Listening to Our Friends: A Story Stone Adventure

Materials Needed:

• Smooth, flat stones (4-6)
• Non-toxic, child-safe paints or permanent markers
• Paintbrushes (if using paint)
• Water cup and paper towels (if using paint)
• Newspaper or a mat to protect the work surface
• The story: "The Little Bear Who Learned to Listen" (provided below)
• (Optional) Mod Podge or clear sealant

Learning About Listening and Friendship (Introduction - 5-7 minutes)

Parent/Teacher: "Today, we're going to hear a special story inspired by Indigenous traditions of storytelling, where people share important lessons. This story is about a little bear who learns something very important. It reminds us how important it is to listen to our friends and to the world around us. Listening helps us understand each other and be good friends. This is a small way we can think about reconciliation – being good friends and listening to everyone's stories."

"Let's get our listening ears ready!" (Cup hands around ears, encourage child to do the same).

Story Time: "The Little Bear Who Learned to Listen" (5-7 minutes)

(Parent/Teacher tells the story with enthusiasm. Make eye contact and use gentle gestures.)

The Story:

"Once upon a time, in a big, green forest, lived a Little Bear. Little Bear loved to play and run and ROAR! He was so busy playing that he often forgot to listen. (Shake head gently).

One day, Little Bear was trying to catch a buzzy bee. He bumped right into Wise Owl, who was sitting on a low branch. 'Hoo-hoo, Little Bear,' hooted Wise Owl. 'Why the hurry?'

Little Bear just giggled and ran on. He didn't hear Wise Owl say, 'If you listen, you might learn something new.'

Next, Little Bear went to the Babbling Brook. The Brook gurgled and splashed. 'Shhh, shhh, listen,' whispered the Brook. But Little Bear was too busy trying to splash the fish and didn’t hear the Brook’s gentle song.

Later, Little Bear felt a bit lost. He couldn't find his way back to his cozy den. He sat down and sniffled. (Make a sad face).

Suddenly, he remembered Wise Owl's words: 'If you listen...' He remembered the Brook's gentle song: 'Shhh, shhh, listen...'

Little Bear closed his eyes. He wiggled his ears. He listened very hard. He heard the wind rustling the leaves – *swoosh, swoosh*. He heard a woodpecker – *tap, tap, tap*. And then... he heard the gentle gurgle of the Babbling Brook! (Cup hand to ear).

'The Brook!' he thought. 'The Brook can guide me!' He followed the sound of the Brook, and soon he saw his cozy den.

Wise Owl hooted softly. 'Hoo-hoo, Little Bear. You listened!'

Little Bear smiled. 'I did! Listening helped me find my way. And listening to you and the Brook helps me learn.' From that day on, Little Bear remembered to stop, wiggle his ears, and listen to the world and his friends around him. And he learned so many wonderful things."

Talking About the Story (3-5 minutes)

• "What did Little Bear love to do at the beginning?" (Play, run, roar, not listen)
• "Who did Little Bear meet?" (Wise Owl, Babbling Brook)
• "What did Wise Owl tell Little Bear?" (If you listen, you might learn something new.)
• "How did listening help Little Bear in the end?" (Found his way home)
• "Why is it important to listen to our friends and family?" (Helps us learn, understand, be kind) – Connect this gently to reconciliation: "Listening to stories from all people, especially Indigenous Peoples whose lands we live on, helps us be good friends and learn together."

Creating Our Story Stones (15-20 minutes)

Parent/Teacher: "Now, we're going to make story stones so we can retell Little Bear's story and make up our own! Story stones are a way to remember and share stories, just like many Indigenous communities have done for a very long time."

1. Set up your art area with newspaper, stones, paints/markers.
2. "Let's think about the important parts of our story. What pictures can we draw on our stones?"
   • Little Bear
   • Wise Owl
   • Babbling Brook (maybe blue swirls)
   • A tree or forest
   • (Optional) Listening ears, a heart (for friendship)
3. Encourage the child to choose what they want to paint or draw on each stone. Assist as needed, but let their creativity shine. Focus on representation, not perfection.
4. As they paint, talk about the characters or elements. "Oh, you're painting Little Bear! What was he doing in the story?"
5. Let the stones dry completely. If desired, an adult can apply sealant later.

Playing with Our Story Stones (5-10 minutes)

Parent/Teacher: "Our stones are ready! Now we can use them to tell the story."

• Lay out the stones.
• "Let's use our stones to remember what happened to Little Bear."
• Parent/Teacher can start, picking up a stone: "Once upon a time, there was a Little Bear..." and encourage the child to pick stones and add to the story.
• Praise their efforts and creativity. "That's a wonderful way to show how the Brook babbled!"
• Encourage them to make up new short stories with the stones too.

Closing Circle: What We Learned (2-3 minutes)

Parent/Teacher: "We had so much fun with Little Bear today! What was one thing Little Bear learned?" (To listen).

"And what do we learn when we listen to others?" (New things, how to be a good friend). "Remembering to listen with open ears and an open heart is important. It helps us build friendships and understand that everyone's story matters. This is a small step in learning about reconciliation, which means making friends and listening to everyone, especially Indigenous peoples who have many important stories to share."

"Great job being such a good listener and storyteller today!"