Storytelling Stones

Storytelling can be scary - when I first began to tell stories from the top of my head, I thought I was not creative enough to be able to make up an interesting (and short) story.  At first I used Enid Blyton's "The Faraway Tree" to inspire me and to help me make up stories - and the kids were enchanted! I noticed the stories that I told, emerging in their play and in their drawings.

But I was still nervous about telling stories.

Then a few years later I went to a workshop with Storytelling Threads - and that was incredibly inspiring and taught me that it is ok to begin a story and not know how it is going to end.  Or what is going to happen.  We did exercises in pairs, where we each chose 5 items, and then built a story around it.  And part way through the story, you get to an "OH" point where suddenly you know what is happening or what the resolution will be.

I went home from that workshop and immediately started gathering things into a basket to take to school... fairies, fabrics, little knick knacks such as a fish shaped comb, a shell, a pebble, a fan.  The next day I took that basket to school, and sat down with a child who asked for a story, and began getting out items and making up a story.  Next minute I had 8 children gathered around me, all as quiet as mice, helping me to tell the story and coming up with ideas.  Then afterwards, they took it in turns to retell the story, using props, and even making up their own stories.  An hour went past and they were still telling stories.

Time and again I have seen 3-4 year old children engaged in listening to stories and telling stories for at least an hour or 2, all of their own free will. I never cease to be amazed by children's capacity for listening to stories and telling stories.  Rudolf Steiner talks about the spiritual and soul connection between the adult and the child when the adult tells a story from their own imagination, from their heart, and there is certainly some kind of magic that takes place when you tell a story (not read a story - there is a big difference between the two).

A while ago a colleague gave me some stones that she had collected from the river, in order to make story stones.  She had a wonderful book on storytelling (I think it was called The Story Sack?) that used hand drawn stones as one method to help tell stories.  The stones were already painted with white acrylic paint, and they had been sitting in my craft room for almost a year waiting for me to become inspired.  Yesterday I became inspired, I made a list of elements that might be incorporated into a story, and drew them onto the stones.  I used sharpies to draw and colour, and coated them in clear nail polish to protect them. Unfortunately the clear nail polish caused some of the pens to run, but I did my best to make them ok.

You do not need to be an artist to make things for children. Items do not need to be perfect. Children just appreciate the effort and the fact that you have made something for them.

 a key, a bird, a paw print, and a basket... What will the key open - a treasure chest, a door, a secret tunnel? Will the bird help you on your quest? What might be in the basket - food and drink to help quench your thirst on your journey, or a baby, or a map, a key, or treasure?

 a necklace, and a door... Who does the necklace belong to? Has it been stolen, lost, or found? Is it magic? What is behind the door - a dragon, a dwarf, a wicked witch, an angry giant, or a good fairy?

 a map

 a castle... who lives at the castle? Is it deserted? Does a dragon guard it? Or does a handsome prince live there?

 a forest and a bridge

 a crown

a well, and a storm.

Imagine the stories that you can create with a set of story stones. They are easy to make, and can be used in a variety of ways,  You might like to select 5 stones to tell a story.  Or you might like to put them into a feely bag, and have children take turns to pull out a stone as you tell the story. You then incorporate the stone into your story.  

Try to think of elements that are open ended, that are able to be used in a variety of ways, when deciding what to draw onto your story stones. Think of some classic childrens stories and common elements - eg a witch, a wolf, a princess, a swan, treasure, a forest, etc.

One thing I learnt from the workshop with Storytelling Threads, is that Three is a classic number when it comes to telling stories... The Three little pigs; Goldilocks and the Three bears; The three billy goats gruff; Three wishes; a quest that involves completing three tasks. Three is a soul-satisfying number when it comes to stories and resolutions.  Think of how to use the number three in your stories - three people that you meet on your journey; three tasks to complete; three items to find.

Story telling does not come easy to many people, including me. I might not be feeling particularly inspired on a particular day. I often have no idea what shape the story will take when I begin. Story telling requires taking risks. It requires a leap of faith that it will turn out ok.  And with children around you who are willing listeners and great imaginations, they will have ideas to share, so you are not on your own. And the results are amazing - so incredibly amazing. And like with all things, the more you do it, the more confident you become and the better you get.

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