Bedtime Stories: Level Up Your Reading Of Goldilocks And The Three Bears

It is no secret that storytelling is a great way for the little ones (even babies) to develop a love for language and literacy. Stories also spark children’s imagination and creativity while helping them make sense of the world.

The question is, are you making your storytelling sessions as engaging as they can be?

To help you along, Kiss92 has come together with EtonHouse Community Fund Volunteers to discuss various ways you can liven up bedtime stories. In this podcast series titled Book Monsters – Book Monsters, you can expect easy tips you can apply to a range of popular tales from classics to local kid-lit. The series is supported by The Singapore Women’s Weekly.

In the first episode, the Flying Dutchman is joined by Joanne Wilson, an EtonHouse teacher and Community Fund Volunteer to break down how to improve your reading of Goldilocks and the Three Bears.

Tip #1: Create the right environment (01:04 to 01:28)

Your bedtime reading ritual should begin before you open the book. “Put your phone away. Remove all distractions. Find somewhere comfortable and cosy to sit, making it a really special time between you and your child. You want them to grow up to have positive associations with reading and books,” says Joanne.

Tip #2: Discuss the front cover (01:29 to 01:45)

Find out if your child has already read the book at school or childcare—if so, he or she can share prior knowledge. If not, junior can take a stab at predicting the outcome of the story. 

Tip #3: You don’t have to point at the words as you read (02:01 to 02:40)

There is certainly no harm in doing so, if your child shows an interest in following the words or asks you where you’re at. But there isn’t a need to do it all the time. “It’s also important that you have time just for enjoying the books, where they can just look at the pictures, immerse themselves in the story and just enjoy that moment,” Joanna shares.

Tip #4: Be expressive (03:18 to 04:09)

Don’t be shy in adding character, excitement and enthusiasm. For instance, if the author used words like “exclaimed” or “whined” rather than “said”, be sure to emphasise and model those words, especially if they are new to your child. 

Tip #5: Props can make a story more interesting (04:58 to 05:51)

For instance, telling Goldilocks and the Three Bears over a meal of porridge can help introduce your young children to the dish if it is new to them. And for Joanne, when she travels with her family, she tries to look for books set in the destination country to make their trip come to life. 

Tip #6: Budding writers can take their first cues from old stories (07:46 to 08:26)

Traditional fairy tales like Goldilocks can help children learn about story structure including the rising action, climax and resolution, settings and characters. Over time, this goes a long way towards their learning to write their own stories. 

Tip #7: There are teaching moments to be had (08:27 to 09:49)

Classic tales give parents opportunities to discuss morals and life lessons. “These are valuable now, as they were a hundred years ago,” says Joanne. In Goldilocks, children can learn about the importance of privacy and respecting others’ property, Joanne says. She suggests either having a short reflection at the end of the story or discussing it along the way as the plot develops.

You can catch new episodes of the podcast series Book Monsters – Bedtime Stories every Thursday on Google Podcasts, Spotify or Awedio.