Rebecca peered out from behind her Mummy’s legs and watched silently. Her sobs quietened, and the tears began to dry...
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Helicopter Stories
- Letting Imagination Fly
Welcome to the home of storytelling.
Like you, we believe in the transformative nature of the Early Years – that’s why our storytelling curriculum puts children’s narrative at the heart of teaching.
About Helicopter Stories:
Helicopter Stories is based on the Storytelling and Story Acting curriculum of renowned Early Years practitioner Vivian Gussin Paley. Vivian was patron to MakeBelieve Arts until her death in July 2019. MakeBelieve Arts is a small education charity and we have been pioneering her work in the UK since 2002.
During a Helicopter Stories session, children dictate their stories to an adult scribe. Later that same day, the whole class gather around a taped out stage and the stories are acted out. The approach is suitable for children aged 2 to 7 years old.
In 2015 Trisha Lee published Princesses, Dragons and Helicopter Stories (available to buy in Resources), to support teachers and practitioners to incorporate the approach on a regular basis. The book includes a foreword by Vivian Gussin Paley.
This Helicopter Stories site has been created to share our thoughts and ideas about the approach and to respond to questions we have been asked during training sessions.
You can get in touch with us here, or email us at info@helicopterstories.co.uk We can also be reached on 01249 714 607.
Helicopter Stories
Blogs
Jo Berry, Early Years Teacher, Thrussington Primary, Leicestershire At Thrussington C of E Primary School, Early Years have been taking...
About ten years ago, when I lived in London, I learned to deliver Helicopter Stories with Trisha Lee and Isla...
When I heard about The Poetry Basket and saw Trish performing the poems on the Helicopter Stories website, I knew...
Guest Blog By Alison Stead, Deputy Head Teacher, Bognor Regis Nursery School Helicopter Stories are exciting. Acting them out is...
There has been a lot of negative things written about using video conferencing as a teaching tool in education, (particularly...
With many schools and nurseries closed, or remaining open for only a small section of their community, we’ve had several...
Nadine Jones, Special Needs Practitioner I am one of the lucky ones. I work with children with additional needs. It...
Amanda Belbin, Nursery Teacher, Bincombe Valley Primary, Dorset ‘Chop Chop, Choppity Chop.’ Since my Nursery Class signed up to The...
I am in the very privileged position of being a school-based Helicopter Stories practitioner at Ash Grove Academy in Macclesfield,...
“Brrrrrm, Brrrrm, Brrrrm, Brrrrm, Brrrm, chhhhugg chhhuggg chhhugg chhhuuuggg chhuuugg Chuggg chhhhhh eeeeeeeeeeeeeeekkkkk ahhhhhh…” Hamir aged 5 Hamir is a...
Guest Blog: Kathryn Stevens Pre-school Teacher, Watermead Day Nursery, Leicestershire “Do a Nativity,” they said.“The parents will love it,” they...
One of the questions I am asked the most about Helicopter Stories is how can we enhance children’s language acquisition...
Guest Blog: Bonnie Mendoza Head of EYFS – Ark John Keats Academy Bonnie is one of MakeBelieve Arts Helicopter Stories...
Vivian Gussin Paley January 25th 1929 – July 26th 2019 Vivian Gussin Paley, world-renowned author, pre-school and kindergarten teacher sadly...
There are very few rules for Helicopter Stories. It can be adapted to fit within any early years setting and...
Shernice Donovan – Year 1 Teacher, Rusthall St Paul’s Primary, Kent Back in June 2018, when I found out...
Ggggggrrrrrh, Ggggggrrrrrh, Ggggggrrrrrh, Ggggggrrrrrh, Ggggggrrrrrh, Ggggggrrrrrh, Ggggggrrrrrh, Ggggggrrrrrh, He scares the people away. He scares the people in the garden....
Guest Blog: Isla Hill Education Director MakeBelieve Arts Chelsea’s Story* Once there was a little boy called Oscar. He went...
I am often asked about List Stories, and how to act them out. Naming a list of characters or objects...
At the beginning of a new academic year, I am often asked, ‘When is a good time to start Helicopter Stories?’...
The Ofsted Bold Beginnings report stated a need for children in Reception to be taught proper pencil grip and how...
Bella sat beside me. I wrote her name at the top of my A5 sheet of paper, and she started...
One of the questions that is often asked about Helicopter Stories is why both Isla Hill and I scribe verbatim,...
There is no hard and fast rule about how to keep a record of the children's stories you collect during...
Yesterday I visited a nursery where the Helicopter Stories approach had not been working. The moment I got the email...
Now Available
Helicopter Stories On Demand
The most comprehensive training MakeBelieve Arts has ever offered.
Helicopter Stories On Demand gives you a year of online access to training videos presented by Trisha Lee. The course goes into detail about the four stages of Helicopter Stories and how to introduce it in your setting. It is packed full of anecdotes, video footage of children engaging in Helicopter Stories and is rooted in sound educational philosophy.
Cost: £360 per individual school or setting.
If you are a small setting you can apply to info@helicopterstories.co.uk for a 50% discount.
To find out more…
Helicopter Stories Resources
Testimonials
Amazing and inspirational with a great ethos.
EYFS TeacherDudley 
One of, if not the best training day I’ve ever attended.
P1 TeacherEdinburgh
Thank you. You gave me a bit of my heart back.
EY Senior LeadMilton Keynes
Can’t wait to get back and start.
Nursery TeacherLewisham
Fantastic training, a practical how to guide with plenty of inspiration, very interactive.
EYFS TeachersNewcastle
Wonderfully inspirational course rooted in storytelling philosophy. I’ll use it as soon as I get back to class.
Reception TeacherCroydon
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