8mo–20mo9 minStory timeFamily timeFree play
Move-and-Tell Story Steps
A short movement story for babies/young toddlers that invites imitation (crawl, tiptoe, reach) and links movement to hands (clap, tap, bang, grasp), supporting coordination and early fine-motor handling through playful narration.
What you'll need
Essentials
- a soft toy or household object to be the story ‘character’ (e.g., a teddy)
- 2 safe, larger toys/objects (NOT small enough to be a choking hazard)
- a clear floor space (supervised)
Nice to have
- a short picture book (any book you already have)
- a scarf or dish towel for ‘peekaboo’ moments
- two soft blocks or two plastic cups (for gentle ‘bang together’)
Movement level: mild
What you'll do
The 4-step guide, with what to look for at each step, is for signed-in parents.
What this develops
- MilestoneCopies simple gestures or actionsMind· 6mo–2.3y· core· Step 2
- MilestoneTransfers object between handsBody· 6mo–12mo· core· Step 3
- MilestoneBangs two held objects togetherBody· 8mo–10mo· core
- MilestoneReaches for nearby objectsBody· 4mo–11mo· stretch
- MilestoneHolds one object in each handBody· 4mo–10mo· stretch
What it practices
- Holds an object in each hand and brings them together in the middle, e.g. holds two blocks and bangs them together.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
- Pulls to standing, holding on to furniture or person for support.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
- Holds pen or crayon using a whole hand (palmar) grasp and makes random marks with different strokes.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
Where it comes from
- Source
- Development Matters in the EYFS (DfE, 2012)
- Original guidance
- “Tell stories that encourage children to think about the way they move.”
- License
- Open Government Licence v3.0
- Attribution
- © Crown Copyright 2012 (Development Matters in the EYFS, DfE)