Hobbies And Interests
Traditional Relays
Blow up two round balloons. Divide the players into two teams and have both teams' players form a single-file line. Hand the first child in each line a balloon and have her pass it between her legs to the player behind her. The second player then must pass the balloon over her head to the next player. Players continue alternating over and under passes until the balloon reaches the end of the line. The first team to finish is the winner.
For a little more action, make participants dash from a relay line to a designated area, usually about 12 feet away, and back. You can make the players hop on one foot, crawl, crab walk or skip to make it more amusing. Traditional potato sack or wheelbarrow races also make great races.
Props
Stage a quick-change clothing relay by having the first player in line dash to a pile of clothing about 12 to 15 feet away. The clothing items should be large enough to go on over the player's clothing and should consist of a pair of pants or a skirt, a shirt, a hat, and an accessory like a tie or necklace. The first player must put on the clothing and run back. Once there, he must quickly remove the clothing and hand it to the second person in line. This player must put the clothes on and run to the original dressing area and back. This process repeats until all players have participated. The first team to finish wins.
For the "Pancake Flip" relay, give each team a skillet and a small plastic lid to represent the pancake. Players run from the starting line to a turnaround spot and back, flipping the pancake once for each step they take.
For the "Waiter" relay race, give each team a serving tray and a beach ball. Have them line up single file with about three feet between each player. The racer balances the tray on top of her head with the ball on the tray. Players must travel in a weaving pattern in and out among their teammates without dropping the tray or the beach ball. Players who drop either item must start over.
Preschool relays
Preschool-age children can run relays, but they require a gentler approach. Simple movements--crawling, walking--to and from the starting line and turnaround point work well. For a musical emphasis, young children can play a rhythm instrument such as the bongo drums or cymbals as they walk. Make sure not to use any instruments that are put to the mouth or require sticks. Have the youngsters do a simple dance move, such as the twist or the swim, for a livelier race. Another backyard relay for young children involves having the players squat down and hop like a frog as they race.