'Talking stories'

[darada]

My son is 5 and a half and I have read to him every night pretty much since he was born. But recently he wants me to tell him 'talking stories' ie me talking rather than reading from a book.

I have told him a few that I know but I have run of ideas. Are there any resources you know I couple tap into? Ideally stories with a message or a moral (not religious).

Thanks

You could have him help you with it. For example you go 'once upon a time there was a magical castle and in it lived...' and then he says 'a giant, called biblington bob' and then you go 'but biblington bob was sad because he didn't have any friends. So, he decided to take a walk out into the world and see if he could meet some nice people. He decided to start by going to...' then he says 'the zoo'.

Ect...

A little different from what you asked, but maybe you want to try the podcast Supergreat Kids’ stories

DD1 is into these. Take a story he or just you already know eg room on a broom and change the characters to be some of his friends. I make up stories about DD1 and her friends going on secret international trip over night to save the day. DH uses films like lord of the rings and changes it about. Don’t be afraid to repeat favourite stories. Or use story cubes.

I tend to just make them up as I go along, although mine don't have a moral.

My son's favourites are those in which he is the main character. You can do anything with a 'talky story' as we call them: go to the moon, the jungle and ride on a rhino, walk past the fire station and get asked to help put a fire out, or just nonsense (DS found my story about emergency vehicles going backwards and hearing 'naw-nee' instead of 'nee-maw' hilarious).

They don't have to be long. Just make one up and have fun with it. Ultimately, your DS just wants to be near you for that bit longer while he nods off; how lovely!

DD loves (sometimes embellished) stories about family members. The idea that granny used to be little - and was occasionally naughty - is amazing to her.

Thanks all,

Yes I do make stuff up too and just let the story go where it goes but then I do run out of ideas and he senses that. I'll check out the podcast thanks again

If you want a moral, Aesop's fables? Find a book of them, read it to yourself to get the story and then retell to him? Some of them aren't very good as stories, but plenty are.

I think Robin Hood might work well as well (and I guess there's an overarching moral there).

My grandmother used to tell us about her own childhood and I loved it. There were no big adventures but it was just silly things her and her sisters or parents used to do. Like when they went on holiday to the seaside for the first time and her dad was so excited he spoiled them by buying sweets and buckets for sandcastles... only to run out of money on day 3 so they had to go home. It was still their best holiday ever.