Relay Race Ideas for Kids: 9 Formats Using Home Kit

There is something about a relay race that turns even the most screen-glued child into a screaming, cheering team player. Maybe it is the baton handover, maybe it is the fact that everyone matters to the result. Either way, relays are one of my favourite ways to get kids moving, and they need nothing more than what is already in your kitchen cupboards. Here are my best relay race ideas for kids for birthday parties, holiday clubs and family days out, all built with kit you already have at home.

How to set up any relay

• Teams: two to four teams of 3 to 6 kids. Mix ages and speeds so teams are even.
• Course: a start line and a turning point 10 to 20 metres away (less indoors). Use shoes, cushions, water bottles or chalk as markers.
• Handover: a tag on the hand, or pass a “baton” (a wooden spoon, a rolled-up magazine or a plastic bottle).
• Rule: the next runner cannot leave until they are tagged. Cheating is the fastest way to end in tears.

Run each relay two or three times so teams can improve. Kids love a rematch.

Relay race ideas for kids: 9 formats

1. Spoon and potato relay

The modern egg and spoon, without the cracked eggs. Carry a potato (or a satsuma) on a tablespoon to the turning point and back. Dropped it? Stop, pick it up, carry on. Little ones can hold it with their thumb on top. Kit: spoons, potatoes.

2. Pillowcase sack race relay

Climb into an old pillowcase, hold the top and hop to the turn and back. Pillowcases are smaller than real sacks, so it is better for under 8s. Do it on grass, not tarmac, to save knees and elbows. Kit: pillowcases.

3. Dress-up relay

Each team has a pile of big clothes: a dad’s jumper, a hat, wellies, a scarf. The runner puts everything on, runs to the turn, runs back, takes everything off and the next runner puts it on. Hilarious to watch and surprisingly tiring. Kit: old clothes from the wardrobe.

4. Shopping bag carry relay

Each runner carries a shopping bag with two or three tins or water bottles inside to the turn and back. For older kids, add a bag in each hand. It is basically a farmer’s carry, which builds grip and strength. Teach them to stand tall and keep the bags by their sides. Kit: reusable bags, tins.

5. Animal relay

Each leg is a different animal: bear crawl there, crab walk back. Next runner: frog jumps there, bunny hops back. Brilliant indoors in a hallway, and very hard work for arms and legs. Kit: none.

6. Ball between the knees relay

Squeeze a ball or a rolled-up towel between the knees and waddle to the turn and back. If it drops, return to the start. Lots of laughs and great for coordination. Kit: balls or towels.

7. Cup stack relay

Place a pile of paper or plastic cups at the turning point. Each runner sprints out, adds one cup to a tower, and runs back. First team to build a tower of 10 cups wins. If the tower falls, it has to be rebuilt. Kit: cups.

8. Puzzle relay

Cut a picture from a magazine into 8 pieces per team and put them at the far end. Each runner fetches one piece. When all pieces are back, the team puts the puzzle together. Good for mixed ages because the little ones can be great puzzle solvers. Kit: magazines, scissors.

9. Water sponge relay (summer only)

Two buckets per team: one full of water at the start, one empty at the turn. Soak a sponge, run, squeeze it into the empty bucket, run back. First team to fill to a line wins. Everyone gets wet. Kit: buckets, sponges.

Ideas by occasion

Birthday parties

Pick three relays: one silly (dress-up), one skill (spoon and potato), one fast (animal relay). Give every child a sticker at the end, not just the winners. Twenty to thirty minutes of relays will settle a party before food.

Holiday clubs and playdates

Use the puzzle and cup stack relays to mix thinking with running. These suit groups of children who do not know each other well.

Family days

Parents should run legs too. Mixed teams of adults and kids are the most fun, and your kids will remember you diving for a dropped potato much longer than anything else that day. If you are planning a full family day, my guide to family sports day games at home fills out the programme, and the easter family fitness challenge uses relay egg hunts as its big finish.

Keeping relays fair and safe

• Shorter legs for younger kids. Put a closer turning marker for under 6s.
• Clear the course. Check grass for holes, dog mess and stones before you start.
• No collisions. Teams run in separate lanes, at least two big steps apart.
• Warm up first. Two minutes of jogging, skipping and arm swings before sprinting.
• Water and shade. Especially in summer.

Where to run relays

A garden works for most of these. For bigger groups, a park with flat open grass is ideal. Weekday mornings in the school holidays are usually quieter. My post on a garden workout for families has more ideas if you have outdoor space at home.

Why parents should join in

Running a relay leg, carrying a bag of tins or bear crawling down a hallway are real exercises. They are moves I use in my classes. If you notice you are puffing more than your kids or your back aches after the carry relay, it might be time to rebuild some strength. My SYP Built To Last functional strength class trains exactly these everyday movements: lifting, carrying, squatting and getting up off the floor.

FAQs

What are some easy relay race ideas?

Spoon and potato, animal walks, dress-up and cup stack relays are all easy to set up with things from home and work for most ages.

How many people do you need for a relay race?

At least two teams of two, but three to six kids per team is ideal. Any more and children wait too long between turns.

Can you do relay races indoors?

Yes. Use a hallway and choose slower relays like animal walks, ball between the knees or cup stacking. Avoid sprinting on smooth floors in socks.

What age are relay races suitable for?

From about 3 years old with very short courses and simple rules. Older children enjoy longer courses and more complicated challenges.

Book your first class

Our bootcamp has plenty of relay-style team work, just for grown-ups. SYP Bootcamp runs 45-minute small-group classes in an indoor church hall in Archway N19, maximum 10 people, at £15 a class, with easier and harder options for every exercise. Book your £15 class, or call or WhatsApp me on 07301 512215 and I will send you the timetable. If getting to classes is tricky, my online coaching gives you a plan to follow from home.

About the author

Artem Olekhnovych is a personal trainer in Archway and the founder of SYP Fitness and SYP Bootcamp. He has coached clients in Archway, Highgate and across North London for over 10 years, and runs small-group bootcamp classes for busy mums and dads. Read reviews from his 1-1 clients.