Bring Into Play More Storytelling With These 6 Games For Both Children & Adults

Storytelling games are often associated with drama games or improvisation but they can also come in handy in social situations or when you need a creative boost.

Creativity seems to overflow in children with their endless ability to make-believe, invent, delving into detailed stories and come up with incredible scenarios.

As a ten-year-old child, I didn’t believe in fairies because I was told by my mother that they didn’t exist, so naturally, as I knew the truth I knew I shouldn’t believe in them. My best friend Hannah did believe in fairies, however. Hannah would receive handwritten letters from the Queen who would also leave sweets and treats in her garden for her and she had no doubt in her mind that fairies were real. I was strictly told to not tell her the truth, that fairies didn’t exist. This suited me just fine because deep down, and I wasn’t allowed to admit this, I wanted to believe more than anything that fairies did exist. My right to believe had been taken away but my creativity had not, so every lunch or every playdate we would draw fairies, design castles or villages for them, and for a brief moment I would allow my mind to go nuts inventing worlds and creatures that I knew didn’t exist.

I had this innate need to be creative, and somehow I still do, the only difference is I’m no longer ten and I’ve had to adapt my ways of being creative. Because not many people really want to turn up on a date or a hangout and be told: “hey want to design dresses and villages for the tooth-fairy?” I mean, I’m sure there’s a market out there, but it’s relatively niche and not one I’ve come into contact with yet.

So here are 6 games that shouldn’t be deemed too ‘out there’ and are a fun way to exercise your creativity with friends. Remember that with any creative and imagination-based game, it will only be as fun as you allow them to be. You are, after all, relying solely on the power of your mind’s imagination and luckily it has no physical limits so just have fun.

1. 3 words into Stories

Let’s start simple and easy. This is a game you can play with kids, adults or even alone if a little bored and needing to exercise your creativity.

You give your partner (or yourself) three words:

-A Character

-A place

-An object

With no time to think or plan you have to come up with a story on the spot.

The best stories sometimes come from the most mismatched words.

I’ve been sending some of these online for people during the quarantine, and it may be more entertaining for me, but I always love to find out where my story will end up. Mine tend to begin with bullied or lonely animals that eventually find their place in the world and there tends to be some sort of moral (I’m sure I could be psychoanalyzed because of this pattern).

 2. Omnipresent Narrator

Narration is a commonly used tool in storytelling and there are three different types: First person, second person and third-person narration. For this game stick to a third-person narration and we are going to play God (blasphemous I know) by narrating what you see.

This one will never lead to ground breaking stories, but it can be really entertaining and remember the more creative you are the more fun you’re going to have.

Example: you see a man walking down the street listening to music and he does a little wiggle so you narrate “And at that particular moment Philippe thought to himself, wow, I’m an incredible Bachata dancer…”

You can let your friend jump in, add their commentary, build on each other.

Pro Tip: it helps if you somehow name the characters (people) and though this is a game based on first impressions, it’s not an occasion to just insult passers-by.

So find a spot where there’s action and movement (a window for example), maybe make a hot chocolate if it is cold and in turns narrate the view, the scene and the movement that you see taking place outside. 

3. Planning a Murder Mystery Party

This explanation is a little long-winded, but bare-with, it’s worth it.

Storytelling wouldn’t be the same without a little murder mystery drama. Why not organise a murder mystery party with friends? Currently, a lot of us are still in lockdown, and zoom parties are still the main source of socialising we are getting. This activity takes a little more planning because one person has to be in charge of coming up with characters and a situation but can be really fun if the right attitude is invested in it.

Step 1. Plan and Invite

-Pick your group of people (ideally a group of 5-10 people).

-Find a timeline for your murder mystery (murder and eventually plot twist), you can inspire yourself on famous murder mystery stories or if you’re feeling creative write your own.

-Give the party a time period and theme.

Step 2 – Get writing

-Write down characters for each guest, including name, age, backstory, flaws, strengths, and relation to the victim.

-Make sure each guest has a motive and an alibi for the murder (don’t forget to have a detective in there).

-When writing your characters, try to make their stories intertwine and make sure people are connected in one way or another.

-Break up the plot in a couple of rounds, ideally three or more (you don’t want to drag anything out) and make sure your characters receive certain instructions as you go along.

Round 1: Introduce your character and give the rest of the party a sense of who you are.

Round 2: Tell the group your alibi whilst revealing a potential motive.

Round 3: Each guest can receive secret introductions depending on how the story is evolving and eventually one guest is given information that they are indeed the murderer.

-Guests should only be provided with certain facts or pieces to the story as the event evolves and make sure that the last round provides enough evidence for a clever plot twist and reveal of the dreaded murderer.

Step 3 – Play it Out

-Set up a zoom call, invite your friends over and get fake murdering and detecting (heavy emphasis on the fake).

– Have fun (a classic line).

4. Dungeons and Dragons

So I haven’t actually played this yet, but I’ve been invited to join a game soon and I must say I’m excited. The game has received poor representation in popular culture, sold to us in films as a game played by geeky middle-aged men, think Big Bang Theory, or young tweens in their parent’s basement, think Stranger Things. However, it seems that the game requires a great deal of creativity and could be right up my alley.  Therefore I will give it a go and encourage you all to do so.

To start off I’ve been told that you have to come up with a character so I leave you the leaflet to browse and allow you to explore different creatures and create your own D&D alter ego.

You can create your characters through the handbook attached here and find more instructions on the website.

– Each player will need a character which you can create with this players handbook

-You’ll need a dungeon master a set of dice https://www.wizards.com/dnd/dice/dice.htm

-A Dungeon and Dragon Master: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jT3FRzEJDp8

And an interest in reading a bit more because it seems like an incredibly intricate game with lots of rules.

Again, I’ve not played this so I’m not the person to be giving instructions but hopefully these tools will help

5. Retelling History & Changing Names

History has gifted us a plethora of stories to retell and learn from.

This game was introduced to me by a friend and when we first tried it out I was automatically converted. It is simple, you pick famous scenes, historical figures, battles, or moments known by all from history, and retell them swapping over characters and events with celebrities, families, friends, or even placing them in a modern context.

Example:

Replacing Henry VIII with Taylor Swift & her many lovers

Or

Interweaving Amelia Earhart’s story and the conspiracy theory that pop sensation, Avril Lavigne died in 2002

This perfectly illustrates what I mean. You get the gist

6. Write Your Own Fable

Though technically not a game per say, writing fables can be a really creative way to story-tell and can be done alone or in group and absolutely anywhere because all you need is pen & paper or notes on your phone, (I once wrote one about my sister in the backseat of the car in traffic).

Here’s what you need to bear in mind when Fable Writing:

Step 1 – Find Your Fables’ Moral

Pick a moral that resonates with you and which will conclude your fable

For example:

• The grass is always greener on the other side
• People in glass houses shouldn’t throw rocks

Step 2 – Pick Your Characters

Often fables are written with animals as characters but you can choose animals, inanimate object made animate or people. They also tend to be fantastical so get creative with your characters.

In fables it isn’t necessary to name your characters, instead they’ll be known as : The baker, the ant, the milk jug etc…

Step 3 – Give Your Characters’ Characteristics

In the Fox and The Crow, we are given two characters and each have very distinguishable traits.

The fox is hungry and cunning, the crow however is vain and wealthy (he has cheese).

The traits should eventually clash in order to create conflict.

Step 4 – Create Tension

Figure out what your conflict will be and how your characters will resolve it and remember that it eventually has to culminate into your moral.

Step 5 – Get Writing

Most fables tend to be simple, short and sweet, so try not to add in any unnecessary information.

Also, if you’re feeling brave try making it in verse by making it rhyme and giving it a metrical rhythm.

I hope you enjoy these games, hopefully, they will brighten up your quarantine and give you, your friends and family members a little pick me up.

If you’re looking for more tips on exercises you can do to prepare for speaking in public you can click here: Train Yourself to Be a Good Public Speaker From Home

& Check out our in-company workshops. Together we’ll improve your storytelling and create a workshop adjusted to your needs and industry.

McGonigal, Jane. Reality Is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World. PENGUIN Press, 2011.