Table topic ideas

Find below a list of table topic ideas and feel free to use any of them in your Toastmasters club or for any speaking or impromptu assignment. The key is to be creative and to challenge your members to expand their speaking context.

The fun ratings below each idea is just to give an indication how enjoyable the topic is (by both speakers and audience). And the difficulty rating is how easy (1) or difficult (5) it is and what the corresponding recommended experience level should be of the participants (easy - can even ask guests to take part; difficult - only give to very confident impromptu speakers).

Ideas for table topics

Murder mystery - A Cluedo type game where each speaker is given the opportunity to convince the audience that this is the way the murder happened (or not). It can be that each speaker has to say this specific object was the murder weapon, or the murder happened in that room, and so on.
Fun rating: 5
Difficulty rating: 3

Sports commentating - Each speaker is told that he or she is the commentator at a specific sport with specific contestants and should start commentating on the game.
Fun rating: 5
Difficulty rating: 4

Self debate - A contentious topic is given to each contestant: until a given signal (green light or gavel) the speaker is speaking on behalf of this; and then the speaker has to change sides and speak against it.
Fun rating: 4
Difficulty rating: 4

Single person role playing - A person is given a scenario to act out (which might be in-line with the theme of the evening) and has to do so convincingly. An example might be that he is trying to explain to his wife how a naked woman ended up in his bed.
Fun rating: 3
Difficulty rating: 3

Multiple person role playing - Two or more speakers are asked to act out a specific scenario. In above example, you could have the 'husband' and 'wife' trying to resolve the issue (to desensitize you could for example have two men or two women playing the roles) or just act it out.
Fun rating: 3
Difficulty rating: 5

If you had... - This takes speakers on a trip to fantasy land or never never land. Completions to this might be: ...a million bucks or ...drunk to much last night and are about to meet the parents for the first time.
Fun rating: 4
Difficulty rating: 3

Personality swap - Give a general shock topic and react in the personality of someone else: Example: shock topic: 9/11 just happened, react as President Bush; or shock topic: a teenage friend just found out she's pregnant, react as the father.
Fun rating: 3
Difficulty rating: 3

Ink Blot Test - Each person receives a unique picture (can be an ink blot) and must talk about what it means to him/her. The more outrageous or nonsensical the pictures, the more fun it is.
Fun rating: 5
Difficulty rating: 2

Theme specific table topic ideas

• Valentines day table topic ideas