Halloween Tag-Team Stories: Bring Out Kids' Imaginations

Storytelling is a classic part of the Halloween experience. When the chill, autumn wind rustles the trees, and ghost stories seem just a little more plausible, it's prime time for some spooky, family fun. When the shadows grow long this Halloween season, thrill your kids with a Halloween tag-team story.

These stories are no simple recitations of tired old tales. In fact, you don't need to memorize anything. Just start with a basic premise for your tag-team story, and let your kids' imaginations fill in the rest.

A typical Halloween tag-team story might go like this: "The gate to the old cemetery groans on its hinges. Someone has left it open! On closer inspection, you see that the lock has been broken. Footprints lead away down the cemetery path. You're just about to follow them, when all of a sudden-"

At this point, you "tag in" the next storyteller. This tagging is used to maximum effect if you do it just as something big is about to happen in the story. Kids love to take a suspenseful cliffhanger and run with it - usually in a direction you would never expect! Your classically creepy Halloween story can quickly evolve into a funny tale, an alien invasion, a total gross-out, or something really bizarre. For example:

Storyteller 1: "You're just about to follow the footsteps, when all of a sudden-TAG!"

Storyteller 2: "All of a sudden, the ground opens up, and you find yourself in a cave. You hear something moving in the darkness. Red eyes stare into yours. The creature moves into the light, and you see that it's a-TAG!"

Storyteller 3: "It's a chicken!"

Storytellers 1 & 2: "A chicken?!"

Storyteller 3: "Yeah, a chicken. But it's a really MAD chicken. It's a ... MUTANT chicken!"

As you can see, the more kids you involve in a tag-team story, the more unpredictable the story can become. This is great fun. Kids love stories with surprises, and they love to contribute their own creativity to those surprises.

Grown-ups enjoy participating in tag team stories, too. The stories don't cost anything, they exercise your creativity, and they can incorporate however many people you need to entertain. The best part is that they work all year long; if you're tired of reading the same bedtime stories to your little ones each night, engage them in a fresh tag team story. They'll be giggling in no time, and you will have a shared sense of accomplishment when it's over.

As the parent, grown-up, or otherwise responsible member of the storytelling session, you should feel free to lay down some guidelines. Nobody wants to participate in a story that makes them feel uncomfortable. Rules like, "No rude words," or, "No potty humor," can make the tag team story more enjoyable for everyone involved.

This Halloween, spin a terrific tag-team yarn with your little ones. Toys and candy are nice, but your presence is priceless entertainment. Slap together some opening lines, tag a kid, and enjoy the ride! It's sure to be wild.