Consequences – A Storytelling Game
'Consequences' is a classic storytelling game that is simple, creative, and perfect for engaging older audiences in collaborative storytelling. It encourages imagination, humor, and social interaction, making it an excellent activity for group settings.
Benefits:
Encourages Creativity – Players create a unique and often humorous story together, helping to spark imagination.
Enhances Social Interaction – The game fosters conversation, laughter, and connection among participants.
Improves Cognitive Skills – Players recall and build upon previous parts of the story, supporting memory and cognitive function.
Accessible to All – There are no complicated rules, making it easy for everyone to participate regardless of age or ability.
How to play
What You’ll Need:
Paper and pens for each player.
Prepare the Paper
Each player takes a sheet of paper and writes the first part of a story prompt. Traditionally, the game follows a structured format:
A man's name (e.g., “John Smith”)
A woman's name (e.g., “Emily Jones”)
Where they met (e.g., “at the train station”)
What he said to her (e.g., “Have we met before?”)
What she said to him (e.g., “I don’t think so, but you look familiar.”)
A consequence (e.g., “They accidentally switched bags and went on a wild adventure.”)
Fold the Paper
After writing each section, players fold the paper to hide what they’ve written before passing it to the next person.
Continue Writing
The next player writes the next section of the story without seeing what came before. Repeat until all sections are completed.
Read the Stories Aloud:
Once all papers are fully written, they are unfolded, and one person reads each story aloud to the group. The results are often hilarious and surprising!
Variations & Adaptations
Facilitated Group Play
If writing is difficult for some participants, a facilitator can lead the game by verbally gathering responses from the group and recording them. This ensures everyone can join in the storytelling process without the need to write individually.
Expanded Storytelling
After reading the completed stories aloud, participants can work together to expand upon them by adding additional details, dialogue, and flourishes to enrich the narrative.
Themed Stories
Try using specific genres like mystery, fantasy, or romance for an extra creative challenge.
Longer Narratives
Instead of the traditional structure, each player writes a few sentences of an open-ended story before passing it along.
Visual Consequences
Instead of writing words, players draw pictures for each stage of the story.