Stories without books
Kids love stories… at bedtime, on the couch, under a tree, on their own, with their siblings or curled up in your lap. Stories spark their imagination, help them learn about language, explore the world beyond their backyard and allow them to share special moments with YOU.
You probably have a whole stack of picture story books at your house. Or visit the library each week to discover a new treasure. But of course, you don’t need a book to enjoy a story with your little one. Here are two of my favourite ways to enjoy a story WITHOUT a book:
1. Create your own adventure
Make up your own story featuring your little one as the main character. Kids LOVE listening to stories about themselves and about their friends, family, pets and neighbourhood. Don’t panic if you lack imagination. Just take a favourite fairy tale or picture story book and tweak the details!
Try tweaking Goldilocks:
Once upon a time there lived a little girl called Amy. One day as she was walking in the forest, she saw the cutest little cottage you ever could imagine. Amy ran to the cottage with delight and peered through the window. And what do you think she saw? Three bowls of porridge sitting on the table…
Or Who Sank the Boat by Pamela Allen:
Beside the sea, at Granny’s place, there lived a black labrador named Chewy, a tortoiseshell cat named Polly, a chook named Bluebell and a little tiny mouse. They were good friends and one sunny morning they decided to go for a row on the bay. Do YOU know who sank the boat?
2. Sing a story
Songs tell the most captivating stories - tragedies, love stories, comedies, happy endings and not-so-happy endings - they have it all!
Listen to a recording together or better still, sing it yourself.
Here are a few favourites SongTales from MY childhood:
So next time your child asks for a story, why not try telling them a story WITHOUT a book?
