Grandpa’s Storytelling Stories: Storytelling Tips for Grandparents.
Grandparenting creates a special and unique bond with your grandchildren, whether these children are your own family or now part of your “adopted family.” Storytelling can play a part of this bonding process while you will be easily passing on family values. Storytelling can also improve the reading and math skills of children.
Although reading books is an important thing we adults do with children, there is a great power in learning “storytelling,” too. By this, I mean putting down the storybooks and telling, from your own mind and heart, stories to children.
This real storytelling allows you to look your grandchild in the eye, use a full range of gestures and allow the child to become a co-creator of the storytelling experience.
Here are three steps to getting started.
1. Remember Stories You Loved Or Find Some New Stories
No, not everyone has memories of hearing stories as a child. But- if you think deeply about it- you might be able to recall stories you were told. The Internet is a huge resource for storytelling. A website such as Aesopfables.com will offer many short stories. Taking a browse through that site might also trigger memories of stories you were told. If you’d like a free story to start you off, please click on the little mouse on the front page of my www.daddyteller.com
2. Break the Story Into Parts and Pieces.
The roadblock I hear the most is, “I can’t memorize anything!” Rather than memorize the story, break it into pieces. Then, when you retell the story, see the pieces in your head and describe those scenes one by one. A storyteller creates images in the mind of their listener.
3. Use your body to tell the story.
Don’t be shy! Look the child in the eye while you are telling your stories. Use gestures to indicate the ups, downs and over-there’s of the tale. Speak like a quiet, little mouse or a loud, huge elephant. Play with the story you are telling. It’s fun and it encourages the child to go deeper into their own imagination- creating new thoughts, ideas and possibilities for learning.
There is wonder and excitement waiting in good storytelling. Minds are set free, new brain links develop and ideas are created with good storytelling.
And- your grandkids might get something out of it, too.
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Sean Buvala is a full-time national storyteller and has been so for 25 years. He is the author of the book, “DaddyTeller: How to be a Hero to Your Kid,” where he teaches fathers and grandfathers how to influence their children with book-down storytelling. Moms and grandmothers are welcome to come learn, too. You can visit his site for free stories and videos at http://www.daddyteller.com .
