Method

Put the group in pairs.

Each pair has to count up to 3 alternatively.

Phil: 1 Mandeep: 2 Phil: 3 Mandeep: 1 Phil: 2 Mandeep: 3 Phil: 1 ... etc

Once they've done this for a while, introduce the following:

• Instead of saying 2, you can clap (if you want to).
• Instead of saying 3, you can name someone the other player will have heard of (if you want to).
• Instead of saying 1, you can make the noise an animal makes, real or imagined (if you want to).

Each of these ups the difficulty.

Teaching Notes

Even at its base level this exercise is harder than it looks.

Each new rule introduces a moment of decision-making in your mind - and each decision has more options than the last

• The decision for 2 is binary - clap or say 2
• The decision for 3 is large but not infinite - people you know
• The decision for 1 is functionally infinite as you can make any sound

Once you've named a person or made a sound, you can't use them again.

It disrupts the normal rhythm, you have to be in the moment.