National Library Board

NLB Story Kit & Story Journal

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How do we develop engaging activity kits that guide kids through the storytelling process?

Use a character as a narrative device to guide kids through the creative process.

To encourage kids to create their own stories, we were commissioned by the National Library Board (NLB) to develop two activity kits for their new activity space at Punggol Regional Library called the Storyteller Cove. In line with the space’s objective to help children enjoy reading and writing using interactive physical and digital elements. The activity kits were envisioned as accompanying collaterals that helped/to help kids foster a greater sense of appreciation for the creative storytelling process.

Curriculum

With the goal of helping children explore the storytelling process in a guided manner, the activity kits were developed as a two-parter that flow organically from one kit to the next.

The first kit, which was named “Adventures in Storyteller Cove”, draws inspiration from the existing space through a guidebook format that educates children about how a book is created. From there, kids follow up on their learning in the second activity kit called “The Writer’s Journey”. Framed as a step-by-step field guide complete with prompts and bite-sized information about popular children’s books, “The Writer’s Journey” encourages children to create their own story based on what they have learnt thus far.

Illustrations

To make the activity kits more engaging for children, an anchoring character, who serves as the guardian of Storyteller Cove, is used as a narrative device across both collaterals to guide kids through the content.

Content development

In “Adventures in Storyteller Cove”, readers are invited to go on an adventure through the Forest of Fables, Kingdom of Books and Island of Tales, which are tangible areas found in the physical activity space. From there, kids collect information from the different exhibits to complete certain activities in the kit.

“The Writer’s Journey”, on the other hand, frames the writing process as a voyage to parallel the narrative flow of a story, as well as to create a sense of excitement and anticipation for what lies ahead.