Storytelling Outdoors Through Oracy
Talk it. Make it. Move it. Tell it.
A simple guide to helping children build stories outdoors through talk, play, movement and imagination.
1. MAKE IT
Build something children can talk about.
Use:
♡ Rope
♡ Hoops
♡ Bamboo
♡ Cones
♡ Clay
♡ Chalk
♡ Natural loose parts
Create:
A character
A setting
A problem
A journey
Ask:
What could this be?
2. PLAY IT
Let children physically explore the story.
They might:
♡ Become the character
♡ Cross the river
♡ Enter the forest
♡ Hide in the cave
♡ Find the treasure
♡ Solve the problem
Don’t rush to writing.
Let children experience the story first.
3. SAY IT
Now rehearse the story aloud.
Encourage children to:
♡ Tell a partner
♡ Retell it
♡ Change part of it
♡ Add more detail
♡ Try different vocabulary
♡ Listen to somebody else’s idea
Useful story language
Once upon a time…
First…
Then…
Suddenly…
But then…
After that…
Because…
Luckily…
Finally…
In the end…
4. WRITE IT
Only move to recording once children have something to say.
Children could:
♡ Draw the story
♡ Make marks
♡ Write key words
♡ Label a story map
♡ Record themselves speaking
♡ Take photographs
♡ Write sentences
♡ Develop the full story
Make it → Play it → Say it → Write it
OUTDOOR STORY STARTERS ♡
Rope Story Shape
Place a rope on the ground.
Ask:
What could this be?
A river?
A road?
A snake?
A dragon’s tail?
Hoop Portal
Place a hoop on the ground.
Say:
“This is not a hoop today. It’s a doorway.”
Ask:
Where does it lead?
Story Basket
Collect five interesting objects.
Use every object somewhere in the story.
Story Walk
Mark out different parts of the story outdoors.
Beginning → Problem → Adventure → Resolution → Ending
Walk the story while telling it.
ADULT PROMPT BANK ♡
Keep these questions with you outdoors:
♡ Tell me more.
♡ What happened next?
♡ Who is your character?
♡ Where are they going?
♡ How are they feeling?
♡ What is the problem?
♡ What could make it worse?
♡ Who could help?
♡ How could the problem be solved?
♡ How does the story end?
♡ Can you tell it another way?
♡ Can you add more detail?
EYFS ♡
Focus on:
Play → imagination → movement → talk → retelling
You do not need a written outcome.
The storytelling itself is the learning.
PRIMARY ♡
Focus on:
Oral rehearsal → sequencing → vocabulary → story structure → writing
Let children rehearse several versions before deciding what to write.
KEEP IT SIMPLE ♡
You do not need elaborate resources.
A story can begin with:
one rope
one hoop
one stick
one sound
one mysterious object
one good question
Remember
“If children can say it, they are much closer to writing it.”
The Muddy Puddle Teacher®
Learn outside. Love every season.
