There’s no hiding that the Literacy Specialist in me is encouraging you and your children to read stories, write stories, and tell stories daily! However, today is the perfect opportunity to be extra intentional about making time to engage in stories. After all, today is National Tell a Story Day!
National Tell a Story Day: The Basics
In the United States, Tell a Story Day is celebrated on April 27th of each year. The purpose of this day is to encourage people of ALL ages to engage in stories. There isn’t one right way to share stories on this day…or any day! You can choose to read a book, write a short story, tell a story to someone, or even just imagine a story in your mind! No matter what story (or form of story) that you choose, make sure that you are spending today coming together with family and friends to celebrate and share those stories.
Benefits of Sharing Stories
Transports you to another time and place
Acts as a form of entertainment
Can connect to characters
Documenting memories and important moments
Improves language
Creates empathy and understanding
Improves problem-solving skills
Shares knowledge and wisdom
Gives hope for the future
Explores reality and possibility
This list sure isn’t comprehensive; what benefits have you experienced that you would add to this list?
Sharing Stories at Home
Here are just a few suggested ways you and your child can share stories today, either through writing, reading, talking, and/or listening.
Sharing Stories Through Writing
Look at a picture (You can find one that pops up online, in a magazine, or anywhere around you) and use that picture as a starting point to write a story.
What is one experience that happened so far today? What if that experience was different in one way? Imagine how everything might have been different…and write an imaginative story about it!
How has telling stories changed over the years? Research online to find out how storytelling has changed over time. Then, see if you and your child can create a timeline and write some text on the timeline to explain how storytelling has evolved.
Sharing Stories Through Reading
Read aloud a favorite story to someone. Encourage your child to read a story to a friend, sibling, neighbor, pet…or even to you! Can you then read one of your favorite childhood stories to them?
Sharing Stories Through Talking
Start out a story with “Once upon a time…” and verbalize a sentence to finish that. Encourage your child to come up with a sentence that aligns with yours to continue the action. Can you add a sentence after that to keep the story going? Keep taking turns adding on to the story!
Sharing Stories Through Listening
On our YouTube channel, we have a variety of read-alouds ready for your child to listen to and interact with. All of these stories are read by some of our favorite Dailies teachers! All you have to do is press play…and your child will reap the storytelling benefits!
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