Even though many grandparents enjoy passing on stories to their grandchildren, they may not always know how to go about it in a way that will capture a child's attention and interest.
With a lifetime's worth of tales to tell and knowledge worth sharing, it is important for grandparents to pass these on to future generations.
But that begs the question, where should a grandparent start? And how can they make sure their stories will be remembered and cherished?
In this article, we will talk about some useful tips that grandparents can use to tell stories in a way that will engage their children, grandchildren, and future generations so that their stories will never be forgotten.
1. Start with what you know
Grandparents are the keepers of family history and traditions, and they know the family tree back to their great-great-grandparents and can tell you stories about what life was like when they were young.
When telling stories to your grandchildren, start with what you know.
Share stories about your childhood, your parents, and family events, and if you have any photos from when you were younger, show them to your grandchildren and tell them about the people in the photos and what was happening when the photo was taken.
2. Use props
Props can be a fun way to help tell a story and capture a child's attention.
If you have any items that are related to the story you are telling, bring them out and let your grandchildren hold or examine them, and if you don't have any physical props, you can always use your imagination.
For example, if you are telling a story about a time when you went fishing, you can pretend to cast a line and reel in a fish.
3. Be animated
Grandparents have a lot of experience in life and can tell some amazing stories!
When telling a story, be sure to use animated expressions and gestures to help bring the story to life to help keep your grandchildren engaged and interested in what you are saying.
You can also use different voices for different characters in the story to help your grandchildren create a picture of these characters to understand the story and make it more enjoyable for them.
4. Use humor
Humor is a great way to engage your audience, and grandchildren are no exception!
When telling a story, try to use humor where appropriate to help keep your grandchildren entertained and engaged.
Just be sure not to overdo it, as too much humor can be overwhelming for young minds.
5. Keep it short and sweet
When telling a story to your grandchildren, it is important to keep it short and sweet, as children have short attention spans and can get bored quickly.
Try to keep your stories to 10 minutes or less, and if you have a longer story that you want to share, you can always break it up into shorter parts and tell it over a few different sessions.
Grandparents have a wealth of knowledge and experience to share with their grandchildren, and there has never been a better time to store and cherish them for years to come.
Record the stories so that they will never be forgotten
It's not as common as it used to be when grandparents lived close by to their children and grandchildren to share their life tales and pass on their knowledge with a quick visit.
Nowadays, you can find many families living in different parts of the country or even different continents, making connecting with loved ones and sharing experiences even harder for grandparents.
And while talking and storytelling over the phone is an option, it is easy to forget them after a while. However, technology has paved the way for better and easier methods to record stories so they can be preserved and enjoyed for years to come.
Rakonto is the perfect solution for grandparents to record their stories on video while using these storytelling tips above to make sure their loved ones will always remember these fascinating tales.
It's an easy website to use even for the most un-tech-savvy grandparents, and it's free to sign up. All you need is a webcam and microphone to get started.
Once you're signed up, you can take a tour of Rakonto with the video tutorial that shows you exactly what to do. And if you can't think of anything to record, there is an abundance of storytelling ideas for you to choose from to help get you started.
And once you've finished recording a few stories, you can store them in different collections and share them with your loved ones at the click of a button. IT'S THAT EASY.
What's more, is that these stories will be saved onto your personal profile that you can give your family access to so they can view and collaborate with them.
So get the most out of storytelling by signing up to Rakonto and preserving those memorable stories all-in-one easy-to-use platform!
