Each year we do a “Mission Impossible” type-event, but this year I wanted to go a little different — “The Amazing Race!” I am a HUGE fan of game shows and competitive reality TV. The Amazing Race is something I can’t wait to tune in to each week. And making your own “The Amazing Race” isn’t very difficult to do!

I did this with both middle schoolers and high schoolers this month. The middle schoolers blasted through the event, as I think station leaders went a little easier on them than intended. The high schoolers took more time and the leaders gave less hints. For both events, I gave about an hour and a half — and both groups needed less than an hour. You live and you learn!

EXPLANATION OF AMAZING RACE:

• Students will be in groups of 2-3 for “The Amazing Race”
• Each group will be given an envelope that has the first Road Block on it (they will be mixed up so they all go to different stations first)
• They will get to their Road Block where they will be met with a challenge.  It is important to get to your Road Block quickly, as most Road Blocks can only have 1-2 teams complete the challenge at a time.
• Only one person from the team can complete the challenge, and they must take turns.
• When the challenge is completed, they will get a ticket to the next Road Block.
• Once they’ve finished all of the Road Blocks, they will come back to the Lodge (Pit Stop).
• First-place team will receive a prize!
• As teams finish, have an area for snacks & hangout.

GAME SET-UP

• STATION CARDS
  • Print out Station Cards – CANVA LINK
  • We printed these on a poster printer on 24×36 inch paper, and cut out each station card to size.
    • Cut posterboard in half (hamburger style)
    • Each paper will be glued onto the posterboard
    • Outside – we taped posterboard to cones so they wouldn’t fly away. Inside, we taped onto walls.
  • But you can adapt to 8×11 or 11×18 as needed.
• CHALLENGE CARDS
  • Print out Challenge Cards – CANVA LINK
    • Print on cardstock, full color. Print enough for each team.
    • Cut tightly.
  • ENVELOPES:
    • We purchased these Amazing Race Envelopes for the first round, because we wanted the classic “rip” moment.
    • However, to save money, we didn’t use envelopes for all of the stations.
    • We randomized the first round, and placed one of each station (or however many groups you have) into the envelopes to start.

• When setting up stations, each staton should have all the items for that station, as well as the cards to the NEXT station and some PIT STOP cards.
• Instruction Slides: CANVA LINK

EXPLANATION OF AMAZING RACE:

• Students will be in groups of 2-3 for “The Amazing Race”
• Each group will be given an envelope that has the first Detour/Road Block on it (they will be mixed up)
• They will get to their Detour/Road Block where they will be met with a challenge.
  • Detour – they can choose from 2 challenges
• When the challenge is completed, they will get a ticket to the next Detour/Road Block.
• Once they’ve finished all of the Detour/Road Blocks, they will come back to the Lodge (Pit Stop).
• First-place team will receive a prize!

General Instructions for Leaders:

• When people get to your zone, have them make a line if you have more teams than can play at once.
• Even though they have the piece of paper that explains it, go over the rules with them before they start playing the challenge.
• If you are managing TWO stations, please have people pause so that you can address each station individually.
• (INCLUDE CLEANUP INSTRUCTIONS FOR LEADERS!)

STATIONS

The following are the stations that we used. Feel free to use and adapt to your liking! We tried to use things that we already had on hand, and purchase minimal supplies. You can see pictures from this event by clicking here.

STATION ONE: Tangram

• SUPPLIES: Tangram puzzles (there are 6)
• LOCATION: Upstairs Round Tables
• INSTRUCTIONS: A tangram (Chinese for “seven”) is a dissection puzzle which consists of seven flat polygons, called tans, which are put together to form a shape. The objective is to to get all the puzzle pieces in the puzzle. Choose one player to accomplish this.
• ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR LEADERS: There are 6 puzzles, so up to 6 people can work on this at once.
• WHEN THEY ARE FINISHED: Give them a card to the next Roadblock/Detour!
• WHEN SOMEONE TELLS YOU THEY ARE COMPLETELY FINISHED – check to make sure that all 12 challenges are in their hands. Then, hand them the “Pit Stop” Card.

STATION TWO: STACK IT HIGH OR STACK IT LOW

• Supplies: 45 solo cups, 45 playing cards
• LOCATION: Upstairs Café/Confirmation Room
• INSTRUCTIONS – STACK IT HIGH OR STACK IT LOW
  • HIGH: Take 15 cups and stack on top of each other (end-to-end & opening-to-opening) to create a tower.
  • LOW: Take 15 cards and make a pyramid out of them.
• ADDITIONAL INSTUCTIONS FOR LEADERS: There are enough items for 3 teams to do each task at a time. They can do these tasks as teams
• WHEN THEY ARE FINISHED: Give them a card to the next Roadblock/Detour!
• WHEN SOMEONE TELLS YOU THEY ARE COMPLETELY FINISHED – check to make sure that all 12 challenges are in their hands. Then, hand them the “Pit Stop” Card.

STATION THREE: FIND THE KEY

• SUPPLIES: Master Locks, Ring of Keys (we purchased a bulk amount from Amazon)
• LOCATION: Upstairs Round Tables
• INSTRUCTIONS: You’ll have a ring of keys, but only one fits the lock! Choose one player from your team to accomplish this task.
• WHEN THEY ARE FINISHED: Give them a card to the next Roadblock/Detour!
• WHEN SOMEONE TELLS YOU THEY ARE COMPLETELY FINISHED – check to make sure that all 12 challenges are in their hands. Then, hand them the “Pit Stop” Card.

STATION FOUR: MEMORY GAME:

• SUPPLIES: Memory Card Game
• LOCATION: Lounge
• PREP INSTRUCTIONS: Break down the memory card game into four different games with 12 countries each.
• INSTRUCTIONS: You will receive a deck of cards. Place on the ground, face-up, then flip over. Match up the countries with each other. You get three strikes before you have to surrender the cards, move to the back of the line, and start over!
• WHEN THEY ARE FINISHED: Give them a card to the next Roadblock/Detour!
• WHEN SOMEONE TELLS YOU THEY ARE COMPLETELY FINISHED – check to make sure that all 12 challenges are in their hands. Then, hand them the “Pit Stop” Card.

STATION FIVE: EXERCISE OR EAT

• SUPPLIES: Saltine Crackers
• LOCATION: Lodge Lobby
• INSTRUCTIONS:
  • EXERCISE: Choose one teammate to go up and down the stairs of the Lodge (up one and and down the other end) 5 times
  • EAT: Choose one teammate to eat 10 saltine crackers without water
• ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR LEADERS: Have students go up one flight of stairs and then down the other flight. Remind them not to run down the stairs. If a student uses a wheelchair or needs to, they can use the elevator and go up/down it 5 times. Additionally, you may have one person go up the stairs at a time so they aren’t pushing.
• WHEN THEY ARE FINISHED: Give them a card to the next Roadblock/Detour!
• WHEN SOMEONE TELLS YOU THEY ARE COMPLETELY FINISHED – check to make sure that all 12 challenges are in their hands. Then, hand them the “Pit Stop” Card.

STATION SIX: DEAR LIZA

• SUPPLIES: Kiddie Pool, 3 5-gallon buckets, 3 cups with large hole
• LOCATION: Basketball Court
• INSTRUCTIONS: Transfer the water from the kiddie bowl into the bucket. Here’s the catch: there’s a hole in your cup! You can choose to take turns or have one player accomplish this task.
• ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR LEADERS: Instruct teams to dump the water back into the kiddie pool before they go or use the spicket to get more water.
• WHEN THEY ARE FINISHED: Give them a card to the next Roadblock/Detour!
• WHEN SOMEONE TELLS YOU THEY ARE COMPLETELY FINISHED – check to make sure that all 12 challenges are in their hands. Then, hand them the “Pit Stop” Card.

STATION SEVEN: SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

• SUPPLIES: “Spot the Difference” Puzzle book, pens
• LOCATION: Lounge
• INSTRUCTIONS: At your station you’ll be handed a “Spot the Differences” Puzzle. Spot all the differences and turn it in! If you don’t find them all, you’ll have to start over with a new puzzle. Only one person can complete this.
• ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR LEADERS: When someone comes to your station, hand them a puzzle from the book. Check the answers in the back of the book. If they fail, give them a new puzzle.
• WHEN THEY ARE FINISHED: Give them a card to the next Roadblock/Detour!
• WHEN SOMEONE TELLS YOU THEY ARE COMPLETELY FINISHED – check to make sure that all 12 challenges are in their hands. Then, hand them the “Pit Stop” Card.

STATION EIGHT: HOOP OR ROLL

• SUPPLIES: Dice, basketball
• LOCATION: Basketball Court
• INSTRUCTIONS:
  • HOOP: Shoot 25 points at the basketball hoop (choose a spot for the “3-point line”)
  • ROLL: Roll 5 dice until they have “5” on them (they can roll them one at a time, 5 at a time, however they’d like)
• ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR LEADERS: You only have a certain number of dice, so some people can only a certain number of students can play that game.
• WHEN THEY ARE FINISHED: Give them a card to the next Roadblock/Detour!
• WHEN SOMEONE TELLS YOU THEY ARE COMPLETELY FINISHED – check to make sure that all 12 challenges are in their hands. Then, hand them the “Pit Stop” Card.

STATION NINE: BULLSEYE!

• SUPPLIES: Lawn Dart Kit
• LOCATION: Lawn behind Lodge
• INSTRUCTIONS: Get a bullseye using the Lawn Darts. Choose one member of your team to complete this. If you fail, you have to go to the back of the line.
• ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR LEADERS: Have them make a line, each person can get 1 chance or use all of the darts, your decision. To save your back, have STUDENTS pick up the darts and hand off to the next person.
• WHEN THEY ARE FINISHED: Give them a card to the next Roadblock/Detour!
• WHEN SOMEONE TELLS YOU THEY ARE COMPLETELY FINISHED – check to make sure that all 12 challenges are in their hands. Then, hand them the “Pit Stop” Card.

STATION TEN: Pop-It!

• SUPPLIES: Balloons, plastic bag for trash
• LOCATION: Lawn behind Lodge
• INSTRUCTIONS: Blow up ten balloons, then pop them with your butt. Only one team member can complete this.
• ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR LEADERS: Have them pick up their popped balloons — there is a bag to throw away trash in. Make sure they blow their balloons up BIG.
• WHEN THEY ARE FINISHED: Give them a card to the next Roadblock/Detour!
• WHEN SOMEONE TELLS YOU THEY ARE COMPLETELY FINISHED – check to make sure that all 12 challenges are in their hands. Then, hand them the “Pit Stop” Card.

STATION ELEVEN: RUN OR ROLL

• SUPPLIES: 3 ropes or bandanas
• LOCATION: Playground
• INSTRUCTIONS:
  • RUN – Tie two legs together and three-legged walk across the playground
  • ROLL – Create a wheelbarrow by one person grabbing the feet of another, and walk across the playground
• ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR LEADERS: You may decide how long they have to go and where the starting line is.
• WHEN THEY ARE FINISHED: Give them a card to the next Roadblock/Detour!
• WHEN SOMEONE TELLS YOU THEY ARE COMPLETELY FINISHED – check to make sure that all 12 challenges are in their hands. Then, hand them the “Pit Stop” Card.

STATION TWELVE: LOSING OUR MARBLES

• SUPPLIES: Kiddie Pool, Marbles
• LOCATION: Basketball Court
• INSTRUCTIONS: In a kiddie pool are a bunch of marbles. Choose one member of your team, and have them transfer 10 marbles out, one at a time, using just their feet!
• ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR LEADERS: You may decide how many teams can do this at once.
• WHEN THEY ARE FINISHED: Give them a card to the next Roadblock/Detour!
• WHEN SOMEONE TELLS YOU THEY ARE COMPLETELY FINISHED – check to make sure that all 12 challenges are in their hands. Then, hand them the “Pit Stop” Card.