Stone Soup is originally a European folk story in which hungry travelers convince the people of a town to each share a small amount of their food in order to make a meal that everyone enjoys. It has been told in many different countries, various languages, and throughout cultures to encourage the concept of sharing. It is a wonderful story for young children to teach a variety of lessons. Children learn we all have something to contribute, sharing what we have with those less fortunate is fun, being polite and honest is the right way to be, and trying new foods can also be fun.
Notice while you watch this, that some of the kiddos get restless. Of course they do. They are preschoolers! It’s age appropriate . But they stick with it! Here are some tips you’ll see me doing:
ask questions throughout that keep them engaged. I ask questions about possible new vocabulary, what they think something smelled like or felt like? What they notice in a picture. Any question to keep them observing and engaged is a good question.
Allow interruptions as long as they stay somewhat on topic.
If at all possible be down on their level. If this isn’t feasible, make sure the book is at their eye level.
Use props! Props such as puppets, or any item from the story can be very helpful. If children can each have something to hold or if they are allowed to pass an object around, this kinesthetic learning really helps wiggly children solve that need to move.
After this story we did make our own stone soup and the kids all tried it! It was a lovely lesson! We also read a Spanish version for our Spanish Circle Time and used a real pot and toy vegetables to learn the words for those vegetables in Spanish.
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