3 Fun Ways to Bring Storytelling to Life and Bring a Family Together

Studies have shown that children don't always make basic social connections; especially if they are seeing image after image in rapid speed on a screen. It is difficult to take video game maneuvers and translate them to actual interactions on the playground. Children lacking this skill fall short when it comes to story comprehension. The disconnect can stem from playing video games or absorbing hours of TV, true. But there is also so much emphasis put on reading in schools, that education can drain the life out of experiencing a story. Reading becomes laborious for our youngsters because it is more about correctly identifying the words instead of hearing the language and creating the sequence of images in their heads.

We depend greatly on our eyes to "see" the story. We don't need radio voices to strike terror like Orson Wells' "War of the Worlds." And campfires play the over-told-too-old soundtracks of ghost tales and urban legends. The oral tradition of storytelling hasn't died completely, but it isn't at its healthiest either. Yet, it has been an integral part of our existence; our history as human beings. In order to breathe life back into the dieing art, it would take people, families particularly, to practice telling a tale to one another. Its fun once you get the hang of it. Make those dried up old fable new again or make up one completely from scratch with a few minor alterations and embellishments. Here are just three tricks to create a Friday night activity into something different for everyone. And remember, they're not just entertaining but they also encourage children to build their language and reading skills. So what's the harm? Sounds like a happy ending after all.

1. Warming up. Speaking out loud whether for complete strangers or just for Aunt Bess whose house you visit every weekend, can be a little nerve wrecking. Try this game to get the juices flowing. Give your child a sentence without any description words. For example, "The woman lived in a house." Ask your child/ren to add adjectives and descriptive phrases to give it a different feel. Maybe you'll get something like, "The mysterious woman lived in a broken down house on top of the wooded hill." The objective is to get them to learn improvisation which will come in handy later on in their storytelling.

2. Create a picture book. This is a project for a parent and child to do together. It may be a little entailed but its worth it in the end. Give your child a disposable camera and have them "document" their day out. Later print out the pictures and create a book putting them in order. You can glue them to the paper and bind the paper together but don't add text/words. Let your child do the narrating using the book to guide them. Their story may change each time or stay the same. Creativity and consistency are both a good thing to develop in storytelling.

3. Change it up! Stories change being passed down from generation to generation. This is a good exercise on a night with a lot of dinner guests. Take a story, fairytale or folktale that is universally known (Aesop's Fables are good to start with). Sit in a circle so you can make eye contact. Then, one person begins telling the tale giving each person a chance to tell a part of the story. Start with the oldest or the youngest. Either way, you're going to come up a very different variation than the one you came to know.

Storytelling is simply telling a story in front of a group without the use of a book or other forms of the written word. It is narrative using imagery and is often accompanied with expressions, sounds and movement to create a web of ideas and events that engages the audience. Stories have been shared in every culture as a means of entertainment, education, and cultural preservation to help instill moral values.

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