What is a family story book?

A family story book is a story about your family that you and your child make together. It could include photos of your family, words and stories to go with the photos, extra drawings, decorations and more.

The story could be about many things, including:

• a particular event from your family’s past – for example, the day Roly the dog got lost
• something that your family does together regularly – for example, the daily walk to school
• a special family tradition or ritual – for example, the way you celebrate Eid, Diwali, Hannukah or Christmas
• the way your family came together – for example, the story of how you and your partner met, when your child was born and so on
• your extended family members – for example, grandparents, aunties, uncles and cousins.

Why is making a family story book good for kids?

Family relationships give your child a sense of self and belonging. And when children feel safe, secure and like they belong, they have confidence to learn and develop through exploring their world.

A family story book can foster your child’s sense of identity and belonging. And making the story book can help to develop your child’s literacy skills.

What you need to make a family story book

• Photographs of your family
• Scissors
• Glue
• Paper
• Pens and pencils
• Stapler (adult use only) or a hole punch and string or ribbon

How to make a family story book

1. Show your child your family photographs and talk about them. The photos might be of people your child knows well, like siblings or parents. They might also be of people your child doesn’t see often or people who have died. You could include pictures of people when they were younger, including yourself.
2. Tell your child you’re going to make a family story book together. Let your child decide which pictures to put in the book and what story to tell.
3. Make the book by cutting out the pictures and gluing them on the pages.
4. Write the story together. Encourage your child to decide what details to include and how to say things, rather than writing the story for your child.
5. Your child might like to draw pictures of people and things you don’t have photographs for, like family pets.
6. Staple the pages together, or punch holes in them and tie them together with string or ribbon.
7. Keep the book nearby so your child can read it. A home-made family story book is lovely to share together at bedtime. Your child might also like to show the book to other family members, carers or friends.

How to adapt a family story book for children of different ages

Younger children

Your child might need help cutting and gluing the pictures. Try to guide your child by holding their hand while they use the scissors, rather than just doing it for them.

Your younger child’s stories are likely to be very simple. For example, ‘This is Mummy. This is Daddy’. Your child will need you to write words and names. You can encourage your child to try tracing over or copying letters and words as well.

Older children

Your child might be interested in who fits in where. For example, your child might be able to understand that Auntie Jayanthi is Daddy’s sister.

Some older children might also be interested in things that happened before they were born, like how their grandparents came to Australia.

How to adapt a family story book for children with diverse abilities

Children who are developing language and communication skills

If your child is developing their language skills, they might find it easier to point or gesture at the photos they want you to use.

Children who have difficulty with fine motor skills

If your child has difficulty with fine motor skills, a large glue stick or brush for easy gripping is a good idea.

Children with restricted mobility

You can bring the photos and other materials to your child on a tray. Put the tray on a table, floor, bed or your child’s lap. You might need to hold an edge of the tray to keep it stable.

Children with a lot of energy

Encourage your child to have a movement break after you complete each page. Your child could try slow, calm movements like stretching or big, fast movements like jumping. Or they could act out scenes from the book. For example, they could pretend to be the family pet or the plane that your family once travelled on.

You can get more ideas for adapting this activity from our articles on play and autistic children and play and children with disability. You might also like to explore our other activity guides. They can all be adapted to suit children with diverse strengths and abilities.