Music is very important in many people’s lives and using music to direct games is a good way of getting people enthusiastic about moving. Music and rhythm have been used to energise, uplift and get people working together for thousands of years. Music is an international language that can be used by people of all abilities, ages, levels of understanding and temperaments; the focus, listening, co-operation and joint achievement of making or moving to music helps people to develop team working and communication. Music can set the mood, pace and energy of a session, as different music provides different volumes, tempos and atmospheres.
Musical games can involve making music or playing games to music; it is the collaborative creativity that brings about the results. Games to music do not rely on having a sense of rhythm, so no one need feel embarrassed at participating! It can be as educational as it is fun to provide the group with a range of musical instruments and then encourage them to play together, bringing people together in a shared experience.
Often, the less structured and the louder the session, the more successful the outcomes! However, as a facilitator, you do need to have the session carefully planned so that you build in the learning element and make sure the participants understand what has been achieved, or else all you will have from the activity is a headache!
On the blow of the whistle or stopping of music, the last person to sit on the floor is out.
Players mingle, constantly moving until the leader shouts out a number. All players must then try to get into groups of that number; any group that doesn’t succeed is out. Players can also find others who have things in common, such as the same shoe size.
Participants change at a signal from the facilitator from running around to running on the spot (or some other shape or movement).
Arrange the chairs so they are facing outward in two circles, about a metre from one another. Play as normal musical chairs, but players walk around the circles in a figure-of-eight pattern.
Have one or less chairs than players. Chairs can be in any arrangement, a pattern or randomly scattered. While the music is playing, players walk around the arrangement of chairs, waiting for the music to stop. When the music stops, players have to find a chair to sit on. The player(s) who don’t get a chair have to stand out of the game. At each round, another chair is removed until only two players are left vying for the last chair.
Participants move around the playing area, as directed by the facilitator (such as running, hopping, skipping, bunny hops). Players continue to move in this way until either told to change or the signal is given to stop. When this is given, all players have to freeze in the position they were in when told to stop. The last player to ‘freeze’ and/or anybody caught moving is out.
Players pair up and create two concentric circles, with one partner in the inner circle facing clockwise and the other one in the outer circle facing anti-clockwise. On command, each circle runs in opposite directions until the leader calls out ‘partners’. Players then have to find their partner and sit on the floor. The last pair to sit down is out, but remains in the circle to keep it large.
Place a number of hoops around the floor. Players are told that these are islands and they have to be standing in them to be safe from the sharks when the signal is given (either when the music stops or the leader shouts ‘sharks’). At any other time, they may not stand or step inside the hoops. When the signal to stop is given, players have to find a hoop in which to stand. Those who didn’t find a hoop to stand in are out.
Arrange the chairs in a big circle facing inwards; everyone apart from one player has a chair to sit on in a circle. The remaining player starts the game by standing in the middle and calls out a theme when the music stops (such as month of birthday, colour of hair, colour of clothes). Everyone to whom it applies has to get up and switch places with another player to whom it applies. The person in the middle also tries to get in a seat.