WINDHOEK– The Franco-Namibian Cultural Centre (FNCC) in partnership with I Am The Key Children Media hosted a story-telling session on Saturday at FNCC library focusing on Easter.
Storyteller, Elmarie Kapunda, read stories to the children and afterwards went on Easter egg hunting. Kapunda says storytelling improves children’s concentration and listening skill and give them imagination which encourages them to think of possibilities. “It’s not just stories we tell, we experience each other’s ideas and get to do crafts as well as allow children to fit in their own stories to gauge their understanding. Each child has his/her own personality and fitting all of that in an hour takes patience. But most importantly it takes a great deal of listening as children would want to be listened to and a chance to be themselves,” says Kapunda.
She adds that times have changed and people have seemingly moved away from the way of telling stories, there is TV and kids own Ipads now. “Few parents have bought books for their children but because of their work schedules most of these children don’t understand stories they read, so storytelling is the better opportunity for them. It’s satisfying to see a child smile and answer questions and none are silly, just pure curiosity of a childs wandering mind and children,” notes Kapunda.
Story telling is centered on different themes and important dates in the calendar importantly fitting the Namibian context. “Children from 4 to 11years are always invited, but however I have found myself having babies in the midst of the group and the parents, most parents will drop their children and at times you find parents requesting if they too could sit and enjoy it too,” says Kapunda.