Telling to a Pre-School Age Audience
Tips By Asia Starr (Mama Starr)
Preschoolers listen with their whole body. Children who want to participate with you find opportunities in your story to highlight each of their senses and become a part of the story.
Here are some examples of ways you can add the senses to your stories.
Smell - “Do you remember A time you smelled something gross? What kind of face did you make? (make a face with them). When the rabbit came into the room, he smelt something gross and yucky, and he made that exact face.”
Taste - Taste is like smell. Have them imagine a time they were eating something sweet, sour, their favorite meal etc. and have them make faces with you.
Touch - Mime is a wonderful storytelling tool and kids pick up on how to pretend very fast. “If you had a rabbit in your lap, how would you pet it? Can you show me? (Pretend to pet a rabbit) Rabbit is soft and fluffy. If I had a rabbit I would pet it all day.”
Hear - Make moments the kids can make sounds with you. “Then the rabbit heard a sound: “Awhooo,” Then Rabbit heard again but louder. Will you help me with the sound? (Gesture with your hands for the children to howl along) “Awhooooooo.”
Rhythm making with hands and feet also is a great way to get them involved.
Sight - As you tell you can pretend and mime the objects and places in the story. If you pretend to look at it the kids will also imagine it with you. Visual aids are also fantastic. If you have a visual aid, make sure when it is out that it is being used otherwise put it away. An interesting object sitting next to you not in use will speak louder than you and will lose the kids focus.
Remember: Have fun. Storytelling is a form of play.
Extra tip: Make sure to define words that might be foreign to them (even as simple as “A
Raven is a big black bird”)
Comments