Many teachers shy away from teaching narrative writing to kindergarten students. Not this teacher!

Teaching narrative writing to kindergarten students can be very engaging, and young students’ progress is amazing.

What is Narrative Writing in Kindergarten?

Narrative writing tells a story or shares an experience. It usually follows a sequence like “First,” “Next,” and “Last” or has a beginning, middle, and end. Opinion writing is a little more straightforward and taught more in the early grades, but teaching narrative writing to kindergarten students is just as important.

We know kindergarten students are not going to write pages and pages, and they find the concept of a beginning, middle, and end difficult to grasp.

But, teaching narrative writing to kindergartners can be engaging and effective with fun, hands-on activities that build their storytelling skills. Here are ten strategies to make narrative writing enjoyable and easy for young learners:

1. Model Storytelling.

Tell your students stories about what you did over the weekend using First, Next, and Finally. We know five-year-olds love to tell you what they do over the weekend and what they did last year on their birthdays. When they do so, direct them to tell you in the sequential format.

Model retelling different scenarios, such as brushing your teeth or getting ready for school.

2. Use Graphic Organizers.

The three-box organizer of beginning, middle, and end helps students retell their thoughts in order. This can also aid them in their writing.

3. Have them draw first.

The struggle of putting thoughts on paper and arranging them in a sequential order can be overwhelming for young students. First, have them draw their memories or retell the story with pictures. Then, they can write a sentence using sound-symbol relationships to accompany the picture.

4. Introduce Story Prompts.

We all know that teaching narrative writing to kindergarten students requires lots of scaffolding.

It’s always a good idea to give students easy prompts that they are familiar with to write about. Take a small moment that has a defined sequence. Some ideas are below:

What are the steps to brushing your teeth?

How do you get ready for bed?How do you make a sandwich?

What do you do when you read a book?

5. Model Story Writing.

Teaching kindergarten students narrative writing is simpler if you show them daily how to do it. I have a daily news shared writing with the students. I pick a student to share an event such as going to the movies.

I model and they help me sound out the words.

Make it as simple as possible. You can use a whiteboard or chart paper. Chart paper is good as you can assemble a book of all your students’ narrative experiences.

First. I get my ticket,Next, I get popcorn.Finally, I found my seat and watched the movie.

6. Use picture cards for sequencing.

Use picture cards of well-known stories (like “The Three Little Pigs”) and have students arrange the sequence.After they arrange, students can pair up and retell the story using familiar language.

7. Introduce “Who, What, Where” Questions.

Teach students to answer who is in the story, what is happening, and where it takes place. This basic structure can guide them in developing the ideas to create a sequential narrative.

8. Make Storytelling Booklets.

Provide each student with a blank mini-book in which they can write and illustrate their own story. Use one page per part (beginning, middle, end) so they learn to break down their narrative into sections.

9. Use Mentor Texts.

In order to teach kindergarten students narrative writing, short stories or picture books with simple plots can model how authors create narratives.

Students can be assigned to listen to the story’s beginning, middle, or ending. They can then be grouped to share their section.

10. Encourage Personal Narratives.

Personal narratives are the best approach at his age when students are so egocentric. Students love writing about places they went or things they do. Having a word bank for words that they will typically use is very helpful to students.

Teaching narrative writing to kindergarten students is important.

These techniques will help kindergarten students develop into confident writers who can put their thoughts down on paper. Verbalizing their thoughts is a great place to start. Using the other strategies that are listed is a great way to ensure that kindergarten students have success with narrative writing.

It is very important to break these habits early on. There are fun activities and products that can aid in developing fine motor skills in kindergarten with your students and your own children. Here are some: 

Develop Hand Strength

There are so many fun ways for students to develop their hand strength while developing fine motor skills. Kids will love the following:

• Use a spray bottle– Give your children or students a spray bottle and tell them to water the grass. If you are at school, you may not want them to squirt each other with them. 

• Crumple paper– Have students write their names or a sight word. Afterward, have them crumple it up and shoot it in the trash can. Big fun!!

• Use tongs and pom-poms-  At a center or a sensory bin, have students use tongs or child tweezers to pick up colored pom-poms or small pieces of paper. 

Teach students how to hold the pencil 

In order to develop fine motor skills in kindergarten, students should practice, practice, practice. A good pencil grip is a key to success. But, students often come to you with bad habits. Here are ways to break bad habits. 

• Use golf pencils- Ticonderoga has some great golf pencils that force students to use the correct fingers and not grab the pencil with their fists. Because they are tiny, there is a need to pinch the pencil at the bottom.

• Hold a small object with pinky and ring finger-  Have students pinch the pencil at the bottom with their thumb and pointer and use the middle for support. Have them hold a pom pom with their pinky and ring finger in their palm. This will make sure they are using the correct fingers.

• Use a pencil grip- These pencil grips show students the correct way to hold the pencil. It is easy for them to remember. They have a place to rest the middle finger. Students put their thumb and pointer in the correct spots. 

How to Cut with Scissors   

Open shut, open shut. That’s the way we cut cut cut. Fingers on bottom and thumb on top. Do not let the paper drop! Open shut, open shut. That’s the way we cut, cut, cut!”  That is just one cute little chant that helps aid in developing fine motor skills in kindergarten.  Here are some more fund activities. 

• Have kids lay on their tummies- Have students lay on their tummies on the carpet with scissors and paper. They have to use their elbows to hold themselves up, so this forces proper technique. They will not be able to turn their hands around. Students also love this. 

• Teach students about Allie the Alligator. They love to stick their thumb in the alligator’s eye and their fingers in the belly and chomp, chomp, chomp.       

Use Playdough for developing fine motor skills in kindergarten. 

Students in pre-school, kindergarten and first grade, and even much older love to play with playdough. There are many task cards that students can use to build letters, numbers, and fun pictures. 

Students are learning their common core standards while developing these skills in an age-appropriate manner.

This will strengthen the fine motor skills of young students. Have them cut playdough with playdough scissors as well. Students love this. 

Also, picking up tiny balls of playdough with tweezers is a motivating and productive activity in developing fine motor skills in kindergarten and pre-school students. 

Have fun with fine motor skills

Students need these prerequisite fine motor skills to be successful in school. It is the foundation in which readers and writers are built upon. 

Using engaging activities that are developmentally appropriate is always necessary in order to build student confidence and success. 

Students will not get frustrated if they are having fun.