Creative Story Box

The “Story Box” game is a creative storytelling activity that uses boxes decorated with characters, objects, or scenes drawn on them. Players take turns tossing the box in the air like rolling dice, and start telling the story based on the image that lands face up. Each new toss can change the direction of the story, continuing based on the subsequent images. This game allows the person whose turn it is to enrich the story using their imagination and creativity.

Making a Story Box

Alrighty, I’m gonna show you how to whip up a 3 cm x 3 cm box out of cardboard for playing the “Story Box” game. This simple process is not only gonna boost your kids’ handcraft skills but also teach them how to make their own game pieces.

List of Materials

Here’s a list of stuff you’ll need for the “Story Box” game. These materials are basically gonna help you out and make your game more fun.

1. Cardboard: You need a flat and clean piece of cardboard to make the box. Opt for a medium thickness that’s easy to cut.
2. Ruler: You’ll need a ruler to draw squares of equal size (like 3 cm x 3 cm) on the cardboard.
3. Pencil: You’ll need a pencil to draw squares on the cardboard and decorate your story box. You can use a regular pencil, a ballpoint pen, or coloured pencils.
4. Scissors: Sharp and safe scissors are recommended for cutting the cardboard and shaping the story box.
5. Sticky Tape or Glue: You’ll need sticky tape or glue to put the squares together and form the story box.
6. Coloured Papers or Stickers (optional): You can use coloured papers or stickers to decorate the story box and add pictures, characters, or symbols.
7. Paint and Brush (optional): If you wanna decorate the box with your kids by painting it, use water-based or safe paints and brushes that are suitable for children.

Preparing the Box:

1. First off, pick a clean and smooth piece of cardboard. The thickness is up to you, but a medium thickness cardboard will keep its shape better during the game.
2. On the cardboard, use a ruler and pencil to draw a square measuring 3 cm x 3 cm. This will be one face of our box.
3. Next, draw additional 3 cm x 3 cm squares adjacent to each side of the square you first drew, making a total of 6 squares. This way, you’ll have all the squares needed for the six faces of our box. Tip: To make this step easier, you might want to first draw a rectangle measuring 3×9 cm or 9×9 cm, then divide it into squares.
4. After drawing the squares, carefully cut them out using a sharp pair of scissors. If you want your kids to help with this step, please make sure they do it under your supervision for safety.
5. Once you’ve cut out all the squares, use sticky tape or glue to stick the edges of each square together to form the box. Make sure all edges align neatly and are securely joined during the gluing process.

Draw Shapes and Pictures on the Box

Lastly, decorate your “Story Box” with drawings, characters, or symbols that will enrich and inspire your stories, or use small stickers for embellishment. This step amps up the creativity and fun aspect of the game, as the images on the box will lay the groundwork for your story, sparking your kids’ imaginations. Here are some tips to consider when tackling this part:

1. Variety: Decorate the box with a diverse array of pictures, characters, and symbols, or use stickers to make the stories more colorful and engaging. You could focus on different categories like animals, objects, nature and seasonal elements, mythical creatures, human figures, and emotional icons to ensure variety.
2. Simplicity: Keep the drawings or stickers simple and clear so your kids can easily understand and recognize them. Complex or detailed visuals might make storytelling difficult and distract your kids from focusing.
3. Story Foundation: The images and symbols drawn on the box should contribute to the basic structure and progression of the story, aiding your children in crafting better narratives. Therefore, ensure the visuals are not only fun and engaging but also meaningful and contributive to the development and narration of the story.
4. Educational Value: If your goal is to tell stories with an educational theme to your children, choose pictures and symbols that align with this aim. For instance, if you want to address topics like environmental conservation or history, decorate the box with drawings or stickers related to these themes.

How to Play the Story Box Game

The “Story Box” game offers a fun and dynamic setting to boost your kids’ imagination and creativity, revolving around luck and storytelling. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to play:

1. irst off, grab the story box you’ve prepped earlier, the one you’ve decked out with drawings, characters, or symbols, or slapped some stickers on.
2. Gather the players and set up a sitting arrangement. Make sure everyone gets a fair shake at telling their part of the story in turn. Decide the order of storytellers at this point.
3. To kick things off, the first player tosses the story box in the air like rolling a die. This airborne box is key, as the picture it lands on will dictate the tale to be told.
4. When the box lands, the player focuses on the topmost picture and starts weaving their story based on that image. The aim here is to spark the kids’ imaginations, turning the image into a logical and engaging narrative.
5. After the first player has had a go at storytelling for a bit, it’s the next player’s turn. They’ll toss the story box to determine a new image and continue the tale from where the previous player left off, incorporating the new image into the story.
6. Players take turns telling the story, each adding their twist and gradually shaping a complex and thrilling narrative. This activity also helps kids develop social skills like generating new ideas using the images, listening to other players’ story bits, and respecting their ideas.
7. The game wraps up when the story naturally concludes or a set time or number of rounds is completed. Afterwards, players can reflect on the story crafted and share ideas for future games, ensuring the game remains fresh and varied.

The key thing to remember when playing the “Story Box” game is for each player to contribute to the progression and enrichment of the story using their own creativity and imagination. This way, you’re set for a fantastic game experience that’s fun, educational, and creates unforgettable memories. Have a great time, eh!