Around the World
The Stories
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China: ChiChi the Dragon
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Ireland: The Fairy Tree of Dooros
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Thailand: Phikul Thong
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Brazil: The Fountain of Giant Land
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Iraq: The Calif Stork
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Easter Island: The Secret Cave
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North America: The Kind Hawk
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Russia: The Golden Fish
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Zambia: The Rabbit and the Crocodile
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Spain: The Ugly Princess
Backstory & Focus
​Around the World is all about exploring different countries, traditions, believes and customs. This book is to get the children discovering the world, asking questions and open up their minds to where we come from and why it is that some things are the way they are. Some of the stories are adapted from original folklore or fairy tales, made suitable for this age group and what Wonderland Interactive Storytelling is, while others have been invented often using facts, historical events or cultural references and traditions.
So have fun travelling around the world and exploring countries, people, customs and secrets, while at the same time developing SEL and communication skills.
The Individual Stories from Around the World
China: ChiChi the Dragon​
Cindy lives with her family in a small village up in the mountains. It is a lovely home where everyone is safe and helps each other with the chores. Cindy is loved by the villagers and her favourite thing to do is sing songs and tell stories. One day the dragon ChiChi flies down from the cave and steals Cindy's voice. Help Cindy, her parents and her best friend Kai try and get Cindy's voice back as they go on a mission acorss China visiting the Great Magician, the Potion Master and the Wise Old Woman.
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This story is wonderful to explore working together, coming up with creative ideas and staying calm in stressful situations. It is about caring and what values are important.
Ireland: The Fairy Tree of Dooros
(Based on a traditional Irish folktale)
In a beautiful place in the west of Ireland, the Fairies of the Lake were returning home after a hurling match. They decided to enjoy the journey by camping in the forest for three days and celebrating with food, music and dance. In the excitement though a little fairy dropped a special Dooros berry onto the ground, which goes against all fairy laws. The Dooros berry grows into a large tree that cannot be cut down. This could be a huge problem for all the fairies and any human that tries one of the berries. The poor little fairy is punished and sent to Giant Land. Find out how this little fairy survives his punishment as well as solves the problem of the tree that should never have grown.
This is a beautiful story about working through a problem, being brave and coming up with a solution.
Thailand: Phukul Thong
(Based on a traditional Thai folktale)
Phikul Thong is a kind and loving person. Unfortunatly she has a stepmother that is very unkind and greedy. Phikul's kindness is recognised by an angel disguised as an old woman. Wanting the world to see how kind Phikul was, the old woman blew Phikul a wish. Now everytime Phikul spoke words of kindness a rare and valuable flower would come out of Phikul's mouth. Phikul's setpmother quickly takes advantage of Phikul's new blessing, until poor Phikul is worn out.
Help Phikul as she goes on a journey to escape her stepmother and find her own happiness. Think about values, what is important, discuss kindness and look at the way people should respect each other.
Brazil: The Fountain of Giant Land
(Based on a traditional Brazilian folktale)
The King of Brazil, who was a very good man, had everything he could wish for; a wonderful country to govern, a loving queen and three great sons. However, there was one thing that the King wished for very much. The King had lost his eyesight and it was his greatest wish to be able to see his fortunes and the land he ruled. At first there was no hope for the King to get his eyesight back, until an old woman told him about a fountain in Giant Land the posessed magical powers. Travel with the princes to this magical fountain to get some water for the King. However, the journey is not as easy as it might first appear.
Work together, come up with creative solutions and make sure to stick to what is important in order to succeed.
Iraq: The Calif Stork
(Based on a traditional Iraqi folktale)
The Calif of Iraq is a very good man and sees it as his job to really know what is going on in his country. As a result, each evening he dresses up, together with his vicer, as a common man, and walks through the markets and streets to listen to the people. One day, his brother orders a magician to turn the Calif into a stork so that he could take over and rule the country. Help the Calif and vicer find a way to tunr back into humans.
This is a very fun story where everyone has to work together, think outside the box and solve problems. It is about staying calm in a difficult situation and working through the problem, while exploring the customs and traditions of Iraq.
Easter Island: The Secret Cave
The Hanau Epe, which means long ears, and the Hanau Momoko, which means short ears, lived happily together for many decades. They respected each others ways and helped each other when ever one tribe needed an extra hand. One day however, things changed. The chief of the short ears, also known as the Ariki passed away and the new one was a cunning man who had very different values. Find out what happens when one begins to think of themselves. This can be especailly disastrous when it's around Easter and millions of children are waiting for the Easter bunny to hide some eggs.
This is a fun story where the children will learn facts, work together, come up with creative solutions and explore values and actions. It is a story that combines historical facts about the Island and the people that used to live there together with values from the Christian faith, as we play on the name of the island.
North America: The Kind Hawk
(Based on a traditional story from the Hopi people)
The Hopi Chief's son was a loving, caring and courageous boy. One day in order to save his friends, the Chief's son is captured by the warriors of the Navaho tribe. There the Chief's son is put to work being treated very badly. Help the Hopi tribe get back the Chief's son through traditional customs, prayers and dances.
A story that is about strength, wisdom, kindness, beliefs and values.
Russia: The Golden Fish
(Based on a traditional Russian folktale)
Each day a caring old man goes out to sea with his small fishing boat. He stays out there fishing until he has caught enough to sell at the market and buy some bread for him and his wife. One day he catches a small golden fish. The fish speaks to him and offering him a wish the old man let's the fish go.
Find out what happens when greed gets the better of one. What does it take to be happy? What happens if one doesn't follow their values.
Zambia: The Rabbit and the Crocodile
(Based on a traditional Zambian folklore)
A cheeky rabbit that does not want to listen to others advice. A cheeky rabbit that isn't careful and definitly loves to explore. However, it's also this cheeky rabbit that while it gets into trouble also manages to find a solution. It might come at a physical cost of losing its tail but the rabbit does gain a loving friend.
Join our cheeky rabbit on its adventure and come up with creative solutions, solve problems, think outside the box and work together while learning to stay calm when things might look rather dark.
Spain: The Ugly Princess
(Based on a traditional Spanish folktale)
The Ugly Princess is based on a princess that apparently wasn't quite so pretty. Her father however believed she was the most beautiful girl in the whole kingdom and no one dared to say anything against the King. When it was time for the princess to marry, every man that the King thought was worthy of his daughters hand, found an excuse not to marry the princess.
Find out what happens to the princess and what actually the true meaning of beauty is. Help the princess find happiness and the rest of the world discover her true beauty.
All Wonderland stories focus on social, emotional and communication development. The stories are about connecting the children to their body as they learn and transform to a much deeper level when things are physically experienced. However, each story also has some specific elements that they explore. While they are often filled with layers, the summaries above give you an idea what each story is about and what some of the main focus points are.
If you would like more information or are looking for something specific, please be in touch so we can point you in the right direction.