My father would start a story in an interesting way and weave the story up to its climax. Whichever scene was at the climax, he would continue with a sound on and on. For instance, “The king is riding on the horse clop, clop, clop, clop… (the hollow sound of the horse’s hoof striking the ground). The king will ride on the horse for 24 hours from now. To be continued…” He would then continue the story the next night. As a child, I always wondered 🤔 what would happen next. This wonder kept me charged for the next story session.
Interested to learn Intuition Process
When I look back, this way of story narration is intriguing. Isn’t it? There are many other ways to tell stories to kids. But have you ever wondered what could be the purpose of storytelling? I was surprised that storytelling has also been a research topic.
Why is storytelling important for kids?
Research shows that storytelling can build a sense of community, enhance knowledge and memory, support early literacy, promote brain development and expand creativity in your kids. It develops their emotions and strengthens relationships.
How can stories add value to kids’ education?
It is highly effective for the education of young children. Storytelling facilitates learning, as stories are easy to recall. Learning from a well-told story is remembered more accurately and for a longer time than learning derived from facts and figures.
What are the ways to become a good storyteller?
Do you want to become an expert in storytelling to keep your child engaged and entertained? Here are some tips you should focus on to help you be a good storyteller for your kids.
The sitting arrangement of your audience
Your children should sit in front of you not far away. The sitting arrangement is a vital element to attract them to your story. The emotions you depict in the story should reach them such that they can feel the characters through your body language.
Become a magnet: Choose your plot
Narrative art or storytelling starts with the emergence of a new element, character, or setting/plot of the story. Whatever you may initiate has to be magnetic to attract the mind of your child.
Visualize your story characters and hero
Keep visualizing your story while narrating it. Your power-packed words of emotions, like valor, admiration, anger, confusion, craving, jealousy, fear, boredom and pain can bring life to your story characters.
Identify the common threads
Food is a common thing between you and your children. In a similar vein, identify more common threads to establish a connection between your story characters and your children. This connection will be like a magnetic field to keep them glued to your story.
Be careful with the closure of the story
A firm close will be remembered for long rather than a rambling end. The moral of the story is good to learn. But don't always try too hard to pull out a moral. A story bereft of morals can still be fun for the kids.
Don’t forget to
Establish a connection with your children, the character, or the situations involved in the story.
Bring a spark of energy to your story with your voice modulation.
Simple stories are strong stories. Let your children reach the conclusions you want them to.
Allow your kids to ask in-between questions. It promotes the magnetic effect with the story characters.
Some story ideas.
Stories about your childhood, school days, friends and siblings
Stories about your child as an infant and toddler
Through videos
Through structured pictures or random pictures
Through random objects
Through storybooks for kids
Ask your kid to complete your repetitive stories
Ask your kid to twine two or three stories to form another story
Play storytelling games
Imagine your own story
In case we are locked at home for 20 days!
Inspirational stories
Let your imagination fly, like “how would life be different if I were an ant!”
Summation
Remember, storytelling is your opportunity to showcase your world through your eyes in front of your children.
When I got pissed off due to some nasty behavior of my daughter, I wove it into the story so that she could realize her wrong-doings and correct them through suggested ways.
Inspired by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s wisdom talks
Written by: Pratibha Sharma
Reference link
Storytelling - The seeds of children’s creativity - Research Gate
Related link
“Story-time” is a collection of short moral stories for kids by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
FAQs on Parenting
- More the practice, the better will be the storyteller.
- Make your kid practice in front of you, your family and their friends.
- Let them choose the story they connect with best.
- Tell them to use a puppet for attraction.
- Ask them to practice their expressions and voice modulation.
- Tell them to enjoy the narrative art.
When Abhimanyu in Subhadra’s womb could listen to the art of entering a Chakravyuha, I feel parents-to-be could start storytelling when the baby is still in the womb. If you wish to see your child reciprocate your story, then kids between 1-5 years of age respond well to stories with sounds, actions and facial expressions.
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