Guest Post: http://www.readbrightly.com
6 Creative Storytelling Games for Kids
by Melissa Taylor
Melissa Taylor, MA, is a teacher, mama, and writer from Colorado. Her goal in childhood was to read every book in the children's section of the library. She loves (in no particular order) children's books, her Kindle, Pinterest, and knitting rectangles. An education expert, she’s written for many publications, including Parenting.com, USA Today Health, and Scholastic Parent and Child. Connect with Melissa on her learning blog, Imagination Soup, or on Pinterest.
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Stories connect human beings. They’re how we make sense of the world. This applies to our children, too. What’s more, storytelling aids in a child’s neurological development, sparks creative thinking, improves vocabulary, encourages imagination, improves listening skills, and develops literacy. So many good things, right? Try these storytelling games with your children to encourage hours of creativity and development.
Folded Story
Ages: 5+
Supplies: a piece of paper, a pencil or pen
This playful storytelling game is best played with a group because it’s an add-on story. One person starts the game by writing a few sentences of a story. That person folds the paper so only the last line of writing can be seen and passes it to the next person. That person reads the sentence and adds on to the story with their ideas, folding the paper again. This continues until the last person in the group writes an ending. Unfold, read, and prepare to laugh. These stories usually turn out to be completely wacky — and tons of fun.
Story Stick
Ages: 4+
Supplies: a long stick, plain or decorated
In this oral storytelling tradition, participants gather in a circle. Whoever holds the story stick tells a story, either their own or a shared story that everyone in the circle will add to when it’s their turn. Before starting, it’s helpful if an adult provides a setting, theme, or conflict for the experience, even for personal stories. If there are reluctant storytellers, encourage their thinking with questions such as, “What did you see?” or “And then what happened?”
Story Stones
Ages: 4+
Story stones combine the visual arts with storytelling by using stones decorated with images. Try thematic stones such as summer, fairy tales, or space. Put all your story stones into a sturdy bag. As you pull them out one by one, use the stones to tell a sequential story. Alternatively, have bags of stones separated into categories — setting, problem, character, objects — and use one stone from each category to invent a story. The possibilities are endless!
Storymatic Kids Cards by Storymatic
Ages: 5+
Supplies: Storymatic Kids cards
My family loves this silly storytelling game. In fact, it’s become a popular road-trip choice. The basic game is to pick two yellow cards to create a main character, and a blue card for a situation. For example, your two yellow cards might be “finicky eater” and “someone who only knows three words,” plus a blue card that says, “spelling bee.” Storytellers use their cards to create a story, following the rules that the main character must stay alive and change from beginning to end. I love that this teaches kids about character arcs.
eeBoo Tell Me a Story Cards
Ages: 3+
Supplies: Tell Me a Story Cards
Not only do my kids enjoy these cards at home and while traveling, but I’ve used them in writing workshops with my students, too. The cards come in themes — forest, animal village, volcano island, and fairytale — and show characters, actions, settings, and objects. Our favorite way to play with the cards is to randomly pick five and use them to narrate a story. My growing writers also like to choose one card from each story element to inspire a fictional tale.
Rory’s Story Cubes
Ages: 5+
Supplies: Rory’s Story Cubes
Small enough for on-the-go, roll nine six-sided story dice to prompt individual stories or create a group-shared story. The black and white images leave room for interpretation, which is a great way to develop out-of-the-box thinking. For example, the clock image could be many things, including the general concept of time, a school clock, or an alarm clock. Whatever kids decide to include in their stories, they’ll be stretching their imaginations.
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Best Overall: Once Upon a Time at Amazon
“Thanks to simple but imaginative gameplay, it has earned the spot of best overall storytelling game.”
Best Budget: Rory’s Story Cubes at Amazon
“Even with a small budget, you can have big storytelling game fun.”
Best for the Family: Tall Tales Storytelling Board Game at Amazon
“This game features multiple modes of play, an array of fun game pieces and story cards to get the ball rolling.”
Best Card Game: Loquato Story Slam at Amazon
“For a storytelling card game to get the creative juices flowing.”
Best Adventure: Above & Below Board Game at Target
“For a storytelling game that immerses players in a make-believe world of adventure filled with decisions.”
Best Educational: Mad Libs the Game at Amazon
“This popular learning tool now has an educational storytelling game that is both fun for children and easy to learn.”
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Best Overall: Once Upon a Time
One of the most well-loved storytelling games is Once Upon a Time by Atlas Games. Thanks to simple but imaginative gameplay, it has earned the spot of best overall storytelling game.
Once Upon a Time is a card-based storytelling game that allows the imagination of players to shine while random card selection tests creative thinking skills. Various cards with plot points and endings are dealt to each player and then one player begins telling a story with their cards. Other players can take over storytelling by playing a matching plot point card. Each player attempts to steer the story according to their plot cards and ultimately toward their ending card. The first player to play all cards in their hand wins.
What people love about the game is the fact that it has clear direction and rules of play without being overly competitive. It’s perfect for players of all ages and entertains both kids and adults. Choose Once Upon a Time for your next game night and be entertained by the unusual, memorable, and funny tales that result.
Best Budget: Rory’s Story Cubes
For storytelling fun on a shoestring budget, pick up a set of Rory’s Story Cubes.
This game revolves around rolling a set of six-sided dice that together are imprinted with 54 images and thousands of combinations. While there are no specific rules on how to use the dice, one suggested mode of gameplay is for each player to roll all nine dice and incorporate the images into a cohesive story that earns points for delivery, humor or creativity. For more collaborative storytelling, each player can roll a cube and add a piece of the story based on the image displayed on their turn. Another suggested game is to place the nine cubes in a square, then for each row of three turn the dice to have a common theme. Let other players guess the theme you had in mind for each row.
This game can be played by everyone age 8 and up and is a good option for a storytelling game for travel. For even more fun and expanded storylines, you can also buy add-on cubes that feature actions, voyages, and other subjects. Even with a small budget, you can have big storytelling game fun with Rory’s Story Cubes.
Best for the Family: Tall Tales Storytelling Board Game
If you’re looking for a storytelling game to capture the minds of family members old and young, then the Tall Tales Storytelling Board Game is a great choice.
This game features multiple modes of play, an array of fun game pieces and story cards to get the ball rolling. The set includes 50 game pieces, and many families have expanded the storytelling opportunities by incorporating small objects or toys from around the house. A simple version of the game involves drawing eight story pieces from the bag, choosing one story card, and then weaving a tall tale that uses all eight pieces in the setting depicted on the story card.
As with many other storytelling games, there is not a clear path toward winning the game. Instead, the tale itself is the prize for all participants. Of course, you can always craft your own point system to award each story for creativity and humor. One thing to note about this game is the fact that no reading is required, which makes it a good option for families with children too young to read. It's appropriate for everyone age 4 and up.
Best Card Game: Loquato Story Slam
For a storytelling card game to get the creative juices flowing, check out Loquato Story Slam.
This deck of 350 cards includes some that set the scene of the story and others that provide interesting and challenging plot twists. Gather a group and let the tale unfold as you each take turns incorporating plot twists or use the deck for some solo storytelling fun. Either way, the Story Slam card game is guaranteed to get your wheels turning and the stories flowing.
Reviewers say they have used the cards as a game at home or in the classroom, and the subject matter is suitable for all ages; it's recommended for pre-teenagers and older. Given that this storytelling card game is ultra-portable, we recommend it for road-trips, camping or other places where a board game would be tough to play. You'll enjoy laughter and creativity with the Loquato Story Slam card game.
Best Adventure: Above & Below Board Game
For a storytelling game that immerses players in a make-believe world of adventure filled with decisions, the Above & Below board game is a top choice.
Above & Below allows each player to embark on a mission to build a village and explore caves while managing resources and assigning tasks in a way that earns rewards and points. Each player manages their own game board and is presented with different story scenarios that require decisions to further the adventure. At the end of the game, the winner is the player with the most points.
This game has been described as a “choose your own adventure” type of game, and each time you play you’ll experience a different story. The game can be played with up to four people and usually lasts about 90 minutes. Because of some of the more intricate gameplay, it’s recommended for older children and adults. Players comment on the fact that the artwork is beautiful and the stories are interesting. If you like a storytelling game that immerses you in a world of make-believe, you’ll like Above & Below.
Best Educational: Mad Libs the Game
Mad Libs has long been popular for teaching grammar while spinning silly stories. This popular learning tool now has an educational storytelling game that is both fun for children and easy to learn.
The game of Mad Libs includes 200 cards with words and 42 sentence cards. Players are dealt seven word cards and then a sentence card is turned face up in the middle. Each player selects word cards from their hand to complete the sentence with the various parts of speech needed. Players then take turns reading the sentence and everyone votes for the funniest sentence. The first person to have their sentence chosen three times wins the game.
The game gets mixed reviews for the level of fun it provides. Some people say they thought the sentences weren’t as funny as the stories created in the original form of Mad Libs. But most younger children seem to especially enjoy the game, and parents comment on how it helps to teach the parts of speech. The mix of words seems to be reasonably challenging as well, with words like "gibberish" and "haste" that will expand your child’s vocabulary. For an educational storytelling game, Mad Libs brings the classic experience to a deck of cards that will teach your children while making them giggle.
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Go to the top of my blog at the right hand corner (below my photo) and please donate what you feel lead to give. The amount you donate and the frequency you donate is totally up to you.
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I thank you in advance for your support. I adore what I do and would appreciate any amount that you may give so that I can make our Storywraps' community more thriving and exciting. Thanks a million! Books bind us together.
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