Some of the richest gifts you can give your child don’t require money, gadgets, or special classes. One of them is the gift of imagination. And the good news? You can nurture it every single day, for free.
One of the simplest and most joyful ways to do this is through a turn-by-turn storytelling game. All you need is your child, a little patience, and a willingness to be silly. You take turns building a story, one sentence at a time.
You might begin with: “Once upon a time, there was a duck called Chiglu.”
Your child adds: “Chiglu wore bright red sneakers.”
You continue: “One day, he wandered into a jungle.”
Your child: “The monkeys stared at him and said, ‘Why are you wearing shoes?’”
Before you know it, you’re both laughing as the story spirals into wild adventures.
“Imagination is not built with toys. It is built with time, attention, and shared laughter.”
Why This Matters
Children today spend hours on screens. Videos and games entertain them, but they rarely ask the child to create. Story-building flips the script. Here, the child isn’t a passive consumer—they are an active creator.
It also strengthens listening. To continue the story, your child must pay attention to what you just said. This simple act of turn-taking builds focus and patience. And because they are making sentences, vocabulary and expression improve naturally—without worksheets or drills.
Most importantly, this game gives children confidence. When they see you laughing at their wild ideas, they feel their imagination has value.
A Story Example: Chiglu the Duck in the Jungle
Here’s how one round might unfold:
- Parent: “Chiglu wanted to fly, but he was too heavy.”
- Child: “So he asked the parrots to give him flying lessons.”
- Parent: “The parrots said, ‘We’ll teach you, but only if you share your sneakers.’”
- Child: “Chiglu refused, so the parrots chased him around the jungle.”
- Parent: “The elephants laughed so loudly that the ground shook.”
- Child: “And then the king of the jungle declared a running race between Chiglu and the cheetah.”
The story may end with nonsense, or with wisdom, or with laughter. But either way, your child has practiced creativity, language, and problem-solving—all without realizing it.
How Parents Can Enrich the Game
- Set a Theme: Space, underwater, India in ancient times—see how your child adapts.
- Add Props: A spoon can be a magic wand, a pillow a mountain. Props add flavor.
- Draw It Out: After finishing, ask your child to draw the story’s ending. It gives a sense of completion.
- Celebrate the Silly: Children flourish when you validate their silliest, most illogical twists.
One parent told me that her shy daughter, who rarely spoke up in class, blossomed through this game. At home, she built stories so wild that her parents couldn’t stop laughing. Slowly, that confidence spilled into school presentations.
Beyond Stories: Building Life Skills
Imagination is not just about fantasy. It’s the seed of problem-solving, resilience, and empathy. When a child learns to imagine new worlds, they also learn to imagine different solutions, different futures.
“The child who can invent a flying duck can one day invent a new way to solve real problems.”
The Bigger Picture
As parents, we often think we need the best tutors, classes, or tools to give our children an edge. But sometimes, the simplest rituals—like ten minutes of storytelling together—do more for their growth than anything else.
So tonight, instead of handing over a screen, try starting with one line: “Once upon a time…” Let your child take it from there.
You’ll find that the story you’re really writing is not just about Chiglu the duck. It’s about a bond between you and your child, where imagination is free, and love is the only cost.