Young children have little difficulty in creating imaginary worlds inhabited by fantastic creatures. Their play often reaches into the realm of make-believe whereby they improvise situations. Playing shop, mother and father, or doctor are examples of children's ability to try out adult roles and behaviors in a safe context. At school, it seems that there is little time given to imaginative play and oral storytelling by children, as the emphasis is on attaining literacy skills. Consequently, the stories children tell at school are largely written. But written stories at this age often lack fluency, vivid descriptions, and enriched vocabulary. Teachers and parents need to remind themselves that they are preparing children for a world that requires both written and oral skills. For children to tell their stories they need strategies that will help them focus on the development of memory and language skills. Some exercises might focus on "storyscapes," which deal with the significant role that setting plays in the telling of stories, especially fairy tales and other tales of the imagination. An examination of the basic elements of setting--mountains, water, towers and castles, woods, forests and trees--is helpful to children in stimulating their imaginations. Exercises and activities on story setting should be given time and space in the classroom. (TB)