At My Kid 6-10, storytelling is far more than a reading activity—it is the beating heart of our bilingual Montessori curriculum at a stage of development when imagination is key. Children embark on a carefully structured journey that begins with stories and gradually unfolds into role play. Drama and ultimately is part of our theatre performance at the end of the school year. This progression reflects our belief that language is learned best when it is lived, spoken, created, and shared.
Each term in our language lab lessons, children work deeply with a carefully selected book from well-known authors linked to themes that fit with our curriculum such as seasonal change, wellbeing and community. At this stage of development, imagination is essential, and stories provide the perfect gateway. We spend time learning the story by heart. Through repetition, shared retelling, storytelling maps, and visual sequencing, the narrative becomes familiar and secure.
As confidence grows, children begin to explore the mechanics of storytelling. They identify characters, settings, problems, and solutions, noticing patterns in story structure and discovering how language works to create meaning. New vocabulary is actively practised through games, songs, and movement, ensuring words are not only understood but owned. Grammar is introduced naturally through the text—verb tenses, sentence patterns, rhymes, and expressive language are explored in context, making grammar purposeful and memorable.
Once the original story is internalised, creativity takes centre stage. Pupils are encouraged to innovate, changing characters, settings, or events, and inventing new versions of familiar tales. This creative work happens in pairs, small groups, and individually, developing collaboration, independence, and problem‑solving skills. Crucially, children learn that if they can say their ideas clearly and confidently, they can translate them into writing—an approach that turns reluctant writers into motivated authors.
One of the most powerful moments in this journey is the move from storytelling to role play and drama. Through performance, language becomes embodied. Children rehearse lines, experiment with intonation and expression, and learn to communicate meaning through voice, gesture, and movement. They design and create costumes and props, deepening their connection to character and story. Memorising lines strengthens memory and concentration, while performing to our classmates and other age groups builds self‑esteem and resilience and is great fun!
All of this learning culminates in our end‑of‑year theatre performance, to be staged this year at the Teatro di Chiasso on Wednesday 3rd June. This is more than a show—it is a celebration
