How to Tell Stories to Children: And Everyone Else Too

“This book will help to promote storytelling as a key education tool.” – Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute & UN Messenger of Peace

This whimsical little book combines the science of storytelling with a step-by-step method for parents, grandparents, educators, and anyone interested in a lasting relationship with children.

Storytelling helps children build empathy and remember life lessons. It hones their concentration, boosts their vocabulary, and expands their imaginations. Most importantly, storytelling fosters the connection between parent and child. It also happens to be a lot of fun.

Storytelling is as old as cave paintings and as modern as blockbuster movies. What we now know from neurologists, psychologists, and evolutionary theorists is that storytelling is not just for fun. It is a cognitive tool humans evolved to share information, retain attention, and build trust. Fortunately, we don’t need to know any of that to put it to good use. It comes naturally to each one of us – just like walking.

With a clear method, sample stories, and practice exercises, this book gently guides parents through the steps of telling:

Whimsical Stories
Stories that Soothe
Stories that Teach

The ultimate message is this – you are already a good storyteller. The quantity of books and videos available to children today sometimes leads parents to believe we can’t compete with the professionals. Nothing could be further from the truth. When we drop the search for the “perfect story,” we discover something much richer and longer lasting. Storytelling isn’t so much about the story itself – it’s about the loving connection that grows between parent and child.

“The best stories are told by the ones who know us deeply. And if you lack confidence, then here is loads of help.” – Steve Biddulph, New York Times Bestselling Author of The Secret of Happy Children, Raising Boys, and Raising Girls