Storytelling can be a challenging task when you have to present it in front of kids. You never know whether they are really listening or are daydreaming in their own fantasy world. So, it can be challenging to make kids amused in storytelling, but it’s so important that we may not always think about it in many ways.
- Start with “Good” stories
- The way you speak- Voice Modulation in storytelling
- Proper introduction for effective storytelling
- Storytelling can never be boring when it’s funny and rhyming
- Make the main character relatable
- Maintain eye contact
- Answer every question- interaction is important
- Have a strong ending to the story
- What To Consider Before Picking Storytelling Topics
- 5 Storytelling Topics For Beginners
Reading and storytelling are fundamental for creating healthy brains and cultivating curiosity in kids. Parents can assist fix their children’s experience of self and belonging via storytelling activities. Therefore, here are some storytelling pointers that can assist you in strengthening your narratives and making them interesting for the kids
Start with “Good” stories
What actually good stories mean? When you start storytelling, you don’t know which category of stories the kid would enjoy more. Therefore, starting with a variety of stories from different categories to let kids explore different genres is best. After all, you now know what kid likes more to hear from you.
There’s no dearth of appropriate stories, so it’s time to dig the gold mine to discover the sorts that your kids will take an interest in.
The way you speak- Voice Modulation in storytelling
Voice Modulation can make communication turn into articulation. Yes, voice modulation can really create a great impact when it comes to storytelling. Take a pause and just try to live the character instead of just reading the story. Try to become the character you are talking about, start talking in a way they speak, and modulate your voice accordingly. Proper voice modulation ( i.e., increasing, reducing it or pausing for some seconds, or even squeaking your voice and making humorous noise) while narrating a story robotically engages the younger listeners and makes them keen to pay attention cautiously.
Proper introduction for effective storytelling
Instead of starting the story straight away, try to build an imaginary world of the story in the kid’s mind. Discuss the various happenings that could possibly happen in the coming time of the story. This not only sets up the story outline but also increases the curiosity of the kid in knowing what exactly will happen and what the story is all about.
Storytelling can never be boring when it’s funny and rhyming
In your childhood, you too have laughed at funny stories and loved rhyming stories as well. For young kids, rhyming can never go out of their zone. They can really guess at each rhyme, so there’s already a built-up in the kid’s mind.
Have no disgrace when you narrate aloud:
- Do accents.
- Take dramatic pauses.
- Modulate your voice, elevating and reducing it to construct narrative momentum.
- Speak in a humorous way and laugh with kids when they laugh to make it a happier moment for everyone.
Make the main character relatable
If kids can relate to the story’s main character, you can mold the story in which way you want to create a positive impact in their minds or life. Maybe to boost their self-esteem, you relate and mold the character. Suppose the kid suffers from low esteem or confidence you can narrate a story of a kid who fought and never gave up and finally won against all the odds. If the story’s main character is not relatable, the kid won’t care if the character succeeds or fails.
Maintain eye contact
Maintaining eye contact is very, very important. Maintaining eye contact grabs not only the kid’s attention but also conveys a sense of confidence and truthfulness. When you start narrating the story in a flat tone and look up to them after some time, they are already busy with something else. So, if you don’t want this to happen, maintain frequent eye contact with the kid so that they are into the story and not in anything else.
Answer every question- interaction is important
It is all normal for your little one to be curious about how the majestic elephant and tiny ant are such good friends. So, each time such questions pop up, take your time to reply to them. Kids asking questions and answering them will satisfy their curiosity and make the storytelling session interactive. Moreover, you would know that kid is listening and enjoying the story. You will be amazed after listening to the question or suggestive explanation the kids might come up with.
Have a strong ending to the story
Have you ever narrated a story to younger ones or ever been narrated a story to you when you were a kid by your parents, grandparents, teachers, or anyone elder to you? Knows that at the end of a good story, you not only walk away with a good lesson or memory, but you two create a close bond. The artwork of storytelling has always been one of the best-practiced methods to create a strong bond with your young ones while inculcating valuable values in them. When parents or any elders narrate a story to you, it strengthens the relationship and creates a deep bond. It brings up emotions within us and lets us know how to express them.
Like movies, it is important to have a strong ending in stories you’re reciting to the young kid as well so that they take an important point from it. Or they are curious to know what will happen when you are reciting the next part of the story to the kid. It’s all about building curiosity and interest of the kid towards stories so that they can build up a hobby towards reading stories.
Are you between dilemma and right decision while choosing a topic for storytelling? Narrating a story for the first time can create immense pressure and make you unsure of so many aspects. You need to have a clear mind while you curate your own storytelling topics for the first time. The process of narrowing down storytelling topics can be a mammoth task for many of us.
While you ponder about choosing amongst storytelling topics, you should always take care of certain things. Your first-time of storytelling must build your confidence even if you do not have full perfection. But, it must not turn into a memory that you would loath to remember or consider horrific.
What To Consider Before Picking Storytelling Topics
You must always be aware of certain aspects before you decide upon the choice amongst storytelling topics.
You must be clear and simple. Do not try to be complex at the start, as it will mix things bad for you as an initial storyteller. If you choose a topic that requires time and is hard to comprehend, narrating it will be a challenging task for you. You should be more lucid in selecting topics. It will then be easier to comprehend.
Understand which genre you want to select. You might be tempted by developing humorous narration. But caution yourself. Making the audience laugh might drain all your energy. It will also divert your goal of the story. Select the storytelling topics that are either inclined to your personally dealt experiences or you have been in touch with them for a long period to convey strongly about them.
Try replicating your selected storytelling topics with the audience. This will help you comprehend the listeners’ thoughts and refine your story well and apt. Also, it will help you navigate if the listeners will agree to what you are narrating to them or do they differ with the narration.
Sort out your tone and pitch beforehand. Make sure that before you present your story to the audience, you have the right tone and pitch. Make sure to have no unrequired exaggerations and give it an organic touch.
5 Storytelling Topics For Beginners
As you are already in sync with the precautions to take notice of regarding choosing your storytelling topics, you should know some of them to initiate the storytelling journey.
Below are 5 easy storytelling topics recommended from Podium School, that you must start with if you are a fresher in the storytelling universe.
A Favourite Chunk Of Childish Days
Personal tales are ideal selections. It will help to find yourself an identity as a storyteller. You will be able to have more listeners for the initial time. Sharing a favorite piece of your childhood days will be more connected to the listener. It ranges from having your life’s first unusual meal to playing your favorite game at the playground with friends. All you need to take note is how will move ahead with it as a story. For this, you can start with questions that are similar to each one of ours childhood.
A Myth That Got Circulated At School
Myths and rumors are always common at school. Be it seeing a white lady at the field or hearing of an old student who disappeared, hundreds of such stories remind us of school. Choosing an interesting one can be your choice of storytelling. It would be a tale that many would relate to as they might have heard similar instances at school.
A Historically Interesting Tale
History has an end number of stories that are yet to be told or to be known. You can always ponder upon a topic from the past because narrating it would also create an anticipation amongst people to hear it. If you decide to narrate a tale on historical subjects, it would undoubtedly capture the audience’s senses and they would feel the drive to understand and try digging more on what is being narrated.
Virtues And Vices
It is always good to create a story and narrate it based on virtues and vices. It is also the best way to make people learn. They can also gain a positive message. You can also build up your tale on good or bad by infusing learnings from your personal dealings in different situations, thus giving the story a personal touch and higher relatability.
Hard Work And Smart Work
Recently, with hard work, we are also advised to be smart. If you add the right mix of both, it will not only give you a good theme for your first story but also convey so much to the listeners. You can also take instances of famous personalities or create your fictional characters, who portray these two dimensions. This will facilitate your storytelling and make it easier for you to narrate.
Takeaway
When kids truly live in a story, they are continually eager to express it in their very own way. This will surely help them express their ideas and eradicate the worry of public speaking, if any. Storytelling boosts up one’s confidence and teaches you different life lessons at such a young age if you start reading stories from different genres and make it a hobby.
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