Pinnie Pockets &
The Story Apron
Storytelling to unlock the imagination
The possibilities are limitless...
I'm often known as Gemma, but really I'm Pinnie Pockets, the children's storyteller weaving my way around Dorset.
I am passionate about children and unlocking their imagination through story. This brings many benefits. A love of reading, exciting ideas for writing and a knowledge that their thoughts are precious.
That they matter.
I wear a hand sewn apron (or pinnie) covered in many pockets and filled with intriguing items that help me to tell my stories and lead my sessions. Just get in touch with anything from a vague idea to a fully fledged plan - your imagination matters as well!
But the children are always involved. They are the storytellers too. Becoming fully immersed in the story, they have the chance to take on roles, direct it, change it, tell it. The possibilities are limitless, so are the stories, and so are our children.
Courthill Infant School
"We were lucky to have a magnificent storyteller in to capture their imagination. A huge thank you to Gemma Gillard from Pinnie Pockets. The children loved using their imagination and hearing about ‘Stompy’ the dinosaur who was bored doing the same thing every day – marching, eating, sleeping. Until one day he found a MAGIC jelly bean which transported him to Courthill School. Here he explored the classroom and the children found it hilarious imagining him eating glue and drawing on the walls! Each class thoroughly enjoyed themselves and can’t wait to go on their own adventures using their magic beans!"
Sadie's 5th Birthday Party
"Thank you so much for a wonderful party. So many parents commented on how the children were re-telling them the story that evening and I was amazed at how you had the attention of 20 five years old for so long! Sadie thought it was magical and we both loved the personal touches throughout the story, so clever! It was great to have a copy of Pinnie Pocket's story to keep, take all the details away from the party and we have read it several times since!"
Ali, Sadie's Mum
Haseltine Primary School
"Pinnie Pockets has visited our school numerous times this year and the children love hearing her stories. Her creative and imaginative approach benefits the children's reading, writing, speaking and listening and role-play development when being imaginative themselves. The children are captivated by what will appear from her pockets and these items spark many questions and ideas. She is able to adapt her storytelling to the current teaching and learning planned for within the classroom. I highly recommend Pinnie Pockets to any Early Years Foundation Stage setting or Key Stage 1 classroom."
Matt Wills, Assistant Head teacher
