Trisha Lee is a professionally trained theatre director, with a wide range of practical and academic skills. She is passionate about the importance of storytelling and drama in children's lives, particularly in the early years. In 2002 Trisha founded MakeBelieve Arts, a theatre and education company offering innovative, high-quality theatre and education programmes to develop the creative potential of children aged 2-15.

Stories and fantasy play engage all young children and help them to draw connections and make sense of the world. MakeBelieve Arts Helicopter Stories are tried, tested and proven to have a significant impact on children's literacy and communication skills, their confidence and social and emotional development. Based on the storytelling and story acting curriculum of Vivian Gussin Paley, this book provides a practical, step-by-step guide to using this approach with young children.

Covering all aspects of the approach, Artistic Director Trisha Lee shows you how you can introduce Helicopter Stories to children for the first time, scribing their tales and then bring their ideas to life by acting them out. Full of anecdotes and practical examples from a wide range of settings, the book includes:

• Clear guidelines and rules for scribing children's stories, creating a stage and acting out stories

• How to deal with taboos and sensitive issues in children's stories

• How to involve children who are unwilling to speak or act

• Supporting children with English as an Additional Language

• Links to show how the approach supports children's holistic development

Providing an accessible guide to an approach that is gaining international recognition, and featuring a foreword by Vivian Gussin Paley, this book will be essential reading for all those that want to support children's learning in a way that is fun, engaging and proven to work.

Foreword: Vivian Gussin Paley

Introduction: The Girl with Pigtails

Chapter 1: A Sense of Anticipation

Chapter 2: Would anyone like to tell me a story?

Chapter 3: Creating a Community of Storytellers

Chapter 4: The Vital Last Step

Summary: The Four Stage of Introduction

Chapter 5: The Enchanted Place

Chapter 6: Stories we may not want to hear

Chapter 7: Facing the Monsters

Chapter 8: Shush Don't Tell Anyone

Chapter 9: She Bumped, and She Pow, and She Landed, Bang

Chapter 10: Onwards and Upwards