Before the game begins

 

Gather round and prepare to launch yourselves into an imaginary world of surprise and possibility that you and your friends co-create in this fun family board game. Make sure you are somewhere you can hear each other well and focus on what others are saying. The fun of collaborative storytelling is both the journey and the outcome. Enjoy!

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Ring 1: Moon Card questions and answers

 

The player whose birthday is closest to today begins. 

 

Draw a Moon Card, read it aloud, and answer it aloud, then write a one or two-word response on the face of the moon. Give the question some thought, but trust your first response! 

 

The next player continues in the same way, by drawing a Moon Card, reading it aloud, answering it aloud and writing down one to two words from their response. Save your Moon Cards—you’ll need them to tell the story.

 

Take turns answering Moon Card questions until every player has three cards each.

 

Ring 2: Let the story begin!

 

After all the players have taken turns answering the Moon Card questions, work together to create a shared tale using your own Moon Card responses combined with word prompts drawn by the roll of a dice.

 

During the game, the person whose turn it is to tell the story has the spotlight. The story must have a cohesive thread so listen carefully, try not to interrupt, and when it's your turn, add to what the previous storytellers have contributed. The other players will hold you to account! 

 

How the game ends

 

In a story circle, the end connects to the beginning, and you can always bring the story right back to where it started. Use all your Moon Card responses before the story circle is complete. The last player concludes the story. Don’t worry, it always works out!

 

Ending thoughts

 

Be true to yourself in all your answers, and allow yourself to take risks. It may sound silly, but in this game, as in life, the unexpected always disrupts neatly laid plans. Try to remain flexible and have fun!

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CREATIVE WAYS TO PLAY

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Since launching CircleTales, we’ve seen the game played in all sorts of inventive ways, which makes it super versatile and fun. Some players have used the question cards purely as prompts to spark a collaborative story from their answers. Others have drawn pictures instead of words and then let the images guide the story. Couples have even played shorter sessions using only half the board, which works perfectly for two people. We encourage you to experiment with your own creative twists, have fun, and connect with others—CircleTales is designed to inspire storytelling experiences that no other game can!