Have you ever witnessed how a child’s face gleams with joy when listening to a story? That euphoric moment stems from reading excellent children’s literature, and from the remarkable storytelling techniques wonderful books aimed at children use to hook their hearts and minds.
This can be useful for parents looking to weave stories for children before bed, or for aspiring authors looking to write for children, as the techniques mentioned will change how you weave a tale for children.
The Reasons the Guidelines for Writing Children’s Literature Differ
Children, compared to adults, think differently. Instead of critical and logical thinking, children are able to think and learn using emotions, images, and simple patterns. 
This, therefore, implies the manner in which you tell a story to children must be catered towards their way of thinking.
Let’s take a moment to think of it this way: While adults are able to keep track of numerous characters and complicated storylines that contain flashbacks, children need simple, to the point stories that are told in a chronological way.
The Essential Components Every Children Story Should Have
1. The Main Character Children Can Relate To
The main character of your story should be someone that kids can see themselves in. This does not mean the character has to be a child. It could be a curious monkey, a brave little mouse, or a talking tree.
What is important is that the character embodies the following childlike qualities:
- Curiosity inquisitive about the world
- Straightforward emotions to relate to
- Challenges that a child can connect to
- A need to learn or improve
2. Language Should Be Easy and Clear
Forget complex sentences and difficult words. The best children’s books make use of:
Brevity in the use of Action or emotive words
Sentence structure that is rhythmic to sustain kid’s interest
Vocabulary that children can easily say along to
Emotion to help kids relate and understand
3. An Engaging Problem
Stories that grab the children’s attention starts with relatable problems. The following problems have been noted to grab attention:
| Age Group | Common Problems That Resonate |
|---|---|
| Ages 2-4 | Lost toys, bedtime fears, wanting independence |
| Ages 5-7 | Making friends, school challenges, family changes |
| Ages 8-10 | Fitting in, handling responsibility, understanding fairness |
Narrative Techniques That Work Like Magic
The Power of Repetition
Children can be creatures of habit. Repetition of phrases, patterns, or actions is effective in storytelling.
Recall “The Three Little Pigs”; the wolf repeats the same phrase at each house, providing the children with a pattern to enjoy.
How to use it:
- Employ a magical phrase or spell
- Employ an action sequence which resets to a similar set of actions multiple times throughout the story
- Throughout the story, a selected chorus may be established that repeats frequently
Show, Don’t Just Tell
Consider the sentence, “Emma was scared.” Rather than stating it, convey it through actions and dialogue:
❌ “Emma was scared of the dark basement.”
✅ “Emma’s hands shook as she gripped the flashlight. ‘I don’t want to go down there,’ she whispered.”
The Three-Act Structure (Simplified)
Beginning (Setup): state the character and their normal world
Middle (Problem): outline the goal that needs to be achieved
End (Resolution): outline the methods employed to solve the problem with a focus on the lessons learned
Children will find this structure easy, as it echoes their own daily adventures.
Sophisticated Strategies for Motivating Young Readers
Talk Like Kids
Children immediately detect phony dialogue. Make your characters talk like actual children:
Real kids talking include:
- Incomplete sentences when they are excited
- Forming questions about everything
- Simple expression of emotions
- Age-appropriate slang
Descriptions Kids Can Touch
Ask children to feel your descriptions from every angle of life to deeply engage with your stories:
- Touch: “Soft as warm silk”
- Sound: “Leaves crunching like cereal”
- Smell: “Scented kitchens full of birthday cakes and happiness”
- Sight: “Stars sparkle as scattered glitters”
- Taste: “Fruits tasted as sweet as summer sunshine”
The Mastery of Timing
You should avoid these for:
Children intended for the the text should be paced smoothly with fast and slow thinking to wear off the rough edges
Fast pacing for:
Exciting moments/ action scenes/ climaxes
Slow pacing for:
Descriptions and emotional moments/ character progression
Your Children’s Stories Most Common Errors
Underestimating the Children’s Capabilities
Avoid the following phrases to be labeled as over-explained and labeled as simple:
- Simple overview’s and heat for the text
- Expecting strengthless plots
- Unyielding free of meaning sentences
Pre- Determining Adults Focused
Children should be the ones solving the problems and daring pretender should not guide children’s book narrative.
While adults can assist, children must be motivated by the deeds of their fictional heroes.
Overlooking the Enjoyment Element
Every topic has the potential for amusement, laughter, or marveling, even the most grave. Instruction for children is most effective when they receive enjoyment.
Making Your Story Engaging
Improving Your Characters
Craft a straightforward character profile:
- What motivates your character? What is their primary goal?
- What obstacles do they face?
- What is one thing they would never do?
- What are their sources of humor?
Strategic Plot Development
Use the “Yes, But…” / “No, And…” model:
- Character desires a specific goal.
- “Yes, but…” there is an added complication.
- “No, and…” the situation worsens.
- Repeat until the climax is reached.
Dialogue Checklist
- Is each voice distinct?
- Is the age-appropriate dialogue audible?
- Does the dialogue serve the plot?
- Are there breaks for illustration pauses?
Analyzing Your Story
Analyze your story and relate it to your intended audience—children. Read it and monitor their engagement:
- Focus – Are they paying attention?
- Emotional responses – Are there animated reactions?
- Comprehension – Can they summarize the main ideas?
- Satisfaction – Do they want repeated listening experiences?
Your Development as a Children’s Stories Author
You too can achieve the status of a valued children’s story author. Recall that each lays out their foundation upon a single story.
Fuel creativity by reading books that have excited children generations before you. Remember that children’s literature is not an “easy” version of adult literature; it is an art in itself that deserves just as much attention and effort.
Start slowly and build on that. The world of children’s literature is waiting to be dazzled by your voice.
You bring to the table your lived experiences; indeed, there is nothing better than adding a sprinkle of the world around to the vibrant tapestry of children’s literature.
As mentioned previously, to write a children’s book, you need to exercise all the creativity you have. The most potent technique to capture a child’s imagination is to shower it with the care and warmth it deserves.
When you write books that you genuinely care for, in flip, you care to tell children timeless and treasured tales, those are the types of books that readers hold on for as long as they can.
FAQs
Children’s book page count
As an estimation, a picture book for 2-5 year olds ranges from 200-800 words, and for 8-12 year olds, middle-grade novels 20,000-50,000 words. The most crucial factor is to remember to consider the reading and attention span of your target audience.
Should I ensure every children’s story contains a moral or lesson?
Not every children’s story requires a didactic moral. A large number of children’s books do teach morals and values, however, it is best to allow lessons to come organically rather than being overly contrived. It is much more effective when children engage with well-crafted narratives that feature authentic consequences as opposed to being preached at.
Should I write in first person or third person for children’s books?
Both perspectives work well for children’s books. Third person “She walked to the store” is more common and enables the depiction of multiple character’s thoughts and actions. First person “I walked to the store” is engaging, but it can be restrictive. Choose depending on your story’s goals. If your aim is for strong identification with a character, first person will be more effective.
How do I know if my story idea is too scary or inappropriate for children?
Think about your intended audience’s age and their fears. Young children, ages 2-5, may respond to mild suspense, but fear loss, realistic dangers, and other such dangers. Children between 6 and 10 are able to understand and deal with more sophisticated fears and forms of conflict. Make sure to test your story with parents and children of your targeted age and remember, children most of the time deal with difficult moments better when they are able to control the situation through the actions of the main character.
