When I was growing up, words played an important part of my life. My father was in the military and we lived and traveled worldwide. For much of my childhood, I didn't have access to "American" TV, which forced my brother and I into the world of imagination and invention. Stories and creative play were a big part of our lives. Those years abroad taught us the importance of our own language. Now, playing with words is one of my favorite past times. You will often catch me stretching language to its limits with my children (a preschooler and a teenager). I hope that you and your child will play with words through storytelling, reading out loud, word games, and travel games. Nuf Evah! (That’s backwards language for "Have fun!")

• Once Upon a Storytime article
• Parent/Child Activities (Ages 3-8)
• Parent/Child Activities (Ages 9-12)
• Word Play Travel Games
• Resources

Once Upon a Storytime – Storytelling for Parents
By Dianne de Las Casas

"Once there was a little girl going to bed.
She asked her mother to tell her a story and this is what her mother said…

"Once there was a little girl going to bed.
She asked her mother to tell her a story and this is what her mother said…

"Once there was…"

This was the opening bedtime ritual for my 9 year old daughter, Soleil, and I – the never-ending story. It was a story I made up to get her to giggle her way to dreams. What followed was always different each night - a tale of heroics or adventure, a fable or a fairytale, a silly song, a childhood memory, or the continuing adventures of a princess named… you guessed it – Soleil.

It didn’t matter what story I told. Bedtime storytime was a special moment for us as parent and child. It gave us the opportunity to share, bond, and laugh together. It also set the foundation for appreciation of literature, character education, and learning.

Why Should Parents Tell Stories?

• Foundation of Language – Children first learn to communicate by listening. Their recognition of sounds and reading comprehension is dependent on their mastery of oral language. Storytelling hones listening skills and helps in building a foundation of language by introducing new sounds and vocabulary to young ears.

• Literacy – Children who are exposed to oral language learn to appreciate it. Their understanding of language filters into their ability to learn how to read. Listening to storytelling also fosters an appreciation of literature and motivates children to read by getting them excited about stories.

• Imagination– Our world is shaped by imagination. Creative thinking has written books, constructed buildings, manufactured airplanes, and invented life’s necessities. Storytelling inspires creativity and allows children to explore their own imaginations by allowing them to create their own scenes and characters in their heads.

• Values – Age old stories contain nuggets of wisdom and pieces of advice that we can pass on to our children without being condescending or "preachy." In fact, stories often contain many "morals. Aesop’s Fables, for example, contain numerous lessons of character values.

• Cognitive Development – Children can engage their critical thinking skills by processing solutions to the conflicts that are present in stories. Because stories present events in order, it is easier for children to process and retain the information contained in stories. This natural sequencing allows children to develop their memories.

• Emotional Development – Listening to a story can allow a child to vicariously encounter frightening or difficult situations and process their fears in a safe environment. Stories often contain heroes or heroines that can serve as models for children in overcoming adversity.

• Family Legacy – Storytelling allows parents to share a piece of their family history, leaving with their children a legacy of memories and a sense of identity.

• Together Time – Most importantly, the intimate connection between a parent and a child can be found through story sharing. Storytelling with your child is a special time, a time when all your attention is focused solely on your child. Whether you are telling a folktale, reliving a family drama, or making up a bedtime tale, your child will have special memories of your together time.

Tips for Telling Stories to Your Children

1.  Start Small – Start with a short story, nursery rhyme, finger play, or story song. Add one to your nightly bedtime routine and when you build your confidence, begin adding other short pieces. Soon, you will have a repertoire of stories at your disposal.

2.  Share Childhood Stories – Share stories that you remember as a child. Think back to when you were little. Did you have a favorite story or song? Recreate that memory and share it with your child.

3.  Share Childhood Memories – Do you remember the first time you rode your bike? Your most embarrassing moment as a kid? Your first day at school? A time when you were afraid? Stories shaped from our childhood experiences are not only easy to relate, they serve as a connection between you and your child, showing them that you were once a kid and had the same dreams, fears, pain, and joy as they do.

4.  Learning a Story – Don’t try to memorize a story word for word. Learn a story by studying the outline of the story. Once you know the basic plot, build the details around it. In this way, each telling is shaped by the moment – no two tellings will be alike and that’s okay. That’s storytelling.

5.  Elaborate and Exaggerate – Have fun with the story and elaborate with dramatic facial expressions. Imagine how a giant would look versus a proper princess. Exaggerate the characters by using different character voices. A big bear would have a deep voice while a little mouse would have a tiny, squeaky voice.

6.  Take the Time – Learning to tell a story may take some time. Take the time and spend your “rehearsals” with your child. You and your child will be the better for it.

7.  When to Tell – Opportunities for telling a story are at bedtime, during car drives, when the kids are bored or fussy, at family gatherings, in the doctor or dentist’s office, in the line at the grocery store, at meal time, whenever there is a spare moment. Basically, any time is storytime.

8.  Tell from the Heart – Most of all, remember that your child loves you and will cherish the moment. Let go of your inhibitions and tell from the heart. Your storytelling does not have to be perfect, it just has to be you.

"This is a story about my friend Morey
And now my story's begun
This is another about his brother
And now my story's done."
-- Mother Goose

Parent/Child Activities (Ages 3-8)

These activities are for parents and children to do together. Our children’s foundation of language begins at home it’s up to us as parents to model literacy for our children.

Read Aloud
Reading aloud with your child is one of the most special moments you can share together. In addition to role modeling, you will be remembered for taking the time out of your busy day to spend a few minutes reading with them. As your child grows older, your good habits become theirs.

Kids Read Aloud
Even children as young as three “read aloud.” They narrate scenes from stories you have read to them. While this is not reading per se, it certainly is a precursor to reading and should be encouraged. When your child has a little more schooling and begins to read on their own, encourage them to read aloud to you. They will delight in being able to tell you a story.

Fridge Magnets
Remember those ABC magnets you used to play with as a child? You can find them at any discount, “Mart,” or dollar store for around $1. Place them on the refrigerator low enough that your child can reach them. If your child is small, encourage interaction with the letters so that can begin to familiarize themselves with the letters and sounds. If your child is older, use the letters as a message board, spelling out simple phrases he/she can look forward to reading each day. “Go for it!” would be a great way to start the day.

Flashcards
You can buy ABC flashcards at any store but why not make your own? Use a pack of 3X5 index cards and draw simple pictures that correspond with the letters. “A” is for "Apple." Don’t worry about your drawing skills. If you draw the pictures and your child colors them, the team project will be such a hit that your child will overlook your stick figures.

Read Signs
As children become more literate, encourage them to read what’s around them. Signs are great place to start. In addition to encouraging their reading skills, you will also inadvertently be teaching rules such as "Slow – School Zone" and "Check Cashing Policy." When my oldest daughter was five years old, she wowed Office Depot workers by reading their entire “Return Policy” out loud. The whole store erupted in applause for her. She was just doing what she always did – read aloud!

Back to Top

Parent/Child Activities (Ages 9-12)

While our children are getting older, this is the time to embrace their capacity for learning and language. Developmentally, they are able to comprehend so much more and enjoy being challenged. These activities will allow them to think creatively and rise to the challenge.

Read Aloud
Continue reading out loud to your child. While they may no longer sit in your lap for a story time, you can still read aloud to them by highlighting interesting passages of material you are reading. "Katie, did you know that Jennifer Lopez was abducted by aliens? Here listen to this…"

Kids Read Aloud
When children reach 4th grade, their desire to read out loud diminishes. Continue to encourage them read out loud by asking them to read about things that interest them. If your son is reading a book about insects, ask him about the book. Encourage him read you a passage. If your preteen daughter is reading about Britney Spears, ask her to read about some mystery fact that you didn’t know about Britney. The point is to get them to communicate and listen to language.

Fridge Poetry
There are many kits available on the market for refrigerator poetry. You can have fun with your child by creating your own. All you need is some blank paper, a stack of magazines, and sticky back flexible magnets. Cut out interesting words and attach a magnet to the back. Use the blank paper to create articles (the, a, an) and other words necessary for the formation of sentences. The magazines are a great source for creative adjectives and nouns. Arrange a new poem everyday. The results are hilarious.

Language Invention
I like to play this game with my teen and her friends. When they come over for a party, we play language invention. Each person in responsible for creating a word and its accompanying definition. Then, throughout the night, I challenge them to use their words as frequently as possible. "Frever" means "friends forever" and the girls still use the term such as at the end of an email. Frever, Dianne

Journaling
My oldest daughter traveled with me over the summer and I encouraged her to journal. We went to a bookstore with an unending supply of journals and she picked one she really liked. At the end of the week, she journaled highlights of that week’s events. She read some of it out loud and I was amazed at her eye for detail and her penchant for writing. Journaling doesn’t have to be reserved for travel, you can journal any time anywhere. What is now a journal was once a diary. To encourage journaling, read passages from famous journals/diaries such as "The Diary of Anne Frank."

Scrapbooking
Scrapbooking has enjoyed a renaissance, with companies emerging devoted solely to the almost lost art. Scrapbooking is a good way to preserve the past but it also teaches kids to cherish their memories. Like journaling, scrapbooking is a good way to tell the story of one's life. Important people and events are highlighted in fun, bright and colorful pages. Kid-friendly scrapbook kits are out there. Have a scrapbooking party and invite your child’s friends to cherish their memories.

Pen Pals
I have always enjoyed the art of the letter. There's nothing like getting a hand-addressed letter in the mail with a handwritten note inside. With the advent of word processing and email, handwriting a letter has almost become a thing of the past. Introduce your child to the art of letter and note writing by encouraging a snail mail pen pal.

Limericks
Limericks are some of the most fun poetry I have come across. I was introduced to limericks in the fourth grade and my friends and I would make up new ones every day. Limericks have been around for hundreds of years and are a form of humorous verse. They often begin with "There was a…" or "There once was a…" and end with a humorous punch line. The first two lines rhyme with each other, the second two lines rhyme with each other, and the third line rhymes with the first two lines. Here is an example:

There once was a lady named May
All she did was feed cats all day
They came by the dozens
Each one brought their cousins
Now the neighbors want May moved away!

Haiku
Haiku is the beautiful, simple poetry of Japan that began in the late 19th century. Traditional haiku follows the form of three metrical lines, first line – 5 syllables, second line – 7 syllables, third line – 5 syllables. Haiku does not rhyme. Much haiku centers on every day events. Try it with your children.

Orange tufts of cloud
Nectarine sinks below earth
Quiet, mocha night

Caterpillar creeps
Winding his way on branches
Sleeps until change comes

Decoders
Secret codes. Spies. The world of James Bond. Kids love solving mysteries. I once sent out a birthday invitation completely in code. Of course, I included the key so that the invitation could be decoded. The kids loved it! Create a coded note and put it in your child’s lunch. Be sure to include the key. Have them create a code. Try the one below.

ZIV CLF SZERMG UFM CVG?

Word Play Travel Games

Long trips can be even longer when no one agrees on what kind of music to listen to, siblings argue over how much space they have, and it just seems to take forever to “get there.” I like to use time in the car to engage my children’s minds in word play. Here are a few of our favorite games.

Rhyme Time
This is simple and even my three year old is starting to participate. We usually play rapid fire, giving each person about three seconds to come up with a response. A word is spoken out loud, for example, “Train.” Everyone playing has to come up with a rhyming word and no words can be repeated. We get creative using words like “refrain” and “explain” to rhyme with “train.” If a person cannot think of a word by the end of the time allotted or if a word is repeated, that player is out. The last player “standing” wins. This one is fun!

License Plate Bingo
The fifty states are put in random order on a sheet of paper in a bingo pattern. I usually use a blank grid like the one below and have everyone fill in their states. There are 25 squares. Having an incentive like small goody as a prize. As cars pass by, players mark their squares off. The first one to make five across, up & down, or diagonally wins.

AL	PA	CA	LA	CO
NM	NY	GA	FL	AR
ND	WA	SC	MA	TX
OR	RI	SD	NC	TN
MN	MI	KY	VA	WV

ABC Game
This is one of my favorites because even the driver, if careful, can play. Reading signs that you drive by, you must call out letters starting with “A” and ending with “Z.” For example, “A” as in “Wal-Mart.” “Z” as in “School Zone!” All players must have seen the sign for the letter to qualify. This game goes at a rapid pace, especially in a populated area with lots of signs and billboards. Hard letters are J, Q, V, X, Y, and Z. Sometimes, a player who is ahead can fall behind because of a difficult letter. We also allow license plates to count. Talk about reading comprehension!

Homophones/Homonyms/Synonyms/Antonyms
We play this much like Rhyme Time. Homophones are words that sound the same but have different meaning such as “bear” and “bare.” Homonyms are words that are spelled the same but have different meanings such as “tire” as in “I need to fill the tire on my bike with air” and “tire” as in “I tire easily. I need a nap.” Synonyms are words that have similar meanings such as “ghost” and “spook.” Antonyms are words that have opposite meanings like “Up/Down,” “Front/Back,” etc. It’s fun and it really forces you to think.

Inside Out Language
"Out Inside Language an example this is." Or in other words, "This is an example of inside out language." We mix up words and talk to each other that way. This often causes us to erupt in hilarious fits of laughter as things sometimes come out rather twisted. Jon Spelman, a fantastic storyteller, told a story this way at the National Storytelling Festival http://www.jonspelman.org Can too do it you!

Back to Top