle. , Children’s stories are often written with a specific age group in mind.
Are you trying to write a story for toddlers? For older children? Identify if you are writing for children age 2-4, 4-7, or 8-10.
The language, tone, and style of the story will change based on which age group you are writing for.For example, if you are writing for a 2-4 or 4-7 age range, you should use simple language and very short sentences.
If you are writing for an 8-10 age range, you can use language that is a bit more complex and sentences that are longer than four to five words. , Get a better sense of the genre by reading examples of children’s stories that have been successful.
Try to read stories that focus on the demographic or age group you’d like to write for.
You may read:
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak Charlotte’s Web by E.B.
White The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett , Start with a sentence that will hook the reader in right away.
Use a strange image of the main character as the opening.
Show the main character in action.
The opening should set the tone for the rest of the story and let the reader know what to expect.For example, the first line of “The Beginning of Smoke” by Brunei Darussalam is: “At the beginning of the world, smoke was a man.
At that time, there was a boy named Si Lasap, an orphan, who was constantly harassed by the village youths…” This opening establishes character, tone, and a fantastical element to “smoke.” , Make sure the story has a beginning, middle, and end.
Having an arc will ensure the reader stays engaged in the story.
Even if the children’s story is short, it can still have a clear arc.For example, you may start with a young girl discovering a turtle in the lake by her house.
Then, the middle section of the story is the girl’s friendship with the turtle.
The ending could then be the girl taking the turtle in as a pet. , Most children’s stories will have a happy, uplifting ending with a moral.
Avoid making the moral feel too heavy handed or preachy.
A subtle moral will be more effective and less obvious to the children reading your story.Try showing the moral through the actions of your characters.
For example, you may have a young girl prepare the turtle’s enclosure in her room and then show her putting the turtle in the enclosure.
This could explore the moral of helping others without telling the reader the moral. , You may want to get the children’s story illustrated to add something extra to it.
Try illustrating it yourself or hire an illustrator to bring your story to life.
Illustrations may be ideal if your story is very visual and has a lot of striking images in it. , Once you’ve finished a draft of the children’s story, read it aloud to yourself.
Listen to how it sounds on the page.
Notice if there is language that is too complicated or high level for your target age group.
Revise the story so it is easy to read and follow., Get feedback from your target age group.
Ask your siblings, your younger family members, or children at your school to read your story and give you feedback.
Adjust the story so it is more appealing and relatable for children., Go through the draft and make sure it is not too long.
Often, children’s stories are the most effective when they are short and to the point.
Most children’s stories have very little text, and when they do, they make the text count. -
Step 2: Take a common thing and make it fantastical.
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Step 3: Create a unique main character.
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Step 4: Pick a theme or idea for the story.
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Step 5: Identify the age group you are writing for.
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Step 6: Read examples of children’s stories.
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Step 7: Create a strong opening.
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Step 8: Give the story an arc.
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Step 9: Make the moral of the story uplifting
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Step 10: but not preachy.
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Step 11: Decide if the story is going to be illustrated.
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Step 12: Read the story aloud.
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Step 13: Show the story to children.
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Step 14: Revise the story for length and clarity.
Detailed Guide
One possible inspiration could be a memorable experience or event in your childhood.
Think about memories of your childhood that were exciting, strange, or a bit wondrous.
Use a memory as the basis for the children’s story.
For example, maybe you had a strange day in third grade that you could turn into an entertaining story.
Or perhaps you experienced a foreign country when you were very young and have a story from the trip kids would enjoy. , Pick an everyday activity or event and give it some whimsy.
Make it fantastical by adding an absurd element to it.
Use your imagination to try to view it as a child might.For example, you may take a common event like going to the dentist and make it fantastical by having the machinery used by the dentist come alive.
Or you may take a child’s first time in the ocean and make it fantastical by having the child go into the deep depths of the ocean. , Sometimes a children’s story hinges on a main character that is relatable and unique.
Think about character types that do not get represented often in children’s stories.
Make your character particular by using real life qualities in children and adults that you find interesting.For example, you may notice that there is not a lot of children’s stories where a young girl of color is the main character.
You may then create a main character that fills this void. , Having a central theme for the story can help you generate ideas.
Focus on a theme like love, loss, identity, or friendship from a child’s point of view.
Think about how a child might view the theme and explore it.For example, you may explore the theme of friendship by focusing on the relationship between a young girl and her pet turtle. , Children’s stories are often written with a specific age group in mind.
Are you trying to write a story for toddlers? For older children? Identify if you are writing for children age 2-4, 4-7, or 8-10.
The language, tone, and style of the story will change based on which age group you are writing for.For example, if you are writing for a 2-4 or 4-7 age range, you should use simple language and very short sentences.
If you are writing for an 8-10 age range, you can use language that is a bit more complex and sentences that are longer than four to five words. , Get a better sense of the genre by reading examples of children’s stories that have been successful.
Try to read stories that focus on the demographic or age group you’d like to write for.
You may read:
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak Charlotte’s Web by E.B.
White The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett , Start with a sentence that will hook the reader in right away.
Use a strange image of the main character as the opening.
Show the main character in action.
The opening should set the tone for the rest of the story and let the reader know what to expect.For example, the first line of “The Beginning of Smoke” by Brunei Darussalam is: “At the beginning of the world, smoke was a man.
At that time, there was a boy named Si Lasap, an orphan, who was constantly harassed by the village youths…” This opening establishes character, tone, and a fantastical element to “smoke.” , Make sure the story has a beginning, middle, and end.
Having an arc will ensure the reader stays engaged in the story.
Even if the children’s story is short, it can still have a clear arc.For example, you may start with a young girl discovering a turtle in the lake by her house.
Then, the middle section of the story is the girl’s friendship with the turtle.
The ending could then be the girl taking the turtle in as a pet. , Most children’s stories will have a happy, uplifting ending with a moral.
Avoid making the moral feel too heavy handed or preachy.
A subtle moral will be more effective and less obvious to the children reading your story.Try showing the moral through the actions of your characters.
For example, you may have a young girl prepare the turtle’s enclosure in her room and then show her putting the turtle in the enclosure.
This could explore the moral of helping others without telling the reader the moral. , You may want to get the children’s story illustrated to add something extra to it.
Try illustrating it yourself or hire an illustrator to bring your story to life.
Illustrations may be ideal if your story is very visual and has a lot of striking images in it. , Once you’ve finished a draft of the children’s story, read it aloud to yourself.
Listen to how it sounds on the page.
Notice if there is language that is too complicated or high level for your target age group.
Revise the story so it is easy to read and follow., Get feedback from your target age group.
Ask your siblings, your younger family members, or children at your school to read your story and give you feedback.
Adjust the story so it is more appealing and relatable for children., Go through the draft and make sure it is not too long.
Often, children’s stories are the most effective when they are short and to the point.
Most children’s stories have very little text, and when they do, they make the text count.
About the Author
Scott Nelson
Writer and educator with a focus on practical cooking knowledge.
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