How Can We Make Storytime More Interactive?
Reading to children is incredibly important.
But what if we sometimes went a little further?
What if children could become part of the story?
What if they could move, make sounds, use props, create characters and develop their own ideas from the books they hear?
In this episode of The Muddy Puddle Teacher Podcast, Sarah Seaman speaks with children’s author and illustrator Tessa Singh about bringing books to life.
Tessa visits schools and Early Years settings delivering interactive storytelling workshops using music, books, props and creative activities.
Her aim is to get children’s imaginations flowing and then help them turn those ideas into their own picture books.
The conversation centres around Tessa’s debut picture book, Little Bob Saves the World, in which a young boy sets off on a brave mission to save Planet Earth.
For teachers and Early Years practitioners, this episode raises an important question:
What happens when a book becomes the beginning of the learning rather than the end?
Listen to Teacher Tessa on The Muddy Puddle Teacher Podcast
About the Teacher Tessa Podcast Episode
Let’s Chat with Teacher Tessa About Bob! is episode 30 of The Muddy Puddle Teacher Podcast.
The episode was published on 14 June 2023 and lasts approximately 23 minutes.
Tessa Singh is a children’s author and illustrator who works directly with children in schools and Early Years settings.
Her workshops are designed to bring stories to life through music, props and interactive activities.
Children then use these experiences to develop their imagination and begin creating their own picture books.
This makes Tessa’s work particularly relevant for teachers interested in storytelling, speaking and listening, creative literacy, imaginative play and active learning.
What Is Interactive Storytelling?
Interactive storytelling is exactly what it sounds like.
Children participate in the story rather than only listening.
That participation might involve actions, music, repeated phrases, props, movement, sound effects, role play or decisions about what happens next.
The adult still creates the structure.
But the children are invited inside it.
Instead of asking children simply to sit quietly while a story is read, practitioners might ask:
What sound could we make here?
How would this character move?
What do you think is inside the box?
Can you help our character solve the problem?
What might happen next?
Suddenly, storytime becomes something children experience rather than simply observe.
Why Make Stories Interactive?
Interactive storytelling can support many areas of learning at the same time.
Children listen carefully because they need to know when to join in.
They use language because the story gives them a genuine reason to communicate.
They develop vocabulary through actions and context.
They practise taking turns.
They use imagination.
They begin understanding characters, sequences and narrative structure.
Most importantly, storytelling becomes enjoyable.
A child who may struggle to answer formal comprehension questions might confidently become the dragon, build the castle or explain how the hero should escape.
They are still demonstrating understanding.
They are simply showing it in a different way.
Explore our Outdoor English and Literacy Hub for more practical approaches to literacy.
Bringing Books to Life With Props
Props can make stories feel tangible.
They do not need to be elaborate.
A piece of fabric might become a river.
A cardboard tube could become a telescope.
A box can become a rocket.
A stick might become a magic wand.
Tessa uses props within her own interactive sessions to help children enter the imaginative world of the story.
The best props often leave room for imagination.
A beautifully manufactured toy rocket already tells children exactly what it is.
A large cardboard box requires them to decide.
Could it be a rocket?
A submarine?
A cave?
A time machine?
The less defined the object, the more imaginative work children may need to do.
That is one reason simple and reusable resources can be incredibly effective.
Using Music During Storytime
Music can completely change the atmosphere of a story.
A slow rhythm can create suspense.
Fast music may suggest a chase.
A sudden sound can signal danger.
A gentle piece of music might accompany a peaceful scene.
Children can also create the sounds themselves.
Give groups responsibility for different parts of the story.
One group might create the sound of a rocket.
Another could represent wind.
Another might make the sounds of an imaginary planet.
This requires children to listen carefully.
They need to recognise when their part appears.
Music therefore supports attention as well as creativity.
Tessa’s own school sessions combine books, music and props to help children engage with stories more actively.
Try This Tomorrow: Make a Story Soundscape
Choose a familiar picture book.
Read it once normally.
Then choose three or four sounds that appear within the story.
Children can create them using their voices, bodies or simple instruments.
Read the story again.
This time, children add the sounds at the appropriate moments.
Keep it simple.
Too many sounds can make the story difficult to follow.
Time: 10–15 minutes.
Preparation: Very little.
Best for: listening, attention, language, creativity and musical development.
Who Is Little Bob?
Little Bob Saves the World is Tessa Singh’s first picture book.
The story follows a young boy called Bob who discovers that something terrible is going to happen to Planet Earth.
Bob decides he must act.
He blasts off on a brave mission to save the world.
The book reflects children’s love of imaginative play, space and adventure.
Bob is accompanied by Eddie, his much-loved elephant, as he sets off on his mission.
Tessa has said that the original idea for the book developed while she was running at night and looking up at the moon.
That story of where an idea begins can itself be useful for children.
Authors do not necessarily sit down and decide:
“Today I will create a successful book.”
Ideas can begin with something they see.
Something they hear.
Something they wonder about.
A single moment can become the beginning of an entire story.
How Can Children Create Their Own Picture Books?
One of the most interesting aspects of Tessa’s work is that children do not only listen to stories.
She helps them begin creating their own.
This is a brilliant approach because picture-book creation brings together many literacy skills.
Children need characters.
They need a setting.
Something needs to happen.
They need to decide what information belongs in the words and what can appear in the pictures.
For younger children, the process does not need to begin with writing.
Start with oral storytelling.
Ask:
Who is your character?
Where do they live?
What do they want?
What goes wrong?
How does the story end?
Allow children to talk through their ideas.
They can draw first.
They can act it out.
They might create characters from loose parts.
Writing can come later.
Creating Books in the Early Years
Young children are authors long before they can independently write complete sentences.
A child drawing three pictures and explaining the story verbally is creating narrative.
An adult can scribe the child’s words.
Children can also create collaborative books.
Take photographs of an adventure outside.
Put them into a sequence.
Ask children what happened on each page.
Record their words.
Suddenly, the class has created a book based on a shared experience.
This shows children that books are made by people.
Stories do not simply appear on shelves.
Someone had the idea.
Someone decided what happened.
Someone created the pictures.
That understanding can make literacy feel far more accessible.
Explore our Early Years Outdoor Learning Hub for further play-based literacy ideas.
Using Picture Books Outdoors
A story does not have to stay inside the classroom.
Take the idea outside.
If the character travels somewhere, create a journey around the school grounds.
If the story involves space, imagine the playground is another planet.
If there is a problem to solve, challenge children to build a solution.
For Little Bob Saves the World, children could imagine they have landed somewhere new.
What does the planet look like?
How will they travel?
What dangers might they meet?
What will they need to take?
A climbing frame can become a spaceship.
A playground shelter can become mission control.
Loose parts can become equipment.
The outdoor environment gives children room to physically experience the story.
Try This Tomorrow: Build a Rocket
Provide children with large cardboard boxes and reusable loose parts.
Tell them they need to travel into space.
Do not show them how to build the rocket.
Ask:
What does it need?
How many people must fit inside?
How will it move?
How will the astronauts communicate with Earth?
Children can design, build, test and adapt.
The activity can lead naturally into speaking, writing, maths, science and imaginative play.
Older pupils might create labelled designs first.
Younger children can plan verbally.
The important part is allowing children to make the decisions.
From Storytelling to STEM
Space stories provide wonderful opportunities for STEM learning.
Children can build rockets.
They can investigate materials.
They can design parachutes.
They might explore forces.
They can measure distances.
They can investigate the Moon and planets.
The story provides the motivation.
STEM provides the investigation.
This is a brilliant example of cross-curricular learning.
Instead of teaching subjects as completely separate experiences, one shared story can generate several meaningful questions.
Explore our Teaching STEM Outdoors in Primary Schools course for more practical ideas.
Storytelling and Sustainability
A book called Little Bob Saves the World also provides an obvious doorway into environmental learning.
Ask children:
If you could save one thing about Planet Earth, what would it be?
Perhaps they would protect animals.
The oceans.
Trees.
Clean air.
Their local park.
Allow children to choose something meaningful to them.
Then ask:
What could people actually do to help?
Children begin moving from imaginative storytelling into real-world action.
This can lead into recycling, biodiversity, litter, plastic, energy or caring for local environments.
Explore our Sustainability in Primary Schools Award for further whole-school ideas.
Outdoor Learning and Sustainability in Primary Schools Award
Stories Give Children Problems to Solve
Many good stories contain a problem.
Something goes wrong.
A character wants something.
There is an obstacle.
This makes stories perfect for problem-solving activities.
Stop reading at the moment the problem appears.
Do not immediately tell children what the character does next.
Ask:
What could they try?
Let children work in groups.
They could build a solution.
Draw it.
Role-play it.
Explain it.
Then return to the book.
Did the author choose the same solution?
Whose idea was different?
There does not need to be one correct answer.
The purpose is developing thinking.
Interactive Storytelling and SEND
Interactive stories can provide multiple ways for children to participate.
One child may speak.
Another may use actions.
Someone might choose a prop.
A child could create a sound.
Another may point or use AAC.
This flexibility can make storytelling more accessible.
However, highly interactive sessions can also be overwhelming for some children.
Music, movement and unpredictable participation may create sensory demands.
Give children choices.
Some may prefer to watch first.
Others may need to know what happens next.
Visual prompts can help.
Props can be introduced gradually.
Successful inclusive storytelling does not require every child to participate in the same way.
Explore our SEND Outdoor Learning Hub for more inclusive strategies.
Why Imagination Matters
Children’s imagination is not a luxury.
It supports creativity, flexible thinking and problem-solving.
When children pretend that a box is a rocket, they are practising symbolic thinking.
When they decide what happens next in a story, they are considering possibilities.
When they invent a character, they are combining ideas from their experiences.
Imagination allows children to explore situations that do not exist directly in front of them.
This matters across the curriculum.
Scientists imagine possibilities.
Engineers visualise solutions.
Writers create worlds.
Designers picture things that do not yet exist.
Imagination is serious intellectual work.
Don’t Turn Every Story Into Work
Not every book needs an activity.
This is important.
Sometimes children should simply enjoy a story.
We do not need to turn every book into a worksheet, craft or learning objective.
Interactive activities are valuable when they extend children’s engagement.
They become less valuable when practitioners feel compelled to produce something after every story.
The joy of books matters too.
Children need experiences where the adult reads simply because the book is funny, beautiful, exciting or wonderful.
The aim is balance.
Making Author Visits More Valuable
Author visits can have a powerful impact on children.
They make books feel real.
Children discover that an actual person had the idea, wrote the words and worked to create the finished book.
Tessa’s work goes further by making her school visits interactive.
Children experience the story through activities, music and props before beginning to develop their own books.
Schools can extend an author visit by preparing children beforehand.
Read the author’s book.
Explore their website.
Create questions.
Talk about what children would like to know.
After the visit, allow children to create.
Avoid immediately turning the experience into a formal written recount.
Use the inspiration first.
Get to Know the Guest: Tessa Singh
Tessa Singh is a children’s author and illustrator based in Manchester. Her debut picture book, Little Bob Saves the World, was published in April 2022.
Following the book’s publication, Tessa began visiting schools and Early Years settings to deliver interactive story sessions.
Her workshops use music, props and activities to bring stories to life and encourage children to develop their own ideas.
Tessa’s approach puts imagination at the centre of literacy.
Children are encouraged not only to enjoy her story but to become storytellers and picture-book creators themselves.
Her official website also provides free resources for teachers and parents linked to her books and workshops.
Find Tessa Singh Online
Official website:
www.tessasingh.co.uk
Books and Little Bob resources:
Visit the books section of Tessa Singh’s website.
Instagram:
@tessasinghauthor
Tessa’s website also contains information about her author visits, interactive workshops and free resources for schools and families.
What Can Teachers Learn From Tessa’s Approach?
The strongest message is simple:
Don’t stop at the book.
Allow children to respond.
Move.
Create.
Build.
Make music.
Imagine.
Tell another story.
Create their own book.
There is nothing wrong with comprehension questions.
But comprehension is also visible when children successfully take an idea and use it.
A child recreating a story through play may be demonstrating deep understanding.
A child changing the ending shows that they understand narrative.
A child building a rocket inspired by Bob is connecting literature with imagination and problem-solving.
Stories become richer when children are given permission to do something with them.
Listen to Teacher Tessa on The Muddy Puddle Teacher Podcast
In episode 30, Sarah Seaman chats with Tessa Singh about her work as a children’s author and her interactive approach to bringing Little Bob Saves the World to life.
The episode runs for approximately 23 minutes and is ideal for Early Years practitioners, primary teachers, teaching assistants, literacy leads and parents interested in creative approaches to books.
After listening, try one simple change.
Choose tomorrow’s story.
Instead of planning a worksheet afterwards, ask:
Where could the children take this story next?
Then see what they create.
Listen to Teacher Tessa About Bob
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Frequently Asked Questions
How can I make storytime more interactive?
Invite children to use actions, sound effects, movement, props, music and predictions. Allow them to contribute ideas without interrupting the story with too many questions.
What is interactive storytelling?
Interactive storytelling allows children to actively participate in a story rather than only listening. They might make decisions, act, use props, create sounds or influence what happens.
How do props help storytelling?
Props provide children with something tangible to connect with the story and can support imagination, language and role play.
How can music be used during storytime?
Children can create sound effects, represent characters or use music to build different atmospheres within the story.
How can children make their own picture books?
Begin with oral storytelling and drawing. Help children develop a character, setting and problem before asking them to record the story formally.
Who is Tessa Singh?
Tessa Singh is a Manchester-based children’s author and illustrator who delivers interactive storytelling workshops in schools and Early Years settings. Her first book is Little Bob Saves the World.
What is Little Bob Saves the World about?
The story follows a young boy called Bob who discovers that Planet Earth is in danger and sets off on a brave space mission to save it.
When was Little Bob Saves the World published?
Tessa’s official biography states that the book was published in April 2022.
How long is the Teacher Tessa podcast episode?
The episode lasts approximately 23 minutes.
Author
Written by Sarah Seaman PGCE MA
Founder of The Muddy Puddle Teacher®
Teacher for over 19 years
Bloomsbury author
Trainer of thousands of teachers across the UK
