By Charlie Wardle, Early Years Specialist.
When I think about the power of stories, I find myself back in my granddad’s living room. His house was filled with books, stacked on shelves, balanced on armrests, they were everywhere. Every time I visited, I would find myself lost in a new adventure, whether it was deep in the Hundred Acre Wood or racing through chocolate rivers in Willy Wonka’s factory. My granddad didn’t just read books; he brought them to life. He would change his voice for different characters, act out dramatic scenes, and encourage me to guess what might happen next.
Looking back, I realise those moments shaped more than just my love for reading. They shaped how I thought, how I imagined, and how I understood the world. And now, as an Early Years Specialist, I see how this kind of storytelling, the magic of truly bringing stories to life, has a profound impact on young children.
Imagination: The Key to a Child’s World
Children naturally live in a world of imagination. A stick becomes a sword, a cardboard box turns into a spaceship, and a simple storybook can transport them to places they’ve never been. Research shows that when children engage with stories, especially when they actively participate in bringing them to life, both sides of their brains light up in ways that other passive activities, like watching TV, simply don’t.
A study from the University of York found that children who engage with books develop stronger mental imagery skills. When a child reads (or is read to), they aren’t just absorbing information, they’re creating worlds in their minds, visualising characters, and predicting events. This ability to “paint with words” strengthens cognitive skills and fosters creativity.
The Science Behind Storytelling and Mental Well-Being
Beyond imagination, reading and storytelling also play a vital role in a child’s mental well-being. Researchers at the University of Cambridge discovered that children who start reading for pleasure early in life perform better on cognitive tests and have stronger emotional resilience.
Stories help children process emotions, build empathy, and understand complex situations in a safe, controlled environment. A child who listens to a story about a character overcoming fear learns how to manage their anxieties. A child who follows a character on a grand adventure builds confidence in their ability to tackle challenges. Books provide escape. In a world where children are overstimulated by technology, reading offers a quiet space to let their minds wander.
Bringing Stories to Life: More Than Just Reading
One of the most powerful ways to encourage this engagement with books is to bring stories to life. This can be done in many ways and doesn’t require fancy props or elaborate performances, just fun and creativity.
1. Dramatic Reading – Put voices on for characters, change pitch, pause for suspense, and making sound effects all help transform a story into an experience.
2. Storytelling with Props – Simple household objects can become magical tools for storytelling. A wooden spoon might become a magic wand, a blanket a cape or a teddy bear a story’s main character.
3. Encouraging Participation – Asking questions like “What do you think happens next?” or “How would you feel?” invites children to make it their own. Some children even enjoy acting out or retelling the story themselves.
4. Connecting Stories to Real Life – If you read a book about animals, a trip to the zoo can make it even more meaningful. If you read about a dentist, the next appointment isn’t so scary afterall! These connections make stories come alive.
The Wisdom of Roald Dahl: A Warning About Screens
It’s impossible to talk about the magic of storytelling without mentioning Roald Dahl. In Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, he famously warned against the dangers of too much television:
“It rots the senses in the head!” It kills imagination dead!
Dahl understood something research is now discovering, too much screen time diminishes creativity. Unlike books, which invite children to build worlds in their minds, television and digital media do the imagining for them. The vibrant characters, settings, and even emotions are pre-packaged, leaving little room for independent thought.
This is why reading matters more than ever. In a world where screens are everywhere, books give balance, a way for children to develop their own ideas, dream, think independently and later in life, follow their passions.
Reading to My Own Children: A Gift That Lasts a Lifetime
My granddad passed his love of books on to me, and I knew when I became a parent that I wanted to do the same. No matter how exhausted I was at the end of the day, I read to them every night. Some nights, I could barely keep my eyes open, drifting off mid-sentence, and they would laugh telling me to wake up. There were moments of silliness, putting on accents while reading The Faraway Tree, making the characters in David Walliams’ books sound even more eccentric than they already were. The voices became part of the experience, and my children would giggle and ask me to do it again.
Now, they are all grown up, they still talk about those bedtime stories. They remember the way I used to act out characters, the silly voices used, and the warmth of those moments. The best part is they still love books. It’s something that has stayed with them into adulthood, shaping their own imaginations, their ability to think critically, and their love of stories. My grandads love of books became part of our family’s legacy.
A Final Thought: The Story Continues
Sometimes, when I’m alone with a book in my hands, I imagine my granddad sitting beside me, reading aloud in his familiar voice. I picture him watching as I read to my own children, a smile of quiet pride on his face. In those moments, it feels as if stories have bridged the gap between past and present, keeping his spirit alive through the words we share.
That’s the magic of reading. It connects generations, sparks imaginations, and creates memories that last long after the final page is turned.
What story will your imagination create……