Storybooks are great for vocabulary development. Reading stories encourages your child’s imagination and helps them learn about the world around him. From going to a new school to going for the doctor’s appointment, we prepared our minion for all the big or small events/change by telling her many stories a million times in different ways. Reading a book is also a great time for you to bond with your child and share time together.
Storytelling is not for sitting quietly, it’s for bringing stories to life in a whole new way. We have grown up on stories narrated to us by our grandparents or parents. I still remember all the stories with its lessons and I am sure I am going to pass this treasure to me little one too.
Here are a few tricks you can use to make the storytelling time super fun:
Make sure to be the story:
I know too philosophical but try and use your whole body when you tell them stories. They will be more inclined to listen if they see you enjoying it too. Encourage your child to use her finger to trace the words while you read them.
Use hand puppets/masks:
Just a few cutouts of animals from any book/magazine (paste it on a stick so it’s easy to hold) works too. Use your hands when you read. Follow the words in a storybook with your fingers so young children begin to understand that reading goes from left to right and from top to bottom in English.
Modulation of voice helps:
Mine gets a laughter attack every time I try to sound like an elephant though she is good at imitating as well. Changing your voice and expression for different characters can also be fun.
Involve them in the story and let the imagination flow:
Last night a zebra went for shopping and bought a donut in our story. Sing repetitive phrases and words together. If your child can’t read words yet, encourage your child to tell you a story based on the pictures in a storybook.
Use of a different language can make it more fun too:
It is a great way to familiarize your kid with another language. I am not fluent in Kumaoni but I try to teach whatever little I know because I want her to love the language I grew up listening (mostly the scolding part because maa used it the most when guests were at our place so no one could understand apart from us.
It is okay if your story is not going as per the book, let the new mini writer write it the way they want to and open the world of imagination for them. Make a routine, and try to share at least one book every day. Sharing a book can be a nice way to start and finish the day. A comfortable and favorite reading place can be part of the routine too.
Let your child choose books. Be prepared to read favorite books over and over again!
This post has been written as part of the #BlognBookswithus Blog Train hosted by Kapila from Every Little Thing: Happiness and Kavita from the Momtastic World. You can read my previous blog on this blog train here. We are posting about books on our blogs. So hop on and enjoy reading these wonderful posts.
This is a great article… Reading is the best way to teach and developed the child’s brain
I completely agree. Storytelling is powerful. Reading aloud is something every parent ‘must do’ for their children right from a very young age. Here is my post on benefits of reading aloud to children. Hope you like it.
https://www.mommysmagazine.com/2019/02/reading-aloud-children-7-powerful-benefits/
Loved the point of be the story! I have found when I am telling a story, I often use my hands and face a lot.
Thanks for these great tips. It was fun reading your post.
This is such a wonderful piece of article. A lot of parents will benefit because storytelling is all about being interactive and some may tend to miss the point. Good read,.
I guess all parents eventually turn into storytellers when kids are around. I have made up story from cup to spoon to the broom…haha.
Completely agree with your inputs for being a good story teller.
These tips are nice to make story telling interesting for kids. I emphasise on voice and puppets when narrating to my nephew.
While reading we try to do variations with voice modulation, facial expression, and body language. Story sessions become a theatre for us. Love your tips.
Wow! Great tips for storytelling. I guess you are a good storyteller. Thanks for sharing dear? kids enjoy voice modulation the most.
If you have a kid then you have to be a good story teller!! 🙂 I love the tips you shared. These are really helpful.
Story telling is an art and it’s fun too how we narrate it…I used hand puppets so many times and even shadow hand puppets…it’s fun
Storytelling is an art which not many are born with. However, your tips are helpful and can be used to make it it a fun experience with kids.
I read stories to my lil cousin sometimes. Next time while reading i am going to try out the hand puppets tip! 😀
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Some fun ways you have mentioned.. I too use voice modulation when I read to my kids.. I’d love to try the use of a different language to make it more fun like you mentioned..
Great post, I am good at story telling and have been doing it as a kid at professional level.
I so loved your post buddy, you have given the right pointers to enhance the story telling experience
These are some pretty interesting and cool ideas to develop and nurture the love of books in kids. Voice modulation and involving the kids certainly engage them better. Your post reminded me of laughing like a monster or commanding like a king or squeaking like a little bird when I used to narrate stories to my son, years ago 😀
Hand puppets, voice modulations, expressions all multiply the fun of story telling . Me and Arham often engage in such session’s at home and love it together.
Storytelling, book reading is an integral part of child’s development. Using proper props, using different ways to make the story time interesting is very important to develop the love and interest for books among kids.
Hey these are great tips. I used to modulate my voice when I tell stories to my kids and they loved it.
I tried voice modulation that is pathetic with me.. I always explain the story to my son in my mother tongue because he relates to it the most
These are some great tips. Thank you so much for sharing. We live our story sessions too