Indoor recess

Musical Chairs

Students walk around a circle of chairs while music plays and race to sit when it stops. One chair is removed each round. A party classic for younger grades.

  • 🎓 Grades K–5
  • ⏱ 10–15 min
  • 👥 Whole class
  • 📦 Low prep
🎲 Another game

How to play Musical Chairs

  1. Arrange chairs in a circle facing outward, one fewer than the number of players.
  2. Play music. Students walk around the chairs.
  3. When the music stops, everyone sits in the nearest chair.
  4. The student without a chair is out and helps run the music.
  5. Remove one chair and repeat until one student is left.

Variations

  • Cooperative version: remove chairs but nobody is out. Students must share chairs so everyone is "on" a chair.
  • Review version: the student left standing answers a question to stay in.

💡 Teacher tips

  • Ban pushing up front. The cooperative version avoids hurt feelings with young kids.
How to play Musical Chairs: printable classroom rule card with the steps, time (10–15 min), grades k–5 and prep

📌 Rule card to print or pin

The rules of Musical Chairs on one card. Print it for the board or a sub folder, or save it to Pinterest for later.

Save to Pinterest Download / print rule card
Up next💃 Freeze Dance →

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