The Value of Storytelling

As a resource creator, I am passionate about the power of storytelling in education. Stories have been used for centuries to teach children lessons and impart wisdom, but at Waldorf schools we use stories as a way to help children move from the imaginative to the abstract – allowing them to understand complex concepts softly, deeply and in their own way.

In this blog post, I will share why storytelling is so important in Waldorf traditions, how it can be used to resolve challenging behaviours within classrooms and how you can use the Wilded Family Storytelling Wheel with your own children at home. By understanding these principles and using stories effectively, parents can help their children develop confidence in themselves.

Waldorf Traditions

Stories are a great way to help children learn. They can be used to teach academic concepts, as well as impart values and morals. Storytelling is also an effective tool for calming the emotions of young children, particularly when they may be feeling overwhelmed or anxious. This is why Waldorf teachers often use stories in their classrooms to help children transition from one activity to another or to resolve challenging behaviours.

Foundations for Creativity

If you not used to storytelling it can be a bit foreboding, the idea of just making something up! So I made the Wilded Family Storytelling Wheel to help. It’s a tool for parents and teachers and children. This guided storytelling wheel allows parents to create stories that engage their children’s imaginations while building their confidence as storytellers. You spin the wheels and it gives a prompt for the structure of the story and then from the picture you pick the characters. In an academic sense, the wheel helps children understand the concept of storytelling and encourages them to create their own stories. You can use it for behaviour or fears or as part of a literacy block.

Challenging Behaviours

We believe that storytelling can be a powerful tool to help young children with their behaviour. You can use the storytelling wheel to make sure each story is relevant and interesting for the child. I would recommend the book “Healing Stories for Challenging Behaviour”. This has help us with the children to understand why it is important to treat others with respect and kindness. Through a story, they were able to learn how their behaviour affects others and how they can take responsibility for it. The storytelling wheel is a great way to ensure that the story is engaging and relevant for all. It helps bring the story to life, making it easier to understand and remember. Storytelling can be a powerful therapy for young children. It can help them better understand the world around them and their own place in it. By using stories, teachers can also help children learn about emotions, solutions to everyday problems, and how to develop positive relationships with others.

Storytelling has been used for centuries to educate, entertain and captivate our imaginations. You can use these principles with your own children at home, helping them develop confidence in themselves and a better understanding of the world around them.