The Thing is the Thing

This is a fun activity to stimulate storytelling.  Give each player an object to hold (a purse, doll, whistle, cookie, tissue, etc).  The first player begins to make up and tell a story that includes the object that player is holding.  At any time the player may choose another player to continue the story, and that player must use his or her object in the story.  Play continues until each player has had a turn.  Then the player who started the story must finish it by including the original object once again.