Give Your Child One Moment—and Let Them Tell the Story

By Nurche Team · 3 September 2026

What if your child didn’t have to tell you their whole day to become a better storyteller?

For children aged 3–5, storytelling can begin with something much smaller: one moment they actually want to talk about.

“My Moment Pick” is a simple Nurche activity where your child chooses a moment from their day, acts it out, and then tells you what happened. It takes just a few minutes, but it helps children practise putting actions, words and ideas together in a way that makes sense.

Why One Moment Is Enough

When you ask a young child, “What did you do today?”, you may get:

“Nothing.”

Or a long, confusing collection of everything that happened.

That’s because telling an entire day can be a surprisingly big storytelling task for a 3-year-old.

Instead, give them a smaller starting point:

“Pick one moment. Show me that moment, then tell me what happened.”

Maybe they choose the puddle they jumped in.

Maybe it’s the time their tower fell down.

Maybe it’s the funny thing their friend said.

The important part is that the child gets to choose.

Once they have a moment they genuinely want to share, storytelling becomes more natural. They can focus on connecting what they did with what happened next.

And the parent doesn’t need to turn it into a lesson.

Just listen.

How to Play “My Moment Pick”

This activity takes around 4–8 minutes and works especially well for children aged 3–5.

1. Set it up

Think of a few moments from the child’s recent day. You can ask:

“Was there a moment you really liked today?”

For younger children, offer two choices if they need help.

2. Ask them to pick

Say:

“Pick one moment. Show me that moment, then tell me what happened.”

The child chooses one event.

...

3. Let them act it out

Before asking for the story, let your child briefly replay the moment.

They might jump like they did in a puddle, pretend to build their tower, or show you how they opened a surprise.

This physical replay gives them something concrete to remember and describe.

4. Listen to their telling

Your child might say:

“I jumped in the puddle—splash! My shoes got wet.”

That’s already storytelling.

They've communicated a recognisable event using connected actions, words, gestures or short phrases.

You don't need to correct every sentence or ask lots of questions.

Stay with their chosen moment and let them tell it.

5. Know when to stop

Once they've given you one clear, short telling, stop.

The goal isn't to make the story longer.

The goal is to help your child experience:

I chose something → I remembered it → I showed it → I told it.

Make It Easier or More Challenging

For an easier version:

Offer two recent moments and let your child choose between them.

For a challenge:

Let your child choose independently and tell two connected actions from the same moment.

For example:

“I opened the box. Then I found the red car inside.”

This gently encourages children to connect events rather than simply naming things.

What are children building?

While it feels like play, your child is practising important storytelling skills:

- Clarity — communicating what happened
- Coherence — connecting actions and events
- Audience awareness — telling something that another person can understand
- Connection — sharing a moment that matters to them

And perhaps most importantly, they're learning that their experiences are worth telling.

...

Try It in Everyday Moments

You don't need special materials or a dedicated storytelling session.

Try “My Moment Pick”:

- After an outing: “What was one moment you want to tell me about?”
- At bedtime: Pick one favourite moment instead of recounting the entire day.
- During play: Replay something funny that happened and then tell the story.
- After outdoor play: Let your child act out one exciting moment before describing it.

Keep it short, playful and child-led.

...

One small moment can become a big storytelling habit.

You don't need to teach your child how to be a storyteller by giving them complicated prompts.

Sometimes, all they need is the freedom to choose one moment that matters to them — and a parent willing to listen.

Want more simple, age-appropriate ways to support your child's development through everyday play?

Head over to Nurche, create your account, and start your parenting journey with activities designed around your child's age and developmental stage. Discover meaningful activities you can actually do together — one little moment at a time.