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Stories....You....Child....Imagination....

So what does story mean to you? Mean to a child?....What does a story need? ....

 Stories are how we convey our deepest emotions...
Stories connect to us in number of ways...

Emotionally, they bond us to others. 
At their best, stories are incredibly persuasive because they ‘speak to us’ at a very meaningful, emotional, and often unconscious level.

 Stories play a vital role in the growth and development of children.

 That's how we see there are loads and loads of awareness these days about the importance of stories, story telling, story tellers and every possible way that we could connect children and stories..Thanks to the efforts by one and all!!! 

 Also, one more aspect of stories is that - There is no need to have special place, timing, skill, theme or anything needed to connect to a child with a story...Isn't it???....Think about it....
And while you think....Here are a few simple ideas to try with the child on the go - 
(some of the ideas listed here are contributed by facilitators, some while working with children,some spontaneously made...Thanks to all of them :))
  1. Pick a story and tell the story in the form of singing…Remember whole story has to be in the same tune
  2. Pick an element from nature and centre an entire story around it…Example - How the twig and the cloud became fighter cocks…Add in humour, creativity & something totally offbeat that you and your child would surely enjoy!!!
  3. Create a story full of numbers…Where you have to add, substract…Warning - Don't make it the routine statement sums for your child…then you loose the fun ;)!!! Think think
  4. Mute a cartoon or a movie and create your own story giving in the dialogues to the characters and weave in your own story…Make it masaladhar, dhamadhar!!!
  5. Observe a group of people at a supermarket, coffee outlet. Observe their gestures and imagine what they are talking about and create a story. 
  6. Start each story with the letters of the alphabet – A= Are you going to office B= Boring, but yes I am and so on. 
  7. Use something (like clothes, junk, etc) to create characters & create story from that.
  8. Pick a story and interchange all the emotions and make it completely new..Like in monkey and the capseller - The capseller was full of energy so he slept & found himself totally excited & happy to see the monkeys wearing the hats.... ;)...
While the simple ones not only enhance Child's Imagination...they also help learning concepts + have fun!!! :)

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