| It's fun to read child stories to your
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| | time and imagine how people lived. This
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| kids, but it's even MORE fun to make up
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| | can be educational, too. You could make
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| your own. You don't need to be a creative
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| | up a story about a Viking boy who becomes
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| genius to do so. All it takes is a little
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| | a great warrior and philosopher king.8.
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| imagination and patience (with yourself).
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| | Bring them to LifeWhat if all the objects
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| Follow these 10 suggestions, and you'll
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| | in your life suddenly SPRANG TO LIFE?
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| find that making up entertaining child
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| | What would your car say? What would your
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| stories is as easy as talking with a good
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| | TV do?9. BorrowIf you're really "stuck",
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| friend.1. A Picture's Worth a Thousand
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| | you can always borrow (but don't steal)
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| WordsSelect a picture or series of
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| | ideas from other people's stories or get
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| pictures from a magazine, book, newspaper
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| | inspiration from folktales, parables,
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| or wherever. Then describe what's
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| | legend or myth. Just put your own ideas
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| happening in the picture or pictures.2.
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| | and names into the stories to personalize
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| Truth is Stranger than FictionDraw in
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| | them. For example, you could take the
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| events from your everyday life and then
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| | Greek "Myth of Icarus" and update it for
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| embellish them. For example, instead of
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| | the 21st century. Instead of wings make
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| "Jason played in the basketball game last
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| | from feathers and wax, Icarus has a
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| Saturday," you could say "when Jason
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| | solar-powered, artificial exoskeleton
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| played in the basketball game last
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| | made from composite materials. With his
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| Saturday, he put on his magic shoes and
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| | hi-tech exoskeleton, he's actually able
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| scored 50 points!"3. Look at the Larger
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| | to land on the sun, but then he gets so
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| WorldChoose a story from the newspaper
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| | hot that he plunges back to earth, drinks
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| (nothing too heavy) and make up a story
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| | up half of Lake Ontario, and gets a
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| around it. You can personalize the news
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| | terrible tummy ache.10. Let Your Kids
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| this way so that your child sees that
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| | Tell YOU a StoryKids are often more
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| real people are behind the events. This
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| | creative than adults, probably because
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| has the added benefit of being highly
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| | they don't engage in self-censorship as
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| educational.Just to prove that this can
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| | much. They're not embarrassed to let
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| be done with even a "dry" topic, here's a
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| | their imaginations run wild! So, you
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| headline from The Financial Times (the
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| | could have your kids make up stories,
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| British business daily): "Crop Resistance
| |
| | too. They'll love getting involved and
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| - Why a Transatlantic Split Persists Over
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| | having the chance to express
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| Genetically Modified Food." Depending
| |
| | themselves.You can combine any of the
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| upon your political views on this issue,
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| | tips here with that approach. With tip
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| you could make up a story that London is
| |
| | #1, for example, you could take turns
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| threatened by gigantic ears of corn, that
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| | describing what's happening in a picture.
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| soybeans morph into aliens or that
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| | It's fun to see how different people
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| wonderful new species of flora and fauna
| |
| | interpret a picture differently.Another
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| evolve in a genetically modified jungle
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| | approach that I use with my own kids is
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| that springs up outside New Orleans.4.
| |
| | the "story round robin". We take turns
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| Get Back to NatureNature is a rich source
| |
| | telling a single story, passing it on
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| of ideas. You can make up a story about
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| | from one person to the next. The plot can
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| the animal kingdom (e.g. an ant colony).
| |
| | get very intricate,
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| You might imagine what it would be like
| |
| | indeed!ConclusionThese are just a few
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| to become an ant and see the world from
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| | ways you can get inspired to make up
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| that perspective. Or you could make up a
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| | child stories. I'm sure you'll think of
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| story about the elements. Did you know
| |
| | more. Above all, I hope you'll have a lot
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| that each element has a concept
| |
| | of fun with your storytelling!P.S. If you
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| associated with it? Air = Thought, Fire =
| |
| | record or write down any of your stories,
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| Desire, Water = Emotions, Earth =
| |
| | you can send them to me and I'll publish
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| Stability. The universe or astronomy
| |
| | them on my website with your name (and
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| (sun, moon, planets, stars, etc.) is
| |
| | copyright) on them.P.P.S. Here is a very
|
| another possible source of inspiration.5.
| |
| | interesting website that I discovered
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| Help from Your HobbiesWhy not make up a
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| | (not affiliated with me in any way) about
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| story centered around one of your
| |
| | the elements, astrology, dragons, etc.:
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| hobbies? If you're an avid golfer, a
| |
| | You'll find this a rich source of
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| story could be about how you got your
| |
| | ideas.Paul Arinaga is founder of the
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| golf ball back from a talking alligator
| |
| | Child Stories Bank.
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| in Florida.6. Famous PeopleYou could make
| |
| |
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| up a story about a famous person (either
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| | The Child Stories Bank provides FREE
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| deceased or still living) such as Jesus
| |
| | original children's stories as well as
|
| Christ, Alexander the Great or Justin
| |
| | resources to help writers create and get
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| Timberlake (might be best to try to stick
| |
| | their stories published, and a directory
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| roughly to known facts).7. Choose a Time
| |
| | of child storybook illustrators.
|
| PeriodIt's always exciting to go back in
| |
| |
|
