11 top tips for telling a great kids story

Telling a great kids story sounds easy. But even the most gifted storytellers can stumble when the eyes of a 6-year-old are staring back at you with such hope that you can pull something out that BLOWS THEIR MINDS before they drift off and catch some zzz’s.

Here are 11 top tips to dig you out of the storytelling pit when you stumble….

1. Include your child as a character in the story. That way you have a raft of ready made content and can bring into the story some real traits or things that may have happened in real life.
2. Talk with your hands? This is the perfect space to go large. Use your whole body to emphasise the size of a monster or go small to show the meekness of a mouse.
3. Stay engaged. A good story need only take a couple of minutes. If you can stretch it to 10 minutes or longer well done you! But even 2 minutes creates some special bedtime memories.
4. Dont be afraid to use big words. Kids always understand more than we think.
5. Farts, poo, wee, snot, boogers……… you can’t go wrong. And when you stumble add in a stinky fart and the child will forgive.
6. Make ridiculous normal. That rhinocerous at the zoo who is partial to wearing pink pants and use glow in the dark hairspray…….. well of course…….?
7. Don’t get too fancy on the storyline. At Storiestosleep our go-to storyline is about a child entering a new alternate world for a day/night and ending up back where they were after they have had “an adventure they will never forget”. It’s simple and relatively failsafe.
8. Put your phone away unless you’re on the http://www.storiestosleep.com page and use it for prompts. But if you can remember enough to keep going……. pocket it.
9. When you stumble take a deep breath and pause. It creates a little tension and drama. Then find your place and keep going.
10. Embarrassed and out of your comfort zone? Good. You are showing your kid bravery. Turn up the next night ready to be shot down again? Even better…. you are showing your kid to never give up.
11. Forgive yourself. Even the most gifted storytellers stumble. Just remember there is always tomorrow night.

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