Tag

storytelling

31/01/2022
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The Importance of Stories for Children with EAL

What is EAL? EAL refers to English as an Additional Language. It is a term used to describe the teaching of English to students who have not learned it as their first language. EAL could refer to students who were born in, or have lived in the UK for a long time, but who speak another language at home and may not be as fluent in English which may affect their literacy levels. It may also refer to bi-lingual children. Irrespective of the child’s proficiency in English, the Department of... Read More

10/01/2022
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10 Activity Ideas For Your Setting This National Storytelling Week

This blog has been written by EYR Industry expert Emily Hanson, a qualified EYFS teacher with an M.Ed in Education from the University of Cambridge. In this blog, Emily delves into 10 different activity ideas to help you celebrate National Storytelling Week with your little ones. To learn more about Emily, visit her website or follow her on Instagram. As National Storytelling Week 2022 beckons, we are reflecting on this year’s brilliant theme of ‘Your Story, My Story’. Whether it’s retelling a child’s life and their journey to the person... Read More

27/11/2019
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How Can Stories Help Bridge Cultural Differences?

This article has been written by storytelling specialists, Tonya and Natasha, from Little Creative Days Stories are such a powerful tool, they can help us to make sense of the world and each other. This is because we are hardwired to learn this way and that’s why there is no better way to help young children learn about each other and each other’s cultures. Although we live in a very multi-cultural society there are just as many similarities between us as there are differences and using stories, especially fairytales, from... Read More

22/05/2019
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Taking Storytime Back to Nature

This article has been written by storytelling specialists, Tonya and Natasha, from Little Creative Days  Tonya and Natasha will be in Manchester on Friday 28th June delivering two workshops ‘Introducing Maths with Stories‘ and ‘Taking Stories Outside‘. >> Learn more It’s great to be able to make the most of the summer weather, and I’m sure we’re all hoping for a repeat of last year! Children love all that fresh air but sometimes it’s just too hot to be running around, so what better way of helping them cool down then getting them to create and tell stories outside? There are lots of ways you can make up stories just by... Read More

14/05/2019
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How to Make a Story Add up

This article has been written by storytelling specialists, Tonya and Natasha, from Little Creative Days. They will be delivering two EYR Workshops on Friday 28th June 2019 ‘Introducing Maths with Stories‘ followed by ‘Taking Stories Outside‘ >> Learn more  When you’re thinking of teaching children about maths how many of you think of reaching for a story? It’s probably not your first thought and I suspect you go for a box of bricks or counters first. But using a story can make learning maths a whole lot of fun and... Read More

workshops stories outside 07/05/2019
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How to Breathe Fresh Air into your Storytime

This article has been written by storytelling specialists, Tonya and Natasha, from Little Creative Days  When the weather is lovely we all like to be outside to make the most of it and it’s a fantastic way to boost your children’s storytelling skills. Stories are everywhere but we can also take them anywhere. For instance why not play a game of giant steps. Start the story off, then everyone takes a giant step and you tell the next part of the story, then take another giant step and tell the... Read More

30/04/2019
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How to Bring Maths to Life

This article has been written by storytelling specialists, Tonya and Natasha, from Little Creative Days  Not all of us find maths an easy subject but with the help of a good story, maths can be lots of fun for everyone. We all learn differently; some like to learn visually, some are quite tactile whilst others may be more aural or kinaesthetic. By combining stories and creative activities as a way of introducing maths, you’ll guarantee to help all of the children in your setting making learning maths a whole lot... Read More

13/12/2018
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Why parents engaging with their child’s stories is key

This article has been written by storytelling specialists, Tonya and Natasha, from Little Creative Days  Why parents engaging with their child’s stories is the key to boosting their language and communication skills Did you know that the more words that a child knows by the age of 8 is the biggest predictor of their future success, regardless of their social and economic background? It’s also been established that children with poor vocabulary at the age of 5 are more than twice as likely to be unemployed by the age of... Read More

01/11/2018
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The Benefits of Small World Play

“Everything you can imagine is real”–  Pablo Picasso Does small world play benefit children? Small world play refers to imaginative play with ‘small’ toys, encouraging children to use their imaginations and create both everyday and fantasy worlds in familiar surroundings. It involves processes including active learning and imitation, and allows children to communicate knowledge about life and the world around them in a safe, contained environment. Whether it’s acting out a well-known home scene, or fighting a dragon in a fantasy world; small world play enables children to develop socially,... Read More

Identifying Safeguarding Issues With Stories 18/09/2018
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How To Identify Safeguarding Issues With Stories

This article has been written by storytelling specialists, Tonya and Natasha, from Little Creative Days  Do you struggle to find ways to identify safeguarding issues? Using stories to help educate or make sense of a situation has been around for generations and it’s still as relevant today as it has always been. That is why using a story can be an ideal way to help you identify a safeguarding problem that you might need to address. Children will naturally use metaphors and stories to help them work through their problems,... Read More