I received compensation for this post but all opinions are mine.

storytelling game for kids and families

Ever since our kids were little, my husband and I have told them stories. Sure, we read to them and with them (lots!) but there’s something special about making up stories, watching your kids’ eyes light up at the magic you create, and letting them contribute their own characters, settings, and plot points too.

A few years ago my husband came up with a series of tales about Heatherette and Silver Toe (our kids’ alter egos). Those two zany characters take on brave adventures in foreign lands, live inside fairy tales, and travel back in time. Our kids will always treasure the time their father spent with them, spinning those whimsical and customized yarns.

When UncommonGoods asked me to pick a gift from their site to review, I immediately selected the Storymatic Kids game, found here. Upon first glance it’s a simple box of cards. In reality, Storymatic Kids is so much more. When we play Storymatic Kids we’re growing our family tradition of storytelling and we’re spending even more time together being creative, laughing, and surprising each other.

storytelling game for kids and families

The first time, we played it according to the main set of instructions in the little red book that comes with the game: pick two yellow cards and create a character then pick a blue card and add what it says to your story somehow. We took turns, each of us telling a story with the three cards we selected.

I was amazed at how inventive our kids got with their tales: Delaney told a story about a teacher who had a tail and was cured by a veterinarian. One of my stories involved a disco dancing bear named Fred who met a genie who gave him three wishes. As we giggled and marveled at our tall tales, I began to notice that telling a good story is a little like playing chess: being able to think several steps ahead is essential to success. What a great skill for our kids (and us!) to practice.

storytelling game for kids and families

Storymatic’s accompanying booklet contains tons of suggestions for different ways to play the game. Create stories individually or in teams. Draw, write, or paint your stories instead of telling them. Play after dinner, before bed, in the car, and at parties. The only limitation is your own creativity. My kids want to play Storymatic every single night after dinner. It’s something we now look forward to as a family.

storytelling game for kids and families

Like Storymatic Kids, most of the gifts from UncommonGoods are made in the USA. And, in addition to finding beautiful, unique, and handmade gifts at UncommonGoods, I’ve discovered more reasons to love shopping there:

  • UncommonGoods cares about artists, creativity, recycling, the environment, and fair wages for their employees;
  • The company’s mission encourages and supports artists and designers by selling their uniquely designed goods while also ensuring no harm comes to people, animals, or the environment in the process;
  • 1/3 of their gifts feature recycled and/or up cycled materials;
  • You can find something, all year long, for just about anyone on your list. For UncommonGood’s selection of beautifully handmade gifts, click here. Need a gift for a special woman in your life? Simply click here. And, if you’re looking for a variety of well-suited gifts for men, UncommonGoods has you covered too. Just click here.

Curious about our Storymatic storytelling adventures? Check out the video below of eight-year-old Delaney’s story including a writer, a cartoonist, and a grandfather’s fishing pole. You just might be surprised!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lue9tK4yjgc&feature=youtu.be