Performances
to inspire children and adults

Workshops
on craft and creative potential of storytelling for young children

Professional
Writing
articles, workshop materials and early childhood resources

Early Childhood
Advice
on the development of resources for or
about children

Louise tells family stories and folktales from around the world with her own contemporary positive flair, carefully selecting and constructing stories to meet the needs and interests of her audiences. A typical performance of two to three stories fills 40-45 minutes.

Read summaries of some of the stories Louise tells.

"The stories they were amazing and magical."
Virginia (6 years)

"I liked the way that you telled it with the flowers...with the grass...I imagined that I was in the forest."
Amy (4 years)

"Her presentations were fantastic! Louise is a thoughtful and talented storyteller. Her work is appreciated by the people whose opinion matters - the most, children!"
Sarah Main, Early Childhood Coordinator, The Australian Museum.

"Louise’s performance was very engaging – she established an immediate rapport with her audience."
Judy Drayton, Bankstown City Library

Storytelling Performance Program

This is a program of one hour weekly sessions for a block of 5-10 weeks for schools, preschools and child care centres. Each session begins with a told story, that is carefully selected to meet the children’s interests, cultural backgrounds, and curriculum objectives. After experiencing the story the children will then explore the messages, and content of the story through adult guided activities, such as discussion, drawing, writing, block-building, collage, and/or dramatic play. These activities are necessary for the children to: process their responses to the story; reinforce the concepts and language introduced through the story; and explore the multiple meanings the story has conveyed.

This program of regular storytelling experiences will:

• Enhance the children’s imaginations;
• Greatly improve the children's recall skills, as they will be able to retell longer and more sequential stories and use more diverse vocabulary than those children who have not experienced storytelling;
• Build links between the children's oracy and literacy skills, as storytelling shares conventions and styles from both forms of language expression;
• Support and extend the children’s emotional and social lives, by building
  a sense of cultural pride and community;
• Build on the children's skills in: ‘deferred imitation’ (as they replay past events); participation in present events; and speculation; and
• Build and organise children's understanding of human nature and the world
  they live in.

Louise will supply weekly fact sheets on the story, listing the concepts; other related stories, picture books, poetry, and music; and suggested follow-up activities. Phone or email Louise to discuss fees and planning arrangements.

"I like you to tell me the story you share"
written by Vincent (6), new to English

"Jack loved Louise's stories. He always wanted to go to school the days Louise would be telling stories."
Janet (parent)

"Within a couple of weeks I really noticed that the children's ability to retell a story had greatly improved, and that they had gained a much deeper understanding of oral narrative"
Coralie (year one teacher)

Key performances

Children’s Rights Storytelling Program Petrie Terrace State School (2005)

Multicultural Storytelling Program Miami State School (2004)

Tail Hunt (for Toddler Tuesday program) Queensland Art Gallery (2003)

Louise Phillips and Annie Stewart tell Global Tales Mt Ommaney Library (2003)

Lou.p.tales Magdalena Festival, Brisbane Powerhouse (2003)

Lou.p.tales tells animal tales Australian Museum, Sydney (a week of twice daily performances for preschooler groups) 2001

Furry Tales (with Maureen Nash) Children’s Festival, Redfern Park (2000)

The Very Busy Butterfly (a storytelling performance created for the Art of Eric Carle Exhibition) Australian Museum, Sydney (1999)

Three Strong Women Australian National Storytelling Festival, Canberra (1999)

Lou.p.tales Children’s Festival, Redfern Park, South Sydney Council (1998)

Red Shoes Australian National Storytelling Festival, Sydney (1998)