Five Minute Fun: Check out these storytelling tips!

We’re sharing a load of fun, five minute activities to get you and your little one moving during Fun Kids Junior!

They’re from the guys at Five Minute Fun, who believe it’s possible to keep your little one entertained without tiring yourself out or spending lots of money!

One way you can stay entertained is with stories!

If it’s Sunday and you’re craving a lie in, here are five storytelling games you can play with your eyes closed.

Consequences

You introduce each part of the story and your child finishes the sentence for you.

There was once a boy called… Jonas. And he went to… the shop. He met… Ella. He said: Hello. They said: Let’s buy some biscuits. And then they: all went home to Ella’s house to play.

(We tried this out on Jonas. He’s seeing Ella today and was basically describing his perfect day, which involves biscuits and playing with someone else’s toys. It’s park and no biscuits, so he’ll be sorely disappointed).

Story hunt

Your story is based on props the children bring to you so you can take regular naps.

The key is to reach a cliffhanger: “He was hanging off the cliff and he saved himself using a….” (that was an actual cliff hanger, but it could be anything)… and then the kids go and find a thing to continue the story. Ours came back with a pan, so we pretended it was a rocket shoe that blasted us back up onto the ledge.

Read to me

A bit of role reversal. You give your small person their favourite book and ask them to read it to you. It really doesn’t matter what they say.

It all forms a basis for storytelling. And you get to close your eyes.

Shadow puppets

You need a torch for this, but maybe you can persuade your other half to go and get one (and make you a cup of tea at the same time). Once you’ve got your torch, your small people use their hands to make characters.

You lie down and say encouraging things like, “Oh yes, it’s a snake, well done! Where’s he slithering to?” And your child mostly yells, “WAKE UP MUMMY!” into your face.

Put on a show

Your bedroom is an exclusive theatre and you are a lazy King or Queen who must be entertained as you lie in your bed.

For maximum shut-eye time, your small people can dress themselves up for the show first.

If you liked this, there are loads more activities on the Five Minute Fun website!