There is a simple way of bringing History to life for children. It does not involve months of preparation, costume making, dressing up or experimental archaeology. In fact, all that’s needed is a little imagination and the ability to tell a good story.

By a good story I don’t mean one with exacting quotes and references – such a story might be good but it would probably be boring – I’m thinking more like homage to Roald Dahl; like Horrible Histories but more in depth. You’ll know you’ve succeeded if after the story is told you are asked “can you tell that story again?”

• Does This Method Benefit Children?

Obviously, I’m going to answer a resounding YES! However, to back this assertion up I’m going to offer some proof from my own life.

• Good and Bad History Teaching

I had two History teachers when I was a teenager – quite a long time ago. One was so boring even a description would send you to sleep. He also would beat children and thought nothing of throwing books at their heads! The only mitigation he had was that we were an unruly mob – proud to be the worst class in the school – his beating the biggest boy in the class was strategic. Strange how we accepted this standard in those days and how I remember his joke about History which was “History had no future”.

• Thanks Dicko Barno

Fortunately the other teacher – known to us as Dicko Barno – we thought it was funny - was a gifted story teller. He actually managed to teach us - the class with no interest in its education – the History of the Second World War with this gift. He said things like:

• When Hitler Met Franco

“So Hitler said to Franco “don’t worry mate – I’ll let you have the Condor regiment of the Luftwaffe to bomb that naughty town of rebels called Guernica – I want to test the Condors anyway” and Franco said “that’d be great Adolf – do you think they’d be available on market day because that’s when they’ll all be in the same place and we could kill more of ‘em by dropping bombs on their heads from your air force’s planes?” “No problem mate” replied Mr Hitler “market day it is!””

Article continues below this painting by Adolf Hitler

Image Courtesy of MuseumSyndicate.com is a painting by Adolf Hitler. This image was selected to illustrate this article because of its reference to Adolf Hitler and because, if it had been available, I’m sure Dicko Barno would have showed it to his unruliest of classes.

I’m not saying Dicko Barno was the only reason I went on to get a classy honours degree from a leading university and then my masters degree from the same place – but perhaps without him and instead another Dickensian type History teacher – I’d have kept the opinion that “History was boring” just to spite their violent efforts – you know how children are.

• Don’t You Just Hate Big Headed Parents?

Better proof is offered by the experience and attainment of my own daughter. She achieved an A* in her History GCSE and a Distinction in her History of Art Module on her BTEC. (Wow did my head swell with pride as I typed that! Excuse me, can’t stand bragging parents, I digress). The fact is it is no coincidence that I’d tell her stories about episodes in History, Art and Artists and did so virtually all her life.

• Weird Histories 

The stories I told my daughter inspired the Weird Histories series of articles published on Xomba. They are better than the stories Dicko Barno told me when I was at school but I did get a better degree than him and his child beating colleague – so what can you expect? The links to these stories with short descriptions can be found by CLICK HERE or BELOW.

I hope you enjoy reading Weird Histories but even more I hope you enjoy retelling them to your own children, nieces, nephews and any of the little monsters who will listen. Entertain them and make them laugh when you recount these stories and you’ll be teaching them History at the same time.

I’ve added two other links to articles which could be of interest as children like to learn about other children, even if they are children from History. When I write and publish others, I’ll try and remember to add links there too

CLICK HERE to go to a listing of Weird Histories and Other History Articles for Children.

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