At EGLE, we believe stories are powerful tools for teaching. They help children engage with content emotionally and intellectually while making abstract ideas more accessible. When stories become interactive, they take on a new dimension by allowing pupils not only to listen or read but to participate and make decisions.
Genially is a free and intuitive platform that allows educators to create interactive stories that blend visual elements, clickable content, and simple animations. These stories are particularly effective in primary education, where play, exploration and imagination play a central role in learning.
Interactive stories can be used to teach vocabulary, reinforce social skills, introduce scientific or cultural content, or develop problem-solving abilities. The possibilities are wide-ranging, and Genially offers numerous free templates that can be easily customised to suit your goals.
From Story to Learning Tool: Getting Started
Before writing the story, it’s important to define your educational objective. Are you introducing vocabulary about food? Exploring basic emotions? Encouraging cooperative decision-making or logic? Identifying your learning goals will help structure the narrative and interactive elements in a meaningful way.
Once your goal is clear, draft a simple story. A short, clear plot with one or two main characters is often best for young learners. Describe your hero in terms of age (about the age of your learners or slightly older) and character: What do they like? What are their qualities? What is their weakness?
If you need inspiration for their adventures, look up the theory of the Monomyth: this template describes the classic hero’s journey and can help you build a great story, one element at a time. Keep the language accessible and support it with visuals and, if possible, audio narration.
For example, in the Enigmathico project, we are writing a story about “The long journey of the Caretta Caretta turtle”. In this story, two kids embark on a great adventure across the Mediterranean with their marine biologist dad. Along the way, they meet a turtle in a difficult position and save her, before following her along on her long journey to lay her eggs. At regular intervals in the story, the readers are asked for their help in small and big ways: What direction should they go in? How long do they need to sail? How many kilos of trash can one beach clean-up team collect? The learner’s answers and decisions influence how the story unfolds, and without realising it, learners are practicing mathematics and logical reasoning!
Building the Story in Genially
Using Genially, you can then bring your story to life. The platform allows you to combine text, images, animations, audio and interactive elements. You can create clickable objects, dialogue choices, or pathways that lead to different outcomes. You might choose a free template like the ones shared below, or start from scratch using a blank canvas.
- To create interactive story presentations: https://genially.com/template/genial-storytale-presentation/
- To create a “Choose your own adventure” story: https://genially.com/template/branching-scenario-ii/
Do not hesitate to explore the Genially website, as it offers hundreds of free templates to customise.
The visual aspect is particularly important for younger pupils. Use expressive characters, simple icons, and clear layouts. You can do them directly in Genially, import them from free of rights images from the internet, or cuse other tools like Canva, Midjourney etc. Keep the text short and complement it with images, movement or sound effects where appropriate.
Beyond the Screen: Linking Digital and Physical Materials
Interactive stories can be even more powerful when they are part of a blended learning experience. In the Enigmathico project, for example, interactive Genially stories are complemented by physical materials, including objects to manipulate, puzzles to solve in groups, or printed resources that support the digital narrative. This approach strengthens hands-on learning and makes the story feel more tangible and immersive.
For instance, the digital story about the Caretta caretta turtle story might include printed maps and rulers depicting different measures of distances, but also representations of the different weights and volumes of different types of garbage that can be found in nature. Pupils interact with the story on screen and use the physical elements to solve challenges, decode messages, or explore the mathematical concept more deeply.
Combining digital interactivity with real-world manipulation allows learners to engage multiple senses, collaborate more actively, and build stronger connections with the content.
Testing and Using in the Classroom
Once the story is ready, test it with a small group of pupils. Observe how they interact with the choices and elements. Do they understand the instructions? Are they engaged? Are they learning what you intended?
In class, you can use the story in different ways depending on your objective. It can serve as an introduction to a new topic, a revision activity, or a springboard for discussion and creative tasks. After reading and interacting with the story, pupils can reflect on their choices, retell the story from a different point of view, or even draw a new ending.
Genially also allows you to embed quizzes or forms, which can be useful if you want to check comprehension or gather feedback.
Final Thoughts
Creating interactive stories may seem complex at first, but with platforms like Genially and support from projects like Enigmathico, it becomes a highly accessible and rewarding approach to teaching.
Start small, choose one clear objective and start your own adventure! With a bit of creativity, you’ll soon be offering your pupils unforgettable learning experiences, where they don’t just read the story, but live it.
