Archive for the ‘About Stories’ Category

Christmas Self-Care Crackers

Sometimes the very best gift is not something that we want, but something that we need. With that in mind, the Storytime elves have wrapped up something a little bit special for you – a guest blog by counsellor and wellbeing expert Jessica Bowers. She writes the amazing entries for the My Mind Matters! section of Storytime, and she has come up with a fantastic list of ways we can take care of ourselves during the holidays…

There is more to self-care than allowing ourselves a treat every now and then. It is about maintaining daily habits that of protect and promote our own happiness, health and well-being – particularly during stressful and busy times.

At a time the winter nights draw in and we recover from the trauma of the Covid-19 pandemic, it has never been more important to look after ourselves by practicing self-care.

As parents, carers and teachers, we are continually giving of ourselves to take care of our children’s needs – and our roles are challenging and multi-faceted. I am sure you have heard the saying, ‘you can’t pour from an empty cup’ – this is certainly very true!

It’s important to take time to think about your current self-care practices and consider where improvements might be made. Are you currently experiencing any of these signs, which might indicate that your self-care needs improving?

• Feeling more tired, irritable, stressed and/ or overwhelmed than usual
• Experiencing changes in concentration levels
• Eating and drinking more or less than usual
• Changes in your usual social interactions
• Sleeping less than or more than usual

Self-care practices can easily be incorporated into our daily routines. Even comprise of 2–5-minute activities can be invaluable if you are short of time. These could include:

• Sensory activities such as breathing in fresh air or cuddling your pet
• A hobby that gives you pleasure, like knitting or baking.
• You might prefer more spiritual activities such as reading inspiring quotes or lighting a candle.
• Physical activities might include stretching, yoga, dancing and even napping.
• Connecting with others and arranging a chat with a friend might be great too.

Self-care can include acts of giving to others; my passion as a wellbeing writer was borne from the limited ways in which I could practice self-care during the first lockdown. However, I should note that if the act of giving becomes part of your stress and pressure, then it is no longer in the service of your own wellbeing.

This Christmas, more than any other, will be a time to celebrate and get together with our loved ones. Here are some self-care practices for you and your family to try this festive season. If you do make a New Year’s Resolution next year – I invite you to consider prioritising your self-care!

• Wrap up and go for a crisp winter walk in the fresh air as a family to blow the cobwebs away
• Plan a Christmas Movie Night with pyjamas and treats to share
  Practice giving gratitude for 5 minutes each day as part of your daily routine
• Light some candles and enjoy the warm glow in the evenings
• Look for some mindful, breathing exercises that you could do together while listening to some peaceful Christmas music
• Go to the library together and choose some festive books and stories to read during the holidays
• Find some new podcasts to enjoy whilst you do your household chores
• Try something new – maybe a new recipe or Christmas craft activity.
• Take it in turns to plan your favourite meal once a week.
• Create a home spa with face packs and nail painting – and give each other massages and foot-rubs
• Do some yoga and stretches together – Cosmic Kids yoga have some very engaging free online sessions suitable for younger children
• Download and play the Self-Care Bingo game from Storytime issue 88 and see if you can tick all the boxes on your table this season!

Remember, practicing good self-care will have a positive effect on your children. They can learn how important it is to take action to care about and look after themselves in positive ways too. In ‘My Mind Matters!’ this month, we have introduced the topic of self-care to your children and linked it with the festive period as well.

We will be looking into this topic in more detail in the future, as it is important all year round! Starting anything new takes conscious effort as well as a bit of discipline and practice – but it is totally worth it!

I hope you have enjoyed reading our ‘Christmas Self-Care Crackers’! Wishing you all a Merry and relaxing Christmas and a New Year full of joy and stories to share!

Jessica is a mother of 3 children, a wellbeing writer, and a counsellor and psychotherapist. Prior to this, she worked with children with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties for over ten years.

She has written a series of wellbeing-themed children’s picture books, aimed at 4-7-year-olds. The first is titled Fantastic Fin Faces his Fears – it is available on Amazon.

Jessica is now delivering her ‘Get Active with Emotions’ workshop in schools, and gives talks about the books she has authored. Visit her website for more information: www.jessicabowers.co.uk

Email: enquiries@jessicabowers.co.uk.

Facebook and Instagram: @jessicabowerswellbeingwriter

Twitter: @bowerswellbeing.

This month, we have some very big news: our magazine has now been published in China, with issue 1 hitting the shelves in October.

We’ve always created Storytime with a global audience in mind. We know that great stories are universal and celebrating the wonderful diversity of tales from around the world is a core part of who we are – and because of this we are fortunate to have a strong licensing programme around the world. But few Western magazines get released in China and the process of approval can be long, which makes this opportunity particularly exciting for us.

We’ll be working with local publishers, Muse Future, who will be adapting and translating our content into Chinese, but the stories and activities will remain largely the same. Though we have always included Chinese stories in Storytime because it is such a culturally rich place, our partners are also interested in the high quality of illustrations, the diversity of the content and stories from other cultures, in particular our real-life tales and fairy tales too.

The new audio versions of our stories (available on the Storytime Hub) will feature on their Storytime website from early next year too! We are beaming with pride and excitement to see the magazine we create every month gain a new audience.

Ji Rongchang, Editor in Chief & CEO of Muse Future Ltd had this to say

“I first came across Storytime in 2018. The illustration on the cover was beautiful, and the magazine was not only attractive on the outside but also had so much inside, with a great variety of worldwide stories, fables, legends, folk tales, adventures and more, plus no ads whatsoever.

My little boy loved it as much as I did, and I felt eager to introduce Storytime into China share it with all the other Chinese children immediately! Storytime magazine is one of the most popular children’s magazines in UK, but such a brilliant magazine will surely do good for children around the world. We’ll join hands to produce more exciting stories for the kids in UK, China and other countries in the future.”

Of course, Chinese culture is very rich and full of great stories. Storytime has always featured many of them and celebrated their traditions in our Around the World Tales section. To mark our Chinese debut, we would like to mention five of our particular favourites! Be sure to check them out and let us know which one is your favourite.

‘The Monkey King’ (Storytime #83)

‘Journey to the West’, a classic Chinese adventure story. The story has been told and retold innumerable times over hundreds of years in books, comics, live action, animation and on stage. To say that this story is influential is an understatement and it was a special treat for us to do our own interpretation of it! What can we say? We can’t resist a story about a cheeky monkey hero with kung fu superpowers!

‘The Emperor’s Race’ (Storytime #41)

This myth tells the story of how the Chinese zodiac came to be and how the order of the twelve animals was chosen. Kids are sure to love this action-packed, zany tale about animals taking part in a celestial race. Stories like this one are great at giving us insights into other cultures, teaching us something new, while being great fun at the same time.

‘How the Moon Became Beautiful’ (Storytime #87)

Of course, not all stories need to be action packed. This is a dreamlike, tranquil tale with a beautiful message. It tells of how the moon was once dark and dreary, but gained the ability to glow when he was taught the importance of kindness and gentleness by young lady called Tseh-N’io – brought to life with luminous art from illustrator Tilia Rand-Bell

‘Shadow Puppets’ (Storytime #80)

Shadow puppet plays are much beloved in China to this day, and this is a legend about how they came to be. The emperor of China is heartbroken when he loses his wife. One of his advisors comes up with a brilliant idea: using shadow-puppets to tell stories that remind the emperor of his beloved. This touching, heartfelt legend demonstrates the great healing power that stories can have.

‘The Four Dragons’ (Storytime #20)

No listing of classic stories would be complete without mentioning dragons – and this is an all-time favourite. These magnificent creatures are guardians and protectors in Chinese mythology, and the gorgeous art in this story really bring them to life.

We have heard that stories are 22 times more memorable than facts, and that’s one of the many reasons that stories can play such a powerful role in bringing people together from all over the world. Long may they continue to do so – and we look forward to helping our readers travel to distant and faraway places with every issue! Thanks for joining us in giving a warm welcome to our Chinese readers!

Read Happily Ever After,

The Storytime team

Interview with Jessica Bowers, Well-Being Writer

This year Storytime is turning 7, and to celebrate we are holding a new competition for our readers. We love coming up with themes for our competitions – and receiving thousands of amazing and creative entries from our readers!

This year, the theme we have chosen is happiness, emotional health, and resilience. In our new Happiness Is… contest, readers will get to think about what really makes them happy and send in pictures of what happiness looks like! Needless to say, we’re looking forward to receiving many bright and inspiring pictures from you all! The winning illustration will feature in Storytime magazine next Spring!

We believe that taking care of our minds is very important for kids and adults alike, so we have created a special Happiness Is… activity pack to inspire you and get you ready to draw your entries! To come up with really good activities and bring all the important information to you, we obviously needed help from an expert consultant!

We reached out to the wonderful Jessica Bowers! She is a well-being writer, an experienced counsellor, psychotherapist and all-round lovely person! Jessica has provided awesome content for the Happiness Is… pack. She has shared great tips and exercises to get everyone tuned in with their emotions and ready to draw! You can download the new Happiness Is… competition entry form and activity pack HERE

And there’s more! While working together, we realised that emotional wellbeing is really important, and we decided to make it a regular part of Storytime! That was why we created a brand new section called My Mind Matters! From October, Jessica will be using this section to introduce ideas and activities about emotions, coping skills, and ideas that will help kids (and adults!) to communicate effectively about what they are feeling.

After all that we have been through in the past 18 months, we really wanted help our readers to stay healthy and happy. It’s our 7th anniversary and this is our little gift to you! We hope that you enjoy the Happiness Is… contest, the activity pack, and the new My Mind Matters! section. And now…. Let’s find out a bit more about the wonderful work Jessica does!

1. How did you become involved in child psychology and counselling?

I have always loved working with, and spending time with children, and I have always worked within caring professions – it has given me a huge amount of professional satisfaction. When I embarked upon my counselling and psychotherapy training over 10 years ago, I just knew it would be a life-long love and passion. I have 3 young children, who have hugely inspired my journey as a well-being writer.

2. You are a counsellor, psychotherapist and parent. What practical advice would you give to parents and carers when discussing emotions with their children at home?

Discussing, sharing and expressing feelings as part and parcel of everyday family life would be my key piece of advice. Normalising feelings like anger is hugely important, as it takes the shame away from experiencing them. Conversations might not always go perfectly, and we don’t always know what to say – but those difficult conversations are really important.

3. And for teachers? In your experience, what is the best way to communicate about emotions in the classroom?

Similarly, using emotional literacy as part of everyday conversations with children. When reading books, teachers can ask how characters might have felt during a part of the story; engaging in discussions around naming and expressing feelings in positive ways.

4. We are very happy to have you onboard as our Judge for the Happiness is…competition! It was great fun developing the activity pack together with you. What should our readers look for inspiration when trying to draw “happiness”? What will you be looking for in the entries?

I am so thrilled to be on board and excited to see all the entries. I am sure that all of the children will draw from their hearts and from their passion – those entries will stand out I’m sure! I write from my heart; I guess that is what I am looking for!

5. From October, you’re also writing a new section in Storytime called My Mind Matters. Can you tell our readers a bit more about it? What ideas do you want to introduce in this new section?

I am so very excited about this. I want to develop children’s emotional literacy, emotional intelligence and understanding of mental health issues in an accessible way. I want to offer tips and insights about expressing emotions, building resilience and self-care. I hope that both children and parents find it helpful!

6. We have bonded with you over our mutual love for stories and rhymes! What is the importance of stories in helping children to navigate through life and emotions? Do you think they are important tools for parents, carers and teachers too?

They are such an invaluable tool! Stories, like the wonderful ones in your magazine, deal with many different issues in a three-dimensional way; bringing them to life. Stories and illustrations can really deepen our understanding. They also bring us together and show us that we are not alone in the challenges we face.

7. And talking about brilliant stories…. Your new book Fantastic Fin Faces his Fears has just come out! Tell us a bit more about it and what inspired you to write it?

Thank you! Fantastic Fin is a children’s picture book aimed at 4-7-year old children. It’s a rhyming story, where Fin embodies different characters and animals to build his courage and resilience and face his fears. There is a fear fact file at the back to help children, and tips for parents and carers too. My passion for writing exploded during lock down, and my inspiration was my oldest son Finlay, who is now 8 – he needed help and support with building his courage when he was younger, and I used these ideas with him. I was also a little girl who had huge feelings, and I would have greatly benefited from some insight and understanding about this – so I guess I am also writing for that little girl too!

– Sounds great! Where can readers find your book?

It is available from Amazon and you can find details about it from my website: www.jessicabowers.co.uk. You will also find a free 17 page activity and teaching resource pack there too, linked with the themes in the book.

8. One of the many amazing things you do to support children’s mental health is running ‘Get Active With Emotions’ and workshops in schools. How did you start doing this, and what has the reaction been like from pupils?

My ideas to create these workshops were an extension of my writing during lockdown – I think there is a gap in schools for such workshops which develop children’s emotional well-being, and I have created workshops which strike a balance between being fun, engaging and informative. I am very excited to start delivering these from September 2021, and I am looking forward to gaining some feedback from schools, to help me develop more in future.

9. What is the importance of caring/working on/ being aware of well-being from a very young age? Is there such a thing as too early to talk about emotions?

We look after our children’s well-being from birth (and in the womb), where we respond to their emotional needs as part of supporting their healthy development as a whole. As they start talking and from around 3, we can start to help little ones name their feelings, and model ways of expressing and managing them – so I think it is never too young to start.

10. You have recently started to share some content on social media – and they are great! We know those nuggets of inspiration can be really welcome when someone is having a difficult day! How has the engagement been? Do you have any plans to develop it further? Are you doing any podcasts soon? What other ideas and projects should we look out for from you in the future?

Thank you – It took courage for me to start sharing my poems and insights, but I am pleased I have. I really want to educate and inspire others to look after their mental health and well-being and I have had such a positive response from those who follow me.  I will continue to post these as well as develop more children’s resources and activity packs. I am also continuing to publish my collection of well-being picture books – next comes Fab-filled Frankie’s Huge Heart (inspired by my daughter) who will be supporting children with separation and loss. I am also developing one of my workshops into a book to support children with expressing their emotions – using the concept ‘Let the Rain Fall so the Sun can Shine!’ where FALL is an acronym for ‘feel, act, listen and learn and let go’ – I feel very passionate about it. Andrew Whitehead (www.since6.co.uk)  the amazing Illustrator of Fantastic Fin has created some lovely visuals to engage the children with the concept.

I am on facebook and Instagram @jessicabowerswellbeingwriter and on Twitter @bowerswellbeing.

You can email me at enquiries@jessicabowers.co.uk.

Have you got your back-to-school reading lined up yet? There’s no better way to prepare for the new school year than with one of these brilliant children’s books!

Parrot Street Book Club co-founder, Sarah Campbell, gives us the lowdown on how fiction can help your child with the transition back to school this September and which chapter books she recommends you reach for first.

As the long summer holidays draw to a close, some of our children may be feeling anxious about the return to school. Whether they’re starting somewhere new or simply moving up to a new class, the transition can be challenging, both academically and emotionally.

Reading can help our children express their feelings…

Reading broadens our children’s vocabulary, which obviously has enormous academic benefits, but also helps improve their emotional literacy too. Reading gives them the language to better express how they are feeling and explore their emotions in a healthy way. Being able to express yourself well also helps build confidence, which is so valuable at this time of year.

And make new friends!

Reading helps our children understand others – it’s crucial in developing a stronger sense of empathy and a host of other social skills. When our children read about a character in a book, they have a response to that character, either positive or negative or something in between, and those responses are great practice for when they meet and react to people in their real lives.

Navigating the complexities of social interaction can be much easier when you’re able to understand other perspectives. Reading is a great way to equip them with the skills they need for interacting with other people in their daily lives.

Read together

Reading together, even once our children are able to read independently, can offer the opportunity to discuss key issues that might be affecting them or making them feel anxious. Books allow our children to explore, question and work things out for themselves. Reading together and talking about what we’ve read can afford both parents and children the perfect opportunity to discuss difficult issues in a safe setting.

Books for back-to-school

If your child is worried or nervous about making the transition into the new school year, here are a few chapter books for kids aged 5 to 11 that we think might help:

Five Ways to Make a Friend by Gillian Cross, illustrated by Sarah Horne

This lovely book follows Ella as she starts at a new school. All she wants to do is find a friend, but it’s really hard. The girls aren’t interested in her and she doesn’t have the courage to just join in… When she finds a book about making friends, Ella decides to try out the tips it recommends. Perfect for 5+.

Ottoline Goes to School by Chris Riddell

This volume in Chris Riddell’s bestselling and beautifully illustrated series follows Ottoline as she enrols at the Alice B Smith School for the Differently Gifted. Amongst new friends with a host of unique skills and talents, Ottoline sets out to discover her own different gift. Perfect for 7+.

The Boy Who Made Everyone Laugh by Helen Rutter

Aspiring comedian Billy is moving up to secondary school. It’s a challenging time for everyone, but especially for Billy who has a stammer. How will he find his voice, navigate his new school and make new friends, if his voice won’t let him speak? Perfect for 8+.

Planet Omar: Accidental Trouble Magnet by Zanib Mian

This hilarious illustrated chapter book tells the story of Omar, who has just moved into a new house. Starting at his new school is ok, apart from the fact that class bully Daniel tells Omar that because he’s a Muslim, he’s going to be kicked out of the country. But when Omar and Daniel get stranded on a school trip, Omar realises that Danny isn’t so tough after all… Perfect for 8+.

Pie in the Sky by Remi Lai

When Jingwen moves to a new country, he feels like he’s landed on Mars. School is torture and making friends is impossible since he doesn’t speak English. Baking cakes is the only thing he can do to distract himself from the loneliness. This funny and moving story is packed with graphic novel elements. Perfect for 9+.

Parrot Street are an award-winning, book subscription box for 5 to 12 year-olds. We’ve teamed up with Sarah and the team to offer an exclusive discount for Storytime readers. Visit their website here and enter the code STORYTIME15 to receive a 15% discount, valid until the end of September

Happy reading,

The Storytime team

Add Magic to your Holidays!

It’s the summer holidays! Dreams of endless ice-creams, warm waves, long days and outdoor picnics are on everyone’s minds. Of course kids are excited about being out of school and have all kinds of ideas about what they would like to do to fill up the (hopefully) warm, sunny days.

But after a while, the cries of ‘I’m bored! There’s nothing to DO!” will begin. Blame it on staycation, or on rainy days or simply because … there is a LOT of time to fill up! Summer is the time to go on adventures and make memories that will last a lifetime, and stories can provide great inspiration for fun activities.

Reading stories is great for bedtime and rainy days, but we also want stories to inspire our readers to get out and play! We have been digging for treasure in our archives and have found some great tales that inspire all kinds of fun summer activities…

1. Time for a Treasure Hunt! – ‘Alfie the Pirate’ (Storytime #30)

A little bit of imagination can transform an ordinary experience into something magical! Alfie proves this when he creates his own adventure in his backyard, and creates his own tale of action and adventure. Where would your kids like to go today? To a far-off land, a magical kingdom, or a distant planet?

Activity idea: Choose a theme for your adventure! Draw a treasure map of your home or garden and hide some special treats for the kids to find along the way. Make sure to come up with cool names and ideas for imaginary creatures and obstacles they might encounter on the way!

2. Go wild! – ‘The Selfish Giant’ (Storytime #28)

Parks are great places to explore – and they are even more fun with friends! This is what the giant discovers in Oscar Wilde’s classic tale, after all! Most parks have awesome playgrounds but don’t forget to explore the woodlands or the ponds nearby.

Activity idea: Why not take the kids on an impromptu wilderness expedition? Prepare a picnic and a little backpack with special “tools and toys” for the adventure. This way the day will feel like an expedition and when everyone is tired, you can set camp and share some yummy food!

3. Make a splash! – ‘Moon River Melody’ (Storytime #71)

There’s nothing like a swim on a hot summer day, as the Pied Piper learns when the Little Mermaid call for help! Beaches and public pools can be brilliant, but there are other options. A paddling pool or even a nice cool bath are refreshing too (can be great fun), especially if there are toys to play with.

Activity idea: If you don’t have a handy place to go swimming, why not visit some swimming friends at the local pond? Bring some bread, peas, sweetcorn and birdseed for the ducks and ducklings and other water birds! Imagine what life would be like if you were a duckling and make up stories about their adventures.

4. Visit animal friends from distant lands! – ‘Alphabet Zoo’ (Storytime #29-45)

Going to a zoo or city farm is educational and exciting! Our ‘Alphabet Zoo’ poems are all about the wonderful animals that can be found there. You can spot them in alphabetical order too – it can be really great fun reading the poems out loud! How many of the animals from the poems can you spot at the zoo?

Activity idea: Learning about animals is great fun! Why not print out some copies of the animal data card that you can download from HERE and write down the things you find out about them from the information posters at the zoo?

5. Travel through time! – ‘Away Game!’ (Storytime #78)

In this story, Lincoln and his friends go back in time and play football with some kids from the Middle Ages. We haven’t invented a time machine (yet!), but going to a museum or nearby historical place can be the next best thing! Kids can learn about what life was like in older times, and can imagine what their life would have been like if they live there and then! It’s exciting and educational – and a real time-travelling holiday adventure!

Activity idea: Make your time-trip even more fun by dressing up in costumes! The costumes can match the adventure and make it all more real! Kids can really bring history to life by pretending to speak and act as if they are really from a past era!

Whatever you do, we hope you have a great summer break, and do let us know what you get up to in the comments below!

Happy holidays,

The Storytime team

A Summer of Stories!

Ah, Summer! It’s a time for outdoor adventures in the park, trips to the seaside, and making sunny memories that will last a lifetime. Keep some issues of Storytime by your side for when you’re lazing around in the shade and you are guaranteed the best Summer ever! Here is our countdown of some of our favourite Summery things… and the stories you can read about them!

7. Seagulls

Well, they’re not our favourite thing in the world, but they certainly make eating a treat on the beach a lot more exciting! Emily Cooper’s ‘The Seaside Scallywags’ from Storytime #47 is a story all about a seagull called Sidney who loves scavenging for your ice creams and hot chips!

6. Sunshine

We should get plenty of it this year – and sometimes it’s possible to get too much sun! For a reminder of how lovely and comforting the sun is to us all, read ‘The Wind and the Sun’ from Storytime #12. Like the boy in the story, we can’t help but smile and take our coats off when touched by those lovely warm rays…

5. Mermaids

Well, we can’t guarantee that you will actually see any mermaids at the beach this Summer! But imagining the lovely undersea life these creatures lead is a great way to add some magic to a seaside holiday. We have featured many mermaid tales, including ‘The Little Mermaid’ (Storytime #24), ‘Melusine’s Mystery’ (Storytime #48) and ‘The Mermaid and the Boy’ (Storytime #70). Enjoy these stories about how it’s better down where it’s wetter!

4. Seashells

There are so many of them, and no two are alike. Alfred, Lord Tennyson wrote a lovely poem called ‘Minnie and Winnie’, about two little girls who use a seashell as a bed. Check it out in Storytime #23…

3. Sandcastles

You haven’t really been to the beach unless you have built a sandcastle… which was then washed away by the tide. (Never mind, you can build another one tomorrow.) For inspiration, read ‘The Sandcastle’ from Storytime #48!

2. Staycations

If you can’t get away this summer, remember that going on holiday is a state of mind! In ‘Tom Thumb’s Teeny Holiday”, from Storytime #60, our little hero has a fun summer holiday in his neighbourhood. Why not try out a mini-vacation in a park or garden? All you need is some treats, an umbrella, and a towel to lie on!

1. Playgrounds

Even if you aren’t going to the beach or embarking on a camping trip, a playground is a world of fun – and there are plenty of other kids to play with, too! ‘Playgrounds’ by Laurence Alma-Tadema in Storytime #46, is a all about the wonders that you can find there. School is off and you can play all summer long!

We hope that these stories will inspire you to enjoy this summer in full – wherever you are! All we need to make it perfect is a little bit of sunshine and a good story! We can help with the latter. Join our adventures and don’t forget your sunscreen! Happy Summer of stories everyone!

Happy reading,

The Storytime team

Teaching with Stories!

Storytime is a big hit with families, but it is also popular with schools all over the world! Our colourful issues contain stories aimed at a variety of reading levels and cover a wide range of subjects and themes, which gives them broad appeal. Teachers also find that the magazine format is also less intimidating for reluctant readers than a traditional book.

We have received awesome feedback from the schools that subscribe to Storytime, and some teachers have even sent us tips about how they use the magazine in the classroom! We liked their feedback so much that we are sharing some of their ideas here – and we have also compiled them in a document you can download and share.

There is definitely more than one way to read Storytime! Trying out these tips will make classes more fun – and give you new ideas about how to add variety to catch-up with reading this summer.

Guided Reading

This is where the child reads a story they choose to themselves, but a grownup is nearby. You can ask them to read a paragraph or two out loud, and also help them with any difficult words they might encounter. It’s a great homework exercise, and can also be done during reading breaks. This exercise gives kids the confidence to try reading more challenging stories – and increase their vocabulary in the process!

At home: This approach is great when you want to help and encourage your children, but can’t give them 100% of your attention.

Shared reading

This is the classic ‘storytime’ situation, where you read a tale to them. This is a nice way to introduce children to stories they have not read before. Sharing a story in this way is a great bonding experience – even in the classroom. Let them interact with the story by showing them the illustrations and letting them ask questions. You can even add an imaginative/creative element to the experience by encouraging them to come up with their own endings!

At home: There’s nothing like a bedtime-story experience. If you are doing it in the evening, make sure to choose calming and positive stories to give the little ones sweet dreams.

1-to-1 reading

This is similar to shared reading, but you encourage the kids to read along with you. Ideal for beginning or reluctant readers! Reading along with a child is a great way to build confidence and a love of stories. Don’t let shyness stop them from reading – if you sense they are having difficulties with a word or two, you can join in and make sure they can get going again. A supportive exercise that is also great fun!

At home: Do this with siblings and cousins and make it a family game!

Peer-to-peer reading

If children with different reading levels around, they can read to each other and help each other out with any tricky words or phrases! This is a good way for children to share their knowledge and support each other. Plus, it is sure to spark discussions about what things mean or what might happen next! Children can take turns choosing their favourite stories. We’ve put together a Reading Buddies guided reading pack that you can use for your school here.

At home: If you have two or more children around, it’s a good pastime to keep them engaged and have them entertain each other. An excellent friends and sibling-bonding activity!

Independent reading Do you have reading breaks at your school? This is where a child picks a story and reads it on their own, with no tests, no deadlines and no instructions! It’s a lovely way to introduce children to the pleasure of a good story. Reading breaks are now a standard activity in many schools around the country, and are great at encouraging kids to become enthusiastic readers!

At home: It is lovely for a child to be able to relax and read independently after a busy day at school. Parents can share this ‘quiet time’ by reading a book of their own. It is a great reminder that reading can be a pleasurable and relaxing activity!

Reading for fun is the best way to fall in love with the habit of reading! We created Storytime to make reading enjoyable for everyone, and can think of many more ways to share stories in the classroom and at home. As a parent, carer or a teacher, what are your favourite ways to read Storytime? Let us know below in the comments. And of course, a BIG thank-you to all of the teachers who shared their tips with us!

Happy reading,

The Storytime team

Introducing Storytime Hub!

Here at Storytime, we love to bring our readers good classic stories to enjoy. However, we are always looking into new ways to bring these stories to you, and with the current global situation, we appreciate that it is more important than ever for parents, teachers, children and pupils to be able to access fun reading material anywhere at any time.

We’re therefore delighted to announce that our shiny new Storytime Hub is now live!

With Storytime Hub, we have made our extensive catalogue of over 700 stories and 80 home learning packs accessible digitally for teachers and parents to use all over the world for the first time.

It contains every magazine and story we have ever published, and it’s fully searchable – so if there is an out-of-stock back issue that you just haven’t been able to get hold of, or you want to get hold of every story we’ve ever written featuring dragons – now you can! Plus every month we’ll be loading up each new issue of Storytime as it goes on sale.

There are a range of subscription options available – families can have digital only access, or even receive a printed issue alongside it every month (we know that many of our readers are thrilled when they receive their freshly-printed issues in the post!).

Our school subscription options also include extra logins for pupils so that they can read along with stories in the classroom or even access them remotely from home. We understand that sadly so many children have fallen behind with their reading over the past year, so Storytime Hub is a great, very low-cost way to help children catch up with their reading this summer. We’ve also included every single home learning pack we’ve ever produced, one to accompany each issue of the magazine, each containing lesson ideas, comprehension exercises and awesome activities.

We hope that Storytime Hub will give kids more opportunities to enjoy our content in the way that suits parents, carers and educators. To find out more, follow this link, and if you have any questions do feel free to get in touch with the team at hello@storytimehub.com

This is only the beginning for Storytime Hub – we have big plans for it which we will be unveiling in the near future, including something very special that our readers have been asking about for a very long time….

Stay tuned, have fun and keep reading!

The Storytime team

What Shall We Talk About Today?

Talking to each other is a wonderful thing! It gives us a chance to share perspectives and experiences and helps bring us closer together.

You might have discovered, however, that it can be hard to find new things to talk about when you have been together for a long time, like in the past few months during lockdown or sometimes on a rainy holiday somewhere. That can happen when we can’t go out and do new things and spend a lot of time with each other in the same environment!

But why not make the most of these times and talk about things that matter and find out what everyone thinks about new topics. When it comes to conversation-starters, it’s hard to beat a good story. Here are some ideas from our past issues to start some great conversations.

Away Game! (Storytime #78) is a fun story about three boys who accidentally travel back in time to the Middle Ages – and play a pick-up game of football! They go back in time on the same village they live in – and can recognise some parts of it but are also surprised by other the aspects they did not know. After reading this tale, why not discuss the history of your neighbourhood, and what life would have been like there 50 (or 500!) years ago? Are there any buildings, landmarks or that date back hundreds of years and give an insight into its history? For extra fun, look for old photographs of your area. Which bits are still the same, and which have changed beyond all recognition?

Not a Robot (Storytime #53) stars a robot who is activated after a power cut – and is found to have a personality of his own! This story could start a discussion about the roles that smart machines are having in our day-to-day lives! We don’t yet robots walking down the streets (yet!), but ‘smart’ programmes are responding to our voice commands and helping us to pick which online videos to watch. Researchers are developing programmes to drive our vehicles and pilot flying delivery drones – and what will happen after that?

Mr Luck and Mrs Luck (Storytime #57) is a classic fable about the two characters of the title. As you might have guessed, Mr Luck relies on fortune, while Mrs. Luck puts in hard work. Why not read it and then have a chat about which is more important if you want to achieve things? Here at Storytime, we believe that luck can have an effect on our lives – but pluck is far more important in the long run!

Mulan (Storytime #67) is a very old story – but it is still relevant to us today. Mulan was a girl who wanted to help her family, even if it meant going off to war in disguise! This is a great tale to begin a conversation about what women have achieved in their fight for more career opportunities – and the challenges they still face.

Why Whales Swim in the Sea (Storytime #23) is set in a place that few people have heard of – and even fewer people have visited! It’s a legend from Patagonia – a beautiful but desolate area at the southern end of South America. Stories like this one are fun to read, but they also teach us things about distant parts of the world, as well as the people and animals that live there. Reading a story set in a distant place with someone is a great way to go on an imaginative journey together. After reading it, discuss what you learned about the story’s setting, look at the map to spot some new places and even wonder what animals live there now!

We hope you enjoy sharing a cup of tea and a good talk with the ones you love! Can you think of a story that you have read which sparked an interesting conversation? If so, let us know about it below!

What’s our Superpower?

You have probably noticed that this blog has begun with a strange question! As human beings, what is our superpower? Is it our intelligence? Perhaps, but there are plenty of other clever creatures out there, from whales and octopi to parrots and chimps.

As the editor of Storytime, I spend a lot of time thinking about stories. In fact, I have a theory that is telling stories is actually what makes humans special. That might sound a bit absurd, because other creatures can communicate too. However, as far as we know, humans are the only creatures that can tell long and elaborate tales – which are a very effective way of passing along knowledge and wisdom.

What better way is there to make this point than by telling a story?

A member of my family is an anthropologist who works for a global health organisation. His job is to teach people all over the world better health practices. One of his projects was to teach good hand-washing techniques (and this was well before COVID-19 broke out!)

One day he carefully and logically explained how to wash your hands to a class of kids. They understood what he was saying, nodded along politely. However, when he came back a week later, they still weren’t washing their hands in the way he had told them.

At first he felt frustrated, but then he had a think. He might have given the kids the facts, but had he really connected with them?

The next time he spoke to the kids, he told them a story about the Porcupine, and how he stopped all of the other animals in the forest from getting sick by showing them how to clean their paws. This story made the kids’ faces light up, and from that day on they washed their hands very well indeed.

Why had his story worked so well, when just logically stating facts had failed? That is because stories work on more than one level. They contain information, but they also engage with our emotions so that we can relate to what is being said.

Here at Storytime, we love different stories from all over the world, and some of them are very old indeed. These stories have lasted because they and the lessons they teach resonate with us today. Think of the story of the Trojan Horse, from Storytime #49 – we all know that it is wise to be suspicions of strange gifts, but it is more compelling when part of a stirring tale.

We might all know that it is not a good thing to give in to worries over something that might never happen – but the characters in the story of Henny Penny (Storytime #19) bring it to life and make us laugh along.

Or consider the message of The Midas Touch, from Storytime #8. We may understand that getting what we want might have unwelcome consequences, but the story makes it much more immediate and relatable. We suddenly understand WHY it might be so!

As humans, telling stories helps us to pass on our knowledge and wisdom – and bonds us as people. Why not take the time to tell your story to someone and then listen as they tell you theirs? It might be a child who wants to tell you about their day at the park, or a grandparent reminiscing about times past. Using our superpower can be a wonderful thing!