How to Make a Storyboard for Kids

A storyboard is an arrangement of pictures that briefly tell a story to entertain us. A comic strip is a good example of a storyboard. In schools, teachers often require students to make a storyboard to summarize a story. Students generally like storyboards because it gives them a chance to draw and have fun with their assignment. If you're a kid who wants to tell a story, knowing just a few key things will help you create an impressive storyboard.

Use the pencil and ruler to create a series of boxes on a piece of grid paper. The grid paper already has lines for you, so you simply need to place the ruler along the lines to make a straight line. Make three or four horizontal lines, but leave enough space between them so you have room to draw.

Make several vertical lines over the top of the horizontal lines. This will create boxes on your paper. Don't worry about creating too many boxes. You can come back and erase extra boxes later. Just remember to leave enough room in the boxes so you can draw your pictures and write the text.

Use a scrap piece of paper to brainstorm some ideas for your storyboard. What do you want your story to be about? Sketch some ideas on the paper. Come up with characters, names and a little dialogue perhaps. If you are summarizing a story for a teacher, think about the main things that happened in the story and draw them out.

Transfer your pictures to the boxes on your grid paper. Be sure to keep the pictures in order, otherwise your storyboard won't make sense to the reader. Your pictures should tell a smooth, flowing story.

Fill in a little writing where it needs it. There shouldn't be a lot of writing because most of the storyboard is supposed to consist of pictures. However, a little writing helps the reader understand what's going on. Include no more than a sentence or two per box.

Have a loved one, like your mom or dad, look over your storyboard. They can double check your work for errors and help you clarify any issues.