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.
