Before the game begins
Gather round and prepare to launch yourselves into an imaginary world of surprise and possibility, one that you and your fellow players will co-create together. Find a place where you can hear each other comfortably and really listen closely to one another. The fun of collaborative storytelling lies in both the journey and the outcome. Enjoy!
Ring 1: Moon Card questions and answers
The player whose birthday is closest to today begins.
Draw a Moon Card, read the question aloud and answer it aloud. Then write one or two words from your response on the face of the moon. Give the question some thought, but trust your first response!
The next player takes their turn in the same way, by drawing a Moon Card, reading the question aloud, answering it and writing one or two words from their response on the moon. Keep your moon cards handy—you’ll need them to tell the story.
Continue taking turns until everyone has answered three Moon Cards.
Ring 2: Let the story begin!
Work together to create a shared tale, weaving your Moon Card responses into the story alongside word prompts revealed by the roll of the dice.
When it's your turn, you have the storytelling spotlight. Listen carefully to what's come before, pick up the thread and add your own twist. Build on what the previous storytellers have contributed to keep the story flowing as one connected tale. The other players will hold you to account!
Struggling to fit a prompt into your story? No worries! You can use it literally or find a more imaginative way to weave it in. For example, a prompt like “piercing scream” could describe an actual scream, or you could say, “It felt as if a piercing scream had filled the air.”
How the game ends
As your collaborative story travels around the circle, look for ways to connect the ending back to the beginning. Make sure everyone's Moon Card responses find their way into the tale. The last player brings the story to a close!
Don't worry about getting everything just right, follow the twists and turns, trust your imagination and see where it takes you!
Ending thoughts
Allow yourself to take risks. It may sound silly, but in this game, as in life, the unexpected can disrupts neatly laid plans. Try to remain flexible and have fun!
CREATIVE WAYS TO PLAY
Once you've got the hang of CircleTales, there's plenty of room to experiment! Since we launched the game, players have found all sorts of inventive ways to enjoy it, depending on the group, the time available, the occasion, and the ages of the players. Some use the question cards simply as prompts to spark a collaborative story. You can also try a shorter session using half or even a quarter of the board.
The beauty of CircleTales is in exploring ideas and discovering where your collective imagination can take you. There's no need to compete or keep the score. And you if you dream up your own twists, go ahead and give them a try!
We'd love to hear from you! Share your stories with us!
