It’s been a tough week, hasn’t it? Let’s face it, the news can be overwhelming.

There is so much happening in the world today that I want to talk about with my children. The problem is, they are still young and some of it is above their heads–or too scary for right now.

So, how do we start a conversation about big, important topics? How do we lay a foundation on which we can build slowly, over time, as a child becomes developmentally ready?

One way is through stories. As a parent, I want to teach my children about the world in which we live. I want them to have an interest in world culture. I want them to have an understanding of what it is like to live in other countries.

This year, our family has been enjoying a service called Around the World Stories. My children have learned an incredible amount about the world around them, and we have had some big conversations as a result.

Around the World Stories: Stories that Teach and Entertain

Around the World Stories: Stories that Educate *and* Entertain | Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley, GeekMom — Image source: Pixabay

As a mom and educator, I know that stories are important. This is why I seek out high-quality read-alouds for my children. These read-alouds are the spine of our homeschool. I love that all three of my children can participate in a read-aloud and grow from it, regardless of reading level. Through these stories, they learn about the world around them. They learn to place themselves in another person’s shoes. They learn to see multiple sides of the same issue.

And while books are important, so too are oral stories. Storytelling has been around for as long as we have. It is our original form of communication and the earliest form of teaching!

Here are a few of the benefits that storytelling offers children:

A fun way to learn about the world
Connection to others around the globe
Develop early writing skills and voice as you learn what makes a great story
Spark imagination
Improve listening skills
Increase and expand background knowledge
Improve vocabulary
Boost literacy skills
Increased understanding of cause-and-effect
Learn about problem-solving, overcoming obstacles, and conflict resolution

Oh my gosh, you guys. Today got a little crazy over here. At least, it was crazier than this introvert likes it to be the week before Christmas. . I like to coast the week before Christmas. I want it to be all twinkle lights, books by the fire, holiday music, and snowy hikes. . But, alas, this morning I had to get some errands done. Post Office. UPS Store. Grocery store. Library to pay off a fine. Gift deliveries to friends and neighbors. It was a lot to do at once, but I just wanted to be DONE. Do you ever get that way? . These kids were troopers. They didn’t want to come, but they did… and their behavior was awesome… until they got home. . I know they melted down because today was too crazy for them, too. (It turns out introverts go on to have introverts. Go figure.) . The thing is, it’s too late to have our much-adored quiet time because that little fella WILL fall asleep… and then he’ll be up asking me questions well past MY bedtime. We can’t have that tonight because I’m too tired! . It’s time for one of my go-to quiet time activities: Around the World Stories. Have you heard of them? . Right now, my kiddos are snuggled up together by the fire… but they are also traveling the world, learning about New Year’s Eve in Madrid. . If you want to learn more about Around the World Stories, you can follow the link in my profile. http://my-little-poppies.com/around-the-world-stories/

A photo posted by MyLittlePoppies (@my_little_poppies) on Dec 20, 2016 at 1:48pm PST

**Around the World Stories: Stories that Teach and Entertain**

Around the World Stories is a monthly subscription service that delivers original, high-quality stories to your inbox. Each week, you receive one 25-35 minute story dedicated to the fun adventures of a child from a specific country, with a new country featured every 4 weeks. You also have the option of purchasing the full story pack. With this option, you receive every story published to date and one each week until you have a total of 52 stories.

These weekly stories draw young listeners into the fun adventures of children from other cultures and countries, bringing to life how the world’s children live, play, eat, think, and learn. Each story comes with a parent guide including discussion points, country background, and an activity to make the story a truly memorable and educational experience.

Our family has already enjoyed two stories set in Germany. We cannot wait to hear more! If you want to try it, head over to Around the World Stories for a free one-month trial!