Play Type

Storyteller kids: how they play and what to try

Every toy has a name and a backstory.

Gift ideas for a Storyteller

· Quiz another kid

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Try tonight

A puppet show with a ticket booth.

Halloween for a StorytellerA cape and a character they make up, and a ghost story where everyone adds a line.See the costume

What it looks like

Storytellers invent characters, voices and whole worlds. They narrate while they play, they want you to be a character too, and the plot matters more than the rules.

Give them a stage and props, not a script.

Outside

  • Turn the playground into a pirate ship and let them run the plot
  • Act out a story on a nature walk, with sticks as swords and wands
  • Chalk a comic strip down the driveway

At home

  • A puppet show with a ticket booth
  • Story dice at dinner, where everyone adds a line
  • A comic book they write and you both draw

With friends

  • Put on a play for the parents, with costumes from the closet
  • Make a stop-motion movie with toys and a phone
  • Tell a story in a circle where each kid adds one sentence

Toys that fit

  • A dress-up bin Find one
  • PuppetsOur pick: Melissa & Doug Zoo Friends Hand Puppets Find it
  • Blank comic booksOur pick: Lulu Jr. My Comic Book kit Find it

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More gift ideas for a Storyteller, by age

On a screen

Worth saying yes to. Ratings shown on each.

Toca Boca WorldApp Store 4+iPad, iPhone, Android · Sells things insideA giant dollhouse of places and characters to make stories with. The base game is plenty. The shop is optional, so set that rule early.
Stop Motion StudioApp Store 4+iPhone, iPad, Mac · Sells things insideTheir toys become a movie. It turns screen time into making something they'll want to show you.
Scribblenauts UnlimitedESRB E10+Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, PC · Nothing to buy insideType any word and it appears in the world. Great for kids who are reading and love 'what if'.Find it on Amazon

Watch out for

In-app purchase prompts in story apps. Turn on Ask to Buy, or put the device in a mode where purchases need your password.

More gift ideas

By age

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ToddlersAges 4 to 6Ages 7 to 9Ages 10 to 12

By occasion

Stocking stuffersChristmasScreen-freeBirthday partiesKids who have everythingGame night

By what they love

Art and drawingScienceAnimalsDinosaursSpaceCars and trucksCooking and bakingReading

By how they play

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Things to do near you

Camps, leagues, classes and weekend events that fit a Storyteller. Tell us where you are and we'll email when there's a good one close by. About once a month.

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Made by a dad of three. Ideas and picks are chosen by hand, and nobody pays to be on this site. Game ratings come from the ESRB and the App Store, so check anything yourself before saying yes.

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