Perspective Flip — Retell the Story From the Other Side
The child reads or listens to a short story excerpt and then retells it from a different character's perspective, including that character's thoughts, feelings, and motivations. Parent observes theory of mind sophistication, cognitive flexibility, narrative comprehension depth, and the ability to construct an internally consistent alternative viewpoint. This activity reveals the intersection of cognitive and social development through literary imagination.
Free to do together whenever you like.
What you'll need
Choose a story the child knows well that has at least two characters with clearly different perspectives. Good options: a fairy tale (the wolf's version of the Three Little Pigs), a recently read novel chapter, a film scene, or even a family anecdote told from a different family member's perspective. If nothing comes to mind, use 'Goldilocks and the Three Bears' from Baby Bear's perspective, or any villain/antagonist retelling.
How it works
The 3-step guide, with what to look for at each step, is for signed-in parents.