Storytelling Gloves: DIY
Storytelling gloves are a powerful tool to enhance and guide the telling of a story. As a storyteller, I sometimes get sidetracked along the way and it is immensely helpful to have the pictures to keep me on track. This post provides you with quick & easy directions to create your own set of storytelling gloves, in adult or child size.
What are Storytelling Gloves?
Storytelling gloves are simply a set of gloves with Velcro attached to the fingertips. Adding Velcro to the gloves, allows the you to attach pictures to the glove as you tell a story. They are a wonderful prop to add to your bag of tricks, either as a teacher or a parent. Create a set of child sized gloves and you’ve provided your child with hours of magical fun!
Why make Storytelling Gloves?
The short answer- they’re awesome!
These amazing gloves can be used in so many different ways. Make them with the intention of using them as a prop for the adult storyteller, or create them for children to use to improve and enhance their own storytelling.
Use for Retelling Well Known Stories
When creating the pictures to use with the gloves, I often create
sets that go along with well know stories. I’ve created storytelling
activity packs that contain all the images for the gloves, plus finger
puppets, ideas for using with a magnetic board, and differentiated
response sheets. Check out a fairy tale pack here.
I will often have two different sets of pictures, one for adult and another for child storytelling. Child sets will usually have less pictures, so that the choices are not overwhelming. Child sets always include the main characters of the story and may also include a picture of the setting or any special props from the story.
My sets for adult storytelling may include more pictures. There may
be different pictures of the same character that show how the character
changes throughout the story. Usually adult versions will include more
pictures of various props from the story, allowing the storyteller to
visually highlight certain parts of the story.
The collections of images are a powerful addition to the retelling of a story. A storyteller can use the pictures to guide the story. As an educator or parent, use the storytelling gloves to help identify elements of the story. Children are able to use the images to identify specific characters, setting, and to help recall specific events from the story.
Use to Create a New Story
Storytelling gloves can be used in a very different way- to create a
brand new story. When using the gloves to create a new story, provide
the storyteller with a variety of images. These images can be in the
form of pictures, foam, small plastic objects, or anything you can dream
up! 
I love using storytelling gloves in an open ended way! Then the storyteller can create their story, by choosing specific pictures or randomly select the images to create the story. Some children will flourish with this activity and go on to create fantastic masterpieces of fiction. It is fascinating to watch children and adults weave stories out of the wisps of pictures.
How to Create Your Own Storytelling Gloves
Very little is needed to create a set of storytelling gloves! Just gather up a few supplies & a hot glue gun, and in just a few minutes you will have your own set of storytelling gloves.
Materials
- Hot glue gun & hot glue sticks
- 1 child or adult sized glove
- Velcro
- Pictures to use with the gloves
I’ve used all types of gloves: dollar store gloves, gloves my
children have outgrown, gardening gloves, and even the bath scrubbing
type of gloves. When using gloves with children, I tend to prefer the
stretchable gloves from the dollar store or child sized gardening
gloves.
Tip: Use erasers, little plastic figures, felt or foam figures, or
any other image with the gloves. As long as you can get the Velcro to
adhere to the object, you can use it with your gloves!
Step-By-Step Directions
- Gather your materials.
- Cut out small squares of Velcro to attach to the glove. I always use the soft Velcro on the glove and the rough Velcro on all of the pictures. Being consistent will benefit you, because you can use any future sets with your glove.
- Hot glue the soft velcro squares to each finger tip of the glove. You can even hot glue squares to the middle and bottom of the glove.
- Hot glue the rough Velcro squares to the backs of any pictures or objects that you want to use with the gloves.
Optional: Create a bag or container to hold all of the supplies. In my storytelling center, I used a small gardening bag & gloves that I got from the Target dollar spot last spring. Look around for creative ideas. I would love to hear about what you find!!
Want to print out all ready made story sets?
I’ve already created storytelling activity packs! Head over to my store to check out the available storytelling sets! I will be adding more sets, as I create them. As always, I love requests, so send your requests my way by emailing me here.
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