Storytelling Cubes & Storytelling Tools

Content needs a context. Use storytelling as a way for young people to connect new concepts with existing content.

Start by reading tall tales by Steven Kellogg, Rodman Philbrick, Julius Lester, Janet Stevens, Anne Isaacs, Mary Pope Osborne, and Judi Barrett. Then create your own with tools like Kerpoof or Myths and Legends. Kerpoof has a movie making tool specifically focused on creating tall tales.

Rather than learning individual facts about butterflies, talk about the life of a butterfly. Rather than memorizing facts about a person, tell the story of their life. Students will forget facts, but they're remember meaningful anecdotes. Tell the story will life cycle puppets. Then, review with an interactive.

Use costumes to tell historical stories and online storytelling tools to create stories.

Connect cubes and tools. Storycubes. Use Rory's Story Cubes to generate ideas for writing stories. You can also download the iPad app.

Tools are available for all ages who want to create online stories.

• Storybird. A teacher version is available so teachers can create student accounts.
• Alternatives
  • Art of Storytelling. Experience, tell, and picture a story.
  • Boomwriter. Read, write, compete and get published.
  • Dog's Life. Write a comic-like story.
  • Kerpoof-Story. Very easy to use Tell a Story feature.
  • Kidsspace. Easy to use library-sponsored tools.
  • Myths and Legends. Contains images and animation options.
  • Littlebird Tales. Uploade images and record you voice on each page.
  • Picturebook Maker. Create picturebooks with limited images.
  • Simplebooklet. Create documents of different sizes.
  • Storyjumper. Create your own book.
  • Storymaker. Simple and free library-sponsored tool
  • Tikatok. Try for free.
  • ZimmerTwins. Both still and animation.
  • ZooBurst. Create your own popup book.
• App-based Tools
  • StoryBuddy Lite 
  • StoryKit
  • Story Patch ($2.99)
  • Storyrobe ($.99)
  • Sonicpics Lite
  • my Memoir
  • Demibooks

Comic tools work great for storytelling:

• Pixton. Use the free version or consider the school version.
• Alternatives
  • Bitstrips. Need to sign-in to save.
  • Cartoonist from Creaza
  • Chogger
  • Comic Creator
  • Comic Master
  • KABAM. Restricted to the story and theme provided.
  • MakeBeliefs Comix. You can print or email your comic. No storage.
  • Professor Garfield. Provides characters for stories.
  • Strip Generator. Sign-in required to save and publish. Print without sign-in.
  • ToonDoo
  • Witty Comics
• Write Comics

Animation creators are also good

• GoAnimate. Try the free version, then consider the subscription option for more resources.
• Alternatives
  • Domo Animate. Simple and easy to use.
  • Kerpoof-Movie. Very easy to use Make a Movie feature.
  • Tate Movie Maker. Go through the process of creating an animated movie.

Try It!
Use the Storycubes along with a storytelling, comic, animation, or timeline tool to tell a short story.