The NGC Bocas Children’s Storytelling Caravan is gearing up for an exciting month-long journey across Trinidad and Tobago, bringing fun and creativity to schools and locations nationwide.
Starting on March 7, 2024, and culminating in the annual festival on Saturday April 27, the Caravan is designed for children ages five to 12, aiming to ignite their imagination and passion for storytelling.
The Storytelling Caravan is more than just entertainment; it is a platform for nurturing a new generation of readers and writers. By encouraging children to envision themselves as published authors, the Caravan seeks to instill in them a love for reading and writing.
“The Caravan falls directly in line with our objective to discover, develop, elevate and celebrate a new generation of voices locally and regionally,” explains Melvina Hazard, Bocas Lit Fest Children’s Programme manager. “Especially now, when so many children are collateral damage and facing various challenges to their wellbeing, the Caravan provides a safe space that allows them to fully and productively explore new worlds through creative storytelling,” she adds.
During these free sessions, professional storytellers will tell dramatic tales before guiding children to create their own stories based on a suggested title. Each session is crafted to draw out creativity and foster a love for self-expression through writing. Contributions in each session will be recorded, edited, and published in a book, with all participants listed as authors.
Some of these stories are produced as videos available at Bocas Storytime
The 2023 Caravan produced an anthology of 18 stories created by the nation’s children, which is soon to be released.
Parents, guardians, and teachers are encouraged to register children for the nearest NGC Bocas Children’s Storytelling Caravan event at https://www.bocaslitfest.com/children/storytelling-caravan/.
School sessions are not available for public registration. In Trinidad, children will be registered at the school venues they attend. In Tobago, primary schools will be invited to register children for the event at the Scarborough Children’s Library.
The 2024 NGC Bocas Children’s Storytelling Caravan will be at the following locations:
Thursday March 7 St Mary’s Gov’t Primary, Moruga
Saturday March 9 Arima Public Library
Thursday March 14 Cedros AC Primary
Monday March 18 Matura RC Primary
Monday March 18 Salybia Gov’t Primary
Saturday April 6 Couva Public Library
Saturday April 13 Debe Public Library
Wednesday April 17 Scarborough Library
Saturday April 20 Princes Town Public Library
Saturday April 27 National Library, Port of Spain
Each session is limited to 30 participants, so early registration is recommended.
For more information, email storytelling@bocaslitfest.com or call 48-BOCAS.
