Big Fish Small Fish
Big Fish Small Fish is a quick-reflex exercise in which players respond to commands by miming the opposite of what is called. When the leader says "big fish," players gesture small, and vice versa. The exercise trains the ability to process and invert information rapidly, building the mental agility needed for fast-paced improv.
Structure
Setup
Players stand in a circle or spread out facing the facilitator. No materials needed.
Basic Play
The facilitator calls either "Big Fish" or "Small Fish." Players must mime the OPPOSITE of what is called:
- "Big Fish" = players hold their hands close together showing a small fish
- "Small Fish" = players spread their arms wide showing a big fish
The facilitator progressively speeds up the commands, adds false starts, repeats the same command twice in a row, and varies the rhythm to catch players off guard.
Variations
The core mechanic - do the opposite - can be extended to other pairs:
- "Hot" / "Cold" (shiver for hot, fan yourself for cold)
- "Fast" / "Slow" (move in slow motion when called fast, and vice versa)
- "High" / "Low" (crouch when called high, reach up when called low)
Elimination Round
Players who respond correctly (or who the facilitator deems have responded correctly) stay in. Players who react wrong sit down. Last few standing win.
Notes on Facilitation
The facilitator should vary their own energy deliberately - loud and fast, then soft and slow, to prevent players from tracking voice energy rather than the actual word. The game loses its value if players can predict commands from delivery.
How to Teach It
How to Explain It
"Big Fish means show me a small fish. Small Fish means show me a big fish. Simple. I'm going to try to trick you."
Model both responses clearly before starting. Then start slowly and build speed.
Why It Matters
Big Fish Small Fish trains the mental processing layer that sits between hearing information and acting on it. Players must consciously override their first impulse (the literal reaction) and invert it. This interruption of the automatic response is directly relevant to improv: when a scene partner says something surprising, the instinct is to respond literally (block or deflect). The trained improviser learns to process the offer and return something unexpected. The exercise builds that processing muscle in a low-stakes, physical context.
Common Coaching Notes
- Let players fail visibly. The laughs that come from players miming the wrong thing are valuable. They signal the exercise is working - the automaticity is being exposed.
- Speed is the variable. For groups that find it easy, increase pace drastically. For groups that are frustrated, slow down.
- Don't over-explain before starting. Two examples, then go. Too much explanation removes the instinct-override challenge.
- Pairs variant. Players face partners. Partners call commands for each other. This increases repetitions and shifts accountability.
Debrief Questions
- What happened when you went fast?
- When did you stop thinking and just react - and what did you do?
- How is this similar to what happens when a scene partner gives you an offer you didn't expect?
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Related Exercises
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Free Association is a foundational improv exercise in which players say the first word that comes to mind in response to the previous word. The exercise trains the spontaneous, uncensored response that forms the basis of all improvisation. Speed is critical: hesitation reveals the internal censor at work, and the exercise's purpose is to bypass that censor entirely. Free Association develops the mental agility to generate offers without pre-planning and builds trust in the unfiltered creative impulse. The exercise is widely used in both theatrical improv training and applied improvisation contexts, where it builds rapid ideation skills and breaks down overthinking.
Whoosh
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Simon Says
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Twenty Objects
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What Are You Doing
What Are You Doing is a circle or pair game in which one player performs a physical activity while another player asks what they are doing. The performer names a completely different action, which the asking player then performs. The disconnect between the stated action and the performed action trains free association, spontaneity, and the separation of verbal and physical channels. The game is a standard warm-up across improv, educational, and applied contexts.
Barney
Barney is an energy and movement warm-up exercise in which players adopt an exaggerated, lumbering physical character and interact with the group through simple, playful commands. The exercise asks participants to embody a large, slow, friendly creature (often described as a dinosaur or monster) and move through the space with maximum physical commitment and minimum self-consciousness. The inherent silliness of the character lowers inhibitions quickly, making Barney effective as an early warm-up for groups that are new to physical work or uncomfortable with large physical choices. The exercise builds comfort with exaggerated movement, vocal projection, and the willingness to look ridiculous in front of others, all foundational skills for improv performance.
How to Reference This Page
The Improv Archive. (2026). Big Fish Small Fish. Retrieved March 17, 2026, from https://improvarchive.org/exercises/big-fish-small-fish
The Improv Archive. "Big Fish Small Fish." The Improv Archive, 2026. https://improvarchive.org/exercises/big-fish-small-fish.
The Improv Archive. "Big Fish Small Fish." The Improv Archive, 2026, https://improvarchive.org/exercises/big-fish-small-fish. Accessed March 17, 2026.
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