Kids love to tell stories, which is excellent because storytelling allows for self-expression and imagination. It also expands vocabulary, promotes self-esteem, and sparks curiosity. However, kids often struggle with connecting their thoughts and relating details of stories in the order that they occurred. Check out the 13 games below that will help kids invent their own stories while actively problem-solving and thinking about how to sequence events. You can click on the pictures to learn more about each game.
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1) Story Cubes
Story Cubes come in a variety of themes. Each includes 9 dice with different pictures on all sides. To play, roll all 9 dice at the same time and create a story beginning with “Once Upon a time…” and include all 9 pictures in the story. Ages 8 and up.
2) Roll A Story
This set of dice is similar to Story Cubes, but is more appropriate for younger players (4 and up). It comes with 10 larger dice with pictures that have different themes. To play, roll the dice and create stories out of the pictures that you land on. See how many different stories you can create out of the same images. You can purchase Roll A Story dice here.
3) How to Tell a Story
How to Tell a Story comes with 20 illustrated story blocks and a storytelling book that explains the process of creative storytelling. Encourage kids to follow the activities and lessons in the book or to use the blocks to create their own unique stories. The book is recommended for ages 8 and up, but the story blocks can be used with younger kids with prompting and demonstration.
4) Wooden Story Blocks
Use your imagination to create stories by arranging these 14 beautifully illustrated wooden block tiles in different orders. Love how there are endless possibilities for fun and silly stories here! The tiles also include words and phrases under the pictures for kids who can read or need story starters or ideas. Ages 2 and up. Learn more about this set here.
5) Adventures in StoryLand!
This game comes with 12 double-sided picture scenes, over 200 picture cards with different themes to use as story prompts, and instructions for different play possibilities. This game is fun for the whole family to play together, and is an excellent way to encourage imagination, practice sequencing events, and create detailed stories. Learn more about Adventures in Storyland here.
6) Create A Story Cards
Create A Story Cards come in a bunch of variety packs. I’ve used this Volcano Island theme for many years as writing prompts, but it is excellent for telling stories verbally as well. Each set includes 36 cards with related pictures and recurring characters to create endless story possibilities.
7) Connect the Thoughts Game
Connect the Thoughts is a matching game where players have to make connections by finding similarities between every two cards. For example, the boat and the bell begin with the letter b, the flower pot and the boot are both brown, the donkey and the dog are both animals, and so on. This game encourages creativity, problem-solving, and reasoning to play.
8) Story Retell
Story Retell is part of the Super Duper educational card decks. This one comes with 60 illustrated cards with short stories. The idea is to work on listening and auditory memory while practicing retelling the stories on each card.
9) Story Time Card Game
This game comes with 53 picture cards with a variety of settings, characters, and objects. To play, turn over one card at a time and create a story until you turn over “the end” card. See how many different stories you can create out of the same cards. This makes a great travel game.
10) Sequences
Choose a scenario and find the corresponding pictures. Then look at each image to determine what happened first, next, and last while telling a story in sequential order. See if you can combine the scenarios to create longer and more elaborate stories as well. Learn more about the game here.
11) Tall Tales
Tall Tales is an exciting storytelling board game with 5 different ways to play. The idea is to reach inside the bag, pull out different characters and then create stories out of them. This excellent for promoting imagination, creativity, problem-solving, and connecting thoughts and ideas. Manipulating game pieces also helps bring the stories to life.
12) Tell Tale
Tell Tale is another great game to practice inventing and telling stories. It comes with 120 cards with images that include characters, settings, objects, and emotions. It also includes instructions for 4 different game variations. Kids can play together by taking turns and adding on to one story or create different stories of their own.
13) Story Box: Create Your Own Fairy Tales
Story Box comes with 20 fairy tale themed double-sided puzzle cards that will spark imagination, encourage creativity, and promote problem-solving. The idea is to make unique fairy tale stories with original events and exciting conclusions.