Story Shells

a Crafting Connections Mini-Magazine

Issue #3

ON THE SEA

A wet sheet and a flowing sea,A wind that follows fast,

And fills the white and rustling sail,And bends the gallant mast;

And bends the gallant mast, my boys,While, like the eagle free,

Away the good ship flies, and leavesOld England on the lee.

“O for a soft and gentle wind!”I heard a fair one cry;

But give to me the snoring breezeAnd white waves heaving high;

And white waves heaving high, my boys,The good ship tight and free -The world of waters is our home,

And merry men are we.

There’s tempest in yon horned moon,And lightning in yon cloud;

And hark the music, mariners -The wind is piping loud;

The wind is piping loud, my boys,The lightning flashing free -

While the hollow oak our palace is,Our heritage the sea.

Allan Cunningham, 1917

Time to Play : : Story Shells There comes a point in nearly all of our lives, where a little one looks up at you and says, “Tell me a story.” A simple invitation to connect while playing, make your “Once upon a time...” a touch more special with painted story shells (or stones). Each step of this project fosters connections - from the gathering of raw materials, to quiet moments creating for your little one, to the magical moment when your child listens to a now-illustrated story. The graphic nature of these shells have the added bonus of encouraging your little one along the path of language learning, offering a visual depiction of objects that are simultaneously appearing in your oral story. But best of all, it is a special moment when your little one is able to use their new story shells to tell you a story.

YOU WILL NEED

Shells (or stones)Acrylic paintPaintbrush

Sealer (Mod Podge)

WHAT TO DO

Gather your shells (or stones). These can be found in your home from trips past, or hunted for right outside your door (depending on where you live). Look for light-colored shells that are fairly smooth on the side you will be painting. Make sure your shells or stones are able to lay fairly flat.

Clean your shells. Wash in hot, soapy water and let dry. If your shells continue to smell fishy, soak them in a bowl of water with a bit of bleach for a couple of hours. Rinse thoroughly with cold water and let them dry prior to painting.

Choose your images. If you’d like you can sketch your pictures onto your shells.

Paint your shells. This is where your creativity can shine. Don’t worry if you’ve never painted before, the pictures do not need to be perfect, just visual representations of basic objects. Encourage your little one to join you - they can paint the background or basic shapes onto the shells, which can be filled in by you later.

Let the shells dry for about 24 hours to be sure the paint has set.

Varnish the painted shells with Mod Podge or a similar water-based sealer. This will help prevent the paint from fading or chipping. One-to-two coats will be plenty.

Finally, find a cozy spot with your little one and tell a story!

CHOOSING YOUR IMAGES

The beauty of a story shell (or stone) collection is that you can always add more pictures as needed. Choosing the pictures for your initial set can

seem daunting, but have faith, there is no right or wrong answer.

BRAINSTORMING:

Talk to your little one about pictures they would like to see.

Think about what stories you have been telling or reading lately.

Are there any recurring themes?

Does your little one have a favorite stuffed animal or imaginary friend?

Think about the types of pretend play your child enjoys. How can this inform

the images you choose?

A FEW MORE IDEAS:

Birds

Animals

Vehicles

Art & Crafts

Weather

Nature

Camping

People

Emergency services

Holidays

Plants & Trees

Around the neighborhood

School

Nursery rhymes

EXPLORE MORE

Go for a nature walk. Besides shells or stones, what else can you use to tell a story? Will you paint it, draw on it, or something else?

What other creative mediums can you use to decorate your story shells?

MAKE CONNECTIONS

Using your story shells, tell a story about something that makes you feel excited. How about a story about something that makes you feel scared?

Can you give your scary story a different ending? Are there any other stories you would like to change?

Love what you see? Be sure to check out all the print & digital

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CREDITS

Contact : : hello@craftingconnections.net

Unless otherwise specified, all text and photography copyright © 2013 by Crafting Connections, LLP.

Credits photo: ©2007, Tony George, CC BY 2.0

Mini-Magazine Published by: Crafting Connections, LLP and CraftingConnections.net