Startup Series

A unique startup idea

Reshaping the kids’ reading pattern in a gadget-free nurturing learning environment.

As is the case with most start-ups, The Storytellers Club’s flagrant success can also be attributed to its young, dynamic founder. Yumna, holds a Bachelors and Master’s degree in Economics from the top business school of Pakistan: Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS). She is a storytelling expert, trainer, avid reader, advocate for child literacy and zealous supporter of alternative teaching methods. She aspires to ignite the fervor of reading in children through multi-sensory, innovative and child-centric learning tools and practices.

It’s 2018 and we can all agree on one thing; technology has virtually pervaded every sphere of our life. From the way we order food (yes, we’re talking about Food Panda), to the way we socialize (If you didn’t post it on Facebook, did it even happen?) and to the way we travel (where would we even be without Uber?), technology has completely transformed life as we know it. One prominent transformation has been the unparalleled rise of digital entertainment and its impact on children. While technology does provide several key benefits in terms of learning (through educational apps on tablets, interactive whiteboards in classrooms and access to information on the Internet), it also poses a dangerous threat to a child’s cognitive, social and physiological development. As parents, teachers, and caregivers, we cannot discount the severely negative repercussions of technology on children’s physical and mental well-being. 

Rather than hunching over their I-pads and watching countless, mind-numbing videos on YouTube, children need to engage themselves in healthier and more constructive past-times. Unfortunately, even in a cosmopolitan city like Lahore, there is a complete dearth of creative learning spaces for kids. And it was this very vacuum that, in the March of 2017, led to the inception of The Storytellers Club; a recreational reading space which offers a plethora of after-school reading-based activities for children between the ages of two and eight. This kids club boasts a gadget-free, nurturing learning environment where young minds are encouraged to develop lifelong reading habits, improve their reading fluency, boost their vocabulary and comprehension skills and become confident and passionate readers. The founder of The Storytellers Club, Yumna Shoaib, had a clear-cut vision in mind; to launch a vibrant, out-of-the-box approach to attract children towards books and make the process of reading enjoyable again. ‘Children today, even those as young as two, are much more likely to pick up their tablets and play games, watch videos and are less likely to pick up a story book’, she pointed out. ‘Their reading habits continue to a shrink at an alarming rate and it’s all on account of easy access to apps, games and YouTube.’ Yumna has clearly highlighted an extremely dangerous trend; children, regardless of their gender or age, seem to be moving further away from reading. And there are statistics to back this up.

According to a survey of 2,000 British children and parents conducted by Nielsen Book in June 2013, only 32% of children prefer reading books for pleasure on a daily basis while the most popular activity till date remains watching TV. A whopping 36% of children would rather sit in front of the telly than pick up a book. On further trend emerges; only three activities increased in percentage terms between 2012 and 2013 including playing ‘game apps’ (the term used by Nielsen Book), visiting YouTube and text messaging. Reading, on the other hand, was down nearly eight percentage points. So the question remains, how is The Storytellers Club compelling children to read? The answer; through the spectacular art of storytelling! To draw children towards the written word, Yumna initiated interactive storytelling sessions which combine the use of props, multi-sensory learning, artistic activities, arts & crafts, music and imaginative play all in one enriching concoction. The reading space is stocked with more than three thousand books and their library of award-winning children’s literature is constantly expanding. Since March 2017, The Storytellers Club has successfully conducted over sixty storytelling sessions and that number is rocketing. They have a wide array of storytelling classes for children of all ages; inspirational stories, well-known classics, highly cherished picture books and fairy tales with a twist, this club has got them all! The Storytellers Club, like smallest businesses, relies exclusively on social media to connect with the end user. Details of every storytelling session conducted at the reading center are advertised heavily on their Facebook and Instagram profiles. Information such as the type of story, recommended age limit, time and date are all clearly outlined on The Storytellers Club Facebook page. Interested parties including parents and caregivers, can then sign up for these classes with a simple click of a button! The mantra behind The Storytellers Club is plain and simple; read, create and learn. Next time you’re in Lahore, visit this reading club with your little ones and immerse yourself completely in a rich, holistic and enchanting storytelling experience!