A while ago we shared our Jack & the Beanstalk Story Basket, since then we've created several more to explore. These Story Baskets are a neat way to investigate familiar (& new) stories using a selection of props. They're great for encouraging recall skills, sequencing, language, storytelling, creativity, imagination, & so much more. Here are a few story baskets we've created recently with props from around our house The Three Little Pigs Story Basket 3 toy pigs Lego bricks Lolly sticks Straw & raffia Toy dog - wolf The Little Red Hen Story Basket Small toy Hen, Rat, Cat, & Dog Small toy spade A few shafts of wheat Bowl & spoon - to make the bread Loaf of bread (we used a plastic toy loaf, but you could use a real bread roll) Owl Babies Story Basket 3 toy or puppet Owls (here are our owl stick puppets & peg puppets) A small tree branch or cardboard tube The Gingerbread Man Story Basket Wooden figure - Gingerbread man Small metal frying pan Fox glove puppet Blue cloth - to represent the river (Optional: add small world figures to represent the characters the Gingerbread Man meets along the way) I was thinking of a way to display these baskets & remembered how much fun Minnie had had outside with them. I think there's something special about sharing stories in a natural environment, & these baskets are ideal to hook on your arm (or bike) to take somewhere & explore! So how to display them? Well how about a Story Tree! Simply hang the Story baskets over the lower branches of a tree (so they're easily within reach) & wait for them to be discovered. We picked up this selection of baskets from a number charity stores. The baskets could be used to tell different stories, or each contain similar props, so a number of children could explore the same story in their own way at the same time. The magical thing about these baskets is that children can freely explore a familiar story, adapt or extend it, or create their own narratives as they play with the props. I love the idea of using this natural living object as a way of displaying stories for children to pick & discover. If you have no nearby trees, how about hooking the baskets over fence panels, or leave them dotted around an outside area. When creating Story Baskets it's of course important to think of the age range of the children, & which props would be appropriate / safe to use. For example if I were creating a story basket for babies I would use larger items which offered a selection of textures, colours, & sounds etc. These Story Baskets have been a big hit in our house, & sparked much imaginative play & storytelling, with the basket itself featuring in many of the tales! We're looking forward to making many more of these so we can step inside even more of our favourite stories.
