Treasured item
Encouraging creativity and reflection by having participants share both fictional and true stories about meaningful objects. The exercises fosters connection and empathy.
Duration: 50 minutes for a group of 5 participants. 10 minutes for introduction, 20 minutes for fake stories (4 minutes per participant), 20 minutes for true stories (4 minutes per participant), 10 minutes for wrap-up.
Difficulty level: 2/5
Preparation
Before the workshop, ask participants to bring a treasured item and keep it a secret.
Let them know that others will be handling and touching their object so they can choose accordingly.
If participants don’t bring an item, provide a selection of props. They can pick one that evokes a meaningful memory.
Instructions
Each participant places a special item in the center of the room, keeping its owner anonymous. In large groups, select up to five volunteers to avoid fatigue.
One by one, participants pick an item—preferably not their own—and invent a story about why it’s treasured (4 minutes per person).
Ask other participants to treat items with care and respect.
After all fake stories are told, the original owners reclaim their items and share their true stories (4 minutes per person).
Summary
Invite the participants and the audience to share their observations. You can use the following questions:
How did it feel to create a story for someone else’s object?
Were there any surprising similarities between real and fake stories?
How did hearing the true stories change your view of the objects?
What did this exercise reveal about the meaning we attach to objects?