Support students in building narrative confidence and creativity with the hands-on and interactive Build-a-Story Manipulative Mat. This resource is ideal for students who find it tricky to generate story ideas, offering structured support through visuals and engaging prompts.

Check out this video below to see this resource in action.

Students select cards for the “who,” “where,” and “what” of their story and use the mat to build a unique narrative scenario. With 4 different mats and 48 mix-and-match prompt cards, this activity is perfect for group storytelling, oral language warm-ups, or launching into written narratives.

Flexible and fun, the Build-a-Story Manipulative Mat encourages collaboration, vocabulary development, and imagination - making it a favourite for writing sessions and literacy rotations.

Key Learning Outcomes:

• ✅ Develop narrative structure through guided storytelling prompts
• ✅ Strengthen oral language and speaking confidence
• ✅ Build vocabulary related to characters, settings, and plot
• ✅ Enhance creative thinking and collaborative storytelling
• ✅ Support written expression through scaffolded planning

What’s Included:

• 4 different Build-a-Story mats for group or independent use
• 16 character cards (Who)
• 16 setting cards (Where)
• 16 problem cards (What)
• Narrative planning sheets to follow up oral storytelling with writing

Materials Needed:

• Printed game boards and cards (on card or laminated for durability)
• Scissors and envelopes or snap-lock bags for storing cards
• Whiteboard markers if laminating the planning sheets

How to Use:

1. Print and prepare the mats and cards ahead of your storytelling session.
2. Students choose one “who,” “where,” and “what” card and place them on the mat.
3. Use the cards to orally build a story as a class, in small groups, or independently.
4. Students can then use the included planning sheet to write their own narrative based on the prompts.
5. Encourage creative elaboration, dialogue, and sequencing to expand their stories.

Ideas for Classroom Use:

• 💡 Use as a warm-up before narrative writing lessons to activate imagination.
• 💡 Include in literacy rotations or writing stations for independent practice.
• 💡 Try group storytelling - each student adds a sentence based on the prompt cards.
• 💡 Use as an oral language support for EAL/D students with visuals and sentence starters.

Top Teacher Tips:

• 💛 Laminate the cards and boards for long-term use and easy storage.
• 💛 Add blank cards so students can create their own “who,” “where,” and “what” ideas.
• 💛 Display story outcomes on a bulletin board or publish in a class book.
• 💛 Encourage students to swap their cards and remix the story for multiple versions.

Build-a-Story Manipulative Mat brings structure and creativity together to make storytelling fun and accessible for every learner. It’s the perfect addition to your narrative writing toolkit!