Tales to let imaginations run wild
FROM AUSTRALIAN IDOL RUNNER-UP TO AUTHOR, DAMIEN LEITH HAS TURNED HIS ATTENTION TO A STORYTIME APP WITH KIDS IN MIND
WHEN he is not out on the road performing, singer-songwriter Damien Leith has been working on a side project – a storytime app for children, aptly titled Damien Leith Storytime.
The versatile artist is already an established author, having penned two adult fiction novels – One More Time and Remember June. Turning his writing prowess to children’s fiction was something of a natural progression, and is a nightly occurrence at home for the father-of-three.
What started as a chance to record his original stories for his own kids to listen while he was away on tour, has evolved into a creative collection of 15stories, with more to follow.
“There is a lot of research which backs up kids just listening and letting their imagination run,” Damien says. “Kids need to just close their eyes, listen and create images in their own head. It gives them time to relax. It also sparks ideas in other aspects of their life, including when they write their own stories. Storytelling is vital for children’s imaginations. So many studies have shown, especially in this age of digital devices, allowing a child to imagine something without any other visual stimulation is an essential part of growing and learning.”
The app, which is aimed for children aged four and up – with parental discretion for younger children – features a wide range of stories from ad- venture themed and fantasy to super-hero style where the kids themselves are the heroes.
Each story is completed with a ‘top and tail’ of original music that not only relates to the story but also helps the aim of relaxation. The stories are all told by Damien and recorded in his own studio, Damien Leith Recording Studio.
Modelled on the old-school cassette tapes Damien was brought up listening to – the stories have no pictures or words, no outward distractions, just the sound.
“I loved those styles of stories when I was a kid,” says Damien. “When a full day was finished, homework was complete, those stories were like my time to sit back, relax and let my mind run free. This app is very simple and has very little distractions. It also has no advertising. The stories are designed to ignite children’s imaginations, and at times a moral or two. Every child is different and as parents, it is our job to access what is suitable for our child.”