Parent assembles a small booklet (folded and stapled paper) with chapter titles already written at the top of each page: 'Chapter 1: When I Was a Baby' / 'Chapter 2: My Earliest Memory' / 'Chapter 3: Things I Was Afraid Of' / 'Chapter 4: What I'm Good At' / 'Chapter 5: My Favourite Day Ever.' Child writes and draws each chapter. Children are fascinated by the story of their own lives. A fact that makes this the single most consistently engaging Track B activity across the widest age range. An 8-year-old works on this for 60-90 minutes; a 5-year-old draws through 3-4 chapters in 30-40 minutes.
What you need
- Pre-assembled booklet with chapter titles at top of each page
- Pencil
- Colored pencils
How to do it
- 1Fold and staple 5-7 sheets into a booklet. Write one chapter title at the top of each page.
- 2Use prompts that let them lead: When I Was a Baby, My Favourite Day Ever, Things I Was Afraid Of.
- 3Hand it over: this is your autobiography. Write and draw each chapter however you want. Leave.
- 4Come back for the reading when they invite you.
Variations
- If a chapter feels too hard to write: let them draw it instead of writing — the booklet accepts either.
- How it ends: however many chapters get filled, close the booklet and say 'the rest are for another day' — it's never truly finished.
💡 Parent tip
Write the child's name and the year on the cover. The physical object becomes precious. Children re-read autobiographies years later. It also becomes an extraordinary family document: future-you will be glad it exists. The booklet needs assembling ahead of time — without prep, use The House Museum instead: zero setup, works right now.
What your child develops
- Narrative self-construction — telling the story of one's own life requires selecting, sequencing, and meaning-making from personal experience
- Memory consolidation — writing and drawing specific memories strengthens those memory traces
- Identity development — a child who has articulated what they're good at, what they've overcome, and what their favourite day was knows themselves more clearly
Safety notes
- Check for sharp staple edges on the booklet spine before handing to young children.
More for “Stuck inside”
See allThe World Record Attempts
Five at-home world record challenges. The child attempts each, records the result, and tries to beat it.
Tower and Topple
Stack it up, knock it down, and do it again - the oldest game in the world still works.
Bubble Wrap Stomp
A sheet of bubble wrap on the floor, and every step becomes a tiny satisfying explosion underfoot.