Kids Classes&Activity

Item Description

Globally-oriented interactive storytelling and world music classes for kids ages 1 to 4

Storytelling is an art which involves a kinship between the storyteller and the listener, a dialogue where the audience shapes the way the narrative is told. Unlike simply reading a story to children in a monotone voice without paying attention to their cues, good storytelling involves engaging them, sparking their unlimited and vivid imaginations and stimulating language development. When done well, storytelling can enrich oral language, reading, and eventually writing development.  There is a strong global component to my class and I often use international stories, characters, or settings to expose children to different cultures. I frequently use puppets, dramatization, role playing and always try to make sure it is interactive. Children might even learn elements of drama in this class.  Interactive storytelling doesn’t tell the children to simply be quiet and listen (though some rules of course have to be there to ensure an organized class), but allows them to make comments and ask questions about the story while it is being enacted and/ or read. Also, while the story is being read and/or acted out, basic concepts of letters, numbers, colors, object names, verbs and grammar will be addressed.  In addition, depending on the age of the children, we make up our own stories, experiment with different endings for stories, changing the characters, and work on expanding vocabulary and linguistic skills. I allot about 10 to 15 minutes of the class to music and dancing., Every week, we “fly” to a different part of the world, learn a little bit about it and  I hand out children maps. We speak a few words in the language of that country and then I play  a  carefully-curated playlist of child-friendly music from that country and dance. There is enough research to back up the role of exposure to foreign languages on a child’s brain and the combination of music (which as you know is so crucial to the child’s brain) and foreign language is both powerful and fun.

Item Special Note

LOCATION AND TIME: The 45-minute class is held every Thursday at 10:30 a.m. Classes are held on 116th Street between 5th and Lenox Avenues, right next to the 2,3, B, C, and 6 trains. 

VALIDITY: The auction offer  is valid from March 1st to May 15th.