Imagine your Fairytale story: Which characters are in your story? What do they do? Who do they meet? What happens next? Do they learn something new along the way? Do they find something special? How does your story end?
Our Summer Reading Program has provided us with a treasure trove of amazing resources for creative storytelling. This Fairytale Storyteller will inspire your imagination to make up stories as you play together. I remember having so much fun with my friends when I was little with these “cootie-catchers” or, as we called them, “fortune tellers.” One friend would make a new fortune teller, and then we would all take turns finding out what the future held for each of us. Of course, if you didn’t like the answer, you simply played again and chose a different number or color.
The Fairytale Storyteller is similar to those fortune tellers, but instead of telling you what fate has in store, they can help you create new stories to share. You may want to have paper and a pencil handy while you play to write down your story or simply make up oral stories as you go.
For example, on the outside of the storyteller, there are four different colors and four different characters. Have someone choose a character or color and then move your fingers back and forth to either spell out the color or the character. On your paper, you would write a sentence about the character. “One day, a pirate was sailing his ship….”
Then they get to choose from one of the numbered pictures inside. On your paper, you would add another sentence about that picture. “The pirate was hoping to find a magical lamp…”
Move your fingers back and forth while counting to that number and let the person choose a number again. On your paper, you would add the new picture to your story. “The pirate had read a book about Aladdin, and he was sure a magical lamp would get him three wishes…”
Finally, when you open the last flap, that could be the conclusion to your story. “Oh no! Instead of finding a magic lamp that grants three wishes in the dark cave, he found a three-headed monster!”
Here is a link to a printable version of this storyteller:
It is also available on a website dedicated to cootie-catchers created by children’s author, Lou Treleaven. Find it here. I highly recommend checking out her website for other versions and a blank template that you can edit and print.
I decided to color my storyteller before cutting it out and folding it according to the directions
Step 1: Cut out the storyteller.
Step 2: Fold in half.
Step 3: Fold in half again.
Step 4: Unfold it completely and flip over so the colored side is down and the top is blank.
Step 5: Fold each corner into the middle.
Step 6: Flip it over and fold the corners to the middle again so the pictures with the numbers are folded into the middle.
Step 7: Turn it over so you can see the girl, pirate, dragon, and frog.
Step 8: Slide your thumb and your finger behind two of the pictures and press together so they bend round and touch, repeat with your thumb and finger from your other hand for the other two pictures.
You are ready to start your storytelling adventure by moving the pictures with your fingers!
Here is a quick video to see the storyteller in motion:
Additional resources:
We have some new interactive fairy tale books that are in the “choose your own adventure” format. You get to decide what happens in each of these stories.
I hope you enjoy your Fairytale Storyteller and we would love to see your creations if you want to share on social media using our hashtag #imagineyourkckpl
Miss Liz