Magical Tales at Sunhill Juniors

Summer Storytelling for Transition Day for the Up coming Year 3's was a great success again this June. 

Class teacher Lisa Chisnall had worked hard and rallied volunteers to put up and decorate a beautiful gazebo in the school grounds for the evening. With just a few extra fabrics and flags we were ready for a fun set of tales.


Telling the stories of 'The Key Flower'  'The Unicorn' and 'Pryderi and the Dragon' were just the ticket for this Midsummer Event and the sun shone all evening. Thank you for inviting me back!

PIRATES at TOWNHILL JUNIORS

 Book week at Townhill Juniors went with a real Yardey Ha!

It was fabulous to back again and to be remembered by name by the older pupils, must mean I've been doing my job well on other visits.

As I set up my flags and artefacts, the children on lunch break couldn't resist asking me questions and itching to explore the objects.  But over the course of two afternoons each year group had their performance and were transported off to sail the seven seas in their imagination with a combination of two Pirate stories linked together with some call and response singing. 

Once again teachers of more 'exhuberant' classes were amazed at their pupils ability to sit and listen for the whole session, transfixed and attentive, as they discovered the power of storytelling ...

Sting in the Tale 2014

Preparations are buzzing and the new commitee are working hard to bring you the best ever Festival of Stories this Summer.  Between 15 -25 August this year Storytellers and Artists will be bringng stories to life in some of East Dorset's most resplendent and atmospheric settings ; an iron age Earthouse, stately homes and castles, a 1950's Model Town and many many more.

I myself will be personally involved in a number of events including telling tales or should that be tails of nocturnal creatures, at a Family fun day based at Walford Mill, with crafts, fun, exhibitions and things to do.

Also with the return of the extremely popular,  Field of Stories  (see my post from last year!) on Wednesday 20th August 10am-3.30pm.

Pencil the week into your diary now, maybe even consider a camping trip to the area for a few days, it is going to be fantastic!

Celebrating Book Week at Front Lawn Primary

 

There was lots of fun to be had this Book week, particularly at Front Lawn Primary with stories galore for Keystage 1, Early Years and their parents. We journeyed together in our imagination to far away castles, to the plains of Africa and just down the road with talking carrots! Dragons, Parrots, Lions and Tortoises what adventures we had, and there were smiles all round.

At the end of one session an enthusiastic little boy said "more, more... can we have another film please" Whether this was a simple mix up in his vocabulary or a reflection of his prior experiences I will never truly know, but there sat a child fully engaged, alive in the moment, and hungry for stories. My job was done!

Christmas, Parties and The Nativity

Where did 2013 fly too?   I think it must be a sign of my getting old but it seems that time whips round so much more quickly these days!

For me this Christmas season has been one of business, preparation and of revisiting the stories at its heart.

In the last few weeks it has been a real privilage for me to attend local pre-school settings as part of their parties, of end of term celebrations sharing in the fun and telling the Nativity story in a fresh way for many listeners. 

Coming together, putting the book down and telling it from the heart, unfolding a wonder with voice and gesture, holding the space to marvel together at the characters, at the angels, at a time gone by.

These characters are so familiar to many of us that we often forget that with each year of a child's development their perception changes, they notice or remember something new, or in later years find comfort in the ritual of tradition.

I wish you and yours the peace and comfort of being together this Christmas, and oportunities to cherish the moments, stories of memories gone by and adventures yet to come. 

Happy New Year Everyone.

Heads and Tales, Storytelling Cafe in Ringwood

Heads up it's Heads and Tales, 8pm tomorrow September 19th at The Boston Tea Party Cafe, in the centre of Ringwood.

The theme for the first half tomorrow is Jealousy and Friendship from myself and other New Forest Tellers together with a few floor spots available for those who dare.

After a refreshment break to re-fill your mugs and plates with delicious treats from the cafe we will settle back to hear visiting guest tellers Michael and Wendy Dacre, Master storytellers from the West Country.

You may have seen or heard Michael at our wonderful "Field of Stories" event but he has promised to leave the Giants at home this visit.

More information about Wendy and Michael here or better still come along and see us all for yourself!

Plenty of free parking available at The Furlong so invite a friend. Then find the Cafe next to Waitrose

Melksham Food and Drink Festival 2013

Stories for the Food Fayre 

With my pockets stuffed with Foodie Themed Tales I travelled across the border last weekend to Melksham, Wiltshire for their increasingly popular Food and Drink Festival.

It was chilly but the weather turned out drier than that forecast, luckily avoiding the deluge that struck other parts of the country!

Tucked away under the most beautiful tree in the grounds of the Assembly Hall I set up an inviting space for families to enjoy a smorgasboard of delicious stories. 

The children picked which pocket they wanted from my belt, thus choosing the story, but it was no surprise to me how it was more the stories that chose them.  Especially for one delighted little boy when he unknowingly picked "The Magic Porridge Pot" and yes, he just so happened to be a porridge lover, at its best with Honey on top - just like the little girl in the story.

Another tale that went down well was that of The Three Wishes, also known as 'Sausage Nose' when one of the characters ends up with a string of sausages magically attached to their face. It caused much laughter and I hope they will recall it when they next sit down to Bangers and Mash. I hope they don't get told off for playing with their food as a result!

I think that many families were surprised to see I had no story books, instead telling from my heart and my head. Yet they were well pleased with their first experience of this.  And in true oral tradition though I told the story of "The Talking Carrot" many times throughout the day it never came out quite the same twice.  

The festival itself was well attended but it was a bit cold for sitting around, maybe I should have entered the popular chilli eating competition to warm myself up... but then again looking at the green faces of those who did I was safer sticking to my Storytelling.

It was a great day, well organised by Pam and her team, I hope by now they have recovered from all their hard work and look forward to see them again another time.