In honor of the 2012 Summer Olympics, this week's game is a relay with a twist. By making relays continuous, you can eliminate runners' worries of losing or watching the other team. Instead runners try their hardest and then enjoy a short break while cheering on their team! The Game of the Week is Continuous Relay!
Group Size: Group of 4 or more
Age Group: Grades 1-5
Length of Activity: Under 10 minutes
Developmental Goal: To develop eye-hand coordination and cooperation
Equipment: Cones and Bean Bags
Skills Practiced: Running, endurance, and pacing
Before You Start:
- Divide runners into teams of 4-6 people.
- Each team counts off—1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. The odd numbers of each team stay at the start cone, the evens go to the other side.
Set Up:
Place each pair of cones approximately 20’ from each other (adjust the distance depending on age and fitness level). Keep two arms length between each set of cones. Designate one side of cones to start.
How To Play:
- The first team member in the line runs to the other side while holding a bean bag, baton or object, handing off the baton to the next person on the other side.
- Runners need to place the baton or other object directly into the next player’s hand. No throwing the object.
- This second team member runs back to the start cone and passes the baton off where the third team member continues the pattern.
- Runners need to wait until it is his/her turn to go—no false starts or switching order.
- Runners need to give their best at all times. If someone is tired, s/he may slow down but continue moving.
- Runners cannot interrupt the forward progress of different teams.
- Team members continue in order until time is called.
Variations:
- Have players skip, crab walk, etc. instead of running
- Have easy obstacles for the runners, such as placing hula hoops to jump through, or having runners do five jumping jacks before they hand off their baton, etc.
Find more new and exciting games in our games library!
