Story Stones Telling Game

8-10 smooth, flat stones (collect from outdoors or buy at a craft store)

Acrylic paint or permanent markers

A paintbrush

Collect 8-10 smooth stones and paint simple pictures on each: sun, tree, house, dog, person, car, flower, star.

Let stones dry completely.

Place them all face-down in a pile.

Pick the first stone and start: "Once upon a time, there was a... SUN! The sun was shining bright."

Let your toddler pick next. Add their stone to the story: "And then a DOG came running!"

Take turns picking stones and building the story.

Accept anything your toddler adds — there are no wrong answers.

End together: "And they all went home and had a snack. The end!"

Story stones are one of the best early narrative tools because they give children something physical to hold while they think of what to say. The picture prompt removes the blank-page anxiety of "make up a story."

Keep your paintings simple — stick figures and basic shapes are perfect. Your toddler doesn't need masterpieces; they need recognizable images.

For younger 2-year-olds, you'll do most of the storytelling. That's fine. They're absorbing story structure (beginning, middle, end) just by listening.

Store the stones in a cloth bag and bring them on trips. They're the perfect restaurant or waiting-room activity.

Add new stones over time: a rain cloud, a moon, a cat, a boat. More pictures means more story possibilities.