Six-Step Picture Stories
Six-Step Picture Stories: Is It Right for My Child?
Six-Step Picture Stories is a sequencing material — a set of cards showing an everyday event in six ordered steps — used to build narrative, sequencing and expressive language. It suits children who already use short phrases and can attend to a small set of pictures; simpler sequences come first for children still building first words. A clinician at a Pinnacle centre can confirm the right fit.
You've found a set of picture cards that promise to teach your child to tell a story — but is it the right fit for where your child is today?
In short
Six-Step Picture Stories is a sequencing material: a set of picture cards that show a simple, everyday event broken into six ordered steps — for example, washing hands or planting a seed. Children look at the pictures, put them in the right order, and then talk through what happens first, next and last. It builds narrative, sequencing, cause-and-effect thinking and expressive language, and it suits children who already use short phrases and can attend to a small set of pictures. It is a helpful practice tool — not an assessment and not a diagnosis.What it does, and who it suits
Six-step stories sit a notch above three- and four-step sequences, so they ask a little more of a child's working memory and language. The material tends to fit well when your child can:- Look at and talk about a single picture with a few words
- Follow a short instruction like "put this one first"
- Stay engaged with a small group of cards for a few minutes
It may be too much, too soon, if your child is still building first words, finds more than two or three pictures overwhelming, or isn't yet pointing and showing to share attention. In that case, simpler two- or three-step sequences — and earlier communication play — usually come first. There's no rush: the right starting point is the one where your child succeeds often and enjoys it.
The Pinnacle way
A clinical AbilityScore® and any diagnosis are formed only at a Pinnacle Blooms Network centre, under qualified clinician care — never from a worksheet, an app or an online form. A clinician can tell you whether Six-Step Picture Stories matches your child's current language and thinking, or whether a gentler step fits better today. Explore how speech therapy builds storytelling skill, and see how the AbilityScore gives you a clear starting point.Trusted sources
WHO ICF framework on functioning and participation; American Speech-Language-Hearing Association guidance on narrative and language development; AAP Healthy Children resources on early language milestones.Next step — Not sure if it fits your child? Book a Pinnacle assessment and let a clinician match the material to your child.
What to watch
Watch whether your child can talk about a single picture, follow a simple ordering instruction, and stay engaged with a small set of cards. If six pictures feel overwhelming or your child is still building first words, start with two- or three-step sequences instead.
Try this at home
Lay the cards out and tell the story together first, then mix them up and let your child re-order them — narrate aloud as you go, using 'first', 'next' and 'last' so the sequence words become part of play.
Trusted sources
Developed by SETU Consortium · Pinnacle Blooms Network · Last reviewed 2026-06-11 · reviewed every 365 days
This is general information, not a diagnosis. A clinical AbilityScore® and any diagnosis are formed only at a Pinnacle Blooms Network centre, under qualified clinician care.
Frequently asked
What age is Six-Step Picture Stories suitable for?
There's no fixed age — it depends on language and attention rather than birthdays. It generally fits children who already use short phrases, can talk about a single picture and follow a simple ordering instruction. A clinician can tell you whether it suits your child today.
My child finds six pictures overwhelming. What should I do?
That's a common and useful signal. Step back to two- or three-step sequences where your child succeeds easily, build confidence, then return to six steps later. Success and enjoyment matter more than the number of cards.
Is Six-Step Picture Stories a test or diagnosis?
No. It's a practice material for building narrative and language, not an assessment. A clinical AbilityScore® and any diagnosis are formed only at a Pinnacle Blooms Network centre under qualified clinician care.