What's Race Got to Do with It?

Musical Chairs

Use this game to break up a long session or a difficult discussion – it gets people moving around, lightens the mood, and gives people a chance to bond. Allow at least 10  minutes so the game has a chance to get going, and another 5 minutes afterwards for everyone to calm down.

Arrange chairs in a closed circle with one fewer chair than the total number of participants. Have everyone take a seat (one person will be left standing in the middle). The person standing in the middle makes a statement such as, “I like people in the room who are wearing blue jeans.” Everyone wearing jeans has to get up and find a new seat as quickly as possible (can’t be right next to where they’re sitting), leaving one person without a chair. (Anyone who isn’t wearing jeans remains seated.) The person left standing in the middle then makes a new statement, such as: “I like people in the room who like jazz.” Everyone who likes jazz then has to get up, leaving a new person standing in the middle, and so on. The game continues until the facilitator calls an end to it.

 


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