Relay races involve teams competing against each other. Each member of the team completes a task or activity while the others wait for their turn. When the whole team has completed the task, they are finished, and the first team finished wins. A basic relay race involves simply running with no additional materials or movement, but there are plenty of other creative relay race ideas to try. We asked Coach Thomas Gelardi, creator of PhysEdZone, to weigh in on his favorite relay races for elementary school. We’ve included Gelardi’s top 10 relay races, plus 38 more ideas to use in your class today.
Benefits of Relay Races
Relay races are a fun way to learn through movement, and they’re a staple of PE class for a reason. “Relay races help kids learn how to work together and take turns while moving from one spot to another,” Coach Gelardi told We Are Teachers. “They build skills like running, balance, and coordination, and kids start to see that their effort matters to the team.”
Here are even more benefits of relay races:
- Relay races like crab walks, throwing, and, of course, running give students time to practice gross motor skills.
- Students have to wait their turn and be patient while others are moving through the relay, all striving for the same goal.
- Relay races encourage sportsmanship. Students who are waiting for their turn cheer each other on and learn how to be good sports when they win or lose.
- Relay races are fun! Depending on the materials and challenges you choose, no relay race is the same activity twice.
The trick is finding the right relay race idea, so here are our favorite relay races, directions, examples, and materials so you’ll be ready on race day.
Coach Gelardi’s Top 10 Relay Races
1. Tennis Ball Scramble Relay
Materials: Tennis balls
Scatter tennis balls in the middle of the play area, then teams race to collect them one at a time using different locomotor movements (skip, gallop, hop, etc.). You can write numbers on the tennis balls and have two buckets labeled odd and even. Teams work together to collect the balls and sort them into the correct bucket. You can also time teams to see who completes the challenge the fastest.
2. Cone Flip Relay
Materials: Cones
Teams race to flip cones upright (or upside down) across the gym. It’s simple but surprisingly competitive.
3. Clean Your Room
Materials: An assortment of gym equipment
Two teams start with equipment scattered on their side and try to toss or roll everything to the other side before time runs out.
4. Rock, Paper, Scissors Relay
Materials: Hula-Hoops
Two teams face each other along a path of Hula-Hoops or other spots on the floor. Students meet in the middle, play Rock, Paper, Scissors, and the winner keeps advancing.
5. Treasure Island
Materials: An assortment of gym equipment
Equipment is placed in the center and students retrieve one item at a time while avoiding taggers guarding the “island.”
6. Hula-Hoop Relay
Materials: Hula-Hoops
Teams hold hands in a line and must pass a hoop down the line without letting go. It becomes a fun teamwork challenge.
7. Chicken Race
Materials: Cones
Each player places a cone on their back, bends forward, and interlocks their fingers behind their knees. In this “chicken” position, they move from the start line to a turnaround line and back while balancing the cone. If the cone falls, they stop and do three jumping jacks before continuing. The first player back wins
8. Hula-Hoop Build
Materials: Hula-Hoops
Place six Hula-Hoops around the gym. Teams of four or five students start on one side of the gym. One student at a time runs to collect a hoop and bring it back to their team. Once all the hoops are collected, the team works together to build a “Hula Hut” using the hoops.
9. Ice-Cream Cone Relay
Materials: Cones and balls for each team
Students balance a ball on top of an upside-down cone (like an ice-cream cone) and run in a zigzag pattern around cones before returning to their team. If the ball falls off, they stop, do three jumping jacks, reset the ball, and continue.
10. Simon Dribble
Materials: Basketballs
Students dribble basketballs while responding to “Simon Says” commands (change hands, spin, sit and stand, etc.).
More Creative Relay Race Ideas
11. Classic Relay Race
Before we get into the more creative relay race ideas, it’s a good idea to know exactly how a classic relay race works. To start, set up a relay course and divide students into teams. Each team gets a baton. The first student takes the baton and completes the course. Then, they pass the baton to the next student. The teams continue until each student has completed the course. The first team to finish wins.
12. Spoon and Egg Relay
Materials: Eggs (raw or plastic) and spoons
This classic relay never gets old. Divide students into teams, and give each student a spoon and an egg (real or plastic). Each student carries their egg on the spoon from the start to the turnaround and back again, then hands it off to the next player. If the egg drops, the player has to get it. Add difficulty by setting up obstacles, like cones, to move around, or a balance beam to walk on while carrying the egg.
13. Dress-Up Relay
Materials: Dress-up items (old clothes and costumes)
Fill two boxes with dress-up items at each end of the race area. Divide students into two teams. The first students run and put on dress-up clothes on top of their regular clothes, then run back to the team. When they are back, they must take off all the dress-up clothes and pass them to the next player. The next student puts on the dress-up items, runs back to the box, and takes the clothes off. Play continues until every student has a turn. The first team to finish wins.
14. Cartwheel Relay
Materials: None
This one is for the gymnasts in your group. Each student cartwheels from start to finish and back again. Combine cartwheels with round-offs, wheelbarrows, or crab walks to provide options for students.
15. Fill the Bucket
Materials: Buckets; cups or sponges
Each team gets a bucket full of water at the start and an empty bucket at the turnaround line. Students take turns filling a cup or sponge with water and running it to the other bucket. The team that empties their bucket first wins.
16. Over and Under Relay
Materials: Balloons or balls
Have students stand in two teams. Give the first student in each line an inflated balloon. The students must pass the balloon through their legs to the player behind them, then that student passes it overhead to the next player. They continue until the last player in line has the balloon. This relay can also be done with a ball.
17. Tennis Balance Relay
Materials: Tennis rackets, tennis balls, cones
Each team has a tennis racket and a tennis ball. They place the tennis ball on top of the racket and run to and from a cone or around cones to complete the course. This relay is a fun way to introduce tennis to students or practice balance and focus.
18. Crab Walk Relay
Materials: None
If you’re looking for relay race ideas that don’t require any materials, try this one. First, teach students how to crab-walk. Then, divide students into teams. Students crab-walk to a turnaround point and back. The first team to have everyone crab-walk wins. If crab-walking is too difficult, students can crawl or scoot on a scooter.
19. Three-Legged Relay Race
Materials: Scarves, fabric, or three-legged race bands
Another classic relay race—in this one, students pair up. They tie their legs together using fabric to create the “three legs.” Mark starting and turnaround points, then students run around the turnaround until each team has finished.
20. Scooter Relay
Materials: Scooter boards
Divide students into teams. Give each team a scooter board and mark the start and turnaround points. Students scooter as fast as they can to the turnaround and back. The first team to have all students scooter wins.
21. Drop the Penny Relay
Materials: Empty egg cartons, bowls, 1 penny per player
Mark a starting line and a turnaround line. Put the egg cartons (without lids) halfway between the two lines. Put a bowl with enough pennies for each player at the turnaround line. Divide students into two teams. Students start by running to the bowl and picking up a penny, then they run to their team’s egg carton and drop the penny from waist height. They try until they get the penny into the carton. A team wins when all their pennies are in the egg carton.
22. Wheelbarrow Relay
Materials: None
Students break into pairs. Each pair chooses one person to walk and one person to be the wheelbarrow. Students divide into teams and each pair wheelbarrows around the turnaround point and back. The first team for which every member completes the relay wins.
23. Beanbag Relay
Materials: Beanbags and buckets
Break students into teams. Each team has a bucket of beanbags at the start and an empty bucket at the turnaround. Students take a beanbag from the start and run it to the bucket at the turnaround. They drop the beanbag in the bucket and run back. The first team to move all their beanbags wins.
24. Shoebox Relay
Materials: 2 shoeboxes for each team
Students divide into teams. The first student in each team puts their feet into the shoeboxes and runs (or shuffles) around the turnaround point and back. The first team that has all students complete the race wins.
25. Paper Plate Relay
Materials: Paper plates
Divide students into teams. Place a stack of paper plates on the ground. Students move their team from start to end by moving one paper plate at a time and stepping on each one, creating a trail of paper plates.
26. Dribble Relay
Materials: Basketballs, cones
Using basketballs and cones, students dribble a basketball around the cones, then pass the basketball to the next person. Use this relay before and after a unit on basketball so students can see how much progress they make in their dribbling skills. Once they’ve mastered dribbling, what other basketball skills can they add to a relay?
27. Newspaper Relay
Materials: Newspaper
Divide students into pairs. They use two pieces of newspaper to move from start to turnaround and back. They can only step on the newspaper, so they have to work together to roll the newspaper in front of them. If you don’t have newspaper, you can use large pieces of paper or unfolded paper bags.
28. Limbo Relay
Materials: 2 chairs and a broom
Set up two chairs and put the broom across the tops of the chairs. Divide students into teams. Students run toward the chairs, limbo (or crawl) under the broom, then run to the turnaround, run back, and tag the next person on their team.
29. Potato Sack Relay
Materials: Potato sacks
Divide students into teams. The first student on each team gets into a potato sack and hops to the turnaround point and then back to the start. Then each team member does the same until the first team to finish wins.
30. Hockey Challenge
Materials: Hockey goal, hockey stick and balls
Set up a hockey goal at one end and give each team a ball and hockey stick. They race to move the ball to the net and score before returning to their team.
31. Hopper Ball Relay
Materials: Hopper balls
Divide students into teams. The first student on each team hops on the hopper ball to the turnaround and back, then the second student takes a turn, and so on until one team wins.
32. Punching Bag Relay
Materials: Paper bags
Divide students into teams and give each team a paper bag. Students need to blow up their paper bag and pop it, then race to the turnaround and back before the other team can do the same. The trick is that students cannot take off running until their paper bag is popped.
33. Hula-Hoop Relay
Materials: Hula-Hoops and
Give each team two Hula-Hoops in the middle of a field or court with two cones at either end. Students must work in pairs. One student stands in a Hula-Hoop while the other runs to a turnaround and back. When the runner returns, they move a Hula-Hoop one step closer to the cone and the second runner goes. The goal is to move the Hula-Hoops from the center to one cone, one relay run at a time.
34. Mummy Wrap
Materials: Toilet paper
Students choose one person to be the “mummy” while the rest are “wrappers.” When the timer goes off, the wrapper wraps the mummy in toilet paper until they are completely mummified. The first team to finish wins.
35. Scavenger Hunt Relay
Materials: Lists and items for a scavenger hunt
Group students into teams and give them each a list of things to find around the gym, field, or classroom. Students take turns finding an item, then handing off the list to the next student. The first team to find all the items wins.
36. Hobbyhorse Relay
Materials: Hobbyhorses
If you’re looking for relay race ideas that really make people smile, try this one. Divide students into teams and give each team a hobbyhorse. Students take turns galloping to the turnaround point and back. This relay seems like it would be for little kids, but older students can make it fun by adding obstacles to hop and jump over while on their hobbyhorses or taking cues from the hobbyhorse championships.
37. Water Balloon Relay
Materials: Water balloons or reusable water balloons
Each team has a bucket of water balloons. Students run with a water balloon around the turnaround and back. Then, they toss the water balloon to the next player. The player has to catch the water balloon without it breaking and then run. The team who finishes first wins. You can add extra points for the team that breaks the fewest water balloons.
38. Hula-Hoop Water Balloon Relay
Materials: Hula-Hoops and water balloons
In this water balloon race, students need to work together. Each team works in pairs, walking in a Hula-Hoop to drop water balloons in a bucket.
39. Paper Airplane Relay
Materials: Paper
Each team folds and throws a paper airplane. Then, they chase the paper airplane, throwing it again and again until it reaches the finish line. The farther their paper airplanes go, the faster they can finish the relay.
Learn more: How To Make Paper Airplanes
40. Banana Pass
Materials: Bananas
Students lie down on the floor, head to feet. The first person starts by passing a banana to the next person with their feet, and so on down the line. The first team that has passed the banana through all the students wins.
41. Pool Noodle Race
Materials: Pool noodles and beach balls
Students work with partners. Each pair holds a pool noodle with a beach ball in between them. Then, they race from start to finish without letting the beach ball drop.
42. Ball Roll Relay
Materials: Playground balls and sticks
Students use a stick to push the ball from the start to the turnaround and back. You can make it more or less difficult by varying the size of the ball students are using.
43. Waiter Relay
Materials: Plates or Frisbees and Ping-Pong balls
Each player is a “waiter” at a restaurant. Give each runner a Frisbee or plate with a Ping-Pong ball on it. They have to carry the Frisbee or plate over their head, as if they are a waiter, to the finish line and pass the ball to the next participant.
44. Leapfrog Relay
Materials: None
Divide students into pairs and have them leapfrog over one another, one pair at a time, to the turnaround and back. Add some challenge by adding cones to move around or a beanbag to carry.
45. Trivia Relay
Materials: Paper with trivia written on it
Players run to a designated spot where they have to answer a trivia question correctly. Once they do, they can pass the baton to the next player.
Learn more: History Trivia and Science Trivia
46. Plank Relay
Materials: Cones, Hula-Hoops
Students line up in plank position and pass cones from one student to another until all the cones are in the final hoop.
47. Puzzle Relay
Materials: Puzzles
In this relay, students are each given a piece of a puzzle and they must run and place their puzzle piece to put them together. First team with a completed puzzle wins.
48. Obstacle Course
Materials: Obstacle course materials (tunnel, cones, agility ladders, and hurdles)
Perhaps the ultimate relay race is a relay obstacle course. Create an obstacle course using tunnels, cones, hurdles, and more materials. Students complete the obstacle course in relay teams. Some course ideas: Have students hop through a ladder, spin a Hula-Hoop three times, jump over three hurdles, and crawl through a tunnel.
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