Choose from these exciting, original kids’ audio stories.

Clem the Detective Dog
Ralphie The Gopher
Sheriff Daisy & Deputy Bud
Rainbow of the Sioux
The Monotonia Chronicles
Tibbodnock Stories
Fiona the Smart Ghost
Ivan the Not-So-Terrible
Nikki the Invisible Girl
Sarabel to the Rescue

“I like the TallTales stories cause they have happy endings.”
—Birdy, Age 4, Middleburg, Va

Storytelling Tips

Listen to storytelling podcasts (fun for parents and kids) or subscribe to free TallTales Audio podcasts at the iTunes Store.

Storytelling Tips for Parents of Toddlers and Preschoolers

You can enjoy telling the simplest little stories when your babe is still in the cradle. Certainly from the time your child becomes interested in books, such as Chicka Chicka Boom Boom or Good Night Gorilla, he or she will begin to be an eager listener. You obviously don’t want an elaborate story to start. Take your cue from your little one’s favorite books — just a few sentences about doggie, dolly, or car are plenty. And don’t worry that your toddler isn’t a perfect audience. Just as he or she will focus on a few pages of Pat the Bunny before tossing it aside, bits and pieces of your stories will begin to stick.

Storytelling is not only a wonderful way to have fun and bond with your little son or daughter, it jump starts your child’s imagination and creativity, improves his or her listening skills, and builds vocabulary. (See Welcome to Storytelling for more on the benefits of creating stories for your children.) And the wonderful thing is that if you start your storytelling traditions early, your kids will always love them. One of my children still requested her bedtime story about Rainbow of the Sioux in eighth grade (“but Dad, don’t tell my friends”).

Here are tips for telling stories to toddlers and kids under age five.

1. Make it simple.
The younger the child, the shorter the story. Four or five sentences are all you need for an 18-month-old. Think of variations of nursery rhymes such as Star Light Star Bright or Itsy Bitsy Spider. Even when your child is three or four, you’ll want to err on the short and sweet side. For example, a four-year-old will love a tale about the misadventures of Greg the Garbage Truck, definitely including what’s in the garbage cans he picks up on your street. There is no need to toss in a giant crane, two dragons, or a family of ducks.

2. Keep it familiar.
The world of babies and toddlers is very small: Mom, Dad, Grandma Susie, Jack the Dog, your home, Sesame Street, the grocery store, the local park, etc. Make up stories about these people and places — the swings at the park, Elmo from Sesame Street, your neighbor’s cat, or the sunflowers in your garden. Save flying carpets, sailing ships, and tropical islands for a few years later.

3. Put your child at the center of the story.
Or make the central character someone your son or daughter can easily identify with (a child the same age with a similar name). So, if your three-year old daughter Emmy likes monkeys, you might tell about Amy’s adventures with Paku, the silly monkey. Telling a story like this will not only hold your child’s interest, it helps to increase his or her self confidence. And of course, even the youngest child loves stories about when they were a baby (even though that may have been just a year or so back).

4. Have fun — with silly voices, funny gestures, or goofy facial expressions.
As you plan your little story, think of how much your child loves This Little Piggy Went to Market because you’re wriggling his or her toes and ending with a tickle. Finger or hand puppets or musical instruments such as a toy piano or drum will also add to the fun and keep your child interested in your story. And so will creating voices for each character (Billy Goat Gruff, Mama Goat Mellow, and Baby Goat Squeaky).

5. Understand the value of repetition.
Small children (especially those younger than two) love to hear favorite stories over and over. Repetition allows your toddler the chance to memorize key words or phrases and gain self confidence and the sense of control that comes with knowing what’s next. Your little son or daughter will happily beam with pride the first time he or she is able to participate in the telling of a familiar story (the way your child does, when finishing a nursery rhyme such as “Hush, little baby, don’t say a word, mama’s going to buy you a ____” or pointing out the little mouse on each page of Good Night Moon). For example, if you tell a tale about the Good Morning Bunny, repeat a favorite phrase, such as “Hippity hippity hop” several times in the story. To keep yourself sane, you’ll want to add a bit to the story line as time goes on (a bath, a carrot, or even a game of peek-a-boo for the Good Morning Bunny).

6. Involve your child in the story.
Once you and your child are excited about storytelling, encourage him or her to suggest who or what the story is about (you’ll be surprised at some of the creative ideas preschoolers can have, such as the dancing cereal bowl or the grumpy goldfish).

7. Involve big brother or sister.
Chances are, by this time, your older child or children love storytelling and are beginning to be pretty good at it. If so, ask them to play one of the characters in your story, or (if they are ready) to be the storyteller. See Storytelling Tips for Kids for ideas on encouraging your children’s storytelling.

8. Keep several stories going.
By the time your child is three or four, you’ll want to have created a small repertoire of short stories. That way, when it’s time for bed you can tell “Susie the Spotted Toad” and “Too Much Sugar” one night and “Big Trucks, Little Trucks” and “The Walking Tree” the next. Sometimes, your child will resist a new story, wanting instead to hear the old favorite for the 111th time. Fine. Tell the old story first then add the new one. Pretty soon, the new story will become the old favorite and you can add a third.

9. Use visual cues.
From painting a truck on the ceiling to featuring a favorite stuffed animal, it can be very effective to involve eyes as well as ears. See Storytelling Props for various ways to use visual aids to make storytelling more fun.

©2007 TallTales Audio