If we were to ask any young child if they’d... The post The Magic Of Storytelling – Sponsored By Sportball first appeared on Mommy Connections.
If we were to ask any young child if they’d rather “kick a ball” or “launch a rocket into outer space using their foot“, we can almost guarantee they would choose rocket launching any day of the week. We know this because kids are born filled with curiosity, innocence and wonder, and storytelling can be a powerful teaching tool for tapping into their imaginations.
After 30 years in the business of coaching children, we at Sportball have learned a thing or two about the powerful (dare we even say magical?) effect that storytelling can have on commanding a child’s attention and focus on a task. It also means that when you create spaces for kids to use their imagination during daily routines, they are much more likely to feel enthused and willing to try new things – like a new sport or a new food. Which is why at Sportball, we infuse storytelling into everything that we do. This not only makes our classes effective, but more fun too!
Here’s why we think storytelling is such a powerful teaching tool for kids and how you can apply our techniques at home to bring the fun (and enthusiasm!) to your daily routine…
1. Stories help us capture a child’s attention and keep them engaged.
A young child’s imagination is always running wild – they’d much rather be a firetruck when they grow up than an accountant (no offense to our accountants here!). When you play into their sense of wonder and present concepts and tasks as stories for them to explore, they’re more likely to engage.
At Sportball, we use this approach to keep kids focused on our coaches’ instructions throughout the duration of class. It’s amazing to see how kids perk up and pay attention when they’re trying to wake a sleeping dinosaur or get a dragon’s egg out of a nest instead of simply trying to spike a volleyball or work on their underhand serve.
Applying wonder to the otherwise routine tasks is easy to try at home. Instead of getting dressed because they must, try telling kids they’re the chief firefighter of the house and have just been called out to a local fire. “Get dressed in your protective fire suit (i.e. their clothes) as fast as possible and hurry out the door to the rescue!” The more into the story you get, the faster they’ll go. Even the little ones who can’t yet dress themselves will pick up on the excitement and want to join in!
2. Stories help us bridge the communication barrier between adults and kids.
Have you ever tried to teach your child a new skill or ask them to follow specific instructions, only to have them stare back at you blankly, do the opposite of what you asked or just turn on their little heels and walk away? (That last one gets us every time.) Children learn through play – it’s like a child’s language, which is why at Sportball, we don’t just shoot a basketball, we feed hamburgers to hungry unicorns!
It’s easy to forget sometimes that kids aren’t just little adults and that their communication skills, comprehension of language, emotional regulation and understanding of the world are all still very much developing. So, the next time you consider trying to wrestle your child into the bath, try turning things into a game instead. Whether its pirates looking for treasure on the open seas or trying to train dolphins to do what the kids say, let your imagination have a little fun too 
3. Stories help kids hardcode information into memory.
Regardless of age, our imaginations can easily be captured by an incredible story, and it has been scientifically proven that we are more likely to remember things in the form of a well-told story when compared to facts and figures alone. The ability to tap into the imagination is even more powerful and important for kids whose unbound sense of wonder is fleeting.
For example, we might tell kids that the ball they’re passing around is very large and delicious cake, so they need to be gentle when passing to others or it could smash on the ground (supported by a coach demonstration of what “gentle” actually looks like of course). This same approach can also work out in the real world when a child is being a little too rough with others. By using stories to teach age-appropriate physical, social and emotional skills to young children, we can build a foundation that will stick with them for a lifetime.
4. Last, but definitely not least, stories are just more fun!
Kids go out each day looking to have fun and explore, and when we create the space for them to do so, they’ll want to participate, learn, and grow.
To learn more about Sportball or find a class near you, visit us at https://sportball.com/.
Sportball is a method-backed sports program for children 16 months to 12 years, designed to spark a lifelong passion for staying active. Their multi-sport approach is based on the latest in childhood development research to help your little ones build their confidence and competence through sport-based drills and activities.
The post The Magic Of Storytelling – Sponsored By Sportball first appeared on Mommy Connections.
