Storytelling

This week my daughter and I have been practicing her story for the upcoming Storytelling Festival at her school. She has chosen the story of the Three Little Pigs. In the evenings, she stands on our fireplace hearth and begins with, "Once upon a time, there were three little pigs". She is only five and stumbles a bit through the story, but it is still very sweet.  I encourage her to speak in the voices of the different pigs to give the story more depth. She uses hand gestures and acts out the part of the wolf when he blows down the houses. Both of my boys took part in the festival when they were younger and it was a wonderful experience for them as well. It helps them build their confidence when speaking in front of a crowd and they also gain the extra experience of going to the district festival where they hear the voices of other storytellers. Practicing for the festival does take time out of our busy day, but in the long run, I know that my children will benefit from the public speaking aspect that it provides them.