How to use Mr. Tumblebuddy for Creative Writing Activities
If you need some ideas on how to use Mr. Tumblebuddy Flipet ( Lucky Leo and Unlucky Leo) to teach kids creative writing you could try some of the activities I have listed below, which combine learning and play. They are simple and easy to apply. I’m certain that the following ideas could not only be improved further by creative educators but could also become the inspiration or the seed for additional and more innovative activities with the magical Mr. Tumblebuddy Flipet.
Notes:
a. When creating adventure stories with children for the first time, you could use the words “Luckily” or “Fortunately” and “Unluckily” or “Unfortunately” (modeling it after Remy Charlip’s book of 1970), while you’re flipping Mr. Tumblebuddy to his one side or the other. The use of these four words helps kids, especially those that are younger (6-8 years old), understand quicker and easier the role and significance of Mr. Tumblebuddy’s two faces in structuring the plot of an adventure story. Once this is understood, make it clear to kids that, when writing a story, it is wiser to avoid the repetition of the words “Luckily”, “Fortunately”, “Unluckily”, and “Unfortunately”. It is best to find other words or phrases to use, with the same meaning (see page 30).
b. For older kids (9-11 years old), it is especially helpful to hand them two lists of words or phrases they could work with: One with words (and phrases) Lucky Leo would begin his sentences with, and one with words (and phrases) Unlucky Leo would begin his sentences with. For example, Lucky Leo would use phrases like “Thanks to his good luck” and “He was lucky that”, while Unlucky Leo would use phrases like “ Because of his bad luck” and “ What a misfortune that”. Explain to children that the words and phrases, in the lists you’re compiled for them, are substitutes for the words “Luckily”/”Fortunately” and “Unluckily”/”Unfortunately” – they denote plot twists and they are mainly conjunctives. Alternatively, you could have the children compile the lists themselves, in groups or altogether – offer your help if needed. Only remember that this would take more time.
c. It is important to notice that in the first stage of writing the adventure story everyone’s attention has to be focused on the story’s plot structure. Once that is achieved, children need to pay attention to expressing themselves correctly, in terms of grammar and syntax, to make meaningful sentences. Last but not least, their written work must be enriched with other elements of language, like adjectives, hyperboles, metaphors, similies etc.
Ideas for Creative Writing Activities
1. You could start by making two sentences (using examples from everyday life), one sentence beginning with the word “Luckily” or “Fortunately”, and the other one beginning with the word “Unluckily” or “Unfortunately”. For example, tell the kids: “Unfortunately, I’m not in a good mood because I’ve got a bad headache.” Immediately after, add: “ Luckily, I’ve got a pill in my bag, which would make me feel much better after I swallow it.” Explain to them that the headache is the problem and the pill is the solution to the problem.
For children up to 9 years old a dance-like swirling game will follow, which I’m describing below. The aim is to use this game as a means to help kids become aware of the way the plot structure of an adventure story is created and learn how to do it by blending knowledge with experience – that is, by connecting what ignites imagination and provokes thought with the simultaneous participation of the body (movement).
The children need to work in pairs, forming a circle, standing back to back, with their arms extending horizontally to both their sides, palms facing backwards. As they are standing, ask them to lower their arms a bit (in a less tiring position) and hold hands with the person they are standing back to back with. Tell them that, in each pair, one of them is going to roleplay Lucky Leo and the other is going to roleplay Unlucky Leo. Unhappy Leos will be the ones facing the inside part of the circle they have formed.
To continue this activity, set a starting point in the circle. The first kid who is playing Unlucky Leo must form and call out a sentence-problem situation. The pair have to immediately turn around in a dance-like motion (still standing in a back to back and hand in hand position), so that the child playing Lucky Leo will be now facing the center of the circle. Lucky Leo has to answer to the challenge Unlucky Leo has put him to, by forming and calling out another sentence, which is the solution to the previous problem.
All pairs have to take turns in going through this dance-like motion. A second and a third go follow. The winners are all pairs that formed correct sentences, both for problems set by Unlucky Leo as well as solutions to those problems found by Lucky Leo.
When this dance-like game is over, the educator(or parent) guides children to write a short group story, sentence by sentence and step-bystep.
Inform kids of the procedure and make it, once again, clear for them that, in the story they’re asked to write, Unlucky Leo will be setting the problems and Lucky Leo will be finding the solutions to them, just like in the game they’ve played before. Tell them: “ Unlucky Leo will be putting blocks on our hero’s road and Lucky Leo will be helping him get over the blocks.”
A word of caution: In order for this activity to be successful, it is absolutely necessary to give them an example of what they are supposed to do in this dance-like game, by acting it out yourself, so that they would have a model to follow. You could also ask two or three pairs to repeat what you’ve told them they should do and imitate what you’ve shown them, just to make sure everyone has understood. Of course, they could make their own sentences as examples. In case kids are at a very young age (6 years old), it may be better for the parent/educator, after forming the pairs, to form and call out the sentence-problems and the sentencesolutions himself/herself and have the children perform the dance-like game only (swirling according to their roles).
2. Another idea is to ask kids to sit on the floor and form a circle, to tell a group story. Tell them that this group story will be told as Mr. Tumblebuddy Flipet will be tumbling and flipping from one child’s hands to the other’s, all around the circle. The child to start the adventure story will act out the part of Unlucky Leo, the second will act out the part of Lucky Leo and this is how they will continue, one after the other, till the story is ended by the last child to speak in the circle. Before the story starts, the parent or educator must name the hero, decide on the time and the setting of the adventure story, as well as the incident that triggered the story your group is going to tell. If the children are older (9- 11 years old) they could decide on all the previous as a group. While they’re weaving the story, let them use their imagination without interfering with negative comments or corrections, in how the story develops, even if it is utterly unrealistic. They are not supposed to be telling a real life-story. Also, keep in mind that most first-time group story telling by kids is not that successful and the plot structure is going to be loose, but it’s O.K. This first-time story-telling experience is a very good exercise for future improved results.
3. You could also choose an old, well-known fairy tale to use, which by itself is a series of adventures till the hero finds success and happiness at the end of his road. Personally, most of the times, I prefer to use the “Cinderella” fairy tale or “Jack and the Beanstalk” (you’ll need to alter this one a bit, especially the ending). To start, ask kids to tell you the “Good” and the “Bad” things that happen in the fairy tale – work as a group and write two lists of these “facts” (these are the turning points in your adventure story). One of the lists contains whatever Unlucky Leo would say and the other one contains whatever Lucky Leo would say. When you’ve finished with the lists, divide the class or group in two teams - one is Unlucky Leo’s team and the other is Lucky Leo’s team. Then, ask the two teams to tell the story together, just like Unlucky Leo and Lucky Leo would, using the lists.
4. Another activity, which is as fun as play for kids, is the following: The parent (or educator) writes an adventure story of his/her own, as simple as possible and cuts it down to strips. If these strips are glued onto thick craft paper, you have handcrafted story-cards. Every strip must have a part of the story such that it would be easy for children to tell if it is Unlucky Leo or Lucky Leo who’s the story-teller for this part. The children are then asked to put the story-cards in the right order, telling the whole group which card is whose (Unlucky Leo’s or Lucky Leo’s) each time. When finished, kids retell the story or act it out.
5. An alternative is to form teams of 4-5 kids each and have them write a short adventure story of their own, from their everyday life (this could be, for example, about a real adventure they’ve had during their summer vacations on an island or an utterly imaginary adventure they’ve had in Fall in the mountains). Just tell them that, in order to organize their thoughts carefully and plan their story successfully, they need to use Mr. Tumblebuddy Flipet’s help. To make planning easier for younger kids, you could use a short story, that is well-known to them, as a model.
6. Instead of writing the adventure story in words, younger kids could write their story ideas in two lists, under the category names: “PROBLEMS”, and “SOLUTIONS”. When they’ll have finished with their listwriting activity, give them blank cards and ask them to tell their adventure story with pictures, by making simple line-drawings. Make it clear for all that these picture cards (with their line-drawings) have to be put in the correct chronological order, as taking place in their story. Finally, after the cards are placed in the right order, they need to cooperate to write the story as a group.
Notes
1. It is necessary to make it clear that whenever you talk about “PROBLEMS” you also mean any type of Danger or Road Block that your hero is facing or is going to face. Also, explain that when you talk about “SOLUTIONS” you also mean any way your hero will Get Away from danger or trouble and Survive.
2. Keep in mind that younger kids will need help from the parent (or educator). Try to adopt an explanatory role only.
3. I’m going to stress this point once more, due to its significance (in determining the success of all the activities in this mini guide): It is extremely important that you read pages 11-13 of this guide very carefully.
4. When the kids you’re writing the story with are older (e.g. 10-11 years old) you could experiment crafting an adventure story where Unlucky Leo speaks twice as much as Lucky Leo (throwing a lot more hurdles on the hero’s road) or vice versa (the hero experiences more fortunate events than misfortunate) and see the difference in the appeal your story will have to its readers (or listeners, if you’re telling it). This is more difficult to master, though, than the simple one-to-one exchange model in crafting dialogue and stories – it works only under the condition that children have had some experience with plot structure and the one-to-one exchange model, before proceeding to this higher level.
5. You are the only one to know best the language skills level of your students/children. If you believe the above activities will be difficult for them it is better to begin with this simple game:
Have kids form a circle (they could sit on chairs or on the floor). Tell them that they will take turns in saying one thing that Unlucky Leo would say and one thing that Lucky Leo would say, without Lucky Leo having, necessarily, to respond to what Unlucky Leo has said. In fact, there need be no connection at all between the two sentences – the only prerequisite is that they form correct senetences (in terms of grammar and syntax), and of course meaningful. Remember, the children are not making a story at this point – this is only an exercise to help them craft the adventure story later on. Most of the times, everybody gets a second go, as the first attempt is used to “test the ground”, or as an example of how to proceed with the activity. This helps kids be more relaxed and less hesitant but another session is needed to proceed to the other activities described in this guide and do some “real work” on story-writing.
6. All the activities mentioned here have better results if the group you’re working with is a small one (not more than 12 kids). If there is a larger number of children in your class/group, it is better to have an assistant and divide the group in two teams. You could also achieve better results if the children know what to expect. It is advisable to prepare them some days ahead, explaining the type of story- writing or story-telling activities you chose to do with them, why you’re doing them, how fun it will be etc. By giving them this information before they engage with the actual activity, you add value to the activity itself by making it meaningful, you help them understand and you also build anticipation. One warning: Telling kids something will be fun is a promise for them, not a wishful thought – so, make it fun. It is also advisable that you set the rules for groupwork or teamwork before the activity starts. Another thing to keep in mind is that younger kids get more enthusiastic than older ones about crafting a story with Mr. Tumblebuddy Flipet, but they also have a shorter attention span.
7. With older kids, avoid using a fairy tale as a story model. It is far better for educators (or parents) to write an adventure story of their own, a good example being “Robinson Crusoe” (but a shorter one, with a smaller number of plot twists). Or, choose one from the many story books for their age, you can find in the market. Then, rewrite this particular story in the form it could be told by Unlucky Leo and Lucky Leo, to hand over to the children to use as a model in creating their own adventure story.