ABSTRACT
The stories children tell are as varied as the children themselves. Some walk sooner than others. The link between language development and the literary skills children gain from listening to a wide range of stories is well documented. Children are experts at filling in the gaps. Many of the characters children see on the taped-out stage they will have explored with the other children during their free play. This is a shared culture of TV programmes, book characters, computer games and make-believe. Although the storyteller might not articulate everything to the scribe, the audience has prior knowledge that enables them to see the bigger picture and imagine the outcome of a story beyond the words of the author. A cursory glance around any Helicopter Stories stage, and people will see children in the audience pulling faces or moving their hands as if they too are involved in the action.
