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TELL IT! Oral Storytelling to Young Children

An introduction to oral storytelling to young children - with Storyteller ECE Kevin MacKenzie

Many people who work with children are discovering the pleasure and benefits of oral storytelling. It's true. No books, no felt board!

"Tell It!" is a hands-on workshop. It's about jumping in. The atmosphere is safe. It's fun. We work vigorously from being listeners to being tellers by taking small, quick steps. Participants discover how incredibly easy it is to learn, remember and tell captivating stories.

In "Tell It" we rediscover how stories have been shared since forever - and maybe a bit before that. It is truly a thrill to connect to this innate ability.

Thousands of educators, literacy professionals, teachers, librarians, therapists, and parents in seven countries on three continents have been inspired with new stories and techniques.

Each workshop comes with an in-depth booklet on storytelling, including stories and activities learned in the workshop, background on oral storytelling, and tips on learning and telling stories.

find fresh confidence in your abilities.

feel a new certainty in your circles and group times.

And what's more, the workshop is a blast.

Universal Benefits

Gives you hands on experience telling oral stories

Builds your confidence in presenting to large and small groups

Stimulates your excitement about circle times

Celebrates differences in individuals

Celebrates the diverse array of cultures that stories come from

Reinforces your belief in your own creative abilities

Specific Benefits

Learn how to commit to and remember stories

Learn specific techniques for telling; do's and more do's

Receive a bibliography bursting with resources

Great stories, stretchers and finger plays - on paper and inside you!


Tell It! – Level One

A transformative workshop – all concepts come from participants’ immediate experience, and are validated by Kevin’s facilitation, not vice versa.

We start with low risk activities, and gradually increase the level of commitment until we are having a heap of fun.

Tell It! Uses large and small group exercises which encourage participants to experience the basic concepts of storytelling, how it works and why it is important.

After three hours, participants will have learned two stories so well that there is no reason under the sun not to dash out and share them.

Tell It Again! - Level Two

This workshop builds on the process and concepts experienced in level one.

Participants practice more and different stories with a focus on discovering their own strengths, and removing unhelpful thinking patterns and preconceptions which hold any storyteller, writer, performer or artist back.

Level one introduces participants to storytelling in the broader sense. Level two helps participants get a feeling for how deep their own storytelling goes.

Professional development workshops are tailored to clients’ needs. Exercises can be adapted to accommodate small and large Groups.