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Education

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Original poster

Anyone's nursery/ infant school use 'storysacks'?

18 replies

Gameboy · 05/10/2005 22:55

Went to a parent's evening last week at our school and the head of literacy was extolling the virtues of something called 'storysacks'. Apparently the idea is to get the most enjoyment/ understanding/ discussion out of a book by presenting it as part of an interactive 'storysack' which might include e.g. the book itself, a related soft toy, props, related non-fiction book, games etc.

Idea is that child takes it home for full play/ discussion (rather like a library item).

Sounds like these are regarded as the lastest 'in thing' in schools' literacy???
And apparently a lot of schools make their own with parent volunteers?

If you search google there's quite a lot on them...

OP posts:

lockets · 05/10/2005 22:57

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aloha · 05/10/2005 22:58

I've never heard of storysacks, but what's wrong with enjoying books in their own right? Sometimes ds and I 'dramatise' a book, making a play out of it and being the characters, and we have some soft toys that are book characters (eg Barbar) but I think the joy of books is the book itself.
It sounds perfectly nice, but can't see it improving literacy rates.

startingtobehalloweenylover · 05/10/2005 22:59

anything that encourage children to look at and read books has got to be a good thing

so i disagree aloha... if it gets them reading then it will improve literacy

HRHQoQ · 05/10/2005 22:59

They had them at DS1's nursery - didn't bring them home - but he had LOADS of fun using them there.

(they also had 'normal' story time too - where they sat down and listened).

Original poster

Gameboy · 05/10/2005 23:02

Aloha
I know what you mean, but I think some parents more naturally 'dramatise' stories etc. I think they are seen as a way of encouraging parents and also helping children realise that there's more to books than just the 'words' and to begin to fire their imagination?

OP posts:

aloha · 05/10/2005 23:03

Ok, just that even as a kid books were my favourite toys in themselves.

lockets · 05/10/2005 23:04

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aloha · 05/10/2005 23:08

I suppose I do some of those things already with ds so I'm probably totally wrong! We did a 'play' of This Is The Bear And The Picnic Lunch today, with dd (8 months) 'playing' the bear, me as the boy and ds as the dog, purely because the dog has the best line in the book - "Geronimo!" (accompanied by big leap to steal the picnic lunch). He loved it.
And ds loves reading along with storytapes and trying to create his own musical soundtracks for his books (just singing, not a full orchestration )

startingtobehalloweenylover · 05/10/2005 23:13

well there you go then!
so it's a big YAY for storysacks

lockets · 05/10/2005 23:15

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startingtobehalloweenylover · 05/10/2005 23:17

aloha · 05/10/2005 23:17

I suppose you don't think about how you use books with young children unless you stop and consider it, like I just did! Um so yes, they sound like fun, and fun is good.

ladymooofspooksville · 05/10/2005 23:24

They are rather lovely actually, aloha. We don't get to take them home but...basic scenario...they get a book - say, 3 Little Pigs...and they get the sack (which has applique stuff on the outside which looks rather enticing) and it has 3 little pig finger puppets in...and a wolf...and the houses (with glued on bits so it's like the straw, wood and bricks). And it's all rather magical 'cos they find the stuff in the sack as they are going along. It really kicks off play acting and the children joining in - and the ones who can't read can use the props to tell the story by themselves (and they do the voices while holding the characters - it's magic!)

Big fan of story sacks...can you tell?

aloha · 05/10/2005 23:25

I particularly like the sound of the houses!

ladymooofspooksville · 05/10/2005 23:27

(Guess who's getting the Pritt stick out tomorrow?)

SueW · 05/10/2005 23:29

Someone I know got heavily involved as a parent volunteer with story sacks at her children's school and seemed to have great fun sourcing and creating all kinds of various objects to go in there.

ScarySkribble · 06/10/2005 01:29

DD had them at her nursery and were very popular, requires a dedicated parent to act as "librarian" to check them in and out and record any missing items.

I think that they are a good idea, not all parents are involved in reading to their children or have good books at home. It encourages children to read and think a bit more about the book itself. Not all kids are lucky enough to have parents that are imaginative.

katymac · 06/10/2005 06:41

I was on a birth to 3 course yesterday and they were saying that story sack were best for the 3 to 7 age group and for younger children he sheer excitment of the book & the story would be enough.

I'm not sure I totally agreed with that - but can accept that for some under 3's that might be the case

They were saying that the children valued your time and attention far more than any toys
I'm not disagreeing with that - but feel some children may enjoy the SS

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