Chsukit Board Game: By Siddharth Srivastava

Concept: As a kid (meaning that I’ve still not grown up) I remember making up stories, which would last
in my head in the form of images. Every time I hear or read something I draw a picture in my head and
that’s how I think I can recall it later. If the order of these images are rearranged I can easily make up a
new story. Similarly I see the Pratham idea of re-mixing stories as a source of creating new stories.
Imagination is something which I think everyone has and this is a good way of tapping it. I think most
books are written first and then illustrated. A story board game would follow a reverse process and
provide illustrations for which stories need to be written.

Pratham Books is trying to promote reading by increasing accessibility of high-quality low cost
publications. Here a story board game is proposed which can further help move towards this objective.
The proposed game can act as a source of low cost original stories for Pratham Books. Following is what it
brings to the table:

• Source of new stories

• Stimulating curiosity of the readers towards the stories printed in the books (as its written by other
readers like them)
• You get new stories with same illustrations
• New stories with modified illustrations
• Completely new story ideas for which new illustrations need to be made
• A better understanding of the kind of stories the audience actually wants to read
• Relevant stories – say written by other kids (more attractive to the audience)
• You get new story writers

Target Audience: Anyone who likes to read or create stories.

Following is a prototype of the story board:

 RBS (ROYAL BANK of STORIES) [Some Game Title]

Contents of the game box: The game box contains a set of 25 picture cards (say for your Chuskit story),
a collapsible story board(s) (like beans design project) with space to place (maybe clip, hang or paste) the
cards and corresponding spaces to write on, a pen/pencil, self addressed envelopes (according to the
number of boards provided) to Pratham books and an instruction sheet containing details on how to submit
stories online and send stories though post (hand written or typed) or email.

Sample Story Board (The shape/design of the board can vary depending upon the points where it
collapses and need not be a 5*5 square box like shown here):
1
1
4
…………. ………..
Space to
place the
graphic card
Space for to
writing a Space for writing a
Place write
story here! Or a few story here! Or a few
story!!
pages hanging here
pages hanging here
like a writing pad

…………. …………. ………….. ……………. 9

5
……………. …………. ……………. ………….

………… 9 ……………. ……………. ……………………

………… …………… ………………. 2

0 ………………..
Last card/piece of
story

To play:
The game is started by placing all cards randomly on the board in the slots where the graphics are to be
placed. Once this is done the person has to rearrange the cards in an order which seems to follow a story.
Then in each box there is space provided below the graphic card, where first the number or ID of the card
has to be written and then the corresponding part of the story. During the thinking process the cards can
be re arranged and the corresponding part of the story can be re written. Finally once the order of the
cards and the corresponding part of the story is finalized, the story is completed and it then has to be
folded along the collapsible joints.

To submit:
The cards held in their slots will be folded along with the board into a smaller shape, which can be put
inside the self addressed envelope and posted to Pratham. The other alternative for submitting the story is
to go online to the Pratham website to the link where the stories can be submitted. The website can have
an interesting interface and can start with the usual sign up, account, create new story, etc. kind of
website flow/structure. The website will display the graphic cards and the user will need to locate their
corresponding cards with the number or ID of the card (like ones placed on each card in the Sample Story
Board above). Then against each card the user can type up their corresponding part of the story and once
complete they can submit this. Another alternative could be to provide a Story Board kind of template
online which can be downloaded, filled in and emailed to Pratham.

Story Storage point: A storage point can therefore be created by Pratham and disseminated in any way
possible. For eg, Story of the month, or best story piece for a particular card, etc. If following the CC
(creative commons or something) licensing concept, then all of this can be freely available online, of
course apart from the stories which are printed as the purpose of this is to only stimulate the demand and
increase access of the Pratham published books.

Extending the game:

The form of game described above would be restricted to those who can purchase the board game or have
access to the internet. But the game can also be extended and played with kids in rural areas even within
a group setting. Popular tools used while interacting with communities/groups to disseminate information,
gather or raise group or individual opinion all tend to have a visual component. Similarly the board game
can be used to create stories in a group situation as well, where a facilitator can play this game with a
small group and create one or multiple versions of these stories. Based on the type of graphical cards or
the ‘visual aid’ and skill of the facilitator the process of story making can be made enjoyable. The game
can therefore be used as a marketing tool as knowing that Pratham stories are created through such a
process, the participants would be further encouraged to read other Pratham stories. All such stories
created can again go back to the Story Storage point and if good enough can be printed. This is an added
incentive and way of encouraging participants to read other Pratham stories.

Therefore the board game in these different ways is acting as a fun tool which is ultimately encouraging
reading and story making.