Storytelling through Art - Illustrating Favourite Stories

Encouraging children to illustrate their favourite stories or create comic strips based on books they’ve read adds a fun, creative twist to reading.

These activities allow reluctant readers to explore the story visually, helping them connect with the characters and plot in a more personal and imaginative way.

The many benefits include:

• Improved Comprehension: Illustrating stories helps reinforce understanding and memory of the plot and characters.

• Enhanced Engagement: Combining art with reading can keep reluctant readers engaged and interested in a story or book for longer.

• Boosted Creativity: Artistic activities foster creative thinking and problem-solving skills.

• Increased Confidence: Completing art projects related to books can boost a child’s confidence and self-esteem.

• Positive Reading Experience: Associating stories with creative activities can create a more enjoyable and rewarding reading experience while boosting dexterity.

Kids Carousel

Exploring arts and crafts based on favourite books can make story time even more enjoyable. Here are a few suggestions to get you started.

Illustrate Key Scenes: Encourage your reluctant reader to draw or paint their favourite scenes from a book. They can create a collection of their favourite moments, bringing the story to life in their own way.

Create a Comic Strip: Encourage your reluctant reader to turn a few pages or a chapter of a book into a comic strip. They can illustrate characters and key events, breaking the story into visual panels with fun speech bubbles.

Design Character Portraits: Encourage your reluctant reader to draw portraits of their favourite book characters. They can recreate the character’s look, dress them in themed outfits, and highlight traits that stand out in the story.

Make Story Collages: Provide magazines, coloured paper, and glue for children to create a collage inspired by the book. They can cut out images and shapes that represent characters, settings, or themes, putting together a visual piece of the story.

Build 3D Story Models:Using a selection of craft supplies encourage your reluctant reader to build 3D models of the book’s settings or characters. This hands-on project allows them to recreate parts of the story in a tangible and creative way.

Call to Action

This week’s call to action is about getting creative and having fun. Depending on your reluctant reader’s age, they may need guidance. But, if they are old enough, these activities can keep them focussed and entertained for hours. It’s something that could form part of their after-school routine.

Thank you for reading this week’s episode of Reluctant Readers.
If you know anybody who would benefit from this newsletter, please click the button below and send this week’s episode through to them.