About Crafty Tales
About Crafty Tales“Crafty Tales is the company I founded in 2006. We believe passionately in supporting parents everywhere with their understanding of child development through music and signing in the early years, and in the power of story telling. We like to think of ourselves as the torch bearers for traditional folk lore and fairy tales. We feel it is extremely important to keep these stories alive by telling them to small children and encouraging their parents to to do the same. Story telling is a simple way of igniting a child‘s imagination and encouraging their creativity. Combining the stories with drama, music and games provides a rounded, stimulating experience, which above all, is brilliant fun.”
Deva Armstrong, Crafty Tales founder
Deva Armstrong
Deva worked in theatre up until her two children were born. Married to a sound engineer, she specialised in lighting design, then stage-management, but also includes puppetry, props making and scenic art in her portfolio of talents. Deva's love of stories comes from voracious reading while on tour as a child with her theatrical parents. After her children were born she worked as a muralist & Life Cake creator, with music and drama sessions for Jumping Beans as a sideline. However, as Deva became increasingly aware of the positive role music and storytelling played in child development, she knew she had to pass this knowledge on to families in her own way. In 2006, Crafty Tales was born; the only company that explained the developmental neuroscience behind their music and signing classes as they went along. Now,16 years later, Deva can only hope that the children and parents get as much out of the sessions as she still does from teaching them!
Ellie Armstrong
Voice actor, singer, and stage performer, Ellie will be a familiar face to many of you, having been part of our Crafty Tales Party Team for almost a decade. We are delighted to finally welcome her on board as a permanent fixture. Born into a theatre family, and brought up in the shadow of Crafty Tales, Ellie later studied developmental child psychology at school before embarking on an Acting degree at Bath Spa University. She now specialises in Voice Acting, performs regularly in musical theatre, and volunteers with VICTA (working with visually impaired children), as well as being a talented new addition to the Crafty Tales Company.
Rachelle Hornsey
Rachelle is a Montessori Nursery teacher, as well as being a seasoned Crafty Tales mum. Both her young sons attended Crafty Tales from birth, and are living proof that our recommendations really do result in chatty and engaged young people! We are very lucky indeed that Rachelle has joined us at Crafty Tales, where her knowledge, teaching skills and love of children remain a continual delight to parents across the board.
