Musical Chairs: Rules, Kinder Versions and a Fair Stop
Musical chairs is one of the best known party games in the world: walk around a row of chairs while the music plays, and when it stops, grab a seat. There is always one chair too few. Here are the rules, kinder versions for young children, how long a game takes, and a simple way to make sure the music stops at a fair moment.
What You Need
- Chairs: one fewer than the number of players.
- Music you can stop and start, on a phone or a speaker.
- One grown-up or player in charge of the music, who does not play.
- Space to walk around the chairs safely.
How to Play
- Set up. Put the chairs in a row, back to back, or in a circle facing outwards. Use one chair fewer than the number of players.
- Walk. Start the music. Players walk around the chairs in the same direction. No touching the chairs while the music plays.
- Stop. The music stops without warning, and everyone tries to sit on a chair.
- Out. The player left without a chair is out. Take away one chair.
- Repeat. Keep going until there are two players and one chair. Whoever sits on the last chair wins.
Make the Music Stop Fairly
The one complaint in musical chairs is always the same: the music person stopped it when a favourite was next to a chair. The fix is to let chance decide. Before each round, use a random number generator to pick a number of seconds, for example from 10 to 30, and stop the music when that time is up. The music person can even keep their back to the chairs.
A random stop also keeps players walking properly, because nobody can guess the moment from the song.
How Long Does a Game Take?
Each round removes exactly one player, so a game with N players always has N − 1 rounds. With a random stop between 10 and 30 seconds, plus a little time to sit down, sort out who is out and take away a chair, a round takes roughly half a minute:
| Players | Rounds and rough playing time |
|---|---|
| 6 players (5 chairs) | 5 rounds, about 3 minutes |
| 10 players (9 chairs) | 9 rounds, about 5 minutes |
| 15 players (14 chairs) | 14 rounds, about 8 minutes |
| 20 players (19 chairs) | 19 rounds, about 11 minutes |
For a big group, run two smaller games side by side, or use the cooperative version below, so nobody waits long on the side.
Kinder Versions
- Cooperative musical chairs: take away a chair each round, but nobody is out. Players must share, so by the end the whole group is squeezed onto a few chairs, often with a lot of laughing.
- Out player helps: whoever is out becomes the music helper or picks the next dance move, so they still have a job.
- Musical statues: no chairs at all. When the music stops, everyone freezes; whoever moves is out. Better for small rooms.
- Musical cushions or mats: use cushions on the floor instead of chairs, which is safer for small children.
- Challenge wheel: the player without a chair spins a picker wheel for a silly task and then rejoins, so nobody is out.
Safety Tips
- Use sturdy chairs without wheels, and clear toys and bags from the floor.
- Agree on one rule before you start: sit, do not push. A push means you are out.
- For young children, cushions on the floor are safer than chairs.
- If two players sit at the same time, decide with a quick coin toss or rock paper scissors rather than an argument.
Where the Game Comes From
Musical chairs is an old and widely played party game, known in many languages, but who invented it is not known. For more ideas, see our list of kids party games, and for settling who starts any game, see how to decide who goes first.
FAQ
How do you play musical chairs?
Set out one chair fewer than the number of players. Everyone walks around the chairs while music plays. When it stops, everyone sits; the player without a chair is out and one chair is removed. The last player to sit wins.
How many chairs do you need for musical chairs?
One fewer than the number of players at the start. Remove one more chair after every round.
How long does a game of musical chairs last?
A game with N players has N minus 1 rounds. At about half a minute a round, 10 players take about 5 minutes and 20 players about 11 minutes.
How do you stop the music fairly?
Pick the stopping time at random before each round, for example 10 to 30 seconds with a random number generator, so the music person cannot favour anyone.
Is there a version where nobody is out?
Yes. In cooperative musical chairs you still remove a chair each round, but players share the chairs instead of leaving the game.