Parent guide · Sprouts, ages 7–10
How can my 7 to 10 year old tell a story well in English?
A 7 to 10 year old tells a story well by choosing a short story they love, knowing its shape (a beginning, a problem and an ending), and telling it in their own words with expression: changing their voice for characters, pausing before the exciting part and looking at the audience. For a storytelling competition, a two- to three-minute story practised out loud several times works well.
Key takeaways
- Pick a short story your child enjoys: a fable, a folk tale or their own.
- Know the shape: beginning, problem, ending (and moral, if asked).
- Tell, don’t recite: own words make it lively.
- Use voice changes, pauses and a few gestures.
- Practise out loud to family several times.
Why is storytelling good for children’s English?
Telling a story makes children put events in order, use past tense, describe characters and speak for a few minutes in front of others. Approaches built on spoken language like this are well supported by research: the Education Endowment Foundation reports about six months’ extra progress on average for oral language interventions.1
How do we choose a story?
- Short and clear: two to three minutes when told aloud.
- A problem and a solution: fables and folk tales work well, such as The Thirsty Crow, The Lion and the Mouse or a Panchatantra or Akbar–Birbal story.
- Characters with different voices make it easy to add expression.
- One your child loves: enjoyment shows in the telling.
How should my child prepare?
- Read or listen to the story a few times.
- Draw a simple story map: beginning, problem, ending.
- Tell it in their own words using the map.
- Choose two or three places to change their voice or pause.
- Practise out loud three to five times, in front of family.
How can they make the story come alive?
- Strong start: “Once, in a dry and dusty forest, there lived a very thirsty crow.”
- Voices: a deep voice for the lion, a squeaky one for the mouse.
- Pauses: stop just before the exciting moment.
- Gestures: a few simple ones, like flapping wings or pointing.
- Eye contact: look around the audience, not at the floor.
What do judges look for in a storytelling competition?
Criteria vary by school, but usually include choice of story, clear English and pronunciation, expression and voice, confidence and eye contact, and keeping to the time limit. If the competition asks for a moral, end with one short line: “The moral of the story is that even small friends can help.”
How do Little Lingos classes help?
In Sprouts, our stage for ages 7 to 10, children read short chapter books, tell stories in order using the past tense in the Story Builders term, and record a Mini Podcast, so they get regular practice telling stories aloud in live 40-minute classes.
Keep reading: paragraph writing, picture composition and dialogue writing. To practise this with a trainer, see our creative writing classes.
Questions parents ask
Questions parents ask
How long should a storytelling competition story be?
Usually two to three minutes for 7 to 10 year olds, but follow the school’s time limit and practise with a timer.
Should my child memorise the story word for word?
No. Knowing the story’s shape and telling it in their own words sounds more natural and is easier to recover from if they forget a line.
Can my child use props?
Some competitions allow simple props, like a puppet or a picture. Check the rules, and keep props to one or two so they don’t distract.
Which stories work for a 7 year old?
Short fables and folk tales with a clear problem and ending, such as The Thirsty Crow or The Lion and the Mouse, work well at this age.
How can I help a nervous child?
Practise in front of one person first, then the family. Remind them that the audience wants to enjoy the story, and that a pause is fine.
Sources
- Education Endowment Foundation. “Oral language interventions.” Teaching and Learning Toolkit. educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk.
Sources checked 3 November 2026. This guide is general information for parents, not medical, psychological or speech-therapy advice.
Hear your child tell a story in a demo class
Book a 30-minute demo class. Your child meets a trainer, plays a few word games, and you get a written level report the same day.
Book a demo class