Look, I get Santa isn’t real, but I have taken it upon myself to make sure to let kids believe in him, until they’re ready to let go. Clearly, the fine folks at The Story Merchants are on my side because what they do is encourage kids to relive stories, and how!
Creating a series of products that help kids between the ages of about three and 10 years learn through fun, you can get anything from puzzles, story maps and board games. The founders apparently used to resort to making up stories to stimulate their kids’ imagination, and that is all you need for the kids to go gaga. All it takes is one hand puppet, or one interactive box, and then they’re their own storytellers. And you thought fun, games, creativity, learning and drama never met!
The products are fabulous recreations of the old-school story-telling experiences we all had as kids. There are traffic puzzles, memory games with picture cards, and a lovely 90-card picture card game which gets the kids weaving their own storyline, and adults can egg them on, or join in the fun -- and they’re all focused on Who, What and Where. So, learning as you go.
I also love the storyboard that is set in an enchanted forest where a character named Lua Lua needs your help to find her way back home. You can also get the kids to make their own story, and write their very first book thanks to the Write And Colour Your Own Storybook book. With a list of words that they can use, pages for illustrations, it’ll help the little ones develop a tale of friendship, develop the story and find a resolution to end with.
Price: INR 399 onwards