Clean white paper waiting for a child's imagination and storytelling to begin

Blank paper and art supplies ready for a child to create their own adventure story

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So you want to tell a story...

Name: So you want to tell a story...
Availability: InStock
Author: Wanderly

Create an open-ended story that supports and affirms your child's imagination. It's up to them to figure out what happens next!

ConfidencePerseverancePlay TherapyYou Choose

About This Story

What your child will experience

Your child becomes the storyteller. They'll pick a character, choose a starting place, and then decide what happens next—turn by turn. There's no "right" plot or tidy ending. Some pages might be silly and adventurous; others might turn serious as your child explores how a character feels in a tough moment. The story follows their lead, adding sensory detail and gentle questions when emotions surface.

Why this approach helps

This open-ended format mirrors play-therapy principles: children process feelings and build confidence by directing the narrative themselves. When they make unexpected choices—even ones that seem "off track"—the story validates rather than corrects, fostering self-acceptance and creative courage. Over time, this practice strengthens emotional vocabulary and narrative skills.

What to notice as a parent

Pay attention to recurring themes or feelings your child assigns to characters—they often reflect real concerns or hopes. If a character keeps facing rejection or danger, ask gently afterward what that character might need. Remember: wandering, experimenting, and leaving threads unresolved are all healthy parts of imaginative play. If your child decides to use their open-ended freedom to experiment with silly answers, embrace their creativity. You're helping affirm who they are.

Personalize This Story

Make this story truly special by adding these details:

✓Pick your character(s).
✓Where does this story start?

Story Questions

Questions your child may be asked while creating this story:

I wonder what the main character will do next...

Loved by Families

Join thousands of happy families who've empowered their children with personalized, interactive stories.

“At first I thought it was one of those bedtime ploys to stay up later, but when the request came again first thing in the morning I realized it was just genuine excitement about Wanderly. My two kiddos - ages 7 and 8 - had a blast selecting their adventure pals (they have the cutest "pets" that go on the adventure with them) and choosing the direction of the story every step of the way. I turned up the reading level today and it was neat to see my son work through a few new words and stick with it because he was so excited about his story.”

— Taryn S

“My son couldn't put the story down!”

— Sebastian

“We've been using it every night for bedtime stories for our 3 year old.”

— Matt

“Ok, so I installed this yesterday, and I've already read 5 stories with my 4 year old. That's over an hours worth of time. Today he tried to negotiate to have me read 4 in a row... He's fully engaged, and takes his time over the choices - I think that and the funny moments in the stories are what have him hooked. He lost it when our cat (yes, you can include your pet in a story!) turned into a elephant. As a parent, it's whimsical and a welcome change from the regular books in rotation. I was initially unsure about using my phone to engage him during bedtime, but he entrallment quickly overcame that. I would wholeheartedly recommend it to others.”

— Simon

“It's been fantastic for creating and sharing our stories with beautiful art. What a great keepsake!”

— Shayla

“My dyslexic 4th grader struggles with reading and comprehension. She is finally excited to read using Wanderly!”

— Bill

“As an lifelong educator, I give this app an enthusiastic 5 stars+. With opportunity to choose and name characters, type of story and plot ... what could be more creative? What could be a more productive use of screen time? I love that this app was created and is carefully monitored by a Mom of young kids. She also happens to have technical/AI chops ... she was a Google Product Manager in their Education Products sector. The graphics are quite lovely, the story lines are fun and age-appropriate.”

— Helen

“I'm very impressed with the ease with which I was able to write a fun (and colorful) story. I wrote one for my grandchild and can't wait to share it with her.”

— Bill

GET STARTED

Ready to hear what your child has to say?

Join thousands of families who've used Wanderly to engage their child's imagination, to practice important skills, and to build confidence. Download the app today.