Storytelling with Props

Nurturing Young Minds: The Magic of Story Sacks in Early Childhood Development

In the soft rhythms of early childhood, there is a kind of magic woven into the simple act of storytelling. When we gather our little ones into our laps or circle around a cozy rug, and open up a world of imagination with a story, something deep and beautiful begins to unfold within them. And when we add in props, like the treasures inside a “story sack”, that magic deepens, grounding the story in touch, sight, and wonder.

A story sack is a lovingly assembled bundle of joy, a bag or basket filled with a book, soft toys, puppets, and objects that bring the story to life. It might include characters made from felt, natural materials like pinecones or feathers, or beautifully crafted wooden figures. Some of our favorites to include are the gentle, hand-painted animals and people by Holztiger and Ostheimer - toys that hold the warmth of tradition. These tangible pieces become invitations, gateways into imagination and learning.

It's My Birthday - Helen Oxenbury

Why Props and Story Sacks Matter

Children are naturally wired for stories. Before they even speak, they listen. They observe. They absorb. Story sacks give young ones a fuller, richer way to experience a tale. When they hold the bear that’s looking for a picnic or the red scarf the character wears on a windy day, they are no longer just hearing the story, they are living it.

This kind of multi-sensory storytelling nurtures:

Language and Vocabulary
When a child is immersed in a story sack, they aren't just listening, they're doing. They're holding the soft woolen bear, naming the animals, placing the tiny wooden apple into the basket, and repeating the phrases they’ve come to love from the story. This hands-on, heart-full experience brings language to life in the most natural way.

Imagination and Creativity
Children begin to see beyond what is to what could be. A pinecone becomes a hedgehog. A scarf becomes a river. Their inner worlds bloom, and they begin to tell their own stories, using the props in new ways, layering meaning and narrative.

Emotional and Social Growth
Stories are powerful tools for nurturing a child’s social and emotional growth, and the beauty is, they do it gently, almost invisibly, through play and connection. When children hear or act out stories, they encounter characters who feel sadness, joy, frustration, jealousy, bravery, and love. These characters give children safe ways to explore and name big feelings they might not yet fully understand in themselves. A bear who feels lonely or a fox who feels proud can become mirrors for a child's own emotional world.

Memory and Comprehension
Revisiting the same story sack over and over, children begin to anticipate and remember. They link words with actions, characters with feelings, props with plot. It builds strong mental pathways that support comprehension and sequencing skills.

The Boy with the Drum - David Harrison 

Our Journey with Story Sacks

'The Boy with a Drum' was one of those treasured books from my own childhood, the kind that lingers in the heart long after the pages are closed. I remember, with such fondness, lining up rows of little plastic animals, just like the ones in the story. When my first son was born, my mother lovingly brought the book over to England for me. I knew then that I wanted to make it part of his world, too. For his very first Christmas, I began gathering the pieces for a story sack. Slowly, intentionally, over many months. I found wooden animals that matched the story - (our very first Ostheimer figures!) and paired them with a little drum. When I gave it to him, it felt like more than just a gift, it was the beginning of a tradition, a passing down of rhythm, story, and memory.

Over time, story sacks gently wove themselves into the fabric of our family life. For my daughter’s first Christmas, I gathered pieces for 'The Mitten' and 'The Hat', drawn to the cozy, wintry charm of those tales and the way they nestled so beautifully into the season.

When another baby boy joined our family, my heart led me once again to the ritual of slowly collecting story treasures. For his second birthday, I put together a story sack for 'It’s My Birthday’, and one for 'Little Blue Truck', filled with Ostheimer animals, a Grimm's wooden truck. Each story sack became a celebration, not just of a story, but of that child’s moment in time, their season, their wonder, their unfolding spirit.

How we use story sacks:

Story sacks have been a treasured part of our days since my little ones were very small, around a year old. I would gather the toys and book and place them in a open basket. We’d begin by exploring them together, naming each one, making the animal sounds, and simply delighting in the moment.

Then we’d settle in to read, with the basket in front of us and my child nestled beside me. As the story unfolded, we would pause whenever a familiar character appeared on the page. I’d gently ask, “Can you find this friend in the basket?” and help if they needed a hand. We’d name the character again, echo the sounds, and connect it back to the story in a playful, loving way.

After we finished reading, we’d stay in that world a little longer, playing with the toys, weaving in phrases from the book, and letting the story come alive in our own way.

As the children grew and the stories became part of them, they began to use the toys more independently. Often they would bring the basket to me with a hopeful look and a “read it again, Mama.”

Story sacks became a rhythm in our home, woven into our days with ease and intention. I always kept them on an open shelf in a basket so they were accessible, ready for quiet play or a shared moment. It was a gentle and beautiful way to nurture storytelling, connection, and imagination.

Some of our favourite stories for creating Story Sacks:

The Animals of Farmer Jones - Leah Gale

The Mitten - Jan Brett

The Hat - Jan Brett

The Three Snow Bears - Jan Brett

The Boy With A Drum - David Harrison

The Snail and the Whale - Julia Donaldson

A Squash and a Squeeze - Julia Donaldson

The Number 10 Duckling - Betty Rosendall

Little Red RIding Hood - Trina Schart-Hyman

Dear Zoo - Rod Campbell

Little Blue Truck - Alice Schertle 

It's My Birthday - Helen Oxenbury

Goldilocks and the Three Bears

The Little Red Hen

The Snail and the Whale - Julia Donaldson

I hope that by sharing a little piece of our journey with story sacks, you feel inspired to gather a few treasures of your own and bring a beloved book to life for your little one. These simple, soulful moments, filled with wonder, connection, and wide-eyed curiosity, have a way of settling deep into the hearts of our children. May your story sack become a well-loved ritual, stitched sweetly into the fabric of their childhood memories. 

With love

Mama Oak 🌿