Building Language Skills
For small children,
storytelling is an important step in building vocabulary and language skills. Simple stories using basic phrases and
building on them with more colorful adjectives and adverbs teach the art of
language and speech. Storytelling also helps children build a robust
vocabulary, introducing them to novel words that they may not be exposed to on
a regular basis. Encouraging preschoolers to assist in creating an exciting
adventure prompts them to think-- and
express themselves-- in new ways.
Every Picture Tells a Story
Giving
a child an object and asking him to make up a story about it does more
than build creativity. It also teaches him that everything has its own story,
and that more goes into that story than may first be apparent. The object can
be anything from a colorful picture to a leaf or pebble. And the story can be a
fanciful history or imagining what will happen after the moment the object has
been introduced. The important thing is to imagine and create, not to arrive at
a predetermined outcome.
Tales of Long Ago and Far Away
Fairy
tales and history lessons share a common trait: They both introduce a
young child to something from the distant past and show them how it relates to
a moral or physical understanding. Knights taming dragons may not seem to have
any historical importance, but exposure to such stories may encourage a boy to
learn more about feudal systems, ancient castles, or the ethics involved in
honesty or personal virtue.
Imagination and Invention
All of the great
inventions started out as imagination. Storytelling encourages children to
imagine what could be, and that prepares them for a future where they may build
the next great tool for modern living. Historical stories for preschoolers can
be about all kinds of things, including the solar system, life beneath the
seas, or how building dams creates electricity to power homes. Tickling the
imagination to fuel the possibility of creating something new and wonderful will
encourage the little ones to learn more, think more, and to use their own minds
for things no one else has ever thought of.The Montessori method uses tried and true educational tools to assist children in their development. For preschoolers, this includes the age-old method of storytelling, both creatively and historically. The idea is to use the best tools to garner the most progress, and this is one tool that has a long history of success. At Montessori Children's House, a private day care in Fremont, CA, our teachers encourage students to embrace their creativity and use their imagination throughout their learning. Contact us today to schedule a tour!
