Retelling a Story with Three Simple Pictures

The skill: select and connect events

A retelling communicates events from a story to someone else. For this activity, the child chooses or uses three pictures to show an earlier event, an event that follows, and an outcome. The pictures support memory and communication while the adult helps check the sequence against the story.

A useful retelling may include who was involved, what happened, and how one event led to another. It need not repeat the author's exact words. A child might say, ‘Ari lost a hat, looked near the bench, and found it under a chair.’ The sequence and relationship matter more than a particular phrasing.

Not every narrative has a neat beginning, problem, and solution. A book may end with an unresolved question or use flashbacks. Choose a short, straightforward sequence for a first attempt, and describe the actual ending rather than inventing a solution to fit three boxes.

Prepare the story and materials

Choose a short picture book the child has just heard, or use the invented hat story below. You need paper and a pencil to make three simple drawings. Cards can also contain written labels or objects instead of drawings. Keep the book available so both readers can check what happened.

Draw three separate cards with enough space to see the main action. The adult may draw while the child describes what to include. The child can move, point to, or direct someone else to move the cards. Artistic accuracy is not the target; the pictures need to be recognizable to the participants.

If the story contains many events, select three that preserve its main sequence. Agree on which events the cards represent before sorting. A drawing of a hat beside a chair might show either losing or finding it unless the characters and actions are made clear with a label or brief explanation.

An invented story about a lost hat

Ari takes a blue hat to the park and puts it on a bench while tying a shoe. When Ari gets up, the hat is no longer on the bench. Ari looks nearby and finds it under a chair beside the bench. Ari picks it up and puts it back on.

Make three cards: Ari places the hat on the bench; Ari notices it is missing and looks nearby; Ari finds the hat under the chair. Read or tell the story once, then put the cards in a mixed order. Explain what each drawing represents without announcing its correct position.

The three cards summarize a longer sequence. They do not show every movement, such as tying the shoe, but they preserve the placement, search, and discovery. The child can add the missing detail orally if it helps the retelling.

Retell the hat story step by step

Place the mixed cards where the child can see all three. Ask them to identify the actions on each card before deciding on an order. Keep the spoken story or a short written version available for a check.

1. Choose the first event: Ari puts the hat on the bench. Place that card at the beginning of the row.
2. Choose what happens after the hat is missing: Ari looks nearby. Place that card second.
3. Place the discovery under the chair after the search. Explain that Ari finds the hat there, not on the bench.
4. Tell the events in order using the cards as prompts. Add ‘then’ or ‘after that’ if those words help connect them.
5. Check the retelling against the story. Point to the picture or reread the relevant part if the order is uncertain.
6. Invite the child to tell the story again in their own words, add a relevant detail, or finish after one sequence.

A conversation when the cards are out of order

Adult: ‘Tell me about this picture.’ Child: ‘Ari found the hat under the chair.’ Adult: ‘What happened before Ari found it?’ The child chooses the card showing the search. Adult: ‘Let's place the search before the discovery and check the story.’

If the child puts the finding first, do not move it silently. Ask whether Ari already knew where the hat was at the beginning. Reread the short story or point to the bench card. The child can rearrange the cards after comparing them with the evidence.

The child may tell the events in a different order for a reason, such as starting with the ending and then saying ‘earlier.’ That is a possible storytelling choice. The specific task here asks for chronological order, so clarify the rule while acknowledging that another narration can be understandable.

Choose events that carry the story

For the hat example, placing the hat on the bench explains where it was; noticing it missing creates a reason to search; finding it under the chair resolves that immediate search. These three moments allow a listener to follow the central action without seeing every detail.

Ask, ‘If we leave out this event, will the listener understand what happened next?’ Tying the shoe helps explain why the hat was put down, but the short retelling can work without a separate picture for that action. The child may still mention it when describing the first card.

A different reader may choose a different set of three important moments. Compare whether each set preserves the story's actual sequence and enough information for the listener. Do not assume there is only one possible three-picture summary when several selections are supported by the text.

Connect events rather than listing pictures

A list such as ‘bench, search, chair’ identifies objects or actions but leaves their relationship implicit. Invite the child to add what happened: ‘Ari left the hat on the bench. Then the hat was missing, so Ari looked nearby. Ari found it under the chair.’

Ask a focused question if a connection is missing: ‘Why did Ari look near the bench?’ The story says the hat had been placed there and was then missing. The child can point to the first two cards while the adult helps put the relationship into words.

Avoid supplying a cause that the story does not establish. The example does not explain how the hat moved under the chair, so do not say the wind blew it there as a fact. A child may imagine that possibility, but label it as an idea beyond the given story.

Use time words accurately

Words such as first, next, then, and finally can signal the sequence of events. Place the first card and say, ‘First Ari put the hat on the bench.’ Point to the next card and invite the child to choose a connecting word. A gesture along the row can serve the same organizing purpose.

Time words are useful when they match the story. If the child says ‘finally’ while pointing to the middle card, ask whether another event follows. The card row provides a visible check. Do not require the same word at each transition; a natural retelling can use several forms.

A child may communicate the correct sequence without these particular words. Moving the cards in order or using a communication device can show the relationship. The adult can model a time word without making repetition a condition of completing the task.

Distinguish a retelling from an invented continuation

In the hat story, Ari finds the hat under a chair. If a child says a bird carried it there, ask whether that happened in the story or is an idea about what might have happened. The story leaves the cause unspecified, so the bird can be a creative addition but not a confirmed event.

After retelling the given story, invite a continuation: perhaps Ari meets a bird or decorates the hat. Mark the shift with ‘Now let's make up what happens next.’ This allows imagination while keeping the original sequence clear for someone who wants to know what the story actually said.

If the child changes the ending deliberately, compare the two versions: ‘In the story, the hat was under the chair. In your version, it was in a tree.’ Both can be enjoyable, but they answer different questions. A visible original card can help preserve the distinction.

Check a detail against the book

For a real book, keep the relevant pages available. If the child says a character found an object in a tree and you remember a chair, return to the page and look together. Read the text and inspect the picture before deciding what the book shows.

Some details may be implied by the picture rather than stated in the words. A child might notice an object in the background that the adult missed. Treat the page as shared evidence and revise your own account if necessary. An adult's memory is not a substitute for checking the source.

If the book leaves a detail ambiguous, say so. The purpose is an accurate retelling supported by the available story, not an artificially precise answer. The child can describe what is visible and indicate uncertainty about what is not shown.

Create the pictures together

Divide a sheet into three spaces or use three loose cards. Ask the child what should appear in the first event. For the hat story, a bench, hat, and simple figure can represent Ari putting the hat down. A short label such as ‘hat on bench’ can clarify the action.

For the middle card, draw Ari looking near the bench and leave the hat out of sight. For the last, show the hat under a chair. Compare the drawings with the story and add a label if two cards look too similar. The child can dictate, choose colors, point, or draw any part they want.

Do not judge the retelling by drawing skill. A stick figure and a labeled rectangle may communicate the sequence as effectively as detailed illustrations. If drawing takes attention away from the story, an adult can prepare the pictures while the child selects the events.

Use objects instead of drawings

Place a small figure, a piece of paper as the hat, and two blocks representing the bench and chair on a table. Act out Ari putting the hat on the bench, looking nearby, and finding it under the chair. The child can direct the adult's movements or move the objects independently.

After the demonstration, reset the materials and ask the child to show the events in order. You can take three simple notes or sketch the positions afterward if a visual record is useful. The objects make the changes visible without requiring a child to draw.

Make sure the object representing the hat starts on the bench and is placed under the chair for the discovery. If the adult changes the setup between turns, explain the change. The child's sequence should be checked against the same story rather than against an unannounced new version.

Retell a familiar book without copying it

After a read-aloud, ask which three events would help someone understand the story. The child can point to pages while the adult writes short labels or draws simplified scenes. Use your own brief descriptions of the events rather than copying large portions of the book.

Arrange the event cards and check their order in the book. Ask who was involved and how the events relate. If the story contains several characters or parallel actions, choose one short sequence for the first attempt and say which part of the story the cards cover.

If the book ends ambiguously, the third card can show the last known event or the unanswered question. Do not add a resolution solely to fill the space. Three pictures are a support for a chosen sequence, not a claim that every story has exactly three essential events.

Make the activity easier

Provide three prepared cards in the correct order and read the short story again. Ask the child to point to the picture matching one event. Then invite them to choose between two cards for what happened next. The adult can supply the words while the child indicates the sequence.

Keep the story and cards visible. Use clear labels, large images, and enough space between cards. A child can communicate through gestures, eye gaze, speech, or a device. If the cards are hard to move, an adult can place them in the positions the child selects.

A two-card beginning-and-ending sequence can be a first step before adding the middle event. The goal remains a supported account of what happened, not independent recall of every detail. Add the third card when it helps express the relationship between the events.

Add challenge through selection and explanation

Prepare four or five event cards from a longer story and ask the child to choose three that preserve the main sequence. Invite an explanation of what was left out and whether the remaining cards give a listener enough information. More than one set may be reasonable.

Ask the child to describe a connection between two selected events. For the hat story, ‘The hat was missing, so Ari looked for it’ links the problem and action. If a proposed connection is not stated in the source, distinguish an inference from a confirmed fact.

A further challenge is to give the retelling to a partner who has not heard the story. The partner can say what they understood and ask about a missing connection. Then both compare the account with the source and revise the cards or explanation if needed.

Invite a partner to listen

The child places the three cards and tells or indicates what each one means. A partner listens and then summarizes: ‘Ari put the hat down, looked for it, and found it.’ Ask the child whether that matches the intended account.

If the partner is confused about the chair and bench, return to the drawing and add a label or point to the relevant object. The listener's question can reveal where the representation needs more information. It does not mean the child must use a particular sentence structure.

Swap roles: the partner tells the story while the child checks the card order. If the partner invents an unsupported detail, the child can point to the source and explain what the story actually says. This gives the child an active role in checking evidence.

Use the cards for a short written account

Write one brief sentence under each card, with the adult writing as the child dictates if needed. For example: ‘Ari put the hat on the bench.’ ‘Ari looked for the missing hat.’ ‘Ari found it under a chair.’ Read the three sentences together and compare them with the source.

If the child writes a sentence that changes the location, return to the story and decide whether to revise it. The adult can help with spelling without replacing the child's choice of event. A written record should preserve the intended meaning rather than merely copy a model.

The sentences need not all begin with the same transition word. Add ‘then’ or ‘finally’ where it clarifies the order. A child who prefers to communicate orally or with pictures can complete the retelling without writing sentences.

What to notice during a retelling

A useful note might say: ‘With three labeled cards visible, placed the search before the discovery and explained that the hat was missing.’ Another might say: ‘Selected the correct ending after the adult reread the final page.’ Include the supports and source used.

A child may understand the sequence but need assistance naming a pictured object, moving cards, or recalling a detail without the book. Those demands are distinct. Adjust the materials to find out which part of the task is difficult instead of interpreting a single response broadly.

One retelling does not establish overall language or reading ability. If concerns persist, concrete examples and the supports used can help a teacher or appropriate professional discuss them. The family can also simply enjoy another story without recording a result.

Compare two retellings of the same story

One reader might say, ‘Ari left the hat on the bench, looked for it, and found it under a chair.’ Another might include tying the shoe and putting the hat back on. Ask what both accounts share and which details appear in only one. Both can be accurate if they preserve the events given in the story and their order.

Now compare a version that says the hat was found on the bench. Return to the source and identify the location of the discovery. The issue is not that the second retelling is shorter or uses different words; it changes an important detail. The listener can suggest replacing that phrase with ‘under the chair.’

This comparison helps the child distinguish optional detail from a change to an event. It also shows that a retelling does not need to match an adult's wording. Invite the child to decide whether adding the shoe detail helps the listener understand why the hat was set down.

Show a repeated event without losing its sequence

Imagine a different short story in which a character looks for a ball under a table, then behind a chair, and finally finds it in a box. The three pictures can show those three locations in order. Label each action so the listener can distinguish searching from finding.

Ask what stayed the same across the first two cards: the character was still searching for the ball. Ask what changed on the third: the ball was found. A child may use the same phrase ‘looked for the ball’ twice and still need to name the locations to make the order clear.

If the book gives a reason for looking in a particular place, include it; if it does not, do not invent one as fact. Compare the card sequence with the source. This example illustrates that three cards may represent repeated attempts within a story rather than three completely different kinds of action.

Continue with a prediction or discussion

To practice proposing and checking a possible next event before the page turn, see Reading a Picture Book by Predicting and Checking. A prediction concerns what might happen; a retelling describes the events the story has already presented.

For ways to ask about a book during a read-aloud, try Asking Better Questions during Read-Aloud Time. Letters and reading offers an optional digital continuation. Three cards and a shared story are enough for the activity here.