Music & dance
Trip to Jerusalem
Also called Musical Chairs
Walk around the chairs while the music plays; grab a seat when it stops. One chair fewer each round.
- people
- 10–60
- time
- 12 min
- energy
- High
- materials
- Household items
Kids-safeHR-safeChurch-safe
Before you start
Arrange chairs back to back in a line or circle, one fewer than the number of players. Clear a wide walking path around them.
- 1Players walk around the chairs while music plays.
- 2When the music stops, everyone sits. The player left standing is out.
- 3Remove one chair each round until one player remains.
What to say3
- 1“Keep walking, keep walking — not too close to the chairs!”
- 2“The music stopped! Sit!”
- 3“One chair left — this is the final!”
Host tips3
- Vary the stop timing wildly. Predictable stops kill the tension by round three.
- Face the chairs outward, not inward — fewer collisions and it reads better from the back of the room.
- Have the eliminated players form the outer circle and cheer. Keeps them involved instead of drifting to their phones.
Variants2
Team version
Teams share chairs — any body part on the chair counts. Gets silly fast.
Christmas
Use carols and make players do an action when the music stops instead of sitting.
Safety2
- Use sturdy chairs without wheels or armrests.
- Stop the game if people start diving. One warning, then disqualify — this is where injuries happen.
Good for
Occasions
ChristmasBirthdaySchoolFiestaReunion
Venues
Indoor, largeOutdoorChurch hall
If this one dies early8
- Bring MeThe host calls out an item; the first team to bring it to the front wins the round.
- Newspaper DancePairs dance on a sheet of newspaper that gets folded in half every round. Step off and you are out.
- Stop DanceEveryone dances while the music plays; when it stops, the host shouts a command and the last person to obey is out.
- LimboDance under a bar without touching it or the floor; the bar drops each round until one player is left.
- Musical StatuesDance while the music plays, freeze like a statue when it stops; anyone who wobbles or laughs is out.
- The Big Wind BlowsThe person in the middle calls “The big wind blows for anyone who…” and everyone it applies to must race to a new seat.
- Balloon StompEveryone has a balloon tied to their ankle. Stomp on other people's balloons and protect your own.
- Pass the Christmas BallA Christmas ball goes around the circle while music plays; whoever holds it when the music stops draws a slip and does what it says.