Limbo Game Rules: Bar Heights, Fair Order and Safety

Limbo is a party game where players take turns to bend over backwards and shuffle under a bar, without touching it and without their hands touching the floor. After each round the bar goes lower, until only one player can still get under. It comes from a dance tradition in Trinidad and Tobago and became a party favourite around the world. Here are the rules, how low to set the bar, a fair order for the line, and how to keep everyone safe.

What you need

• A light bar: a broom handle, a pool noodle or a long cardboard tube. A pool noodle is safest, as it does not hurt if someone bumps it.
• Two people to hold the bar, or two chairs with books stacked to set the height.
• Music with a good beat. Calypso and steel band music fit the game’s roots.
• A soft floor or grass, and space for players to lean back.

Rules

1. Two players hold the bar level at about chest height of the players.
2. The other players line up. One at a time, each player walks up to the bar and goes under it by leaning backwards, face up, with feet first.
3. A player is out if they touch the bar, put a hand on the floor, or fall over. Knees may bend, but the chest must face up.
4. When everyone has had a turn, the bar is lowered and the players who are still in go again.
5. The last player who can get under the bar wins.

For a whole class or a mixed-age party, you can let players who are out take turns holding the bar, so nobody is left sitting on the side.

How low to set the bar

Lower the bar in big steps at first, so the game does not drag, and in smaller steps once only a few players are left. The table shows one schedule that works for children of about 130 centimetres in height. For other ages, keep the same share of the players’ height:

With a group of mixed heights, the tallest players have the hardest job. A fair fix is to set the bar as a share of each player’s own height, for example by marking each child’s chest height on the poles before you start.

A fair order for the line

Going first at a new height is harder, because you have not seen anybody else try it. To share that out, put the names into the Random Name Picker and spin to set a new order every round. If two players are left and both fail at the same height, raise the bar one step and go again, or settle it with a Coin Flip or a quick game of Rock Paper Scissors.

Safety

• Use a soft bar, such as a pool noodle, and have the holders let go at once if someone bumps it.
• Play on a soft floor, a mat or grass, and clear the area behind the bar.
• Players should not go so low that they strain their back or knees. Anyone can choose to stop at any time.
• Do not play limbo with a bar on fire, which some shows use; it is not a game for parties.

Variations

• Team limbo: teams score a point for each player who gets under at each height.
• Limbo in pairs: two players hold hands and go under together.
• Rope limbo: use a rope held loosely by two players, which is softer than a bar.
• Silly limbo: each round, the caller adds a rule, such as holding a cup or going under with eyes closed.

Limbo goes well with other music games such as freeze dance and musical chairs. For more ideas, see our kids party games.

FAQ

What are the rules of limbo?

Players go under a bar one at a time, leaning backwards with their chest facing up. Touching the bar, putting a hand on the floor or falling puts you out. The bar is lowered after each round, and the last player who can get under wins.

How high should the limbo bar start?

Start at about chest height of the players, then lower the bar in big steps at first and small steps once only a few players are left.

Where does limbo come from?

Limbo comes from a dance tradition in Trinidad and Tobago. It spread as a party game in the twentieth century.

What can you use for a limbo bar?

A pool noodle is the safest choice. A broom handle or a long cardboard tube also work, held by two people or resting on two stacks of books.