Retelling: It Is Not Just For School!

Progressive Pediatric Therapy • September 27, 2020

Written by Regina De Canto, M.S, CCC-SLP

A blue poster that says retelling : it is not just for school
You can practice narrative skills at home to talk about your child’s day!

How often do you ask your child “What did you do at school today?” or “What was the story about” only to get a 1- or 2-word response?

Well, those questions ask our kids to RETELL! Story recall or retelling involves a lot of different language and executive function processes such as comprehending a story, organizing their thoughts in a sequential order, and then expressing themselves in a way that is understood to the listener. This simple task can be quite complex for some of our little storytellers!

 There are many fun ways we can work on retelling skills at home!

Drawing

Sometimes writing a summary of a story can be frustrating because your child is so focused on spelling, grammar, when to use a capital letter, or punctuation marks…Yikes! Drawing is an exciting opportunity for your child to express themselves and help organize their thoughts when they are recalling a story or event. Draw a line to separate your paper into 2 or 3 sections for your child to draw a picture of what happened in the beginning, middle, and end of the story. Then, have your child tell about each picture in their own words!

A person is writing on a clipboard that says from the lost
Use a whiteboard to draw pictures to go with the events of the story.

Role Playing

Kids love to be silly! Role playing is a great way to act out the different events of the story and spark imagination and creativity with your child. Have your child act out the different events in the story as the main character. They can explore using silly voices or facial expressions to match the character!

A poster for role playing for school with three children
Acting out events can be fun for your child to retell- don’t forget the costumes!

Photo Albums

Print out pictures of holidays or vacations and glue them on to construction paper to make your child’s very own photo album! Having photos of their special day will encourage your child to reminisce on how much fun they had and talk through the details of their day.

A picture of a family on the cover of a photo album
Have your child create their own photo album to talk about their favorite vacation or family event!

Play Pretend

Grab your child’s favorite stuffed animal, action figure, or doll and play out the story. Pretend play is a fantastic approach for our young or shy kids! Each toy can be a different character to reenact the story while you are also playing to facilitate the storyline.  

Two little girls are sitting next to each other in a park talking on a cell phone.
Use stuffed animals or other props to help tell a story!

Retelling is such an important communicative and academic skill. We use these skills in various ways from summarizing a book we’ve read to talking about our favorite birthday memory. You can help your child with these skills in a variety of fun ways that will make them feel unique and special!

Which of these activities would your child have fun doing to retell? Share with us in the comments below!

The post Retelling: It Is Not Just For School! appeared first on PPT4Kids.

Is Your Child Ready for School? Skills That Matter More Than ABCs

By Aimee Brueck • June 19, 2026
When parents think about kindergarten or preschool readiness, most think about academics first:

Prevent Summer Slide: Build Reading Confidence with Our Lively Letters Summer Intensive

By Aimee Brueck • June 17, 2026
Summer is a time for fun, family vacations, pool days, and a much-needed break from the school routine. But for many children, summer can also bring something educators call the “summer slide” the loss of important academic skills during the months away from school. For children who struggle with reading, language, or literacy confidence, those gaps can grow even wider over the summer months. That’s why Progressive Pediatric Therapy created our Summer Private Reading Intensive — a personalized, one-to-one literacy experience designed to help children strengthen foundational reading skills while building confidence and momentum before the new school year begins. Using the trusted Lively Letters® approach, our summer program combines evidence-based literacy instruction with engaging, multisensory learning strategies that help children stay motivated and successful.

Florida Medicaid CMS Plan Changes: What Families and Providers Need to Know About the 2026 Transition

By Aimee Brueck • June 12, 2026
Important changes are coming to Florida’s Medicaid Children’s Medical Services (CMS) Health Plan beginning October 1, 2026.

10 Best Pediatric Physical Therapy CEU Courses Online (2026 Guide)

By Aimee Brueck • June 5, 2026
Continuing education is essential for pediatric physical therapists who want to stay current with evidence-based treatment strategies, maintain licensure, and improve outcomes for children and families.

10 Best Speech Therapy CEU Courses Online (SLP Continuing Education Guide for 2026)

By Aimee Brueck • April 16, 2026
Continuing education is essential for speech-language pathologists (SLPs) to stay current with evidence-based practices, maintain ASHA certification, and provide the best outcomes for their clients.

10 Best Pediatric Occupational Therapy CEU Courses Online (2026 Guide)

By Aimee Brueck • March 27, 2026
Continuing education is essential for pediatric occupational therapists who want to stay current with evidence-based practices, maintain licensure, and deliver the best outcomes for children and families.

Helping Kids Move with Confidence: Supporting Strength, Coordination, and Active Play

By Aimee Brueck • March 18, 2026
In today’s technology-driven world, many children are moving less than previous generations. While screens and busy schedules can make life easier in some ways, they also mean fewer opportunities for children to build the movement skills their bodies need.

Empowering Families Beyond the Therapy Room: Parent Coaching & Wellness Visits

February 25, 2026
At Progressive Pediatric Therapy, our commitment to helping families doesn’t stop at the therapy session door. Whether you’re seeking extra guidance as a current client or exploring ways to support your child’s development before pursuing therapy, we’re here to help. That’s where Parent Coaching and Wellness Visits come in. Two supportive, expert-led programs created to empower families with clarity, confidence, and practical strategies for real life.
Newborn's tiny hand grasping an adult's finger; light skin, blue background.

Empowering Parents, Supporting Premature Babies: How Early Check-Ins Foster Healthy Development

By Aimee Brueck • November 14, 2025
Every baby’s journey is unique, but for families of premature infants, early development often looks and feels a little different. If your baby was born before 37 weeks of pregnancy, they’re considered “preterm” — and you’re not alone. Nearly 1 in 10 babies worldwide are born prematurely each year.

Top Pediatric Therapy Online Continuing Education Courses in 2025 (PT, OT, and SLP)

By Aimee Brueck • October 22, 2025
Continuing education is essential for pediatric therapists to stay current with best practices, support licensure renewal, and deliver the best outcomes for their young clients. But with so many CEU options online, it can be hard to know which ones are worth your time, and your budget.