By understanding a character, we can gain a deeper understanding
of what drives the people we know in real life, and we can think more
carefully about who we are and why we do what we do. Just like the
characters we read about, we are often challenged to come up with
solutions to problems.
This activity will help your child think creatively about conflict
and resolution, particularly in regards to how a character’s
traits influence his or her problem-solving abilities.
Here's what you need:
Paper
Pen or pencil or
Computer
Here's what you do:
Have your child tell or write a story in which a character solves
a problem. Think of some problems that your child might be familiar
with, such as:
Problems that are common and have straightforward solutions
("missing the bus to school")
Problems that are more open-ended ("moving to a new city")
Problems that are more imaginative ("training a talking
dog")
Ask your child to write or tell a creative response to such a problem.
As the story unfolds, question your child about both the main character
and the secondary characters involved to help him think about characters’
feelings and traits. Ask your child to describe how the problem made
the main character feel. How did this character try to solve the problem?
Was the solution a success?
Keep going...
Bring the main character to life in your daily family conversations.
When real-life problems or conflicts arise, ask your child what his
character might do. As you learn more about the traits and motives
of your child’s character, the character will take on a life
of his or her own. Continuing the conversation about this character
will allow your child to see how complex characters can be or become.
