Awesome Relay Race Ideas for Kids

Relay Races are a lot of fun with a group of kids. There’s not a lot to set up, lets kids exercise and encourages team work. A group of 8 or more children work best, but If you have a small group make only two teams and have kids go twice.

When making teams I usually put children into a line size order I make the smallest children first and fill in the bigger children behind them to make the teams even. In the article below we mention turning point. The turning point: the line that kids run to before coming back. Check out our list of awesome relay race ideas for kids.

Quick Change Relay

items needed: Oversized clothing and accessories (i.e pants, shirts, ties, scarfs, hats, shoes etc.)

Set up: clothing and accessories set up at turning point for each team

1. Split children up into teams
2. 1st child  in each line runs to turning point and puts on all clothes and accessories over their clothes.
3. The children run back, take off the clothes and accessories and sit at the back of the line.
4. 2nd child on line puts on all the clothes and accessories and runs to turning point.
5. At turning point children take off clothes and accessories and runs back.
6. Repeat
7. First team with all children sitting wins.

Crab Walk Relay

1. Break the children up into even teams.
2. Using hands and feet children crab walk to the turning point and then back to start. To crab walk have children sit on the ground with their backs towards the turning point. Have the child push up with their hands and feet to “crabwalk” towards the turning point.
3. When the child reaches start they tag their teammate and go to the back of the line and sit down.
4. Repeat
5. The first team with all their members sitting down wins.

Tennis Ball Relay

Items needed: tennis ball, box  (something to drop ball in, a shoebox works great) one is needed for each team

set up: leave boxes at turning point across from the teams

1. Break children up into teams.
2. Give each child who goes first for their team a tennis ball.
3. Fist child from each teams puts tennis ball between their knees and has to get to turning point without dropping it.  If the ball is dropped before reaching turning point they must return to start and begin again.
4. At turning point child drops ball into box and runs back, tags their teammate and sits at the back of the line.
5. Next child on line run to box at turning point and picks up ball and repeats task
6. First team with all members sitting wins

* To make it more difficult take away box and have each member hold ball between knees to turning point and back.

Balloon Pop Relay

Items needed: Balloons for each child playing.  This race can be done with regular inflated balloons or water balloons

Set up: none

1. Break children up into teams
2. Give each child a balloon.
3. First child from each team runs to turning point with their balloon.  When they reach the turning point children must pop their balloon by sitting on it.
4. When child pops balloon they must run back to start and tag their teammate and sit at the back of the line
5. Repeat
6. First team with all members sitting wins.

Sack Race 

items needed: 1 sack per team (laundry bag works great or for smaller children pillow case).

Set up: None

1. Break children up into teams.
2. Give first child on each team a sack.
3. Children must get into sack and jump to turning point and back
4. Once they are back they tag their teammate and sit at the back of the line.
5. First team with all members sitting wins.

Jump Rope Relay 

Items needed: 1 jump rope per team

set up: none

1. Break children up into teams.
2. Give first child from each team a jump rope.
3. Children jump rope to turning point and back.
4. When they return to start they hand jump rope to their teammate and sit at the back of the line.
5. First team with all members sitting wins.

Penny Relay 

items needed:  1 penny per team, one box/pot per team

set up: place box at turning point

1. Break children up into teams.
2. Give first child from each team a penny.
3. Children must place penny on foot and walk to turning point.  If they drop penny they must return to start and try again.
4. At turning point children must drop penny in the box without using their hands.
5. Once completed children run back to start, tag their teammate and sit at the back of the line.
6. Teammate runs to turning point picks up penny and repeats task.
7. First team with all members sitting wins.

Regular Relay 

Items needed: none

Set up: none

1. Break children up into teams.
2. First child from each team runs to turning point and back.
3. When they make it back to start they tag their teammate and sit at the end of the line.
4. Repeat.
5. First team with all members sitting wins.

Everyone’s Different Relay

Items needed: none

Set up: none

1. Break children up into teams.
2. First child from each team crab walks to turning point and back.
3. Second child from each teams runs backwards to turning point and back.
4. Third child from each team runs sidestep to turning point and back.
5. Fourth child from each team does a tumble to turning point and back
6. First team with all members sitting wins.

*This race can be done many ways you can add cartwheels or a sack, have fun with it.

Wheelbarrow Relay 

Items needed: none

Set up: none 

1.  Break children up into teams. Children will work in pairs.
2.  One child walks with their hands while their teammate hold their feet.
3.  Children walk like wheelbarrow to turning point, switch positions and return to start.
4.  Repeat.
5.  First team with all members sitting wins.

Three Legged Relay

Items needed:1 bandana for each team or partner straps

1. Break the children up into teams.

2. Give each child a partner.

3. The partners stand next to each other side by side.

4.  Tie the first set of partners inside legs together with a bandana or use partner straps.

5.  They have to run or walk together to the turning point and back.

6.  When they get back to the starting point the next group of partners goes.

7. Continue until all the pairs have a turn.  The first team with all their members sitting wins.