A new storytelling tool called Fabula Deck for Kids offers children a fresh way to develop their imagination and storytelling skills. Developed by Italian creators Matteo and Andrea from the independent publisher Sefirot, Fabula Deck for Kids uses a deck of 34 interactive cards aimed at children aged six and above. The creators aim to help children learn to create characters, build plots, and evaluate stories without boundaries or predefined answers.
The Fabula Deck set includes a mix of prompt, ingredient, structure, and boost cards. According to Sefirot, these cards encourage kids to think independently, fostering creativity and a deeper understanding of story development. Each card set comes with a wooden dice, which offers an additional element of randomness to prompt children with new ideas each time they play. “The dice roll is an invitation for kids to step into new worlds of their own making,” says Matteo.
The prompt cards introduce children to various storytelling options, urging them to explore genres like horror, sci-fi, and fantasy, or to imagine characters with special abilities. “We’ve based the prompts on the work of writers like Gianni Rodari, who spent years studying how to inspire children’s creativity,” Andrea explains. “This tool lets kids create playfully but also builds real storytelling skills.”
The ingredient cards guide young storytellers in creating a protagonist, an antagonist, and a world for their stories. Questions encourage them to add details, asking things like, “What’s the name of the main character?” and “What event starts the adventure?” The creators explain that these steps align with elements of the Hero’s Journey, a classic storytelling structure.
Once the basic story elements are in place, children use the structure cards to organize their ideas, following steps inspired by storytelling techniques found in many books and films. Matteo points out that “these are the same methods used by professional storytellers.” The idea is to help children create stories with a clear beginning, middle, and end.
Boost cards are designed to enhance a story by asking questions that deepen the plot. They prompt kids to consider elements like plot twists or complications. By posing questions such as, “Was it too easy for the hero?” or “What happens next?”, the boost cards encourage kids to refine and add depth to their narratives. “The goal is to move kids from simple ideas to richer, more layered stories,” says Andrea.
Sefirot has tested Fabula Deck for Kids with children between ages six and twelve. Feedback suggests children quickly develop unique stories within minutes of using the cards, demonstrating the effectiveness of the tool. “We saw kids coming up with incredible ideas after just a few minutes,” Matteo says. According to him, the simplicity of the tool makes it suitable for both children and adults, providing a platform for everyone to build stories without needing prior experience.
The cards are hand-drawn by Italian artist Matteo Ufo5 Capobianco, known for his interest in inspiring children’s imagination. Each illustration is first inked by hand and then digitalized, with a focus on creating designs that avoid gender stereotypes. Sefirot aims to promote inclusivity by using gender-neutral terms like “character” and “protagonist” on the cards. For example, the deck uses “they/their” instead of male pronouns to prevent biases and let children imagine characters of any gender, background, or species.
With the growing use of storytelling as a tool in education, Fabula Deck for Kids arrives as a potential resource for teachers, parents, and caregivers looking for ways to engage children in creative thinking. According to the creators, the deck’s structure promotes not only storytelling skills but also critical thinking, helping children evaluate the stories they read or watch.
Fabula Deck for Kids joins a range of other storytelling tools from Sefirot, whose original Fabula Deck has been used by professionals, including a New York Times bestselling author and Academy Award nominees. Matteo and Andrea believe their new, child-friendly version will be equally valuable, encouraging creativity in a way that remains accessible. For more details and purchasing options, see the Fabula Deck for Kids website.
