Put the story in order: what children learn
Retelling a story in order shows that children understand what happened. This game uses traditional tales that many children hear at school.
Each round gives four parts of a story mixed up. Children put them in order from beginning to end.
This topic links to an early learning goal in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework for England (Comprehension). Children at the expected level of development will: “Demonstrate understanding of what has been read to them by retelling stories and narratives using their own words and recently introduced vocabulary”. Reception children are usually aged 4–5.
There is no direct equivalent in the US Common Core State Standards.
How to play
Put the numbers in order. Use the arrow buttons, or pick one card and then another to swap them. Each game has 5 rounds. After you press Check, the correct order is shown if you got it wrong.
Step by step
- Read it aloud. Read each card to your child; the pictures help them remember.
- What happens first?. Find the beginning of the story.
- Put the rest in order. Ask "And then what happened?"
- Retell it. Retell the story in your child's own words.
Worked examples
Example 1: The Three Little Pigs
Working: Straw house, wolf blows it down, brick house, wolf cannot blow it down.
Answer: 🌾, 🐺, 🧱, 🔥
Example 2: Jack and the Beanstalk
Working: Cow for beans, beanstalk grows, climb to castle, chop it down.
Answer: 🐄, 🌱, 🏰, 🪓
Example 3: The Little Red Hen
Working: Finds grain, no one helps, bakes bread, eats it herself.
Answer: 🌾, 🐱, 🍞, 😋
Common mistakes and how to fix them
- Putting the ending first Ask "How did the story start?"
- Not knowing the story Read or tell the story first, then play.
- Getting two middle parts mixed up Talk about what had to happen before.
Activities to try at home
- Retell a favourite story using toys.
- Draw three pictures of a story: beginning, middle and end.
- Stop while reading and ask what happened before.
Ideas for the classroom
- Use a story map with pictures for children to point to.
- Act out a traditional tale and freeze-frame the key moments.
- Give groups picture cards to sequence and retell.
Free printable game and worksheet
The free printable starts with a game sheet, such as a colour-by-answer picture, an answer maze or a secret-code joke, followed by a worksheet. Both use the same checked questions as the online game, and the answers are on the last page. Print it, or save it as a PDF from your browser’s print menu.
Open the free printable game and worksheet
Frequently asked questions
Which stories are used?
Goldilocks, The Three Little Pigs, Jack and the Beanstalk, Little Red Riding Hood, The Gingerbread Man, The Three Billy Goats Gruff and The Little Red Hen.
My child does not read yet. Can they play?
Yes. An adult reads the cards aloud; the pictures help children remember.
Can it be played with a keyboard?
Yes. Tab to a card and use the move buttons to put it in the right place, then check your order.