Musical Chairs (Teamwork Style)

Set Up

Set up the chairs in a circle facing outward. Que the music.

Directions

While the music plays everybody walks around the chairs in a circle. When the music is paused, everybody scrambles for a chair. This version of musical chairs is different than traditional musical chairs because of one added rule: everyone must be seated when the music stops (no one is ever "out"). After everyone is seated, take away a chair and repeat. Do this until there are no chairs left.

Debrief

In traditional musical chairs, in the end everyone is a loser except the one person left in the last chair. In this version, everyone is a winner, and everyone must learn to work as a team. It's not really difficult until there are half as many chairs as there are people. At which point, the leader/facilitator can begin to see the players working together and planning their strategy. It's exciting to watch! Ideas are being shouted and fun and laughter abounds. Watch the wheels turn as they try to solve the problem of everyone having to sit even when there are NO chairs! (everyone sits on their neighbor's knee -- but this isn't obvious at first).

Alternatives

Play musical chairs the traditional way first, then do teamwork style. In the end, it makes for an interesting "aha!" moment when you explain the first way creates mostly losers and the second way creates all winners. Now THAT'S teamwork!