Improv Storytelling Circle Game
Take turns building a wild collaborative story with improv rules and prompts — sharpens quick thinking, listening skills, and creative language use.
What You'll Need
- 1Slips of paper and pencils
- 2A bowl or hat for drawing prompts
- 3Timer or phone stopwatch
- 4Curveball cards (index cards with surprise twists written on them)
What You'll Need
Slips of paper and pencils for writing prompts
A bowl or hat for drawing slips
A timer or phone stopwatch
Index cards with surprise twists for Curveball Cards (e.g., 'A dinosaur walks in,' 'Time jumps 100 years forward')
How to Play
Sit in a circle with 3 or more players. Teach the golden rule of improv: always say 'Yes, and...' — accept what the previous person said and add to it.
Everyone writes a character, a setting, and a problem on separate slips. Mix them up, draw one from each pile.
Player one starts the story using the prompts, speaking for 30-60 seconds.
When the timer beeps, the story passes to the next player, who continues exactly where the last person stopped.
Each player gets 30-60 seconds per turn. After two full rounds, the moderator calls 'Wrap it up!' and the next player must end the story within 60 seconds.
Discuss the story: funniest moment, biggest surprise, hardest part.
Leveling Up
Round two: add Curveball Cards. The moderator plays one at a random moment and the current storyteller must weave it in.
Round three: try 'One Word at a Time' — each person says only one word, going around rapidly.
Vote on the best story and give it a title.
Tips
The 'Yes, and...' rule is the most important thing to teach. Without it, kids contradict each other and the story falls apart. Practice a few exchanges before the first story.
Shy kids often bloom in the One Word at a Time variant because pressure per turn is tiny. Start there with reluctant participants.
Write 10-15 Curveball Cards in advance. Good curveballs are specific: 'The floor turns to lava' works better than 'Something bad happens.'
Record one story on a phone and play it back. Kids are amazed by how coherent the story sounds as a complete piece.
If a child freezes, the moderator can prompt: 'What did the character see next?' This is better than skipping their turn.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does this activity take?
This activity takes about 30 min, with 5 min of preparation time beforehand.
What materials do I need?
You'll need: slips of paper and pencils, a bowl or hat for drawing prompts, timer or phone stopwatch, curveball cards (index cards with surprise twists written on them).
What age is this activity for?
This activity is designed for 8-12 years. You can adapt it for younger or older children by adjusting the complexity.
Can this be done indoors?
This activity is designed for indoor play, making it perfect for rainy days or when you're staying inside.
How difficult is this activity?
This is an easy activity that requires minimal setup and supervision. Great for busy days or when you need something quick.
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