Cloud Shape Storytelling Game

A blanket to lie on

A partly cloudy day with fluffy cumulus clouds (not overcast grey)

Spread a blanket on the grass and lie down side by side. The key is a partly cloudy day — you want puffy, sculptural clouds moving across blue sky.

Look up together for a moment in silence. Let the sky fill your vision.

Point to a cloud and name a shape. "That one looks like a rabbit! See the long ears on top?" Be specific about what you see so your child can follow your eyes.

Now ask: "What do you see in that cloud?" Wait. It might take a moment for them to spot a shape. If they need help, trace the outline with your finger in the air.

Start weaving a story from the cloud shapes. "The rabbit cloud is hopping over the mountain cloud to find the dragon cloud who stole his carrots." Make it silly, dramatic, adventurous — whatever your child responds to.

As clouds drift and reshape, the story evolves. New characters appear. Old ones drift away. "Oh no, the dragon is changing into a whale! Now what happens?" Let your child take over the plot.

Cumulus clouds — the puffy, cotton-ball type — are best for shape spotting. Thin, wispy cirrus clouds are too abstract for young kids.

If your child insists a cloud looks like something you can't see, go with it. Their imagination is the point.

This activity naturally builds narrative skills — characters, sequence, conflict, resolution. It's storytelling without a book.

Try this at different times of day. Late afternoon clouds catch golden light and look completely different from midday clouds.

Take photos of the best cloud shapes. Looking at them later, your child will remember the stories they told.