My grandparents were master story tellers. I still remember most of the stories that I have heard from them, whether it is the story of Ganesha made by Parvati or toddler Krishna’s miracles or Ramayana stories. I was visualising how each of these characters looked and used to dream about how those people were and how they used to live.
I am sure all of you have had your similar experiences with your parents / relatives narrating stories and you must be fondly remembering those times.
How many such stories are reaching our kids today? How much time are we able to spend with them? How much story telling time are the grandparents able to give their loved ones today, especially getting the children to look away from their gadgets?
It is important rather mandatory for kids to have story time at the least before they go to sleep. Call them bed time stories or maintaining sleep log, incorporate this wonderful exercise into their routines. It will help them visualise, wonder, express, fantasise or even build their own characters. This is one of easiest ways to add creativity to their budding lives.
There are multiple ways of engaging them and I will give easiest ways to engage kids of different ages:
– Kindergarten:
A very impressionable age where they have limited vocabulary to speak. However, they can understand all that we speak. Read some simple story books or short stories and using a lot of expression just before they go to sleep. Usually, this would take about 10 minutes. They will understand the meaning of most of the words looking at your actions and the way you express them.
– Ages 6 to 10:
Children think that they are growing fast and love to talk big about everything they have heard. Engage them with stories that are generally read in about a week (you reading aloud daily) for about 15 minutes daily. At the end of the read, ask them to talk about one thing that they remember the most from today’s read. This will help them follow you better and you will definitely enjoy those conversations. You may give them time to create their own story and narrate it to you! Fairy tales and value based stories such as Jataka tales are recommended.
– Ages >10:
Children think that they know almost everything we know and engaging them in conversations at times can be tricky. Also, this is the age when they also become serious about their studies and subjects. However, they also need story times. You could buy them books mostly around fantasy and safe fiction. I have also seen pick up the habit of reading non-fiction during these times.
By
Chaya Talupuru
Coordinator Preparatory
