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You are a storyteller (I promise)
Stories are what makes us human, they’re what connects us to one another. You may not think of yourself as a storyteller but the chances are you’ve already told a story (or two!) today. Maybe over breakfast with your children, as you caught up with a colleague on your way into work or video calling your bestie after a long week. We give updates on our lives, the latest gossip and our plans for the future. Our stories – those seemingly small threads of information make up who we are as people. And our ability to tell those stories well, or not, can determine how we are perceived and what we achieve in the wider world.
The backpack
We want the children in our care to grow up with brilliant conversation skills, because the ability to communicate with people from all walks of life is invaluable. It’s not about being the loudest in every room, but rather about being able to read a room and articulate thoughts clearly, and simply be part of a conversation.
Like many of the skills formed in the first five years, this skill is one that begins in the womb and is learnt from those around them. Monkey see, monkey do. Let’s imagine that the moment a child is born they have a backpack and in that backpack live all the words ever spoken to them. Without books in their world, children are likely to hear the same limited vocabulary on repeat because, let’s be honest we are creatures of habit and our routines exist within the precise culture and space in which we exist. With stories and books, children have the opportunity to hear words they may not otherwise get to hear. When is the last time you used the words ‘grumble and grouse’ to talk about being annoyed? It’s not part of most people’s everyday tongue, but when you read A Squash and a Squeeze those words are added to the child’s backpack.
Making it fun
Ultimately, if we want children to love books and enjoy stories we need to make sure they’re fun and engaging. That is the long and short of it. Not enough children associate books with fun or play. For many people they have become a task, a chore and a box to tick. Which is a complete travesty because first and foremost books should be FUN. If they’re not, it’s because they’re not being delivered in the right way. That’s where we come in.
I don’t know about you, but when I first began working with children I was barely an adult myself. I wanted to work with children because I could have fun with it, I didn’t have to take myself too seriously and they never fail to make me laugh. With the paperwork and mounting to do lists it’s easy to forget what brought us there in the first place. But it is crucial that we don’t forget to tap into our inner child when we are sat on the ground building, sipping imaginary tea or completing a jigsaw with little learners.
Building confidence
For many practitioners the biggest barrier to flamboyant group storytelling is confidence. But the small, quiet moments 1:1 with children offer up moments for gorgeous stories too. And this is the perfect place to start to build your confidence with reading or adding mime or silly voices. It’s not about perfectly polished performances or elaborate tuff tray set ups linked to a story. In fact, you don’t need any of that if you can explore a story with the children by just being present.
Things to focus on with storytelling
Don’t be afraid to break away from a book to discuss what you can see in the illustrations and try add descriptive language here – imagination is something that needs to be exercised and the more that we are encouraged to use it the easier it is to create images in our head.
When reading books with few words, don’t be afraid to reread a sentence. Children need time and space to take in what they are hearing but also what they are seeing. Do they have the time to make the link between the two?
What noises can you make to bring that story, those descriptions and illustrations to life? Hooting like an owl, creaking of a door or crunch of the ground underfoot. Again, be sure to repeat these and give them time to process (and copy if they wish)!
Books can be a hinderance if you don’t have the right books available. I can’t tell you exactly what will work for the children in your care because I don’t know their interests, but here are a few things to think about:
- Do the stories offer dynamic locations, characters and narratives?
- Do you enjoy reading the books available – if you don’t, they’ll be able to tell.
- Can the children see themselves reflected in the books?
- Do the books introduce a range of emotions?
Thinking about these things is a good place to start but ultimately, if a book offers you little to work with then you’re starting off on the back foot. The right book and some dynamic storytelling can completely shift a child’s relationship with reading.
The safety of stories
Stories offer children a unique opportunity to explore a world outside of their lived experience. They can build traps for the giant or ride on unicorns; problem solving, imagineering and critical thinking skills that all come from engaged listening and attention.
There is so much to be said about the safety stories offer us (and I could write a whole article on that), but let’s consider the emotions that children see reflected and labelled within stories. We know that young children struggle to understand and label their own emotions, and the more we hear, see and talk about the wide spectrum of emotions and what can cause them, the more we begin to understand them. Direct conversations about how we feel can be uncomfortable even for a confident adult, so using books as a way to work through our feelings is a no-brainer in early years. Children don’t naturally have the ability to empathise, in fact it is not a skill that is cemented until children are of school age – however the building blocks for empathy are readily available and books are a crucial part of how we understand other people.
Giving children the ability to communicate and the tools they need to begin understanding the complexity of being human are the greatest gifts we can give them. And you don’t need to buy anything fancy or rearrange your classroom or playroom at home – it’s completely free and you’ve got the tools already – yourself and your imagination!
Key takeaways
- Storytelling is a natural and powerful tool for communication, shaping how children understand and connect with the world around them.
- Early exposure to books expands children’s vocabulary and helps develop crucial conversation skills, which are foundational for effective communication.
- Stories offer a safe space for children to explore emotions, practice problem-solving, and develop empathy; these are skills that are crucial for emotional growth.
- Making reading fun and interactive is key to fostering a lifelong love of books and helping children engage deeply with stories.
Critical considerations
- Educators should reflect on how they can make stories more engaging and accessible
- Are the books you have enjoyable and inspiring for you as the adult as well as the children?
- Additionally, it’s important to focus on developing oracy and vocabulary, as early exposure to rich language and conversation helps build essential communication skills that will benefit children throughout their lives. Reflect on whether you are focusing on supporting children’s growing vocabulary and is there anything more that you could do in your practice?
Further reading
Edmiston, B. (2007). As is/As if worlds: Drama, learning, and imagination. New York: Routledge.
Aitken, V. (2013) Connecting curriculum, linking learning: Dorothy Heathcote’s Mantle of the Expert Approach to Teaching and Learning: A Brief Introduction. Wellington: NZCER Press.
Day, L. (2002) “Putting Yourself in Other People’s Shoes”: The Use of Forum Theatre to Explore Refugee and Homeless Issues in Schools’, Journal of Moral Education, 31(1), pp. 21–34.
EmpathyLab (2024) Research. Available at: https://www.empathylab.uk/research (Accessed: 18 December 2024).
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