Story Time is a collaborative storytelling game in which performers take turns contributing to a shared narrative, each picking up exactly where the previous teller left off. The story may pass on a word, a sentence, or at the tap of a facilitator. The game trains narrative listening and the discipline of serving the story rather than steering it.
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Related Exercises
Story Conductor
Story Conductor is a game in which a designated conductor points to different performers to continue a collaborative story, controlling who speaks and for how long. The conductor can switch between tellers rapidly or let one player build momentum. The game trains narrative listening and the ability to pick up a story thread at any point.
Same Time Story
Same Time Story is a collaborative exercise in which two or more performers tell a story simultaneously, attempting to say the same words at the same time without prior planning. The exercise demands extreme listening and the willingness to follow collective impulses. It is a powerful demonstration of group mind when executed successfully.
Story String
Story String is a collaborative storytelling exercise in which each performer adds a sentence or beat to a shared narrative, building a continuous story that passes through the entire group. The exercise develops listening, narrative awareness, and the ability to advance rather than redirect a story.
To Spin a Yarn
To Spin a Yarn is a collaborative storytelling game in which players take turns adding to a shared tale, each contributor building on the previous section while advancing the plot. The game rewards narrative coherence, colorful detail, and the ability to accept and build on unexpected story directions.
The Lineage
Explore the schools and structures that influenced or evolved from Story Time.
112 Acting Games (Levy)
How to Reference This Page
The Improv Archive. (2026). Story Time. Retrieved September 28, 2026, from https://improvarchive.org/exercises/story-time
The Improv Archive. "Story Time." The Improv Archive, 2026. https://improvarchive.org/exercises/story-time.
The Improv Archive. "Story Time." The Improv Archive, 2026, https://improvarchive.org/exercises/story-time. Accessed September 28, 2026.
The Improv Archive is a systemically maintained repository. The archive itself acts as the corporate author.