How to start a great conversation at your dinner table

“My Best Tree was the year Daddy brought home a tree with no leaves - just a bare bunch of sticks - for the town Christmas tree competition. We all decorated it with tin can lids and it looked so beautiful with the lights shining on it!”

My husband and I were driving my parents back to the airport and laughing hysterically at the story my mom was telling. In an effort to have some fun conversation during our last hour together as we drove down I-5 that morning, I had begun a storytelling game I like to play based off a fun exercise shared in Matthew Dicks’ book, Storyworthy.

My mom went on to tell us that a neighbor saw their tin can tree, got competitive, and decorated his tree with paint can lids. That story led to a memory I had about my favorite ornament we put on our tree when I was little. Someone else was reminded of a story based on mine. And the game went on, prompting new stories and creating fun conversation all the way to the airport.

This storytelling game is simple. Matthew Dicks helps each of his students bring out stories like this in his storytelling workshops using a grid exercise called First Last Best Worst. Across the top are the words First, Last, Best, and Worst, and along the side are random nouns, like Tree, Car, Book, Run.

Filling in the grid – for example, Best Tree or Worst Run – can trigger many memories all on one sheet. These memories can then be turned into stories for presentations and speeches, or for livening general conversation. In fact, I’ve used this exercise in my presentation development workshop to help trigger stories.

How to prompt stories and create conversation at your dinner table

This story-generating exercise can be adapted and used around your dinner table as well. It’s tons of fun and often hilarious to start this game with family during the holidays, like on Thanksgiving during dinner. When everyone is gathered around the table, start this storytelling game and let the fun begin. Here’s how:

Ask everyone to think of a story by combining one of these words: First, Last, Best, or Worst, with any noun that seems appropriate. Pumpkin! Turkey! Kids table! Who has a story about their First, Last, Best or Worst _____?

Next thing you know Aunt Linda is reminded of a story based on Uncle Bob’s tale about the Worst Snow. By the end of dinner, you’ve learned a little more about your family and friends, probably had some good laughs and made some fond new memories this Thanksgiving.

(updated November, 2020)

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