Mad Libs are fun but they’re even better when your fourth grader gets to make the story himself. Help him take a favorite story and turn it into a hilarious new experience. Just don’t to tell him he’s actually working on his language skills at the same time.
What You Need:
- Paper
- Pencil
- Scissors
- Tape
What You Do:
- Explain to your son that you are going to write a new story together. It is called a fill-in story because he gets to ask someone else (dad, sibling, grandparent) to fill in the blanks. Help him brainstorm, what is a story he likes to hear? Or perhaps one he likes to tell? What about the time he . . . Ask him to write the story down.
- Once he has written the story, help him blank out some of the words. Do this by cutting strips of paper to tape over the word he is blanking out. On the slip, note the correct part of speech for this word (proper noun, verb, adjective, etc.) on the cover slip. You may need to help if he gets stuck on a particular word. Draw a blank line for him to fill in later. The line makes the slips easier to spot on the page.
- Now it’s time to find someone to fill in the blanks. Have your son “interview” this person, asking them for a noun, verb, etc. Then he will write their answer on the slip. The wackier their answer, the funnier their final story will be.
Keep the fun going by having each person in the family make up their own fill-in story. Younger family member may need some help. Keep these stories to share at a later date.
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