AI: storytelling

How to tell a story with Rory’s Story Cubes…

…and why children love them!

Photo by Ugo Mendes Donelli on Unsplash

Let’s face it, most of us are pretty visual learners. If you give any child a set of blocks they will build something with them, but how many different houses or castles can you build with a set of blocks?

Even the word ‘blocks’ limits the imagination. And that is why Rory’s Story Cubes are so brilliant. They open up new worlds for young learners and give them an advantage when it comes to creative thinking. The cubes have images on them that can be combined in infinite ways to tell a story. This article explains why and how…

Why use Rory’s Story Cubes?

Rory’s Story Cubes are a versatile tool for learning. They can be used as part of language or literacy lessons, or even to support visual learners. They can be used to encourage creativity and help problem-solving. They can be a catalyst for discussions and can be used to develop vocabulary, story-telling skills, and literacy.

The cubes are also incredibly flexible and can be used as part of a range of subjects and topics. Rory’s Story Cubes are also great for children with special needs as well as children who may be struggling with reading and writing. They can help the child to create their own stories and increase their vocabulary and writing skills.

Rory’s Story Cubes are also a really engaging way to encourage children to read. You can get the child to create their own story using the cubes and then encourage them to read it back to you. The child can then use the cubes to create another story and so on.

Story cubes (image by author)

How to play with Rory’s Story Cubes

There are many ways to play with Rory’s Story Cubes. You can use them to create a story. You could also use them to build a scene, or you could even just use them as a calming activity. You could use them as a visual aid and create a storyboard or a flow chart to explain a process or a procedure. You can also use them to inspire your creative thinking and help you solve problems. The possibilities are endless.

When you are playing with the cubes you can decide where you want to start, or let the cubes decide for you. You can also choose to finish where you started. If you are creating a story, you can use one cube at a time or several cubes together, whatever works best for you and your story.

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Benefits for children

• Improves literacy and language skills. The cubes can be used to enhance storytelling skills, which can in turn help with reading and writing skills. They can be used to encourage creative writing and increase vocabulary.
• Promotes creativity and problem-solving. Rory’s Story Cubes can be used when children are problem-solving to help them think ‘outside of the box’. They are also a really creative tool that can be used to help encourage creative thinking.
• Develops visual and kinaesthetic learners. Rory’s Story Cubes can be used by visual, kinaesthetic and auditory learners. They can be used to support children who are visual learners by creating a storyboard.
• Improves concentration. Rory’s Story Cubes can help to improve concentration as they are a very visual activity and encourage your child to use their creativity.

Adventure time! (Image by author)

How to tell a story with Rory’s Story Cubes

You can create a story by taking one cube at a time and adding it to the story you have already created. You can also take two cubes at a time and create a new story that is linked to your first story. You can keep on adding cubes to your story until you have the ending you want. Once you have finished you can read your story out loud.

If you are not sure where to start, you could use one of the following suggestions to give you inspiration.

• A path through the woods. This story could start with a path through the woods and end with a path through the woods. You could use the images on the cubes to create a story about a child who is lost in the woods and then find their way out again.
• A building. This story could start with an image of a building, then use the other images on the cubes to create a story around the building. You could start with a house, then add cubes to create a story about the house and who lives there, and then finish with an image of a house in a city to finish the story.

[embed]Rory's Story Cubes Game: How It Mirrors Our Lives and Helps Us Feel Inspired, Curious, and Engaged Images, contexts, surprise, randomness, inspiration, creativity, and so much moremedium.com

Tips for using Rory’s Story Cubes in the classroom or at home with kids

• Use the cubes in a group setting to encourage role playing and group discussions. Rory’s Story Cubes are a very social activity, so they are great to use in a group setting. You could use them as part of your imaginative play and create stories together, or use them to encourage group discussions.
• Create a storyboard. If you are teaching a visual subject, such as biology or geography, you could create a storyboard using the cubes to show the steps involved.
• Create a flow chart. If you are teaching a subject that uses a lot of steps and procedures, you could create a flow chart using the cubes to show different outcomes.
• Use your creativity. There are no rules when it comes to using the cubes, so use them in the way that suits you and your learners the best.
• Be patient. Be patient with the children as they experiment and get used to the cubes. They may not get it straight away, but once they do, the cubes can become a really valuable resource in the classroom.

Conclusion

Rory’s Story Cubes are great for all ages and can be used in so many different ways. They can be used to support and enhance creative thinking and can be a catalyst for discussions and story-telling. They are also a very versatile tool and can be used in a number of different subjects and topics.

Duncan Klein via Writesonic

The article is generated by AI. My links above may be affiliates. Purchase through this link and Writesonic or Amazon will flick me a few cents. Use AI wisely; these things are not quite dependable enough to rule the world. Just ask Siri! Your local game shop is worth visiting for these things. You’ll get expert advice and have a grand time browsing!

These story cubes are a real thing, as I discovered only yesterday when I was browsing through a games store and found a copy of Untold: Adventures Await. This is a story-telling game for up to four players and apparently, kids love it. All of my game-playing friends have a mental age of kindergarten, so that’s fine. The game has a set of story cubes to spark creativity in a loosely-structured narrative form and I must admit I’m charmed by the concept.

The AI above isn’t quite being straight in describing how the game is played but everything else is accurate. For actual children, encouraging creative play is a big deal, and what child doesn’t like stories? Regardless of age, I must admit!

Valorie Lasley writes about Quora. Another (kind of) content site. I’ve never been able to make it work for me but perhaps I haven’t been following Valorie’s advice. Then again, just what is my Medium niche?

[embed]Quora — 2 Medium — ? My Niches fell into my Lapmedium.com

Eddie Nitis talks about poverty and inequality in America. I’m not sure I follow the strict logic of the argument but there is no arguing with the observed results. Being born poor in America pretty much means living and dying poor. The odds are stacked against you. Look at an incompetent scoundrel like Trump, born into wealth and never raising a sweat, and your average Joe from the projects full of hard work and determination. It’s an uphill climb for one of them.

[embed]The Great times and Financial Blues Never play any game you can’t win in and don’t gamble if you can’t afford to lose.medium.com

Shirley Laffa neatly sums up the spirit of sharing and helpfulness that is Reciprocal. Insert a coin and you’ll get a bucketful back. Speaking as an editor of some experience, just a few claps and comments make a big difference to getting ahead of the algorithm. Something else to consider: social media. Try it!

[embed]Please Insert Coin Don’t Just Sit There!medium.com