Use Storytelling to Practise Computational Thinking

Computational thinking is a way of breaking a problem into manageable parts, spotting patterns and working out a sequence of steps. It is useful in coding, but it is not limited to computers. Students can practise it while planning a story, organising a school bag or explaining how to follow a recipe.

Storytelling offers a friendly starting point because students already know that events happen in an order and that characters make choices. A story can become a small “program”: each instruction or event affects what happens next. The aim is not to write a perfect story or produce code. It is to make thinking visible, test an idea and improve it.

What the source tells us

A Raspberry Pi Foundation article describes a Minnesota teacher bringing computer science activities into a writing station. Students worked on programming projects involving characters and stories. The article reports that story-based work could connect with language arts, while sequencing and debugging skills could carry across subjects. It also stresses that the right level of challenge matters. These are observations from the described classroom, not a guarantee that every activity will suit every learner.

Try a story as a set of steps

Suggested activity: Ask a student to invent a short story with a character, a place and a small problem. For example, a character might need to reach the school library before it closes. This is a hypothetical prompt, not a report of a real classroom event.

Before writing full sentences, have the student list the main events in order. They might decide that the character first checks the time, then chooses a route, and finally reaches the library. Ask what would happen if one event moved to the beginning or disappeared. This simple test introduces sequencing: putting instructions or events in an order that makes sense.

For younger learners, draw three or four boxes and sketch one event in each. Older students can add a choice: “If the library is closed, what does the character do?” The student can describe both possible paths using words, arrows or a hand-drawn flowchart. No device is needed.

Look for patterns and useful details

Stories often repeat actions or details. A character may try several doors, ask more than one person for help, or encounter the same obstacle in different places. Invite the student to notice what repeats and consider whether every repetition is necessary.

This is a practical way to introduce pattern recognition: noticing similarities that may help solve a problem. It also leads to a useful writing question: which details help the reader understand what is happening, and which can be removed without changing the story?

• Ask the student to circle repeated events or phrases.
• Discuss whether the repetition is deliberate, helpful or confusing.
• Invite them to combine repeated steps into one clear instruction, such as “check each classroom on the list”.

Explain that a computer follows instructions but does not automatically know what a person meant. A vague direction such as “go somewhere nearby” leaves important choices unclear. A more specific direction gives the character—or a computer—something definite to follow.

Debug the story, not the student

In computing, debugging means finding and correcting a problem in instructions or a program. In a story activity, the “bug” might be a missing step, an unclear direction or an event that does not fit what came before. Treat it as a puzzle in the work, not a mistake that defines the learner.

Try this checklist together:

• Can the reader tell what the character wants?
• Does each event follow clearly from the one before?
• Is there a step the character needs but has not taken?
• If the character makes a choice, are the possible outcomes clear?
• What is one small change that could make the story easier to follow?

After a revision, ask the student to explain what they changed and why. This builds the habit of testing an idea rather than simply hoping it works. If the student is stuck, offer a question instead of supplying the answer: “Which part should happen first?” or “What information is missing?”

Make room for different ways to contribute

Students may show their thinking through drawings, spoken explanations, written steps, paper cards or code. Let them choose a starting format that feels manageable, then invite them to translate the idea into another form. For instance, a student who draws a sequence could explain it aloud or label the arrows.

In a group, give each person a chance to suggest one event, ask a clarifying question or test whether the steps make sense. Avoid making speed the measure of success. A thoughtful question or a helpful revision can matter as much as a finished story.

How parents and teachers can support the activity

Keep the first challenge short and familiar. Use paper and pencils, and let the student choose a subject they enjoy. If a computer is available, it can be used later to create a simple project, but this activity does not require an online tool, an account or personal information.

Adults do not need to know every coding term to take part. They can ask the learner to describe the steps, point out where they became confused, and encourage a second attempt. If technology is used, follow the school’s guidance and the tool’s age requirements; an offline version is a good alternative.

Learning takeaway

A story can be more than a piece of writing: it can be a safe place to practise ordering steps, spotting patterns and debugging. Start with one small idea, test it together, and let curiosity lead the next revision.