Round Robin Story Game

2 or more players — the more, the crazier the story

No materials needed

Sit in a circle with family or friends.

Rule: each person adds ONE sentence, then passes.

Start: "Once upon a time, there was a dragon afraid of butterflies."

Next person adds one sentence.

Continue around. Each sentence builds on the last.

Encourage wild twists and new characters.

Announce when the last sentence is coming to create an ending.

Retell the highlights together.

Round robin stories build narrative skills, turn-taking, listening comprehension (you have to remember what was said), and creative thinking all at once. Plus, they produce the funniest stories your family will ever tell.

The one-sentence rule is key. Without it, one person dominates. With it, everyone contributes equally, and the story goes in directions no single person would imagine.

Record the story on your phone! Play it back for the family. These recordings become hilarious family memories.

If someone gets stuck, offer a prompt: "What if a new character arrived?" or "What if something surprising happened?" Prompts remove the pressure without taking their turn.

This works beautifully in the car, at a restaurant, on a hike — anywhere you have at least two people and a little time.