Questions and activities for after a story
In short: After finishing a story, you might choose two questions and one small activity. These cards follow the events in the linked Black Horse retellings. They are invitations to listen to what a child noticed, rather than a test with a single right answer.
The Bremen Town Musicians
Finding a place together
Read the complete storyTalk together
- What did the donkey, dog, cat and rooster notice about one another?
- How did the animals’ feelings of being alone change during the story?
Keep the conversation going
Why might making music together feel different from walking alone? Choose a moment from the story.
Try it together: A four-part paper orchestra
What you need: Paper and a pencil; colouring pencils if you like.
- Divide a sheet into four boxes and draw one animal in each.
- Write or draw something each animal brings to the group.
- Leave one animal out and discuss what the group would miss, then bring all four together again.
Cinderella
Putting events in order
Read the complete storyTalk together
- What difficulties did Cinderella face before going to the celebration?
- What changed in the story when the slipper was lost?
Keep the conversation going
If the slipper had not been lost, what other way could you invent for them to meet again?
Try it together: A three-scene story strip
What you need: Three small pieces of paper or a sheet divided into three.
- Draw the time before the invitation, the celebration and the reunion in separate boxes.
- Mix the boxes up and put them in order again, explaining your choice.
- Draw a different last scene and talk about which earlier event would need to change.
The Golden-Headed Fish
Following a choice and its consequences
Read the complete storyTalk together
- What did the prince choose when he freed the fish, and why was it a difficult choice?
- What did the prince and his friend do to help the dry gardens?
Keep the conversation going
How would you explain the link between freeing the fish and receiving help later? Does helping always have to bring a reward?
Try it together: Paths from a decision
What you need: Paper and a pencil.
- Write “Free the fish” in the middle of a page, or draw a fish.
- Put events before the decision on one side and events after it on the other.
- Mark the work they did together to help the gardens; distinguish the story’s magic from things people can actually do.
Start a conversation, not a quiz
Ask “Which moment stayed with you?” before choosing a question from the matching card. Leave room for an answer. A child who does not want to talk can draw a scene or point to it instead.
Follow-up prompts are not answer keys. Try “What happened in the story that made you think that?” If your child is tired at bedtime, keep the activity for another day.
Adapt the activity to your reader
With younger children, put two scenes side by side and talk about which happened first. Children who enjoy longer explanations can suggest another choice a character might have made. Follow their interest that day rather than using age as the only guide.
These are suggestions for family reading, not professional assessments or developmental tests. Children do not have to share personal experiences; the conversation can stay with the fictional characters.
Questions
Do we need to ask every question?
No. Choose one or two. If your child asks a different question, follow their curiosity.
Will the questions work with another edition?
Some will, but questions about particular events follow these Black Horse retellings. Compare the linked text first, as editions can have different endings.