conflict in children stories

One way is to introduce a rival or antagonist. For example, in a story about a little mouse trying to get the big cheese in the kitchen, a cat can be the antagonist. The cat's presence creates an immediate conflict as the mouse has to figure out how to avoid the cat and still reach the cheese.

Person - against - nature conflict is also seen in children stories. For instance, a group of children might be lost in the forest and have to face the challenges of nature like finding shelter and food. There is also person - against - society conflict. A character might be different from others in the story's world and has to deal with the society's rules or expectations that are against them. For example, a character who is very creative in a strict and traditional society.

Often, in children stories, conflict can be resolved through communication. Characters talk about their problems and find solutions. For example, if two friends are fighting over a toy in a story, they might realize that sharing the toy is a great solution after they talk to each other.

Character vs. Character conflict is very common. Like in the story of Cinderella, Cinderella has a conflict with her step - sisters who are mean to her and don't let her go to the ball.

Well, start by thinking about what your child characters really want and what's stopping them from getting it. That's a good source of conflict.

One way is to make the stories relatable. For example, use characters that are similar to the children in age or situation. When children can see themselves in the story, they are more likely to understand and apply the conflict resolution methods.

The story of 'The Rainbow Fish' is great. The Rainbow Fish has beautiful scales but is very vain and won't share them. As a result, the other fish don't want to be his friend. Eventually, he realizes that sharing his scales makes him happier and he has more friends. It teaches children about the importance of sharing to resolve conflicts.

One idea could be a character's internal conflict between following their dreams or fulfilling family expectations. For example, a young artist who wants to study art in Paris but their parents expect them to take over the family business. This creates a strong conflict as the character has to decide between their passion and their sense of family duty.

Person vs. society conflict. For instance, a character in a dystopian society who rebels against the strict laws and rules that suppress individuality. The character might start a small act of resistance like writing subversive graffiti, which then escalates as the authorities try to hunt them down.

Good conflict in stories can be a clash of ideas. For example, in a story about a scientific discovery, the conflict could be between the traditional scientific beliefs and the new, radical theory proposed by the protagonist. This kind of conflict makes the story interesting as it forces the characters to defend their positions and engage in intellectual battles.