Paul Arinaga
Copyright 2006 Paul Arinaga
Human beings have been telling stories for several millennia.
And, as parents, we've all heard about the benefits of telling
stories to our children. The only problem is that, as with so
many things, no one ever teaches us how to tell a story. The
best that most of us can do is to emulate our parents' and
teachers' storytelling, assuming that they were skilled
storytellers.
Although imitating skilled storytellers is a good way to learn,
it's also possible to apply a few basic principles.
Follow these simple tips, and you'll be well on your way to
becoming a great storyteller.
1. Modulate your voice
Obviously, droning on in a monotone is never exciting. Try
changing the tone and timbre of your voice (e.g. high and
squeaky, low drawl, etc.), the rhythm, the accent and the
intensity.
2. Act out different roles
This really is an extension of #1. If you're going to go as far
as modulating your voice, you may as well go all the way and act
out different characters, changing your voice accordingly.
3. The pregnant pause
A carefully timed pause can really build the tension. You
probably want to pause right before a major transition in the
story so that your child literally begs you to tell what happens
next.
4. Use your face
Smile, grimace, contort your face or make a sad face. You can
use facial expressions to embellish and convey the words that
you are reading. Research has shown that human beings exhibit a
repertoire of approximately 3,000 facial expressions,
irrespective of culture.
5. Dress the part
If you're telling a story about Santa, why not dress up as Santa
or at least wear a Santa hat? Better yet, have your kids dress
up as some of the characters.
6. Use props
If you're telling a story about the sea, you could let your
child hold a seashell up to their ear to "hear" the sea. These
"psychological triggers" will make the setting come alive. Also,
get your children to touch and feel the props.
7. Set the mood
Ever notice how the music in a movie makes it ten times more
suspenseful, sad or scary? Actually, usually we don't notice the
music, but it has a huge impression on us nonetheless. You can
set the mood for a scary story simply by dimming or turning off
the lights. Or you could softly play African music if you're
telling a story set in Africa. To create the atmosphere of an
ancient temple, burn some incense.
Conclusion
In olden times, stories were more than just words on a page. You
can recapture some of that magic with your storytelling. When
you stimulate all five senses and create memorable moments,
you'll notice that your kids really remember the child stories
you tell them...and clamor for more.
About the author:
Paul Arinaga is founder of the Child Stories Bank.
http://www.child-stories-bank.com The Child Stories Bank
provides FREE original children's stories as well as resources
to help writers create and get their stories published, and a
directory of child storybook illustrators.
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