Tic-Toc

Tic-Toc is a warm-up played in a circle, with 10-12 players being ideal—though any number works. One player is the Control, holding two small objects named "Tic" and "Toc." The Control passes "Tic" to the right and "Toc" to the left, kicking off identical call-and-response sequences ("This is a Tic," "A what?," "A Tic," "Oh, a Tic") that travel down each line. Here's the twist: if you get the "A what?" while you're already holding an object, you send that "A what?" back up the line to the Control for confirmation before you answer "A [Object]" and keep the sequence moving down your side. It gets tricky as the two objects and their sequences cross paths in the circle, so it takes real focus and attention.

• Form a circle.
• Pick one player as the Control, holding two small objects, "Tic" and "Toc."
• The Control passes Tic to the right and starts the sequence: Control: "This is a Tic" -> Player 1: "A what?" -> Control: "A Tic" -> Player 1: "Oh, a Tic." Then Player 1 passes "This is a Tic" on to Player 2.
• At the same time, the Control passes Toc to the left with the same sequence: Control: "This is a Toc" -> Player A: "A what?" -> Control: "A Toc" -> Player A: "Oh, a Toc." Then Player A passes "This is a Toc" on to Player B.
• The sequences keep traveling around the circle. If you get "A what?" while you're already holding the other object, send that "A what?" back up the line, person by person, to the Control.
• The Control confirms the object ("A Tic" or "A Toc"), and that confirmation travels back down the line to whoever asked.
• Now that player can say "Oh, a [Object]" and carry on passing the object they were originally sending.
• Keep passing objects and running the sequences, staying focused as they overlap.

• Two small objects (e.g., pens, erasers). Room for a circle.