SOLSC #12 More on children's stories

Throughout this school year, I continue to ask my preschoolers the  Bev Bos suggested question, How does your story begin?  
(I blogged about this much earlier in the year... see the this post.)

Now, it is March, and I have a wealth of stories collected.  Many of the children will tell a very logical story (or "list") of what they did that day.  But many others let their imaginations soar!

I am fascinated by oh so frequent fictional theme of "wild beasts" - and Mommy! (Sorry, Dads.)  Consider these excerpts, six different storytellers:

So my mommy was dropping me off and she saw a wolf following her. She said “Go away!,” but he didn’t go away....

I was walking to my old school.  And Mommy saw something disappear into the woods.  It didn’t have sharp teeth.  And it wasn’t a wolf.   

There’s a forest and there’s a wolf.... 

And my Mommy saw a gigantic bear.  And then my Mommy had to go bye-bye 

The boy is sleeping.  There is a pillow.  The lion is sleeping. He says, “GRRRRRRR!”

When I was going to school, I saw a big bad wolf.  He just ate me and ate me.  But my Mommy was fast enough... 

Every story ends with the child and Mommy being safe.  Even when they get eaten by the wolf!  (Somehow, the wolf spits them out, and life goes on.)

Fears are so big and real to three and four year olds - these children are just realizing how scary the world really is.  There is nothing scarier than losing Mommy.  This storytelling has given them a powerful voice to express those fears and live courageously.

I am loving these stories.