Relay Race Ideas for Kids: Rules, Fair Teams and Running Order

A relay race turns running into a team game: each runner covers one leg, then hands over to the next, and the team that finishes first wins. Relays are the highlight of many school sports days and work just as well at a birthday party. Here are classic relay formats for children, the basic rules, how to make teams that are actually fair, and how to set the running order.

Basic rules

1. Split the players into teams of the same size, usually three to six runners each.
2. Each team lines up behind the start line, in its own lane.
3. On “Go!”, the first runner runs the leg, usually to a cone and back, or to a teammate waiting at the far end.
4. The next runner may only start once they receive the baton, or a hand tag, from the runner before them.
5. If a baton is dropped, the runner who dropped it picks it up and carries on from that spot.
6. The first team whose last runner crosses the finish line wins.

For young children, a hand tag or a high five works better than a baton. A soft bean bag is a good middle step.

Relay ideas for kids

• Classic shuttle relay: run to a cone and back, then tag the next runner.
• Egg and spoon relay: carry an egg, or a potato, on a spoon, and pass the spoon on, as in the egg and spoon race.
• Sack relay: jump to the cone and back in a sack, then hand over the sack. See our sack race guide.
• Wheelbarrow relay: pairs run one leg as a wheelbarrow race, and swap roles on the way back.
• Dress-up relay: put on a big hat, coat and boots at the cone, run back, and pass them on.
• Ball relay: dribble a football round the cones, or bounce a ball every few steps.
• Over and under: the team stands in a line and passes a ball over the head, then between the legs, down to the end.

Fair teams

In a relay, the team is only as fast as all its runners together, so fair teams matter more than in most games. Picking teams by captains leaves the slower children until last, which is no fun for them. A plain random draw is kinder, but it does not make teams even. The table shows, for four teams, how often a random draw spreads the four fastest runners across all four teams, and how often at least two of them are bunched on the same team:

So nearly nine times out of ten, a plain random draw puts two or more of the fastest runners together. A fairer method is to rank the runners roughly by speed, then deal them out in a snake: team A, B, C, D, then D, C, B, A, and so on. To keep it from feeling like a public ranking, group the children into speed bands, then use the Random Name Picker to draw who goes to which team within each band. We cover more team-making methods in our guide to random teams.

Running order

Coaches often put the fastest runner last, but for a fun race the order matters less than everyone getting a go. Let each team draw its running order at random, or let the children choose and then swap it in the next race. If one team has an extra runner, one runner on the smaller team runs twice, drawn at random.

Safety

• Give each team its own lane, at least two metres wide, so runners do not collide when coming back.
• Waiting runners stand behind the line, not in the path of runners coming back.
• Use cones, not people, as turning points, so nobody gets run into.
• Run on grass or a proper track, and keep legs short for younger children.

FAQ

How do you make fair relay race teams?

Rank the runners roughly by speed, split them into bands, and draw who goes to which team at random within each band. Each team then gets one runner from every band.

How many people are on a relay team?

Any number works, as long as every team has the same number of runners. For children, three to six runners per team keeps the waiting time short.

Who should run last in a relay?

Teams often put their fastest runner last, but for a fun race any order works. Drawing the order at random is a simple fair choice.

What can I use instead of a baton?

A hand tag or high five is easiest for young children. A bean bag, a short foam tube or a rolled-up newspaper also work.