A couple of weeks ago a few of my students from Central Oklahoma Homeschool Choirs took part in a back-to-school picnic filled with lots of fun activities including relays races!  We had so much fun that I thought I’d share a few of our favorites with you in case you might want some relay race ideas for your next youth or family gathering.  Relay races are great for building camaraderie, creating a few laughs, and getting in some exercise in the process.  Have fun!

5 Fun Relay Races

Water Jug Relay Race

Items Needed:  one empty gallon water jug per team, one bucket filled with water per team, and one plastic or Styrofoam cup per team

1. Place the bucket filled with water and the cup at the starting line.  Place the empty gallon jug at the turn-around point (a chair).
2. Have one teammate from each team, go to the turn-around point to sit placing the water jug on top of his/her head.
3. On “go,” the first teammate at the starting line fills the cup with water from the bucket and runs down to the teammate holding the water jug on his/her head.  He/she pours the water remaining in the cup into the water jug on top of his/her teammate’s head.
4. Once the cup is emptied, the teammate with the cup gives the cup to the team with the water jug.  The teammate who had the cup now sits at the turning point with the water jug on his/her head while the teammate who had the water jug on his/her head runs the cup back to the next teammate in line.
5. Each teammate continues the relay until one team’s gallon jug is filled to overflowing.  The team who finishes first wins.

Note:  Each team should only receive one cup.  Should their cup break, they will have to find another means to transport water.  😉  This can definitely make for some humorous inventions should this catastrophe occur.

Tennis Ball Relay

Items Needed:  one tennis ball for each team

1. Give the first person in each line a tennis ball.  Have them place the ball between their knees.
2. On “go,” each team member with a tennis ball hops to the turn-around point.  If a teammate drops the tennis ball before reaching the turn-around point they must take their tennis ball back to the starting point to try again.
3. Once reaching the turn-around point (we used a folding chair to mark this point but a stake, cone, or box also work well too), the team member takes the ball out from between their knees and runs it back to the next teammate in line.
4. Each teammate continues the relay until all have gone.  The team who finishes first wins.

Golf Ball Spoon lay

Items Needed: one golf ball per team and one spoon per team

1. Give the first person in each line a golf ball and a spoon.  Demonstrate how to hold the spoon single-handedly with the golf ball in the spoon (all fingers must stay on the handle of the spoon; no fingers may be placed on top of the ball).
2. On “go,” each team member runs with their golf ball spoon to the turn-around point.  If a teammate drops the golf ball before reaching the turn-around point they must take their golf ball and spoon back to the starting point to try again.
3. Once reaching the turn-around point, the team member takes the ball off the spoon and runs it back to the next teammate in line.
4. Each teammate continues the relay until all have gone.  The team who finishes first wins.

Balloon Pop Relay

Items Needed:  Balloons for each pair playing.  This race can be done with inflated balloons or water balloons.

1. Pair teammates up (similar heights work best) and have them turn back to back interlocking their elbows.
2. Place a balloon between each pair’s backs.
3. On “go,” have the first pair of each team run/shuffle to the turn-around point.  Once there, the pair must squeeze their backs together to pop the balloon.
4. Once popped, the pair runs back to tag the next pair in line.
5. Each pair continues the relay until all have gone.  The team who finishes first wins.

Golf Ball Waitress Relay

Items Needed:  one paper or Styrofoam plate per team and one golf ball per team

1. Give the first person in each line a golf ball and a paper plate.  Demonstrate how to hold the plate like a waiter carrying a full tray of food (the entire hand should be underneath the plate)
2. On “go,” each team member runs with their golf ball plates to the turn-around point.  If a teammate drops the golf ball before reaching the turn-around point they must take their golf ball and plate back to the starting point to try again.
3. Once reaching the turn-around point, the team member takes the ball off the plate and runs it back to the next teammate in line.
4. Each teammate continues the relay until all have gone.  The team who finishes first wins.