Lizibeth Parra

LEI 4724
Activity: Tell Me A Story
Source: Tell Me A Story. (n.d.). Retrieved March 19, 2017, from
https://www.activityvillage.co.uk/tell-me-a-story
Equipment Needed: None.

Activity Description:
1. Have participants sit in a circle.
2. The facilitator introduces the activity by explaining the instructions with an example.
3. At least five people can participate or more. However, one must keep in mind that if there are
ten or more participants, it can be difficult to hear what one is saying.
4. The facilitator starts off a story with four words. The next person to the left adds four more
words to the story. And the next adds four more words, and so on.
5. For example:
a. Person 1: Once upon a time
b. Person 2: there lived a great
c. Person 3: big hairy spider with
d. Person 4: only four legs. He
e. Person 5: loved chocolate! And he...
f. and so on.
6. Continue the activity going clockwise until every participant has gone at least once around
the circle when working with a larger group or until the story has come to an end.
7. Can include a side note in addition to the instructions, such as: You can't use the same word
twice in a row (eg it was a cold, cold, cold...) or you should make it clear if you are ending
a sentence.

Leadership Considerations:
1. If there is at least one person in the group participating who has a hearing impairment, the
activity may be modified by writing the story on a whiteboard. For instance, in a classroom
setting, the facilitator would begin the story by writing on the white board, Once upon a
time, then the next person would go up and write the next four words to the story, and so
forth. On the other hand, one can also type on the overhead projector in a classroom setting if
one is available. For instance, one can open up a word document and type the story. This
would be helpful for participants who do not have legible handwriting or also have difficulty
with writing.
2. When working with people with an anxiety disorder, it may be best to adapt the activity by
having groups of only three participants. Less people in a group may decrease the
participants excessive worry, fear, or thoughts, while increasing their concentration when
engaging in the activity. Also, having less people per group allows the individual with an
anxiety disorder to be less self-conscious and will be less likely to avoid participating in the
activity.