So, you want to take your storytelling with kids to the next level?
Look no further, for here I have combined the magic of upcycling with storytelling. Two projects in one to try out with your children.

So you might remember in an earlier post, I shared an upcycling workshop that I had done with the kids in Athy Library? They transformed Egg Cartons into treasure boxes.
Well, here's another Egg carton upcycling project for you.

​I present to you, a Storytelling Treasure Box!

What you'll need:
* An empty egg carton
* Glue: PVA or Gluestick
* Coloured Tissue/crepe Paper
* Markers/Coloured pencils
* Stickers

And now you're all set to start telling your stories!  These items can be used to give you ideas for your story. 
For instance, the shell can be a magic shell used to call a magical creature or mermaid.
The bell could be used to call the fairies, or Santa Claus.
Roll the dice to give you more ideas for where your adventure can take you. You can purchase a storytelling dice online or from a craft shop.

For older children, you can set them a challenge.  To go away and come up with a story that uses all of the items, with a prize for any child who gets it right (they will probably all manage to use them, so if you're working with a big group, stickers are a fab and cheap reward for this!)

Keep adding more and more items to your box. Take nature walks for leaves, twigs or any other treasures. 

​The possibilities are endless! Just watch your child's imagination grow and flow.
And remember, the one rule in Storytelling is; there are no rules!

I will be posting more tips and ideas for Storytelling with your kids, so please keep an eye out for those.

I hope you have lots of Storytelling fun with your kids! ​

​So many people ask me for advice about storytelling with children. My first piece of advice is quite simple;
“Remember what it’s like to be a child!”

So many adults have completely forgotten the magic and wonder of childhood. 
Sadly, for some adults, the magic of imagination and carefree play simply did not exist for them as children.
Some had to deal with difficult and tragic circumstances that required them to grow up far too fast. 
Others were surrounded by adults who didn't encourage this imaginative play and so it was lost to them.

Here's the good news; when you start storytelling with children, it’s your chance to capture the magic once more.
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Children naturally possess the special power of imagination and are only too willing to share it with any adults who are available to share it with them.  If you take a look at my previous post from Storytelling in a school, you will find that children are natural storytellers.

Whether you’re a parent, carer or teacher, I've gathered together some useful tips from my 10 years experience of professional storytelling for kids.
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Remember when you were little and you made your own "house" using sheets propped over a table or between 2 chairs?  Kids simply love to make their own secret space, that's all for them.

​Create your own den with your children, fill it with soft blankets, cushions and favourite stuffed toys.

If you can't make a covered den, then create a "storytelling armchair" and curl up in the cuddly cosiness to tell your stories.

Play some nice classical music in the background, relaxing and soothing to little brains after a busy day of loud noises!
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Once your child is in this space, they will know that it's time for stories and imagination!

Reading a short book filled with pictures and colour can help awaken imagination. 
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By reading the words and ideas of another creative mind, we are inspired with ideas of our own.

If you choose a book about talking animals, use it as an invitation to ask your child what adventures they think their neighbour's dog gets up to.  Or what their granny's cat might say if they had a voice. The possibilities are endless....

For more prompt ideas, check out how to make your own Storytelling treasure box, which I've written about in a previous post.

I hope you have an amazing storytelling adventure! 

On 9th October 2019, I had the honour of performing at the Red Line Book Festival this year in The Civic Theatre, Tallaght.
​Over the years, I’ve performed in many different venues...schools, libraries, offices, banks, hotels, restaurants, pubs, back gardens, outside supermarkets, inside supermarkets, shopping centres, festivals in fields, often dragging my stuff with me to the locations whilst wearing heels, wings and a gown.  So, you can imagine my excitement to be finally taking my storytelling performance on stage to an actual theatre!
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The story of my show was that all of the colours had disappeared from my magical kingdom and the audience had to help me make them reappear.
So I set my stage up, went through a few quick sound and light tests, and was ready to go:

I was to do 2 shows with a 20 minute break between. My audiences would be made up of kids from junior and senior infants (4-6 years old).
For most of them, if not all, this would’ve been their first time to set foot inside a theatre, so the excitement was palpable. Something brand new for them to experience.
This was a bilingual show, where the children hear the songs in Irish and English and they’re encouraged to join in, exercising their creativity and imaginations.
We met, An Síog Gorm (the blue fairy), An Dragún Buí (yellow dragon), Wally an Éan Ildaiteach (Wally the multi-coloured bird) and Pirate Pete, who all gave us clues to create the magic. The more magic we performed, the more colours were brought back to the books and the Magical Book Kingdom!

Because mine is a very interactive show, I usually ask the children questions, encouraging them to join in and help me tell the story.  What I didn’t expect was that the stage lights would be so bright that I wouldn’t be able to see my audience! So, luckily, the lighting guy brought up the house lights a bit for me during the second show so that I could see them properly!

At the very end, I invited the kids onto the stage to dance with me. I remember as a child being at a show in the Tivoli Theatre, where they invited us onto the stage with the cast members to check out the set and it was really the most exciting experience that I never forgot.

​I hope that these little kids will always remember their first time to visit the theatre where they danced on stage, whilst a woman in a green dress played the guitar!

And I also hope that the next time those children visit the library or the theatre, they will associate it as being as magical when they brought the colours back into the pictures in the books!

If you're interested in booking me for your event or venue, big or small, with any theme you have in mind......please click here!