Storytelling games for kids

Kind turns first

Agree a few friendly rules before you begin. Everyone gets a turn to speak, and everyone listens while someone else talks. Nobody is forced to speak, and a child may always say “pass”, point, make a sound or just listen. Never laugh at someone's idea, only with them. Keep every story cosy and kind, with nothing frightening, especially for young children. If a story drifts somewhere scary, the next teller can simply change what happens. Grown-ups should stay close and join in. Age hints are only a guide, so you know your child best.

1. Story dice from drawn pictures

Age hint: 4 and up.

Bring: paper cut into six small squares, a pencil and a bowl or a hat.

1. Take turns drawing one simple picture per square until all six are full, such as a boat, a tree, a drum, a moon, a kite or a fish. Keep drawings large and plain, sit down to draw and keep pencil points away from faces.
2. Fold the squares, mix them in the bowl and pull out three.
3. Lay the three pictures in a row and tell a story that uses all of them, one sentence each in turn.
4. Put the squares back and draw again for a new story.

Try this: If a picture feels hard to use, the teller may swap it for another one.

2. One word at a time

Age hint: 6 and up.

Bring: nothing at all.

1. Sit in a circle or around a table.
2. The first person says one word, and each person adds the next word to build a story together.
3. Go slowly. A story that sounds odd is perfectly fine, and giggles are welcome.
4. When the story reaches a natural stop, someone says “The end” and you start again.

Try this: Say the whole story back aloud at the finish and see what you made.

3. What happens next circle

Age hint: 4 and up.

Bring: a cushion or a soft toy to pass around.

1. A grown-up starts a short story and stops at an exciting but friendly moment, such as a lost kite in the wind.
2. Pass the soft toy to the next person, who says what happens next.
3. Keep passing the toy around. Anyone holding it may say “pass” instead.
4. The last teller brings the story gently to a close.

Try this: Hold the toy while speaking, and let everyone else listen quietly until it moves on.

4. Story from three objects in a bag

Age hint: 4 and up, with the grown-up choosing the objects.

Bring: a cloth bag or pillowcase and three safe household objects.

1. Choose large, smooth, safe objects, such as a wooden spoon, a scarf and a plastic cup. Use nothing sharp, nothing breakable and nothing small enough to swallow.
2. Children under three must not handle small items at all, so skip this game with very young children or use only large soft things.
3. Without looking, a child feels for one object and pulls it out, then does the same twice more.
4. Tell a story that uses all three objects, taking turns for each sentence.

Try this: Let the teller look at the objects while they talk if that helps.

5. Change the ending

Age hint: 5 and up.

Bring: a story you already know, such as a favourite folk tale.

1. Tell or read a short story together, stopping before the last part.
2. Ask “What else could have happened?” and let each person offer a different ending.
3. Try telling the ending two ways and notice how the story feels different.
4. Pick the one you like best, or keep both.

Try this: Gentle, kind endings are a good rule for the youngest tellers.

6. Family story-chain

Age hint: All ages, with help.

Bring: a family evening and a comfortable spot.

1. Start with a family sentence such as “Long ago, in our grandmother's village…”.
2. Pass the story from child to parent to grandparent or any relative, each adding a few sentences.
3. Mix true memories and made-up parts, and say which is which if a little one asks.
4. Next time, start the chain somewhere new and see how the story grows.

Try this: Leave room for a pause. Quiet moments help shy tellers find their words.

Keeping the games going

Ten minutes is plenty, so stop while everyone is still enjoying it. Praise the idea rather than the grammar, and let a story be silly, short or strange. If a game gets too noisy or tangled, switch to another one or take a quiet breath together. Repeating a favourite game is perfectly fine, because each telling comes out differently. Stories from home, told in your own language, are the best ones to share.

More to do on Rangooo

Write instead of speak with story writing prompts, try storytelling activities at home for puppets, voices and folk-tale retelling, listen to short stories to read aloud, sharpen your ears with listening games, dress up with pretend play ideas, plan an evening with family game night ideas, pass time on a trip with travel games, browse more stories and activities, or see resources for teachers.

Questions

What age are spoken storytelling games good for?

Most of these games suit ages four to nine, played with a grown-up. Younger children can join the family story-chain and what-happens-next games with simple help, while older children enjoy the one-word story and change-the-ending games more.

What if my child does not want to speak?

Nobody has to take a turn. A child can pass, point to a picture, make a sound or simply listen, and a grown-up can tell their part. Try again another day without any pressure.

Can we play in our home language?

Yes. Tell stories in whichever language your family speaks most comfortably, and mix languages freely if that feels natural. Retelling a tale an elder once told you works well too.

How do we keep the stories gentle for young children?

Agree before you start that stories stay kind and cosy, with nothing frightening. If a story takes a scary turn, the next teller can simply change what happens, or a grown-up can steer it back with a gentle twist.