Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Story Map Planner: Free Printable Planner for Year 1
- ForYear 1
- StageKey Stage 1
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Story Map Planner is a free printable planner for Year 1 (ages 5 to 6). Children plan the journey of a story in four steps: the beginning, something happens, the big moment and the end. They talk, draw and write their ideas before they write the full story. It needs only a pencil, and page 2 gives the grown up notes, help for children who find it hard and a stretch idea.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children plan one story of their own across four parts. First they decide who is in the story and where they are. Then they think about what goes wrong or what is found. Next comes the big moment, when the character does something. Last, they decide how the story finishes. The sheet has lines for writing and boxes for drawing or notes, so children can draw, write or do both.
- 1. Beginning: who is in your story and where are they?
- 2. Something happens: what goes wrong or what do they find?
- 3. The big moment: what do they do?
- 4. The end: how does the story finish?
Building a story one part at a time
Start with the who and where
Ask your child to choose a character and a place. It can be a real child, an animal, a toy or a made up creature. A clear start gives the rest of the story something to grow from.
Add something that changes things
Stories get interesting when something happens. A character might lose something, find something or meet someone new. Let your child decide what it is.
Decide what the character does
The big moment is where the character acts. Encourage your child to say what the character does and how they feel, before they draw it.
Finish the journey
Every story needs an ending. It might be happy, funny or surprising. Ask your child how they want the reader to feel at the end.
Why plan a story before writing?
Many stories, from nursery rhymes to picture books, follow a simple shape. Something starts, something changes, and then it is sorted out or finished. Young children hear this shape in books every day, so they already know more about it than they realise. A story map helps them notice it and use it for their own ideas.
Writing is hard for five and six year olds because they must think of ideas, remember them, form letters and spell all at the same time. Planning separates the idea job from the writing job. When the order of events is already on the page, children can give more attention to their sentences, spelling and handwriting.
Skills and curriculum link
- Planning a story
- Story order
- Drawing ideas
- Speaking in sentences
- Beginning, middle and end
This sheet supports the area below. It is matched to the published England framework. Please check it against your own school plan.
| Framework | Subject or area | Strand | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Curriculum (England) | English | Writing: composition | Year 1 |
What children will be able to do
- I can plan a story with a beginning, middle and end.
- I can say my story aloud before I write it.
- I can draw or write what happens in each part.
Helping your child plan a story
- Talk before drawingLet your child tell the whole story out loud first. Spoken ideas are easier to change than drawn ones, and talking helps them find the order of events.
- Ask open questionsTry "What happens next?" or "How does the character feel?" Open questions get children thinking, while questions with a yes or no answer end the conversation.
- Accept their ideasThe story belongs to your child. It can be silly, strange or very short. Praise the thinking and the effort rather than steering the story towards your own idea.
- Draw first, write secondDrawing is real planning at this age. Quick pictures help children hold on to ideas, and they can add words afterwards if they feel ready.
Key words
- Story mapA plan that shows the parts of a story in order.
- CharacterA person, animal or creature in a story.
- SettingWhere a story happens.
- BeginningThe part where we meet the characters and the setting.
- ProblemSomething that goes wrong, or something surprising that happens.
- EndingThe part where the story finishes.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes for you.
- Talk through the story before your child draws. Ask who it is about and where it happens.
- Work through the first go together and talk about each choice. Let your child decide what goes in every part.
- Ask your child to tell the story aloud using their map, pointing to each part in order. Then look at the notes on page 2.
- Come back to the planner another day with a new story. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Ask your child to tell the story out loud first. Then draw one box at a time, and stop to talk after each picture. If ideas are slow to come, ask them to pick a favourite toy or animal as the main character.
To stretch confident children
Add a short sentence under each picture. Then use the finished map to write the whole story, one part at a time. Ask your child to read it back and check it makes sense and follows the order of the map.
Make it a game
Swap maps with a friend or family member. Each person uses the other's map to tell that story aloud, in order. Then compare. Did the story change when someone else told it? Which parts were the same?
Talk about it
- Who is your story about, and where are they?
- What would you like to happen to your character?
- How does your character feel when something goes wrong?
- What does your character do in the big moment?
- How do you want your story to end? Why?
- If you could add one more thing to the story, what would it be?
Take it off the page
Story stones
Draw or paint a simple picture on four stones or pieces of card, one for each part of a story. Put them in order and use them to tell a story out loud.
Retell a favourite book
Choose a picture book you know well. Ask your child to find the beginning, the big moment and the ending, and describe each in their own words.
Act it out
Use soft toys or puppets to act out your child's story. Notice together whether the events happen in an order that makes sense.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child for the first go and let them lead. Listen to the story before they start drawing. Do not worry about spelling or neat handwriting. The main aim is getting ideas into a clear order.
Teachers
Use it as a starter before a writing lesson, a plenary, an early finisher task or a table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing. Children can use the finished map as a plan for their own writing, and it supports talk partner work.
Home educators
Pair it with picture books, outdoor play and everyday talk. Read a story, then map it together. Use the planner again with a new story for each child, or return to it later to see how their ideas have grown.
Where this skill fits
Before planning a story on paper, children listen to and retell stories, talk about characters and learn to say a sentence aloud before they write it. Drawing and talking about pictures are an important first step in putting ideas in order.
After this, children learn to write several sentences in a row about one idea or event. They use their plan to write each part, then read their work back to check it makes sense. Later, they add more detail and more varied openings to their stories.
Check it worked
Ask these when the sheet is finished. Listen for the reasoning, not just the answer.
- What happens at the start of your story?
- What is the big moment in the middle?
- How does your story end?
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Story Map Planner for?
It is written for Year 1 (ages 5 to 6), in Key Stage 1. It can also work for older Reception children who enjoy storytelling and drawing, or for Year 2 children who need a simple planning frame.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers, sisters or another class, so each child can plan a new story.
- How do I use it?
Print both pages and give page 1 to your child. Talk through the story before they draw. Work through the first go together, then let them try alone. Page 2 is for you, with notes and ideas.
- What if my child finds it hard?
Ask them to tell the story out loud first, then draw one box at a time. Keep the story short and simple. A character, a place and one thing that happens is a good start.
- Can teachers use it in class?
Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing, and page 2 has support and stretch ideas for mixed ability groups.
- Is this a screen free activity?
Yes. It needs only paper and a pencil, so it works well for quiet time, rainy days and school holidays. Children talk, think, draw and write by hand.
- Do I need to print in colour?
No. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper. Children can add their own colour with pencils or crayons if they would like to.
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Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.