There are many exciting fun and traditional children's games. One of the most popular party games for children, though, is quite possibly the old favorite, musical chairs. Musical chairs has been around a long time, but just as music, though always changing, is always in, so is musical chairs. It works great as a party game for three reasons: action, fun, and music, which are three things children just love (and so do adults).

To play musical chairs, there is very little you need to have on hand. You will need a bunch of chairs (one less than the number of players) and a CD player or other music device that can be started and stopped with a fair amount of ease. Set the chairs up into two back-to-back rows. Once the players are in a circle around the rows of chairs, you can start the music. As the music plays, the children will begin walking around the chairs. When the music stops (at your discretion as the leader) all of the players sit, or try to sit, in a chair. Because there is one fewer chair than players, one is left standing. That player is out of the game. One chair, the music chair, is removed and the cycle starts over again. Continue until there is only one player: the winner.

If you want a fun variation of musical chairs, consider the Musical Chair raffle. In that version, there are the same numbers of chairs as players. As before, the players walk around the chairs as the music is played. This time, however, when it is stopped, all the players will have a place to sit. Under each chair is a jar or container with a slip of paper and a number on it. When the players sit, they each reach under the seat and take the number out of the jar. That number is associated either with a specific prize or the single winning prize. The player matching his or her number wins.

You can let the children's minds go wild when telling them about the largest ever game of musical chairs. The game took place on April 20, 1985. The University of Albany had been called the most apathetic school in the country. To prove the tag wrong, students organized the largest game of musical chairs ever played. It happened on Collins Circle and consisted of 5,060 participants. The school has not been able to break their own record since that fateful day.

No matter whether you try the traditional way of playing musical chairs, try it as raffle music chair, or are looking to organize a group to break Albany's record, musical chairs is one of the most enjoyable and classical party games around. It may be the universal appeal of being able to update the game by updating music, or it may just be that the game is simple and requires very little in the way of equipment and preparation, but it continue to be one of the most popular and common party games to this day. So the next time you organize a party whether it be for children, adults, or even seniors, consider a lively game of musical chairs. It's fun, classic and keeps the feet moving.

Also, who doesn't enjoy a good game of musical chairs to get a party going right? Nobody, so fire up the CD player and line up those chairs for success at your next party.