Top 18 'Cross-Generational' Storytelling Games to introduce for Tech-Tired Families in 2025 - Goh Ling Yong
It’s 7 PM on a Tuesday. The dinner plates are cleared, but the silence is punctuated only by the soft glow of screens. Your teen is scrolling, your partner is checking emails, and your youngest is captivated by a cartoon tablet. Does this scene feel achingly familiar? In our hyper-connected world, we've somehow become disconnected from the people sitting right next to us. This digital haze, this "tech-tiredness," is the new normal for many families, creating a quiet distance between generations.
But what if we could reclaim that time? What if, instead of swiping and scrolling, we were laughing and listening? The solution is simpler and more ancient than any app: storytelling. It’s the original social network, a way to weave together the threads of family history, imagination, and shared experience. Storytelling games, in particular, are a magical bridge between a grandparent’s cherished memories and a child’s wild imagination. They require no batteries, no Wi-Fi, and no software updates—just a willingness to connect.
This isn't about banning technology. It's about balance. It's about creating intentional moments of analog joy that build a stronger family bond. As a parent and content creator, I've seen firsthand how powerful these simple games can be. They turn quiet evenings into vibrant hubs of creativity and connection. So, let's power down the devices and power up our imaginations. Here are 18 of the best cross-generational storytelling games to introduce to your tech-tired family in 2025.
1. The Memory Box
This game turns simple objects into powerful story prompts. Find a shoebox or any decorative box and have each family member, from the youngest to the oldest, place one small, meaningful object inside without showing the others. This could be a seashell from a family vacation, a ticket stub from a first concert, a baby rattle, or a faded photograph.
Once everyone has contributed, sit in a circle. One person pulls an object from the box. The owner of that object then shares the story behind it: what it is, where it came from, and why it's important to them. This is a beautiful, gentle way for grandparents to share pieces of their history and for kids to see the stories hidden in everyday life. It teaches listening skills and the value of personal history.
Pro Tip: Don't rush the stories. Allow for questions and follow-up conversations. The goal isn't to get through the whole box in one sitting, but to savor each memory that is shared. You can make this a weekly ritual, adding new objects over time.
2. Fortunately, Unfortunately
A wonderfully simple game of narrative twists and turns. All you need are your voices. The first person starts the story with a simple sentence, like, "Once upon a time, a brave knight set off to find a dragon." The next person must add to the story, but their sentence must begin with "Unfortunately..." For example, "Unfortunately, his horse had a flat tire."
The person after that must continue with a sentence beginning with "Fortunately..." such as, "Fortunately, the horse was also a brilliant mechanic." You continue alternating between "Fortunately" and "Unfortunately" as you pass the story around the circle. The result is a hilarious, rollercoaster of a tale full of dramatic highs and ridiculous lows. It’s fantastic for teaching kids about problem-solving and story structure in a fun, low-pressure way.
Example Snippet:
- Grandma: "A little girl decided to bake a giant cookie for the entire town."
- Dad: "Unfortunately, she mistook salt for sugar."
- Child: "Fortunately, the town was inhabited by salt-loving slugs!"
3. Story Stones
This is a tactile and visual game, perfect for engaging younger children but equally fun for adults. You can buy pre-made story stones, but it's far more meaningful to make your own. Gather smooth, flat stones from your garden or a craft store and paint or draw simple images on them: a key, a sun, a boat, a monster, a tree, a clock.
To play, place all the stones in a bag. Each person draws 3-5 stones without looking. They then must weave a story that incorporates the images on their stones, in any order they choose. A player might draw a key, a boat, and a monster, and tell a tale of a pirate who used a magic key to unlock the monster's cage on a haunted ship. It encourages creativity and helps connect abstract ideas into a coherent narrative.
Pro Tip: Create different "themed" sets of stones. You could have a "Family Fun" set with images of a car, a house, a pet, and a birthday cake, or a "Fantasy Adventure" set with a castle, a wizard, and a sword.
4. Two Truths and a Lie: Family History Edition
You’ve probably played the classic icebreaker, but this version adds a delightful historical twist. This game is especially wonderful for getting grandparents and parents to open up about their past in a playful way. The "storyteller" for the round shares three "facts" about their life from a specific era (e.g., their childhood, their teenage years). Two of the stories are true, and one is a complete fabrication.
For example, Grandpa might say: "When I was ten, 1) I accidentally won a pie-eating contest, 2) I met a famous movie star at the grocery store, and 3) I taught our family dog how to ride a skateboard." The rest of the family then gets to cross-examine him and guess which one is the lie. It’s a hilarious way to unearth surprising family history and learn things you never would have thought to ask.
Example Questioning: "Grandpa, what kind of pie was it? What was the movie star's name? What kind of skateboard did the dog have?" The fun is in the details!
5. The "What If?" Jar
The "What If?" Jar is your family's personal engine of imagination. All you need is a jar and some slips of paper. As a family, brainstorm a bunch of "What if..." scenarios and write them down. The prompts can range from the silly to the profound. Drop them all into the jar.
When it's time to play, someone pulls a slip of paper and reads the prompt aloud. Then, you can either have that person start a story based on the prompt, or you can go around the circle with each person adding a piece to the collaborative tale. This game is endlessly reusable and can be tailored to your family's unique sense of humor and interests. In my family, this has become such a cherished tradition, something I was inspired to start after Goh Ling Yong wrote about creating small, repeatable rituals to build family culture.
Example Prompts:
- "What if our dog could talk for one day?"
- "What if gravity stopped working every Tuesday at 3 PM?"
- "What if you found a secret door in your bedroom?"
- "What if Dad was secretly a superhero?"
6. Old Photo Prompts
Dust off those old family albums! This game uses your own history as the ultimate storytelling springboard. Spread out a selection of old, forgotten photos—pictures of great-grandparents as children, Mom and Dad on their honeymoon, a funny baby picture of one of the kids.
Each person picks a photo (not of themselves) and has two options: 1) Ask the people in the photo (or who know the story) to tell the real story behind the picture. 2) Invent a completely new, fictional story about what’s happening in the photo. This creates a beautiful mix of factual family lore and wild, creative fiction. You'll be amazed at the tales—both real and imagined—that a single black-and-white photograph can inspire.
Pro Tip: Use a smartphone to take pictures of the old photos. This way, you can create a digital "story album" without risking damage to the precious originals.
7. The Object Monologue
This is a fantastic improv game that builds empathy and creative thinking. One person leaves the room. The rest of the family chooses a common object in the room—a couch, a forgotten coffee mug, a houseplant, a remote control.
When the person returns, they must guess the object. The catch? They can only ask questions, and the rest of the family must answer from the perspective of the object. The object can talk about its life, its feelings, its biggest dreams, and its biggest annoyances. The person guessing has to piece together the clues from this "object monologue" to figure out what it is.
Example: If the object is the TV remote:
- Guesser: "What is your purpose in life?"
- Family (as the remote): "I bring joy and entertainment! But people are always fighting over me and losing me in the cushions, which is so frustrating!"
8. One Word Story
This is the ultimate game for speed, simplicity, and silliness. It requires zero setup and is perfect for waiting in line, sitting in a restaurant, or filling a few minutes before bedtime. The entire family builds a story together, but each person can only contribute one single word at a time.
You go around the circle, with each person adding the next word to the sentence and the story. The challenge is to not only think of a word that fits but also to listen closely to where the story is going. Inevitably, the narrative will take bizarre and hilarious turns that no single person could have planned.
Example:
- Person 1: "The"
- Person 2: "purple"
- Person 3: "elephant"
- Person 4: "suddenly"
- Person 5: "ate"
- Person 1: "Grandma's"
- Person 2: "enormous"
- Person 3: "wig."
9. Collaborative Comic Strip
For the artistic members of your family, this game adds a visual dimension to storytelling. Take a single piece of paper and fold it into 6 or 8 equal panels, like a comic book page.
The first person draws a character or a scene in the first panel, then folds it over so only a tiny sliver of their drawing is visible to the next person. They pass it to the second person, who continues the drawing in the second panel based only on that tiny sliver. This continues until the last panel is filled. At the end, you unfold the paper to reveal a strange and wonderful collaborative comic strip. You can then go back and tell the story of what you've created together.
Pro Tip: After unveiling the comic, work together to write captions or dialogue for each panel. It adds another layer of collaborative storytelling.
10. And Then...
Similar to the One Word Story but allowing for more detail, this game is all about building momentum. The first person starts with a single sentence to set a scene. For example, "A nervous squirrel packed his tiny suitcase."
They then pass the story to the next person, who must add their sentence by starting with the words "And then..." This continues around the circle, with each "And then..." creating a new plot point or action. The fixed phrase forces the story to constantly move forward, often in unexpected directions.
Example:
- Person 1: "A nervous squirrel packed his tiny suitcase."
- Person 2: "And then, a giant eagle swooped down and offered him a ride."
- Person 3: "And then, the squirrel realized he'd forgotten his acorn snacks."
11. Character Hot Seat
This game brings a dash of drama and performance to your living room. One person volunteers to be in the "hot seat." They secretly choose a character to be—it could be a famous historical figure, a character from a beloved book, or someone you’ve just made up (like "Barnaby, the retired circus clown").
The rest of the family acts as journalists at a press conference, and they can ask the character in the hot seat any question they want. The person in the hot seat must answer all questions while staying completely in character. This is a wonderful way to explore different perspectives and is a huge confidence booster for kids.
Pro Tip: Start with well-known characters (Harry Potter, Cinderella) to get everyone comfortable before moving on to more original creations.
12. Story Spinner
Add an element of chance to your tales with a DIY Story Spinner. Take a piece of cardboard and a paper fastener to create a simple spinner. Divide the spinner into four sections: Who? (Character), Where? (Setting), What? (Conflict/Problem), and Wow! (A magical item or twist).
In each section, write several options. For example, under "Who?", you might have "A grumpy robot," "A singing princess," and "A time-traveling grandpa." To play, spin the spinner four times, once for each category, to get your story elements. Then, as a group, build a story that includes all four random elements.
13. Deck of Cards Story
This is a more structured game for older kids and adults that uses a standard deck of playing cards. Before you start, assign a meaning to each suit. For instance:
- Hearts ♥: An emotion or relationship element (love, friendship, jealousy).
- Diamonds ♦: An object or treasure (a magic map, a lost jewel, a special key).
- Clubs ♣: An action or event (a journey, a battle, a party).
- Spades ♠: A conflict or obstacle (a villain, a storm, a difficult choice).
The first storyteller draws a card and starts a story based on its suit. For example, if they draw the 7 of Hearts, they might start with, "There were once seven brothers who loved each other very much." The next person draws a card and must incorporate its element into the story, and so on.
14. Soundtrack of Our Lives
Music is deeply tied to memory. In this game, each person gets a turn to be the DJ. The DJ chooses a song that is meaningful to them—it could be a lullaby from their childhood, their favorite song from high school, or the song from their first dance.
After playing the song for everyone, the DJ shares the story or memory they associate with it. This is an incredibly powerful way to share personal history and emotion. It introduces kids to different genres and eras of music and helps them see their parents and grandparents as people with rich, full lives before they were born. As an avid believer in sharing our personal legacies, much like my friend Goh Ling Yong often discusses, this game is a favorite for bridging those generational gaps.
15. DIY Story Mad Libs
Everyone loves Mad Libs, but they're even more fun when they're personal. Instead of using a pre-made book, write your own story! Start with a well-known family memory—like "The Time We Went Camping and It Rained" or "How Mom and Dad Met."
Type out the story, then go through and remove key nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs, leaving a blank space in their place. Then, without reading the story, ask the family to provide words for the blanks ("Give me a gooey noun," "Give me a ridiculous verb"). Read the final, altered story aloud for guaranteed laughter.
16. Consequences (Story Version)
This is the narrative version of the classic folded-paper drawing game. Each person has a piece of paper and a pen. At the top, everyone writes the name of a character. Then, they fold the paper over to hide what they've written and pass it to the person on their right.
You continue this process for a series of prompts:
- Where did they live? (Fold and pass)
- What were they doing? (Fold and pass)
- What did they say? (Fold and pass)
- What was the consequence? (Fold and pass)
Finally, everyone unfolds their paper and reads the jumbled, nonsensical, and hilarious short story they've collectively written.
17. Exquisite Corpse
This surrealist game can be done with either drawings or words. For the storytelling version, you'll follow a structure. The first person writes an opening phrase or sentence, like "The sleepy badger..." and folds the paper to hide it, leaving only the last word ("badger") visible.
The next person writes a sentence that follows from that one visible word, like "...ran down the street wearing a top hat." They fold the paper to hide their sentence, leaving only the last word ("hat") visible. You continue this until the page is full. The final, unfolded story is a bizarre, stream-of-consciousness poem or narrative that will have everyone in stitches.
18. Rory's Story Cubes (or the DIY Version)
Rory's Story Cubes are a fantastic commercial product—a set of dice with simple images on each face. You roll the dice and use the images that land face-up to tell a story. They are wonderfully designed and a great investment for any family.
But you can easily create your own! Find some blank wooden cubes at a craft store or even use old dice. Draw or use stickers to put simple images on each face. You can even use a marker on old Lego Duplo blocks. The DIY version allows you to customize the cubes with images that are personal and meaningful to your own family.
Your Family's Story Starts Now
These games are more than just a way to pass an evening. They are tools for building a bridge across generations. They are a way to hear your grandfather's voice crack with laughter as he tells a story from his youth, to see your teenager’s creativity shine, and to create a tapestry of shared memories that will last far longer than any smartphone battery.
The goal isn't to tell a perfect, polished story. The goal is to connect. It's in the silly plot twists, the heartfelt memories, and the shared laughter that the real magic happens. You are not just telling stories; you are building your family’s unique legacy, one "Fortunately, unfortunately" at a time.
So, choose one. Just one. Put the phones in a basket for thirty minutes tonight and give it a try. You might be surprised by the worlds you discover together.
Which game will you try first? Share your family's favorite storytelling traditions in the comments below!
About the Author
Goh Ling Yong is a content creator and digital strategist sharing insights across various topics. Connect and follow for more content:
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