Goal
Strengthen understanding of how stories work — and give children permission to play with them, not just receive them.
You'll need
- Reading Prompt Questions
- Reading Prompt Cards
- A finished book to discuss
How to do it
When your child has finished a book, ask: "What if the ending had been different?" Could the character have made another choice? What might have happened next if things had gone the other way?
Use the prompt questions and cards to get the conversation going. Then let them invent a new ending — they can tell it out loud, draw it, or dictate it while you scribe. No pressure to write it themselves.
Talk about how their ending changes things: Is it better? More satisfying? Funnier? Sadder? There's no wrong answer — the thinking is the point. This is the kind of conversation that turns readers into people who really think about books.
Grab our resources
Our reading prompt questions and reading prompt cards are ideal for this — they'll help you and your child explore "what if" ideas together.
