ABSTRACT
Story has the ability to connect us with the emotions of a character, whilst at the same time distancing us from the personal aspects of our own circumstances. Metaphor allows us to explore the issues safely. The strength of engaging in this kind of storytelling is that we support children to develop their ability to think in metaphor. Jake was three years old. He was fairly new in the setting, and we were informed by his teacher that he was 'struggling to adapt to the rules of nursery'. When Isla introduced Helicopter Stories, Jake started to cry. When she asked him why, he said he wanted to tell a story. She patiently stopped scribing for another child, acknowledged how Jake felt and asked if he could wait. The rest of the class joined in, and the sound of cockerels filled the air. 'Wake up, Jake, Cock-a doodle-doo', said Andrew, leaning into the stage from where he was sitting.
