Good Stories for Telling Children
A well-told story entertains the audience and stretches young imaginations. You don't have to be a professional storyteller to impress your children or classroom. The right formula for the best storytelling experience is an animated storyteller and the right story. Some things you might consider when selecting a story are length, content and rhythm.
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Goldilocks and the Three Bears
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This traditional story is suspenseful and familiar. Use a hard copy of this book if you don't know it by heart. In the story, a curious girl named Goldilocks invades the home of a family of bears. She eats their lunch, breaks some furniture and finally naps in their beds. When the three bears, Mama Bear, Papa Bear and Baby Bear return to their home, they find the sleeping Goldilocks in their bed. Surprised by the bear's family presence, Goldilocks jumps up from bed and safely runs away.
This story is fun for storytelling because of the different voices you can give characters and the suspense it builds. Use descriptive language to make the listening children feel as if they too are in the bears' home with Goldilocks. As you sit and tell your story, use arm and leg movements to express creeping and running in the story. The most familiar line of this story is "It was just right." Keep your children involved in the story by encouraging them to say that line with you.
The Three Little Pigs
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The Three Little Pigs story resonates with children because it deals with victory over bullies. This story is about three little pigs who are harassed by the Big Bad Wolf. Each pig builds his own little house to live in, one of straw, one of sticks, another of brick.
The Big Bad Wolf pays a visit to each pig, demanding entrance into the home. The most popular line of this story is "I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house down." Because of their poor building material choices, the first two pigs see their home blown away by the wolf. They narrowly escape becoming the wolf's lunch and take shelter in the brick home belonging to the last pig. At the end, the wolf huffs and puffs until he finally gives up. The pigs live happily ever after. Use different voices and really dramatize the huffing and puffing with big cheeks and lots of breathing.
Henny Penny
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Henny Penny is the tale of a simple hen who believes the sky is falling after something fell on her head. Her hysteria spreads to her friends as together this unintelligent animals decide to go to the king to give their report.
During their trek to the king's castle, they meet the wily Foxy Loxy. Foxy Loxy convinces the group to take a shortcut, which in truth will lead them to Foxy's lair. Illustrate this story by giving each character a different voice and walk.
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