[Above Image from: Ring Around the Rosie by Edward Henry Potthast 1910-1915]

Story Play

©2020 Karen Chace

Karen will be presenting her workshop Story Play at Sharing the Fire 2020.

Register today at https://www.nestorytelling.org/conference-details/

“Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood."   --Fred Rogers

Throughout my 18 years teaching storytelling, that quote by Fred Rogers has guided and motivated me to include as much movement and play into my classroom as possible. Each year when I begin with a new storytelling troupe, I use my original, interactive games that are not only fun, but offer the additional benefit of reinforcing the storytelling skills the troupe will learn.

I am always looking for new ideas and sometimes inspiration strikes in the strangest places. One spring day I was in the local Dollar Store, picking up craft items. It was Easter season and colorful pastel baskets were waiting to be purchased, but there was something different this year: white felt baskets with red stitching designed to resemble baseballs.  As I walked by, I began to think, “How could I use those in my storytelling class?” On another aisle, I noticed a package of plastic baseball bases, first, second, third and home plate; this was too much of a coincidence! Still unsure of what I would create with them I decided to listen to my inner voice and bought the baskets and bases.

When I returned home, I began brainstorming and came up with the interactive activity, Step Up to the Story Plate, a storytelling baseball game where every base leads you through your story. My fourth and fifth grade students played it the following week. It was a great success. They enthusiastically cheered each other on; a perfect activity for encouraging them to think on their feet about their story elements while continuing to build comradery.

More than once I've reconfigured a childhood game into a new classroom activity. Sometimes inspiration strikes in an instant! One year, during my after-school program I was working with the third-grade storytelling troupe. We were using the school hallway for a version of the Virginia Reel. Rather than standing still and facing each other, they were paired up, walking side by side, one line of tellers sharing their tale with their partner. As they were executing the activity, I suddenly noticed two girls reach out to hold hands. Immediately, the memory of a beloved schoolyard game popped into my head and a brand-new activity, Red Rover, Red Rover, Send Story Right Over, was born, combining movement, play, and story all rolled into one. It has been a staple in my program ever since!

Renowned educator Vivian Paley believed that “play is, in fact, a complex occupation, requiring practice in dialogue, exposition, detailed imagery, social engineering, literary allusion, and abstract thinking.… Play is absolutely essential for [children’s] health and welfare.” Children need to move to learn. If you want to engage your students more effectively, experts tell us that play-based learning engages children on their cognitive, physical, social, and narrative learning levels. According to neuroscientists, “play activates the brain [in a way] that rote memorization, testing, worksheets, and traditional classroom techniques do not.”

It is no surprise that two beloved educators, Vivian Paley and Fred Rogers, believed in combining education and play. Why not follow their lead and integrate as much play as possible into your own storytelling residencies or classroom? As Mr. Rogers said, “play is serious learning.”

Sources

“How to Use Play for Learning”

https://www.edutopia.org/article/how-use-play-learning

“The Importance of Fantasy, Fairness, and Friendship in Children’s Play: An Interview with Vivian Gussin Paley”

https://www.journalofplay.org/sites/www.journalofplay.org/files/pdf-articles/2-2-interview-paley-fantasy-fairness-friendship.pdf

“The Importance of Play-Based Learning”

https://education.cu-portland.edu/blog/classroom-resources/play-based-learning/

“Importance of Play in the Early Childhood Classroom”

http://performancepyramid.miamioh.edu/node/1119

About Karen: Karen’s award-winning book, Story by Story: Creating a Student Storytelling Troupe, is based on teaching the art of Oral Tradition to over 700 students. Karen produces and hosts the “Story Café” television series and is the recipient of the Brother Blue Award and the NSN Oracle Award for Service and Leadership. http://www.storybug.net