Make an adventure story
Write and illustrate an original adventure story, design characters and a map, then perform it aloud using simple props to share with others.
About this activity
Write and illustrate an original adventure story, design characters and a map, then perform it aloud using simple props to share with others.
What you need
Step by step
- 1
Step 1
Gather all the Materials Needed and find a comfy spot to create.
- 2
Step 2
Think of an adventure idea by choosing a hero a goal and one big problem they must solve.
- 3
Step 3
Draw your main character on an index card and write their name and two short personality traits on the same card.
- 4
Step 4
Draw a sidekick or villain on a second card and write one thing they love and one thing they fear.
- 5
Step 5
Make a simple map on a sheet of paper showing the starting place the goal and two cool stops between them.
- 6
Step 6
Write a short outline with a clear beginning a middle and an end using three or four bullet points.
- 7
Step 7
Turn your outline into a short adventure story by writing one or two sentences per page or paragraph.
- 8
Step 8
Illustrate each page or paragraph with drawings that match the action or places on your map.
- 9
Step 9
Make 2 or 3 simple props from cardboard boxes socks or spoons and decorate them to match your characters or items.
- 10
Step 10
Practice reading and acting out your story aloud using your props and your map to show locations.
- 11
Step 11
Invite family or friends to watch and perform your full adventure aloud using your props the map and expressive voices.
- 12
Step 12
Share your finished story illustrations map and a photo or short video of your performance on DIY.org so others can see your adventure.
Fun facts
How do you guide a child to create and perform an original adventure story?
Start with a quick brainstorm: choose a hero, goal, obstacle, and setting. Sketch characters and draw a simple map showing key places. Help the child break the story into three parts (beginning, middle, end) and write short scenes or pages. Illustrate each scene, make simple props from cardboard or socks, rehearse aloud a few times, then perform for family or friends. Keep performances short and celebrate effort, not perfection.
What materials do I need to make an illustrated adventure story and props?
Gather paper or a small notebook, pencils, erasers, colored pencils or markers, and crayons for illustrations. Add scissors, glue stick, tape, and cardboard for props or masks; fabric scraps or socks for costumes. Optional items: sticky notes for plotting, stickers, a ruler for maps, and a phone/tablet to record the performance. Use child-safe scissors and non-toxic art supplies; supervise cutting and any hot-glue steps.
What ages is this adventure storytelling activity suitable for?
This activity fits many ages: toddlers (3–5) can dictate stories and help with simple drawings and props with adult support; early elementary (6–9) can write short sentences, design characters and a basic map; older kids (10–12+) can develop more complex plots, detailed illustrations, and stage longer performances. Adjust expectations and parental involvement for each age to keep it fun and achievable.
What are the benefits of writing, illustrating, and performing an adventure story?
Creating and performing a story builds literacy, vocabulary, sequencing, and narrative thinking. Drawing characters and maps improves fine motor skills and spatial reasoning. Rehearsing and performing boosts confidence, public speaking, and memory, while cooperative storytelling encourages teamwork and empathy. It also fosters imagination and problem-solving. Regularly sharing stories can strengthen family bonds and make reading and writing feel playful and rewarding.
Watch & Learn
Need help?
What can we use instead of index cards, cardboard boxes, or spoons if we don't have them?
If you don't have index cards use cut-up printer paper or cereal-box pieces for drawing characters, replace cardboard boxes with shoe boxes or folded cardstock for props, and swap spoons for rolled socks, wooden spatulas, or recycled plastic utensils.
My props keep falling apart or my child gets stuck turning the outline into pages—what should we do?
Reinforce fragile props with tape or hot glue before practice and if the child is stuck turning the three-or-four bullet-point outline into pages, pick one map stop and write just one sentence about it to turn into a single illustrated page to build momentum.
How can I adapt the steps for younger or older kids?
For preschoolers, simplify by making one big map stop, drawing characters on larger paper with an adult scribing the one-sentence pages and using one prop, while older kids can add a subplot, write four-or-more bullet points in the outline, create detailed cardboard props, and rehearse expressive voices.
How can we extend or personalize the adventure after the basic performance?
Enhance the project by turning the illustrated pages into a stapled booklet, adding homemade sound effects or a phone soundtrack during performance, decorating costumes that match your map locations and props, creating choice-based branch points at the two cool stops, and sharing photos or a short video on DIY.org.