Left Right Game Story

LEFT RIGHT GAME

Left Right Game Story: How It Works, Rules, and Quick Start Guide

The Left Right Game is fast, funny, and ridiculously easy. Download a story, gather everyone in a circle, pass a gift on every LEFT, RIGHT, or ACROSS cue, and whoever holds it at the final word wins. Instant party.

What Is the Left Right Game Story?

The Left Right Game is a read-aloud party game. A narrator reads a themed story peppered with LEFT, RIGHT, and ACROSS to keep the energy high. Every time players hear one of those words, they pass a single wrapped gift in that direction. When the story ends, the person holding the gift keeps it.

Why It Works

  • Zero learning curve. One of the easiest party games out there—no complex rules.
  • Immediate play. Open on a tablet/phone or print a single page, make a circle, pick a reader, and go.
  • Scales to any crowd. Choose stories with different pass counts to match small, medium, or large groups.
  • Any theme. Birthdays, office parties, Christmas, Thanksgiving, baby showers, and Bible stories.

Perfect For

What You Need (Zero Prep in 2 Minutes)

  • One story—check the digital downloads we offer at The Game Room. Read on a tablet/phone or print.
  • One wrapped gift (or multiple for big groups—see sizing).
  • Seats or standing in a circle so passing is easy.
  • One narrator with a clear voice.

I regularly run a round in under two minutes: open the file, gather everyone in a circle, and play. That’s the beauty of this game—immediate fun.

How to Play: Step-by-Step Rules

  1. Form a circle. Place the wrapped gift with any player.
  2. Pick a narrator. Read clearly at a steady, conversational pace.
  3. Pass on cues.

    Passing Cues

    • LEFT: pass to the left
    • RIGHT: pass to the right
    • ACROSS: send the gift across the circle (see mapping below)
  4. Last word wins. When the story ends, whoever holds the gift keeps it.
  5. Large groups: consider two or more gifts and/or stories with higher pass counts.
  6. Tablet vs. print: both work—tablet is fast; print is easy to hand to a volunteer reader.

How to Map ACROSS

  • Even circles: pass to the person directly opposite.
  • Odd circles / tight spaces: pre-assign an across buddy (e.g., the person two seats ahead), or agree that ACROSS = skip one person forward. Announce it before you start.

Multi-Gift Play (Maximize Laughs)

  • Use roughly 1 gift per 8–10 players.
  • 4–10 players → 1 gift
  • 11–18 players → 2 gifts
  • 19–24 players → 3 gifts
  • Start gifts spaced evenly around the circle.
  • If two gifts land on the same player, keep it simple: pass both on the next cue (or let the player choose one to keep passing).

Group Size & Pass Counts (Quick Sizing Guide)

Choose your story by pass actions—the total number of LEFT/RIGHT/ACROSS cues. More people = more passes (or more gifts) to keep everyone moving.

Group size Recommended pass actions Gifts Notes
4–10 players 20–30 1 Tight, quick round; perfect for families and small rooms.
~11–15 players 40–50 1–2 Add ACROSS to break predictable patterns.
15–20+ players 60+ 2–3 Space gifts evenly; ACROSS keeps everyone alert.


We design stories by theme and pass count so you can pick the perfect match:

Each listing shows the approximate pass actions and ideal group size so you can buy with confidence.

Tips for a Smooth, Laugh-Filled Round

  • Reader pacing: ~130–150 words per minute. Add tiny pauses after big cue clusters so players can reset.
  • Energy boosters: Light background music (instrumental) helps rhythm; a 5-second practice (“Left!” “Right!” “Across!”) gets everyone in sync.
  • Two gifts, one player: No problem—pass both on the next cue or choose one to keep moving.

Accessibility

  • Seat players with mobility limits near a helper.
  • Use large fonts/high contrast (our printables are designed for clarity).
  • If laughter drowns a cue, simply repeat the sentence—fun first, perfection second.

Mini Demo Story (Free Sample)

Try this short demo (~16 passes) to feel the flow. Read aloud and pass on every cue.

We sat RIGHT down, but the playlist felt LEFT out. “Look RIGHT here,” someone said, as the gift zipped ACROSS the circle. The planner LEFT her notes, then turned RIGHT back to the cake. “All RIGHT, start both gifts!” One rolled LEFT, the other shot ACROSS like a comet. Laughter burst from the RIGHT, then the rhythm swerved LEFT, LEFT, and ACROSS again. “Hold tight!”—the gifts nearly met, bounced RIGHT, then swung LEFT at the final word… and whoever was RIGHT there kept their prize.

Digital Downloads & Printing (How Our Files Work)

  • Instant access. Buy → download immediately—play today.
  • Device-friendly. PDFs optimized for phones/tablets (big, bold cues).
  • Printer-ready. US Letter (8.5″ × 11″), ink-friendly layouts, legible fonts.
  • Event use. Use at your event as many times as you like. For commercial or mass use, contact us—happy to help.

FAQs (Before You Buy)

How long does a story take?

Usually 3–7 minutes, depending on group size and pacing. More passes = a longer round.

Can we play with more than 20 people?

Yes. Choose 60+ passes and/or run two or three gifts at once. For very large events, run back-to-back rounds.

Do we have to print, or can we use a phone/tablet?

Either. Tablet/phone is fastest; printing is great if you want to hand the script to a volunteer reader.

What if players miss a cue?

Keep rolling. Repeat a sentence if the room laughs over it. The chaos is part of the charm.

How many gifts should we use?

Roughly one per 8–10 players. Space gifts evenly at the start.

Is it kid-friendly and office-safe?

Yes—pick the theme that matches your crowd. We label kid-friendly and corporate-clean options clearly.

Ready to Play? Shop Left Right Game Stories

  • Small groups (4–10): 20–30 passes
  • Medium groups (~11–15): 40–50 passes
  • Large groups (15–20+): 60+ passes (consider 2–3 gifts)

Head to The Game Room to pick your theme and pass count, download instantly, and start your circle. Quick setup, huge laughs—every time.

Back to blog

Leave a comment

Please note, comments need to be approved before they are published.

Party Games