WILD CHILD: Tell a Family story

What kinds of stories do you share with your children? What kinds of stories do they like to share with you? Children love to hear about our shared experiences, retell our family histories, and share their own adventures.

My children often ask to hear the stories they play a part in or stories starring family members. These oral stories are especially fun to share as we walk together or sit outside enjoy a snack during an outdoor adventure as they aren’t effected by snow and rain the way books are. Best of all oral stories have so many learning benefits.

The stories can be super simple. A favourite story in our home is of my oldest getting me flowers when I returned from a trip when he was a toddler. Everyone can tell it and laughs along as the teller narrates “mommy…daddy...yellows...tank you mama” and then everyone takes turns retelling parts or the story or asking questions and reminising about how long it took to convince my oldest “yellows” wasn’t the word for flowers.

These moments are treasured ways for us to connect and remind ourselves about our shared experiences and our personal histories, but they also build valuable skills. Telling stories helps children develop early language and literacy skills. As children tell stories they come to understand how to explain experiences to others, they think about more abstract concepts (like what happened before or will happen in the future), and children are motivated to speak clearly so that their listener can understand what they wish to share.

This week as you adventure, take time to share your family stories together outside.

Written by Tandy Morton Wild Child Outdoor Playgroup Facilitator