Tell Me A Tale

Something about storytelling just seems to resonate with children. Perhaps you have memories of cuddling close and looking at books together. Or, spending an afternoon sampling a story here, a story there at the library. Or, even making up special bedtime stories that feature your little one as the hero.

Noah's imagination, like that of many preschoolers, is coming alive. And with that increasing imagination comes many, many stories. In the video, you'll hear and see his storytelling skills as he tells us about his experience at the stingray pool in Gatlinburg. (In case, you're wondering--he didn't really fall in!)

I'm excited because I get to teach "Tell Me A Tale," the Kindermusik summer camp for children, ages 5 to 7. We had so much fun exploring the art of storytelling with stories from around the world, percussion and body rhythms, and lots of instruments and dancing last summer.

Storytelling is fun and has several benefits for children, including:

provides young students with models of story patterns, themes, characters, and incidents to help them in their own writing, oral language, and thinking; nurtures and encourages a sense of humor in children; helps put children's own words in perspective; increases knowledge and understanding of other places, races, and beliefs; and serve as the most painless way of teaching children to listen, to concentrate, and to follow the thread and logic of an argument.*

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For more storytelling:

Storytelling by Children

Storybook Online Network (A Storytelling Community for Children)

Children 1st

Storytelling for Oral Language Development

The Educational Benefits of the Art of Storytelling

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*Scott, Patricia. "Storytelling: A guide to the art," P.E.N. (Primary English Notes) 49, New South Wales, Australia: Primary English Teaching Association, 1985. 9pp. [ED 263 552]