When my kids were really young, they loved to tell me long, adorably nonsensical stories about just about anything that crossed their minds. Now that they’re a bit older, I miss their elaborate tales. These days, it’s easy for tech-savvy kids to lose themselves in their electronic games and gadgets.
But guess what? Armed with a new book packed with loads of interactive tips, crafts, and games, I’ve found a fun way to engage their imagination and encourage old-school play and storytelling, all over again.
{Keep reading to learn how you can win a copy!}
The beautifully designed magazine-style book Show Me a Story serves up craft projects and activities to reawaken the inner storyteller in all of us. Most of the 40 different projects are flexible and can be scaled up or down, based on your child’s age or the amount of time you have. And this isn’t a one-time read: I plan to keep this at the ready for quality-time ideas for years to come.
We moms intuitively know that storytelling (the telling and the listening!) is incredibly important for kids, but sometimes it’s hard to know where to start. Author, teacher, and crafter Emily Neuburger offers appealing ways–and compelling reasons–to jump right in, even if you’re like me and don’t feel all that comfortable in the storytelling arena.
You crafty types will find many clever ways to incorporate hands-on crafting with verbal storytelling. The story stones are adorable and unique, but if you are really short on time, the author’s Etsy shop even has a few premade stones you can add to your mix. Not sure you’ll find the perfect size rocks? No worries: Emily’s story disks are equally as clever. She also has unusual ideas for using popsicle sticks, boxes, and even scraps of paper as your muse.
For those of us who burn ourselves with the glue gun (ahem), I appreciate that there are also plenty of ideas that require little more than a bit of brain power. Story Ping-Pong would be fun to play in the doctor’s waiting room, or on those interminable road trips. And many of the book’s ideas could be incorporated into group activities in a classroom or as birthday-party games. Bonus: reprintable pages of puppets and backgrounds. Score!
So go tell some stories and rev up the whole family’s imagination. Show Me a Story is low on tech…and high on terrific. –Christina
You will find Emily Neuburger’s Show Me a Story at our affiliate Amazon.
Congratulations to Julia M! She won our Show Me a Story contest.
EXTRA COOL: WIN IT! One reader will win a copy of Show Me a Story by Emily Neuburger. To enter to win, please send an email to contests@mompicksprod.wpengine.com by midnight PT with SHOW ME A STORY in the subject line and include the name of Emily’s Etsy shop (link above). One winner will be drawn at random. U.S. readers only, please.
Storytelling and crafting, such fun for children and adults!