Stories For Children - Marion Leeper

Marion understands how to fire children’s imaginations! With a background in storytelling and education, she will bring your venue or school a day of sparkling fun that stimulates learning across the curriculum. Check out her early years sessions, Stories in the Dark and Once Upon a Number, choose one of these sessions, or ask for stories designed to fit in with your project.

Early years and Key Stage 1

The story mat

Stories from around the world unfold in the enchanted world of the story mat. Children will voyage across the Bridge of One Hair, over mountains, under sea, and give voice to their own stories.

Story mat

The story of Aiken Drum

boy standing on top of the moon and waving

There was a boy lived in the moon and his name was Aiken Drum.

The story of the moon-boy with some ideas about rubbish that are out of this world. this playful interactive story, full of songs and opportunities to join in, was launched at the Talking Together Festival of Stories 2024

Other early years shows with an environmental theme made for the Festival of Stories include:

'Follow that Bee', adapted from Finnish folklore

and 'Chicken Licken saves the world' a story to get children digging deep and speaking out.

Why not use a story to bring a festival to life: for instance

Rama and Sita: a story for Diwali

puppets Rama and Sita, green sari in background

This sumptuous tribute to the great Hindu epic makes a perfect way to introduce the very young to ancient stories from our wider world, in a multi-sensory, join-in story session for under-5s. Follow the adventures of the hero with incredibly strong hands, help the heroine build a den in the forest, and make part of a living bridge to the island of the 100-headed monster.

Key Stage 1 and 2

Love Stories from the Earth

Stories for children

Stories to connect our children to the earth. Marion tells the old, forgotten stories of our own area and country – the English and the East Anglian legends. Each story brings to life a part of our own wildlife – herons, acorns, stinging nettles – and invites children to explore and enjoy the natural world with new eyes.

Myths and monsters

Creation myths from around the world. Listen to myths and stories of magical beasts from around the world, before developing your own stories to explain how the moon turned silver or why it's dangerous to go into the forest.

Mollie Whuppie and the Bridge of One Hair

And here's a chance to see Marion in action: An interactive story for the very young, in four parts, with adventures in between.

title page for Mollie Whuppie story, Russian dolls against fabric landscape

Mollie Whuppie and the Bridge of One Hair, Part 1: all about shoes

Molly Whuppie and the Bridge of One Hair, Part 2: make your own obstacle course

Molly Whuppie and the Bridge of One Hair, Part 3: places to hide

Molly Whuppie and the Bridge of One Hair: Part 4: stealing the treasure

Join storyteller Marion Leeper to follow the adventures of brave Mollie Whuppie in the giant's castle, play Mollie Whuppie's games - and have your own adventures too!

These episodes are designed for young children to watch with an adult. Below are the links to each episode, with some suggestions for fun activities to do and talk about together.

With thanks to MarketPlace for their support, which has enabled me to offer these videos free of charge, and Inés Alvarez Villa for her magical editing.