Trust the Child and Watch Them Grow

“The imagination of young children can be unleashed at any age, they’re just waiting to be asked ‘would you like to tell me a story?'”

Each day at Sunnyside Pre-School is different; When you work with a group of young minds, they are full of energy and constantly finding new ways to develop. An important part of getting to know children is to simply sit and listen – noting the vocabulary they use and the grand scenes they create with their imaginations. Having worked in the Early Years for the past 13 years, I have had many an opportunity to sit and listen to children at play, interacting with their friends and older role models.

My first introduction to Helicopter Stories happened four years ago, when Isla Hill, Education Director at MakeBelieve Arts, came to introduce the approach at my school. I scribed the children’s stories over the following year and rich worlds of superheroes, animals, fairy tale characters, as well as their own family members and friends, emerged. When I started managing a new preschool, Isla approached me about making it a Helicopter Stories Hub, with the hope of charting the children’s progress across the year. The question I had was, could it work with younger children? I can now say with certainty, it’s working for us.

Recently Jacob came into preschool ‘out of sorts’, he didn’t know what to do with himself. He wouldn’t take his coat and backpack off, so he sat on a chair in the middle of the stage with a frown. Isla, who was working with us that day, asked Jacob if he wanted to tell a story. He seized the opportunity, and his mind was transported to a happier place.

It’s important to remember, the imagination of young children can be unleashed at any age, they’re just waiting to be asked ‘would you like to tell me a story?’. I have had the privilege of hearing some amazing stories, delivered with an infectious energy that generates excitement for the rest of the day. As each child’s Helicopter Stories book grows over time, you can truly see the story progression and the child’s growing confidence. Children who were shy and quiet start to find their voice as they narrate their adventures to an attentive listener. The best advice I can give anyone using Helicopter Stories is to sit back and trust the child, believe in the approach and watch as the stories flow onto the page, and into the stage.

To support our Helicopter Stories adventures, I’ve also introduced The Poetry Basket and The Story Basket. For the children, this provides a chance to grapple with some fantastic new language. The children learn two poems a week from The Poetry Basket, some of which they can recite in full after hearing it only a few times.

We also listen to a story from The Story Basket every week, completing the accompanying activities in the programme. ‘Stone Soup’, in particular, captured their imaginations. The children immediately started discussing the story narrative, even incorporating parts into their play. When outside, the children independently sourced ‘ingredients’ to make their own stone soup – discussing exactly what the recipe needed. They could remember nearly all of the vegetables, and we even did vegetable printing.

The journey, for us, continues. We look forward to where the power of story, rhythm and rhyme will take us. Most importantly how the children, with a stimulating story environment, will develop and grow.