The Amazing Chair Game :: Physical Warm-up Game

Submitted by aimee on Tue, 04/08/2009 - 12:32

A very fun warm-up game, ideal for beginning lessons or workshops. All you need is as many chairs as participants and some simple rules!

Participants:

  • Minimum: 4 
  • Maximum: 15

Equipment: 

  • As many chairs as there are participants

Skills/Techniques:

  • This is a spiffy warm-up game. A good workshop starter that gets you thinking with the whole body! It builds on team works and communication skills.

How to Play:

  • Put all of the participants on chairs spaced randomly - but somewhat evenly - throughout a space. The chairs should be facing all different directions and should not be moved from this position. 
  • One participant gets out of their chair and moves to the opposite side of the space, furthest away from their empty chair. This person is in.  Lets call her Ezmarelda.
  • Ezmarelda's objective is to plant her bottom on that empty chair.  However she can only walk very, very, slowly. All the other participants (Errol, Dylan, Camille and Nadia) want to prevent Ezmarelda from sitting down on any empty chair.  They must not do this by tackling, biting, head-butting or injuring Ezmarelda in any way... the only means that the other participants have to prevent Ezma from sitting down in that empty chair is to sit in the empty chair themselves. Yes!  But you see, that will prevent her for only a moment, because by sitting down in that empty seat you have now left your original seat EMPTY! oh no! That's right. Ezmarelda is slowly making her way towards your original seat. Because Ezmarelda can win by planting her bottom in any empty seat. Quick Errol! go sit in that newly vacated seat! Take that Ezma! Remember to stay nice and slow there Ezma - don't get too excited. Oh! Now someone needs to get into Errol's seat! Go Camille!!!... 
  • So... you get the idea.  Keep Ezmarelda on her feet. She musn't find a seat. If she does get a seat then the last person to move from their chair becomes in. 
  • To raise the difficulty up a notch, the participants must not verbally communicate - so that the game is played in zen-like silence. 
  • For another notch add the rule that if your bum raises off the seat ever so slightly then you MUST leave your seat and find a new one. You MUST NOT return to your original seat or sit back down. In other words, you must follow through with your impulses.

 

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