Outdoor storytelling beyond the book

When we imagine storytelling outdoors, most of us picture the same thing: an adult sat with a book in hand, looking out at a sea of children quietly looking up at them. I'm not here to tell you it can't and won't look like that, but storytelling outdoors can be so much more than just reading books. We want to do more than bring the indoors outside. We want to use the natural atmosphere of the outdoors to take children on an adventure. But where do we start?

With once upon a time, of course

Fairy tales and folk tales are a great place to start – they offer us familiarity (most adults know at least one or two from their own childhood) but also the freedom to switch things up and wiggle room to completely change the ending of the story if we'd like to. That's not as easy with commercial favourites such as that caterpillar and the creature with the purple wart. I get it. Trying to tell a story without a book for the first time can be daunting, so it's a good idea to stick to a story you know the first few times you try it. 

The key to great storytelling outdoors is putting the environment at the centre of your tale. What space are you working with? See it through the eyes of a child. How can it be enchanting, spooky, mysterious, or inviting?

If you have little natural space, why not visit your local park, nature reserve or woodland for a storytelling adventure? Rich woodland, towering trees and creature spotting will add tons to your experience and make it super exciting, too!

Here's how to take your storytelling to the next level...

1. Start on their level
Crouching down, sitting, or perching on something is a great way to draw them in and ask for their full attention through eye contact. Never underestimate the power of eye contact! Look where you want the children to look to encourage gaze following. We see this in babies within their first year, and it's a valuable skill in communication and attention.

2. Describe, describe, describe!
When we start to tell the story, we want to build up the image they have of the story's setting – use elements of your environment if you can when describing the village in which Little Red Riding Hood lives or the dense forest in which Goldilocks wanders. But why? Research shows us that vivid descriptions light up more areas of the brain compared to when we hear facts, thus making stories more memorable and easy to recall. 

3. Move with the characters
A good opportunity to explore the space is when the character does, so get up and move around! It is important that we don't expect children to be in one place for too long, after all we want to keep their interest and move at their pace. You can lead the way or let them guide you through the enchanted forest. Remember, engagement doesn't display in only one way (excited children eagerly running ahead to find the Big Bad Wolf is a good thing!)

4. Use your face
Our faces do a lot of the work when telling stories, and reflecting the emotions in the story on our faces is a really clear way to translate what is happening to children. Big, clear emotions shown on your face help build their understanding. Don't rush this, we must remember that children need a few extra seconds to process what they are seeing and hearing simultaneously.

5. Plant prompts
Finally, place little prompts or props throughout the space to add wonder and curiosity to the experience. You could find a tiny wooden door at the bottom of a tree or a bag of golden coins. For younger children, you could place a figure at each point a new character is introduced (as the gingerbread man runs further, he will see different animals along the way.) Adding something to touch and explore can be a great way to invite children back into the story world while allowing them to investigate an item. On top of all that, it adds another strong visual image to the storytelling, thus making it more memorable!

Stories are everywhere, so taking them outside should be a no brainer! It's important to remember that stories don't look one way, in fact they should be different every time, so roll with it. If the children are enjoying climbing the beanstalk, do more of that. Let them guide the way if they keep spotting the big bad wolf. The more we put children at the centre of our storytelling and put them in the driving seat, the more creative it will be. Don't be afraid to stop to sing songs, investigate under a log or follow the noise you hear… it's all about the process rather than the final product. I like to finish by asking children to close their imaginary books (their hands) and say the magic words “and they all lived happily ever after… the end!”

Always remember, you already have the makings of a storyteller, you just need to add a little extra magic!

This article has been taken from our latest early years magazine, Little Learners. For more inspirational early years content like this, you can subscribe to receive our magazine for FREE or find out more on our Little Learners homepage.