Count to Twenty
The group tries to count from one to twenty aloud, one voice at a time with no set order, restarting whenever two people speak together.
- Time
- 5 to 10 minutes
- People
- 5 to 30
- Where
- In person or Virtual
- You need
- Nothing
How to play
- Ask everyone to look down or close their eyes so nobody can signal with glances.
- Explain that anyone can say the next number at any moment, but no one may say two numbers in a row.
- If two people speak at the same time, the group starts again from one.
- Begin with someone saying one and let the count unfold, with silence between numbers.
- Celebrate when the group reaches twenty, then ask what helped it succeed.
Tips
- Groups that slow down, pause and listen usually win, which makes a nice point about team rhythm.
- On a video call, ask everyone to unmute first so audio delays do not cause false restarts.
- Eyes open is fine for anyone who prefers it; they can simply look down at the table.
Variations
- Higher target: once the group reaches twenty, try thirty or the number of people present.
- Alphabet version: say the letters A to Z instead of numbers.