One of the hallmarks of Waldorf-inspired homeschooling, especially in kindergarten and the early grades, is storytelling. Storytelling can sound like a lot to take on but with some basic information and a bit of practice (plus a leap of faith!) you’ll start telling stories like a pro in no time. Storytelling is central to who we are as human beings so even though it isn’t something we do very often in modern life there is a part of you that already knows how to do it.
Storytelling is an important part of teaching in the Waldorf way because learning is both more efficient and more memorable when the lesson is conveyed through a story. And for young people who are living through their imaginations, stories are deeply nourishing for their hearts and souls. The stories in the Waldorf curriculum are chosen carefully to really speak to the children in each stage of development.
Kindergarten children (ages 4.5 to 6.5 or so) enjoy hearing stories all day every day from all around the world. They are especially captivated by fairy tales because these stories mirror the developmental struggles of children who are transitioning out of early childhood. Fairy tales use archetypal characters and imagery to reflect the wide range of possibility within each human being. They portray human potential and hope, characters who overcome challenges and obstacles that seem impossible, and good triumphing in the end. “All’s well that ends well” is important to the kindergarten child.
How to choose stories
When looking for stories to tell, start with the ideas below and check out the resources at the end of this post – but be sure to use your intuition as well! Remember that storytelling is about connecting with your children and nourishing their imagination.
Kindergarten children enjoy:
Fairy tales and folktales from around the world
Nursery stories with lots of repetition
Stories that you make up
Stories from your child’s life and your own
How to tell stories
Children love to hear stories anytime! It’s also really wonderful in the kindergarten years to start telling a special story as part of your daily rhythm.
Choose one story to tell at a time, and decide when it will fit into your rhythm.
Make this a special part of the day, perhaps with its own song, lighting a candle, or anything else which sets a reverent and quiet mood.
To learn a fairy tale, read it to yourself enough times that it lives in you. You don’t need to memorize every word – it’s more important that you tell the story from your heart. But do pay attention to the imagery and word choice in the story. It can be very helpful to read it to yourself three nights in a row before you go to sleep, and to read it out loud. You don’t have to learn every story by heart, but notice how much your child loves it when you tell a story directly from yourself!
Tell the same story each day for at least a week. The younger the child, the longer you can stick with the same story.
You can make the story into a puppet show if you like and use little dolls and props to set the scene, or you can just tell the story all snuggled up on the couch.
Notice how the story shows up in your child’s play. Young children learn through doing so they will play with a story that has captured their imagination.
You can also expand on the story through other activities – drawing, dressing up and acting it out, painting from an image, feeling, or mood from the story, modeling, or crafting. In the kindergarten years, you can let your child learn through activity, imitation, and play, and save intellectual exercises (such as answering questions, recalling, or summarizing the story) for homeschooling in the grades.
Further resources for storytelling
Storytelling with Children by Nancy Mellon
Healing Stories for Challenging Behavior by Susan Perrow
More Stories to tell:
There are lots of free stories on this blog
Tell Me a Story ed. by Louise de Forest for WECAN
Juniper Tree Puppets an amazing resource from Suzanne Down – story collections, a free newsletter with stories, and puppetry workshops
Main Lesson a free online collection of many nature stories and traditional stories
Grimm’s Fairy Tales Pantheon edition
Your library of course!
The leap of faith
Storytelling can feel intimidating – as modern people, we are no longer steeped in oral tradition, and reading aloud feels much more natural. But I think you’ll find that it only takes a few tries before telling stories to your child comes naturally and begins to be a habit. I know that you’ll find it’s a powerful way to connect and teach!
I would love to hear about your experience with storytelling!
Do you tell stories from your own imagination? What stories do your children ask for the most?
Do you tell fairy tales as part of your rhythm?
Do you feel nervous about telling stories and need more encouragement?
Please share with us in the comments below!