One child starts a story with a single sentence. The other continues with the next, and back and forth it goes, neither one knowing where it is headed. Both are building the same thing together, which puts them in collaboration rather than competition. Joint authorship is difficult to sustain while still feeling aggrieved — and that is precisely why it works after conflict.

How to do it

1One sibling opens the story with a single sentence. Any beginning works.
2The other continues with the next sentence. It has to connect to the one before.
3Keep alternating. Neither one knows where it's going. That's the whole game.
4End when both agree it's done. Then tell it again from the top.

Variations

If one keeps hijacking the story: name it once, lightly — 'Notice you keep bringing it back to dinosaurs, try following their line for a few turns' — then stop coaching and let them run it themselves.
How it ends: retell the whole thing from the start together once it's done, out loud, as a recap.
This one needs both kids talking and listening, so it's for a calm stretch, not mid-fight. Use The Separate Reset (B006-20) instead.

💡 Parent tip

If one child keeps redirecting the story back to their preferred topic, name it once: 'Notice you keep bringing it back to dinosaurs. What if you try following their direction for a few turns?' Then leave them to it.

What your child develops

Narrative collaboration — co-authoring a story requires accepting another person's contribution and building on it
Perspective-taking — continuing a story someone else started requires inhabiting their narrative logic
Impulse control — waiting for your turn while someone else builds the story practices the same skill as turn-taking in conflict