Storytelling at the Heart of What We Do
At The Boathouse, storytelling sits at the centre of our creative and community work.
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Stories are how we make sense of the world. They help children find their voice, families connect across generations, and communities recognise themselves. Whether spoken, read, acted out or imagined together, stories build confidence, empathy and belonging.
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Our storytelling work runs across early years, families and communities in London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, supporting language, communication and a lifelong relationship with story.
Why Storytelling Matters
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Storytelling is one of the earliest and most powerful forms of learning.
For children, it supports:
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language and communication
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listening and attention
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emotional understanding and confidence
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imagination and creative thinking
For parents and carers, storytelling creates shared moments of calm, connection and joy. It supports reading for pleasure without pressure, and helps stories become part of everyday life.
At its best, storytelling is inclusive and welcoming. You do not need special skills or perfect words – just curiosity, time and a willingness to listen.
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Our Storytelling Work
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Our storytelling programmes are designed to be playful, accessible and rooted in real lives.
They include:
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early years storytelling for babies, toddlers and pre-school children
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family storytelling sessions that encourage shared reading at home
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creative story play using movement, rhythm, objects and imagination
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community-based storytelling in welcoming, familiar spaces
Sessions are led by experienced facilitators who understand early childhood development and the importance of
creating safe, joyful environments.
Storytelling often overlaps with reading, drama and play – but we always begin with story as a shared human experience.
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Storytelling Year of Reading 2026
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We see our storytelling work as part of a wider cultural and educational landscape.
Our programmes sit alongside and support:
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libraries and family hubs
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early years settings and schools
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community organisations and partners
This includes activity connected to borough-wide initiatives such as the Year of Reading, which we hold within our broader storytelling approach rather than as a separate strand.
Our role is to help stories live in everyday places – not just in books, but in voices, play and shared experience.
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How This Connects to Our Other Work
Storytelling flows through much of what we do at The Boathouse.
It connects directly with:
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Drama Club, where stories are explored through play and performance
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Creative Writing & Competitions, celebrating voice and lived experience
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Community Events, where stories are shared through film, music and gathering
Together, these strands form a creative ecology where stories are told in many different ways.
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Looking Ahead
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We are committed to growing our storytelling work across Barking and Dagenham and neighbouring London boroughs
This includes:
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widening access for families and communities
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supporting parents and carers as first storytellers
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keeping stories playful, inclusive and rooted in lived experience
Because when children grow up surrounded by stories, they grow up knowing they belong.
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Want to work with us?
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If you are a parent, partner organisation, school, library or commissioner interested in storytelling work,
we would love to hear from you.
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Stories are how communities grow.
We are proud to help hold them.
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