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Welcome to
Enchanted Hour Stories
The gift of language through the magic of storytelling
for children aged 18 months to 11 years
Welcome to
Enchanted Hour Stories
The gift of language through the magic of storytelling - for children aged 18 months to 11 years
If reading aloud were a pill, every child in the country would get a prescription. Instead we are giving them screens.
Picture a child nestling in the crook of her father’s arm as he reads aloud. It is a tranquil scene and the child experiences deep contentment. Calming hormones begin to flow and her brain enters into a state of deep relaxation. A story recalibrates mood and restores equilibrium at the end of a long day – for both of them.
But appearances deceive; behind this domestic idyll, a deep magic is being wrought. A furious, unconscious learning is taking place – the best kind of learning. The child is acquiring vocabulary and understanding – the foundation stones of language. She is identifying too with the characters in the story and developing emotional relationships with them. Empathy: a soft skill that is key in building not only academic achievement but well balanced and successful adults in future life.
The magic doesn’t end there. Listening to a wide variety of stories allows children to develop a special kind of general knowledge. Social scientists call this ‘cultural literacy’ or ‘cultural capital’ and credit it with giving children lasting advantages.
Read more about the research describing the benefits of reading aloud
We all want the best for our children. At Enchanted Hour Stories we recognise that busy lives frustrate parents’ good intentions. Long hours at work and exhausted parents might mean that tired and expectant children don’t get that all important story time.
Enchanted Hour Stories can provide a bespoke story time experience that will delight and educate your child. It can be tailored to the needs of your child and your family. Please do take a look at the packages we offer here or contact us to discuss your specific needs.
Also see our FAQs for further information.
Reading regularly with young children stimulates optimal patterns of brain development…which in turn builds language, literacy and social emotional skills that last a lifetime.
About me, Katherine Wilson
I grew up in Ireland (listening to stories!) and studied Natural Sciences at Trinity College, Dublin before moving to England in the late 1980s.
My time as a story teller began over ten years ago when my stalled career took a very welcome left turn. I was given the chance to build a school library from scratch and I fell in love, for a second time, with the fabulous riches held between the covers of children’s books. Unlocking this treasure trove and sharing it has become my life’s work.
I like to draw on as many cultural traditions as I can because I am passionate in the belief that in our glorious but fractured world, it is our stories that bring us together.
When I’m not working (in a school in Woking) or reading, then I love to sew, to garden and to walk on the Downs at the end of my road. I have two sons and a daughter, all nearly grown up but never too old for a story.
Packages
Package 1 – Basic
Package 2 – Plus
Package 1 – Basic
Where:
In my log cabin library at 25 Addison Road, Guildford.
Includes:
One hour of stories for children aged between 4 and 11
Choose either from (1) or (2)
- A miscellaneous selection of stories that may be entirely fictional or include historical or true narratives.
- A topic or theme based programme of stories (both factual and fiction) that delivers structured general knowledge. Themes can be chosen to reflect the needs and interests of your child or children.
All stories will be age appropriate and reflect intellectual and emotional development /maturity.
Parents will receive a written record of stories read, topics covered, subjects discussed and vocabulary learnt during the ten week period.
Cost:
£30 per hour.
Package 2 – Plus
Where:
In your own home, in a shared living space – NOT a child’s bedroom.
For:
1-3 children aged no more than two years apart over a minimum period of 10 weeks. It is recommended that the children are between the ages of 18 months and 11 years.
Includes:
One hour of stories.
Choose either from (1) or (2)
- A miscellaneous selection of stories that may be entirely fictional or include historical or true narratives.
- A topic or theme based programme of stories (both factual and fiction) that delivers structured general knowledge. Themes can be chosen to reflect the needs and interests of your child or children.
All stories will be age appropriate and reflect intellectual and emotional development/maturity.
Parents will receive a written record of stories read, topics covered, subjects discussed and vocabulary learnt during the ten week period.
Cost:
£40 per hour.
