Pass the Ball Relays

Setup and Equipment: 

  • Four Playground Balls: Red, blue, yellow, green
  • Four Medicine Balls
  • Four other balls of different shapes and sizes.
  • Two long ropes to lay down at one end for the finish line.

Guidelines: Teams line up behind the cone of their color team for directions

Round One: Over Under Relay

The object is to be the first team to cross the finish line.

  • Teams members line up in a line facing the finish line. Put a little space between them each other, so they can pass a ball behind each other down the line.
  • The first person on each team raises the ball above their head.
  • Leader says, “Go”
  • The starting person on each team passes the ball between their legs, the person behind then raises the ball above their head and the over/under pattern continues until the last person gets it.
  • When the ball gets to the last person in the line, that person runs all the way back up to the front, which will move the line forward. The pattern of over/under passing continues until all of the teams cross the finish line at the opposite end.
  • Or you can see how many turns they can get in 3 minutes.
  • The Most Fun Wins!

Round Two: Boulder Passing (medicine ball)

  • Teams stand in a line next to each other. Leave enough room for side to side passing:
  • The ball again starts in the front, but this time the ball will be pass from side to side.
  • When the ball gets to the last person in the line, that person runs all the way back up to the front, where the pattern of over/under passing continues until all of the teams cross the finish line.

Round Three: Hot Potato Passing

  • Teams stand in a line facing the front. Leave enough room to turn around and pass the hot potato!
  • The ball again starts in the front, as soon as you are handed the ball quickly turn around and hand off the hot potato to the person in back of you.
  • When the ball gets to the last person in the line, they run all the way back up to the front, with the ball barely touching their hands. 
  •  When all of the teams have crossed the finish line, the activity is over.

Round Four: Ball Toss Relay

  • Line up the four teams from the starting line to the finish line. Space the teams out so they have to toss the ball between them.
  • At the signal each team begins throwing and catching the ball to see which team can have their ball pass the line first.

Other Ideas 

  • Mix up the teams
  • Use other size balls