FALL STORY SKILLS

STORY TELLING TIPS

• Make conversation with your children as you read a story.  Ask open-ended questions that require your children to stop and think. Such as:  Why do you think the character was unhappy?
• Make connections with your children between them and the story you are reading.  Select stories that will have meaning with your child or group of children.
• Have fun with the words in the story.  Emphasize rhyming words and words that start with the same sound.

FALL STORY IDEAS

MASK STORIES
Start a collection of simple animal and people face masks to use with your children.

• Read or make up a short story that fits one or two of your masks.
• Let children wear the masks and act out the story.
   

DECK OF CARDS STORIES
Have your children sit in a circle for this activity.

• Take a deck of cards and deal out four cards to each child.
• Have the children turn their cards down in a stack in front of them.
• Begin a simple story and then have a child turn over their top card.
• Now incorporate the number or the character into your story.
• Continue choosing other children to turn over a card as your story moves along.
• Continue the story as long as interest lasts.

OBJECT STORY PROPS

• When choosing a story that centers around a pumpkin for instance, bring in a real pumpkin for your children to observe as you read the story.
• Visual props can help children stay focused on your story.
   

STORY CHEST STORIES
You will need a small chest or other container for this story time activity.

• Each day, place a special story treat inside your story chest.  It could be an object or a special snack related to the story.  You could even write a letter to your children from the main character in the story.
• Then, open the story chest before reading your story, to help make the story come alive for your children.
• Story time will be anticipated each day as a fun, surprise filled time.

SPIDER STORY PUPPETS
Make your children small spider finger puppets to wear as you read your favorite spider story.

• Wrap a strip of black paper around your child’s finger and tape together.
• Now, remove the ring and make seven cuts up half-way from the bottom of the ring to create eight legs. 
• Bend the legs out and slip the puppet back on your child’s finger.
• You can also glue on two white paper eyes if you desire.
   

CREATING NEW STORY ENDINGS

• Read a favorite story to your children.
• Discuss the end of the story.
• Ask your children if they can come up with alternative endings.

REPETITIVE STORIES
Young children are drawn to repetitive stories because they lead to predictability and make stories easy to remember.

• Fill your bookshelf with stories that contain phrases and words that are repeated. Such as Three Billy Goats Gruff – “Trip, trap, trip, trap” and  The Three little Pigs – “I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow your house down.”
• Stories filled with repetition also let young children feel like they are reading when they recite the phrases along with you.
   

AFTER STORY FOLLOW-UP SUGGESTIONS

• Act out the story.
• Illustrate the story.
• Prepare a snack that relates to the story.
• Let children make a placemat that relates to the story.
• Sing a song that relates to the story.