Flannel board stories stimulate children’s imagination and improve the quality of their oral language. Having a board covered with flannel material and flannel figures that relate to nursery rhymes helps young children to retell familiar stories. Nursery rhyme flannel board stories are inexpensive and easily made. They help children to concentrate for longer periods of time, and as they participate it encourages language and vocabulary development. Use the following rhymes from my book Teaching with Heart…

Infant: Hanging Nursery Rhyme Story - Use a nursery rhyme like Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, where a flannel star can be hung above the changing table for an infant to look at. When changing diapers, call the child’s attention to the star and sing the nursery rhyme. “Twinkle, twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are; Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky. Twinkle, twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are.”

Toddlers: Short Flannel Board Stories – Use a rhyme like Baa, Baa Black Sheep, which only has four pieces. “Baa, baa black sheep have you any wool? Yes sir, yes sir three bags full. One for my master, and one for my dame, and one for the little boy, who lives down the lane.” Cut out a black sheep, a farmer, his wife and a little boy each holding a bag of wool. Give one to each child and have them put it anywhere on the flannel board they wish. Sometimes, they’ll put it on the board, and then take it off again. That’s OK, because toddlers are so egocentric it’s hard for them to give things up.

Preschoolers: Creative Flannel Board Nursery Rhymes – Use a nursery rhyme like Mary Had a Little Lamb, which has many verses and therefore could have many pieces. Have the children help to make the pieces for the story.

“Mary had a little lamb, little lamb, little lamb, Mary had a little lamb, its fleece was white as snow. Everywhere that Mary went, Mary went, Mary went, everywhere that Mary went the lamb was sure to go.”

“It followed her to school one day, school one day, school one day. It followed her to school one day, which was against the rules. It made the children laugh and play, laugh and play, laugh and play. It made the children laugh and play, to see a lamb at school.”

“Why does the lamb love Mary so, Mary so, Mary so, why does the lamb love Mary so, the eager children cried? Why, Mary loves the lamb you know, lamb you know, lamb you know. Mary loves the lamb you know, the teacher did reply.”

Tips for Success: Be familiar enough with the flannel board story so that it can be told without having to read it. This makes for smooth flowing story and develops a special rapport with children. Remember that flannel board storytelling is an art form, and like any other art form it will improve with practice.

You can teach a lesson for a day, but if you teach curiosity you teach for a lifetime.