Every child loves a good make-believe story. We begged for them from our caregivers at bedtime and our children beg for them from us. And while a good story can often be made up on the spot in the confines of a darkened bedroom to help little ones settle to sleep, storytelling can also become a wonderful creative activity any time of day.

My toddler recently became interested in a box-set of cards I had picked up for a summer airplane trip, the Eeboo "Tell Me a Story" Cards. He lays them out in front of himself and talks about the characters out loud in his limited vocabulary. Noticing his curiosity, I've begun going through the cards with him as well and creating more elaborate stories to share out loud. It has captured his attention and imagination in a way that books sometimes do not and it is fascinating to witness at such a young age.

Here are some additional ideas and visual aids to help get your creative juices flowing when sharing the art of storytelling with your children:

Hansel & Gretel Shadow Playset, from Etsy seller, Isabella's Art

Eeboo's "Tell Me a Story", from Grasshopper

Little Red Riding Hood Poster, from Etsy seller, Tali & Mooni

DIY Wee Alphas, paper bag mask/costume, from via Wee Society

Old McDonald Finger Puppets, from Etsy Seller, So Simple So Sweet

DIY Travel-size Paper City, Paris, from via Made By Joel

DIY Pull-string Fox, from Lotta Magazine

(Eeboo, "Tell Me a Story" Image: Jena Murray. All other images as credited above)