Storytelling and fantasy play are central to how young children make sense of their world, build relationships, and express themselves. Developed and championed by MakeBelieve Arts, Helicopter Stories is a simple yet powerful way to harness these natural impulses. Rooted in the storytelling and story acting work of Vivian Gussin Paley, and adapted for UK classrooms by theatre director Trisha Lee, this inclusive approach is now used in thousands of early years settings across the country, a...

Children are born with an ability to make sense of the world through play and storytelling. By creating narratives during fantasy play, children act out concepts and ideas that confuse them or that they find fascinating. Dramatic Mathematics consists of five stories and accompanying exercises to support teachers in Key Stage 1 to take a playful, story-based approach to introduce early mathematical concepts that children often struggle with.The stories are all set in the Ki...

This sequel to the bestselling Princesses, Dragons and Helicopter Stories reveals the positive impact the storytelling and story acting curriculum of Vivian Gussin Paley has on young children’s literacy, communication and confidence. Telling the story of three years of classroom-based research with children aged two to seven, it shows the Helicopter Stories approach in action, capturing the children’s development as storytellers and their delight at having their stories listened t...

This revised and updated third edition offers a range of strategies, activities and ideas to bring mathematics to life in the primary classroom. Taking an innovative and playful approach to maths teaching, this book promotes creativity as a key element of practice and offers ideas to help your students develop knowledge, understanding and enjoyment of the subject.In the creative classroom, mathematics becomes a tool to build confidence, develop problem solving skills and motivate c...

Marta doesn’t want Noah in her story. She wants her friend Shamika. Ms Fable says they have to take it in turns, but Marta doesn’t think that’s fair. When Noah becomes upset because of how Marta is behaving, she begins to realise that playing with other children can open up a whole load of fun she had never imagined possible...This beautifully illustrated story book explores a common situation that arises for children and teachers taking part in Helicopter Stories and allows the ch...

Ella O’Connor desperately wants to tell a story, but every time she opens her mouth, her words disappear. Will she ever discover the joy of becoming a storyteller and unlock the secret that ideas and stories can be found everywhere?This beautifully illustrated story book explores a common situation that arises for children and teachers taking part in Helicopter Stories, and allows the children to explore their feelings in a sensitive and supportive environment. The story is accompa...

Oliver really wants to play a princess in Ariana’s story. He stops, confused, when some of the other boys laugh. But when Noah, the new boy, refuses to take any notice of the laughter, Oliver discovers that there is another way...This beautifully illustrated story book explores a common situation that arises for children and teachers taking part in Helicopter Stories and allows the children to explore their feelings in a sensitive and supportive environment. The story is accompanie...

I was recently confronted with the great sadness of incest when a family friend revealed that she had learnt it occured in her family forty years earlier.It shocked her to the very core and it brought back to me a focus on how significant a problem this is when you look at the statistics.They are shocking numbers.This is a short commentary on the sadness of incest.It contains NO graphic details.

This is a collection of emotions during the ups and downs during our 20's from a male point of view. Covering love, lust, betrayal, fear amongst other things over the course of the book. With this book it allows you a peak into some of the wide ranging ideas and thoughts a man can have. Meant to be read with your own memories in mind..who doesnt love to reminise in a few moments in life?

100 imagination-stretching writing exercises inspired by the idea of creative constraints, from the author of The Making of a Story.When you are facing down a blank page (or screen), a constraint-based prompt—for example, “you must use the words ‘cloud’ and ‘green’” or “you must set the scene in a crowded grocery store”—can get your brain working in unexpected ways.In this creative writing guide, longtime teacher and novelist Alice LaPlante shares ...

This little piggy went dancingThis little piggy stayed homeThis little piggy had porridgeThis little piggy had noneAnd this little piggy went hop, hop, hop, all the way home.The little pigs we know so well from the familiar nursery rhyme now do all sorts of unexpected things - and the ones who stay home or have none are not forlorn or missing out! Keep your eye on your favourite piggy as it tries out different activities throughout the book. And watc...

How Lucy found her home is a lovely story about a dogs life living in multiple animal shelters and the process that many go through in finding their forever home. It is a soft view into the importance of adopting and supporting shelters for so many animals are longing for a home of their own. It is a lesson of hope and how dreams can come true. Follow Lucy on her journey of finding her forever home.