Ari is five years old. Every night for the past week, Ari and I have started a new tradition. Together, we write a story.
Ari dictates the story to me, and I transcribe it in a black and white composition notebook. So far, the stories have been about cats, an octopus child, watching TV and eating dinner. Those are some of the things that have been included.
Every story ends the same way: “And then the whole village went to sleep.”
I didn’t intend for this to become a tradition (oral storytelling that is) it just sort of happened. It’s fun, but I don’t want it to replace the act of reading stories.
My mom read to me every night. It started with picture books, and then (as I got older) we moved on to chapter books. I want to continue that tradition (of reading aloud) to my kids just as my mom did for me.
With regard to Ari’s stories, after he’s done reciting them, and I record them in the notebook, the most fun part of this activity is reading them aloud. I read him his masterpiece and he hears what he created out loud.
You never know, this could help him learn to read!
Do you read to your kids every night? Would you try oral story telling with them too?