Once Upon a Story . . .

Storytelling is such a magical activity for children. It's an opportunity to create a space for meaningful connection. Storytelling asks of the teller the qualities of sharing, focus, warmth, and presence. No wonder this activity is so nourishing for children, and for us all! For the youngest the capacity to follow a story and visualizing the images is still in development, so a visual support can be very helpful in order to ground the experience for them. All it takes is just a simple finger puppet to captivate the imagination of a small child during a song or story. 

I pulled this little goat out of a pocket in my story apron while sharing a short story poem about the animals and flowers waking up in the morning.

Storytelling is the natural foundation of literacy--it is the origin of every book we read. And what a precious gift to offer, the gift of presence as you share a story learned by heart, a moment from your childhood, or a simple tale created on the spot. The trickiest part of storytelling comes at the outset, when learning how to allow the story to 'tell itself'. I remember feeling so self-conscious as I fumbled through telling a spontaneous story to a group of little ones in my home nursery. But the little ones just waited patiently and didn't mind the stumbles at all! Each time I told a story it became a little easier.

Wondering how to feel more confident in your ability to share a story in the moment or one by heart? 

Below is an audio link to story telling tips, recorded for an online homeschooling group that I hope you find helpful. I'd love to hear your experiences with storytelling!   
The Art of Storytelling for Children audio link

Squirrel Nutkin Autumn Fun

"Squirrel Nutkin has a coat of brown,
Quite the loveliest in woodland town.
Two bright eyes look 'round to see,
Where the sweetest nuts might be!"

Create an acorn bean bag! Here's how . . .  

Fun games to play with an acorn bean bag . . .
For one or several children:
Tuck away indoors or outdoors so that only a small piece is showing and have a hunt for it!
For a circle of children:
As a group, sit the class in a circle, with hands outstretched behind their backs. One child will be the "squirrel", and drop the acorn into the waiting hands of one of the children. The child who gets the acorn will run to catch the "squirrel" as the "squirrel" runs back to their place in the circle.

Use the template above to create an acorn bean bag!
Materials:
brown felt for acorn body
gray felt for acorn cap
brown and gray embroidery floss
dried lentils for stuffing

BODY
Cut two of the acorn body--cut the tops of the acorn pattern a 1/2" higher than template.
Sew pieces together with a blanket stitch, leaving the top open.
Stuff acorn body with lentils, then sew the top closed.
CAP
Sew the top of the cap together with a blanket stitch next place over the top of the sewn acorn body and sew to the body one side at a time.