Little Stories That Stick

She turned my coffee cup into a sculpture.

My first instinct was to correct her.

“That’s my cup.”
“Don’t draw on that.”
“Let’s use it properly.”

But I didn’t say any of it.

I watched.

I listened.

And I said thank you.

Later, I realized what she had actually done:

A sculpture of a forest where it’s raining.

Collected. Built. Named. Imagined.

And I almost interrupted it.

This is what gets missed when we’re moving too fast in play.

Not because we don’t care, but because we don’t always know what we’re looking at.

If you want a way to slow down and actually see these moments as they’re happening, I made a simple Noticing Lens.

👉 Comment NOTICE

📖 What if the stories children tell you every day are already the most powerful literacy tool in your classroom?

Children are natural storytellers. And when we hand that story back to them — letting them act it out, build on it, and make it their own — something remarkable happens. Vocabulary grows. Narrative skills deepen. And a love of literacy takes root that no worksheet ever could.

Join Laura Shea, M.S.Ed, Founder of Little Stories That Stick and Early Literacy Specialist, for Play-Based Literacy Through Storytelling and Storyacting — a FREE, hands-on webinar grounded in the Science of Reading and years of real classroom experience. You'll leave with a practical toolkit, a clear action plan, and renewed confidence in your ability to nurture lifelong readers through play and creativity.

Together we'll explore:
✏️ How storytelling and storyacting build the vocabulary, narrative skills, and print concepts children need for reading success
🎭 How to bring children's stories to life through storyacting — and why it deepens comprehension and sparks joy
🌱 Child-led storytelling strategies that foster creativity, collaboration, and a genuine love of literacy
📅 How to weave storytelling seamlessly into your daily rhythms, routines, and transitions
🛠️ A personalized action plan to address common challenges and meet the needs of diverse learners in your setting

🗓️ July 16, 2026 | 2:00–3:30 PM ET
🎟️ Register free: https://ecewebinars.com/4vnGqkc

Every child has a story worth telling — and telling it is how they learn to read. 📚

The last few days have been a whirlwind, in the best way.

Sharing stories on stage felt so easy once I was finally there… but the journey to get there was anything but.

I’m so grateful for the opportunity to share my ideas about early literacy with a room full of early childhood educators and librarians.

As always, Loud Mouth came with me, and the Storytelling + Storyacting workshop was powerful. I’m really hopeful some participants walked away ready to give it a try today.

And as if keynoting and leading a workshop at a conference centered on early literacy (in partnership with a library district!) wasn’t enough…

I got to finally share physical space with a close friend. Susan was an incredible host—showing me around, making me laugh, and making the whole experience even more meaningful.

Grateful for the timing of it all 💫

If a child cannot tell a story out loud, reading that story will be harder.

Oral language development is the foundation of literacy.

Before decoding comes:

• storytelling
• dramatic play
• rich conversation
• listening comprehension
• vocabulary growth

Storytelling is not extra.
It is rehearsal for reading.

Research shows that children’s narrative skills and listening comprehension at age five predict later reading comprehension and reading achievement (Babayiğit, Roulstone, & Wren, 2021).

When children create and act out stories, they practice sequencing, character development, perspective taking, and expressive language.

That is literacy through play.

If you want easy storytelling prompts to use tomorrow, grab my free set in the link in bio.

There’s a real tension in early childhood education right now.

Standards vs readiness.
Pressure vs development.
Programs vs children.

But here’s what we know from literacy research:

Children build reading skills through strong oral language, rich vocabulary, narrative competence, and meaningful interaction.

Not through anxiety.

Not through rushed expectations.

Not through skipping developmental milestones.

When we honor play, storytelling, and connection, we are not lowering the bar.

We are building the foundation.

If you’re trying to align the science of reading with developmentally appropriate practice, the Play-Based Literacy Guidebook was written for you.

Comment GUIDE or get it from the link in bio

Long winter days can make the tension around literacy feel heavier, for educators and homeschoolers.

Storytelling and storyacting offer a developmentally grounded way back to connection and language.

I’ll be sharing this work at a free virtual summit this weekend!

👉 Link in bio to join us.

Or comment FREE and I'll send you the link!

"Play is great, but when does the real literacy start?"

Here’s the thing:
For young children, play IS where literacy starts.

It’s where language gets stretched, symbols get meaning, stories take shape, and writing has a purpose.

Not instead of reading instruction, but as the foundation for it.

You don’t need to abandon play to support literacy.
You need tools that help you see what’s already happening and know how to build from it.

That’s the work I do: helping educators, homeschoolers, and caregivers feel confident, not conflicted.

If you’re ready to stop second-guessing play and start trusting what you see, comment ME 👇

What if learning didn’t need to be forced?
What if reading didn’t need a timeline?
And what if children are already learning exactly the way they’re meant to?

In the season 3 opener, I’m talking with Leah of all about unschooling + natural literacy—and wow, this conversation is a breath of fresh air.

Leah shares so many beautiful reminders:
🌱 learning is everywhere
🌱 literacy grows through connection first
🌱 children are not behind—they are becoming
🌱 our fears don’t have to become their fears

If you're navigating your own unlearning (hi, same), this episode will feel like an exhale.

✨Listen wherever you get your podcasts or comment UNLEARN and I'll send you a link ✨

She doesn’t know it yet, but she’s learning how to read—one label, one sound, one meaningful moment at a time.

No formal lesson. No “activity.”
Just connection and curiosity leading the way.

When you know what to look for, literacy is everywhere.

These are the kinds of moments we unpack inside my Play-Based Literacy Program: learning to notice the literacy that’s already unfolding through everyday play.

If you want to start seeing those hidden layers too, grab my free Science of Reading Guide. You’ll learn how play connects to evidence-based literacy practices.

Comment PLAY and I’ll send you the link!