When the next idea does not arrive
Make the question smaller, not the child's imagination.
“What happens next?” can feel enormous. A good helper question points at one existing detail and asks the child to change, challenge, or reinterpret it.
Begin with what is already visible
Ask the child to point at something on the last page. What does that character not know? Which object could cause trouble? What sound might come from outside the picture? Existing details reduce the pressure to invent a whole new world.
Offer a constraint, not an outcome
A constraint can be, “The easy plan cannot work,” or, “Two characters want different things.” It creates a shape for thinking while leaving every actual event undecided. Avoid choices such as “Should the dragon fly away, apologize, or find treasure?” because each option already contains the plot.
Know when to stop helping
As soon as the child begins explaining, stop adding questions. Capture the idea in their words, even if it is incomplete or changes direction halfway through. Momentum is more valuable than polishing the sentence before the page exists.