Story Stones

l just love story stones in our social skills groups, along with my Read speech and language and pre-prep groups, l use them as it is a great way to have everyone interact.

Not only does it also encourage the children to use their imagination and they also get to be the creativity driving star, of how the story goes, what characters are needed. As some of the children who attend my classes have limited speech or very low confidence this is a wonderful way to increases both vocabulary and self-esteem with their communication and listening skills. Along with turn-taking and sharing.

Once the children have sequenced their story, together then comes the question time, we use this as a time for the students to describe, what has happened, who was involved, what other things could have happened ect:

Storytelling through the play is also an awesome way for children to make sense of their world, problem solve and see the perspectives of others.

Story stones apart from telling a story they are great to use in speech therapy or occupational therapy, for working on phonological awareness skills, promoting literacy and learning sight words.

Simply put story stones are smooth, flat stones, that you can either buy at a craft store or go on a hut to the beach or river, or even your local hardware.

How to use your story stones

Pick your first stone out, so either from a drawstring bag or box

Come up with the start of the story, a classsic example "Once upon a time"

Decide from that first stone in the direction what your story will be about unless the story has been created, then it can always be modified to suit.

Have your friends pitch in by taking turns to see which direction the story will then develop.

As our children have amazing brains silly stories are just as good as making it being all serious too.

1) Opening or starter

2) Characters

3) Setting

3) Is there a problem or conflict that may happen to a character

4) Solve the problem

5) Have a smooth transition in your sequencing such as first, next, then and finally

6) Make sure you are talking about the feelings that surrounded how the character felt about the problem and how he or she felt after the problem was fixed.

What you will need to make your own

sharpie pen

Fine paintbrush

Craft varnish

Acrylic paints

small drawstring bag or box

gloss varnish

magazines or old books even stickers

Method

Your pictures should be a mixture of objects, places and characters for the stones to work

cut or stick or paint

Use a fine brush to fill in the pictures using acrylic paint and leave to dry.