Discover how finish-the-story activities can give children a playful way to explore feelings, experiment with different possibilities and express things they may not yet have words for
What happens when you stop a story just before you find out what happens next?
That simple moment of uncertainty gives children the chance to take over. They can decide what the character does, how the problem unfolds and, ultimately, how the story ends.
Storytelling play is a very powerful way to support children emotionally. And while this particular finish-the-story activity can be a lot of fun on the surface, it also has deeper layers to it. That’s because the endings children create sometimes offer little glimpses into how they approach challenges, possibilities and the unknown.
And if you turn it into a turn-taking game, you can gently introduce new ways of looking at things through the endings you create together—perhaps planting little seeds of hope, resilience or optimism along the way.
That’s why finish-the-story play is one of my favourite storytelling activities and something I’ve recently added to my play therapy toolkit.
So I thought I’d share the idea with you, along with some of the prompts I’ve been using.
In This Post
What Is a Finish-the-Story Activity?
A finish-the-story activity is as simple as the name suggests.
You begin with a short story that stops at a moment of uncertainty or difficulty, and then invite the child to decide what happens next.
There is no right ending. The child gets to take the story wherever they choose.
But it’s much more than a simple opportunity to practise imagination…
Why Finish-the-Story Activities Can Be So Powerful
There are lots of simple ways to encourage children to create stories, from story bags to finish-the-story prompts.
Finish-the-story play, in particular, gives children a safe space to experiment with possibilities, solve problems and experience a sense of choice and control that they may not always have in real life.
Play therapist Violet Oaklander recognised that the way children move through their imaginary worlds can sometimes mirror the way they experience their real ones.
The stories children create may therefore give us little glimpses into their inner world—their worries, hopes, ways of responding to challenges and ideas about what might happen next.
Because the story belongs to a fictional character, children can explore difficult feelings and situations without having to talk about themselves directly. They may also discover new ways of thinking, coping or solving problems along the way.
The ending can be particularly interesting. Does the character find a solution? Ask for help? Keep trying? Give up? Discover something unexpected? We don’t need to interpret these choices as definite messages, but they can sometimes offer us something to notice and wonder about.
Finish-the-Story Prompts to Explore a Child’s Emotional World
I particularly like finish-the-story prompts that don’t make the emotional theme too obvious. Anything too obvious and children tend to see right through them.
A story about a boat in a storm, a spider whose web keeps breaking or a tiny seed waiting to grow might seem like nothing more than an imaginative tale. Yet the way a child chooses to continue the story can sometimes offer clues into how they approach challenges, uncertainty, setbacks and hope.
Here are a few of my favourite finish-the-story prompts…
The Little Boat in the Storm
A little boat was sailing across the sea when the sky suddenly became dark. The wind grew stronger and the waves began to toss the boat up and down. The little boat was being shaken this way and that. Then, just as a huge wave came towards it…
What happens next?
Will the boat find somewhere safe? Keep sailing? Call for help? Discover an unexpected way through the storm?
The ending a child creates may sometimes give us a little glimpse into how they view difficult situations. Do they expect things to work out? Do they look for help? Do they find a creative solution? Or perhaps they imagine something completely unexpected.
The Spider and the Broken Web
A little spider had found the perfect place to build her web. She carefully spun each strand, but just as she was nearly finished, a gust of wind blew through the trees and broke it apart.
So she started again.
She worked and worked, but once again the wind came along and tore her web apart. The little spider looked at the broken pieces and wondered what to do.
Then…
What happens next?
Perhaps she tries again. Maybe she finds somewhere more sheltered, asks another spider for help or comes up with a completely different way to solve the problem. Perhaps she decides to rest before trying again.
There are so many directions the story could take, giving children opportunities to imagine different ways of responding to setbacks. Their choices may offer glimpses into how they think about persistence, flexibility, problem-solving or asking for help.
The Little Seed
A tiny seed had been planted in the ground. For days, nothing happened.
It couldn’t see the sunshine or hear the birds above. It wondered what was happening up there in the big, wide world.
Then one morning, it felt something warm on its back and noticed a tiny crack appearing in the soil.
Then…
What happens next?
Will the seed push its way towards the light? Will something unexpected happen beneath the ground? What might it discover when it finally reaches the surface?
This gentle story leaves plenty of room for imagination. The ending a child creates might offer little clues about how they imagine change, new beginnings or the unknown—but it may simply be a story they enjoyed creating.
The Volcano That Wouldn’t Stop
A volcano stood at the edge of a little village. Every now and then, it would rumble and shake, sending clouds of smoke into the sky. One day, it began to erupt. Rocks tumbled down the mountain and people hurried to get out of the way.
But the volcano kept rumbling.
It erupted again.
And again.
The people were very frightened. They wondered why it kept erupting and whether there was anything they could do to stop it. Then, just as another rumble began deep inside the mountain…
What happens next?
Will the people find a way to stay safe? Will someone discover why the volcano keeps erupting? Will the volcano eventually calm down? Or will the story take a completely unexpected turn?
The ending might give you little glimpses into how a child imagines responding when something feels powerful or difficult to control. Do they try to stop it? Move away? Ask for help? Find a way to understand it? Or perhaps they imagine the volcano discovering a different way to release its energy.
The Little Star
High up in the night sky lived a little star that shone very brightly. Every evening, the star appeared above the rooftops, twinkling down at the world below.
A little girl liked to look up at the sky and find the same bright star twinkling above her house. She liked to imagine that the star was looking down at her too.
Night after night, the star was always there.
Until one evening, she looked up and couldn’t see it.
She searched the sky, looking in all her usual places, but the star was nowhere to be found.
She looked again the next night.
Still nothing.
She began to wonder where her star had gone and whether she would ever see it again…
What happens next?
Does the star return? Does she discover where it has gone? Does someone help her look for it? Does she find another way to feel connected to it? Or does something completely unexpected happen?
The ending a child creates may sometimes offer little glimpses into how they imagine separation, uncertainty and change. Do they expect the things they love to return? Do they look for ways to stay connected? Do they seek help or find a way to move forward?
A little tip: Try not to rush in with lots of questions if your child pauses or isn’t sure what happens next. It’s good to allow a little silence. Give them time to imagine, and only offer a gentle prompt if they need one. The aim isn’t to guide them towards a particular ending, but to give them the freedom to take the story wherever they choose.
You may be surprised by what they come up with. And that’s important to remember: we don’t need to decode children’s stories to benefit from them. Sometimes the most valuable thing we can do is listen with curiosity and allow children to show us a little of their world through their stories.
Try Changing the Ending
This is where the activity can become particularly interesting and powerful.
You can also turn the finish-the-story into a little game, with you and your child taking turns to create different endings. Once they’ve finished the story, simply say, “I wonder what else could have happened?” and create a version that’s a little bit more intentional.
This can be particularly beneficial when a child creates a very bleak or hopeless ending. Rather than correcting them or telling them how the character should have responded, you can take your turn and imagine a different possibility. Perhaps the character you create finds someone who can help, discovers a solution they hadn’t considered or realises they have more strength than they thought.
In this way, you’re gently introducing new possibilities without turning the moment into a lesson. Stories can often carry ideas such as hope, resilience and solution-orientated in ways that often better received, than being told directly what they should think or do. That’s because children can encounter these possibilities through the characters and stories they are already absorbed in.
You don’t need to make the ending unrealistically happy, either. Sometimes the most helpful ending is simply one in which the character finds a way forward.
Closing Thoughts
Finish-the-story play is such a simple activity, but it can open up surprisingly rich possibilities for children. There’s no right or wrong ending, and sometimes the most interesting part is simply seeing where their imagination takes them.
You might discover a story that makes you laugh, surprises you or gives you a little glimpse into your child’s world. And when you take turns creating endings together, you can gently introduce new possibilities too.
So next time you’re looking for a simple storytelling activity to try, stop a story just before the ending and ask:
“What do you think happens next?
If you’d like more simple, real-life ways to support your child’s emotions, I share ideas, insights, and tools like this regularly. You can join below and I’ll send them straight to your inbox.
You Might Also Find Helpful…
Understanding Your Child:
Why Kids Can’t Tell You What They’re Feeling — And How They Show You Instead
Discover the Power of Play:
How Different Types Of Play Support Your Child’s Emotional World
What Your Child’s Play Might Be Trying To Tell You
21 Powerful Play Therapy Techniques Parents Can Use at home
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