Looking for a way to engage your young’uns with reading and storytelling? Story stones may be the answer: a simple, afternoon craft that will help your kids comprehend the stories they’re reading. Better still, they can continue the story on their own well after the book’s been closed. They’re helpful for older kids, too: we’ve made them for a YA play that can assist with blocking and stage direction.
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Do-Lit-Yourself is a column for book lovers with a crafty streak. This pinteresting monthly is penned by LPG Education and Engagement manager Lauren Perruzza.
Looking for a way to engage your young’uns with reading and storytelling? Story stones may be the answer: a simple, afternoon craft that will help your kids comprehend the stories they’re reading. Better still, they can continue the story on their own well after the book’s been closed. They’re helpful for older kids, too: we’ve made them for a YA play that can assist with blocking and stage direction. Story stones can be made after a quick trip to the dollar store. You’ll need:
small, fairly flat stones (between 1”-2” in diameter)
acrylic paints
paintbrushes
a permanent marker for outlining
a book to base your stones off of
Start by looking through your book: what main characters, objects, or settings could you include? We did nearly all the characters in Philip Roy’s Mouse Talesand the bathing suit, hat, gator, and coins in Pirate Gran Goes for Gold. For our play, Fish Eyes, we went more abstract with the hands and feet of the dancer protagonist, and the symbols of love and culture.
Simplify the drawing as much as you can while still making it recognizable. If your little ones are helping with the painting (very much encouraged!) you can also write what the stone represents on the back. Paint your designs on the stones, and wait to fully dry before outlining with a permanent marker.
Read the story, and encourage your child to mime along with the stones. Definitely pause to join in on the fun, too! The stones will help your child visualize the story beyond what the illustrations provide, and can also aid in trying to anticipate what’s going to happen next in the story.
If you’re working on a play, draw a simple bird’s eye map of the stage. Have your actors use the stones to illustrate the blocking of the scene as they read out the lines. The first time they act it, they’ll be much more likely to understand where to go!
Do share your own story stone adventures with us! (The ones we made are currently jazzing up our literary terrariums from last August).
Start by looking through your book: what main characters, objects, or settings could you include? We did nearly all the characters in Philip Roy’s Mouse Talesand the bathing suit, hat, gator, and coins in Pirate Gran Goes for Gold. For our play, Fish Eyes, we went more abstract with the hands and feet of the dancer protagonist, and the symbols of love and culture.
Simplify the drawing as much as you can while still making it recognizable. If your little ones are helping with the painting (very much encouraged!) you can also write what the stone represents on the back. Paint your designs on the stones, and wait to fully dry before outlining with a permanent marker.
Read the story, and encourage your child to mime along with the stones. Definitely pause to join in on the fun, too! The stones will help your child visualize the story beyond what the illustrations provide, and can also aid in trying to anticipate what’s going to happen next in the story.
If you’re working on a play, draw a simple bird’s eye map of the stage. Have your actors use the stones to illustrate the blocking of the scene as they read out the lines. The first time they act it, they’ll be much more likely to understand where to go!
Do share your own story stone adventures with us! (The ones we made are currently jazzing up our literary terrariums from last August).
