In “directed improvisation; usersgive computer characters abstract directions that establish a skeletal structure for and other weak constraints on their behavior. The characters improvise a course of behavior that follows the structure, meets the constraints, and achieves other application-specific objectives. Thus, characters perform as directed, but also surprise and engage users with their improvisations along the way. In “Animated Puppets,” children (or other users) direct the improvisational behavior of animated characters in a graphical setting to create their own stories.