This is a collection of lively games that fit well in team competitions. Most come in the form of relays, but they can easily be adopted so that team members take turns and only one member participates in each game. Many of these games are entertaining for bystanders and participants alike.
You will need: A knife, fork, tray, sturdy plate, glass that can withstand a beating, and a stopwatch for timing.
This is a challenging balancing competition, ideal for adults, older kids, or teenagers. You can play it in your garden or at a park.
Start by placing the knife, fork, glass, and plate on the tray. Players must balance the tray using only one flat hand placed underneath it. Curling fingers around the edge of the tray for support while moving is not allowed.
The goal is to complete a designated course as quickly as possible.
The course can be simple, such as running around a tree in your backyard and returning to the starting point. You can also add obstacles along the way, like a table to crawl under or something to step over.
If a contestant drops any item from the tray, they must stop and retrieve it. They can only continue once everything is placed back on the tray while still using just one flat hand beneath it. However, they can set the tray down and use both hands to pick up items and reset the tray.
The fastest player to reach the goal wins!
You can easily turn the game into a relay race! Divide the players into teams. When one player finishes the course, they pass the tray to the next team member.
The first team to complete the course will be declared the winner!
You will need: A cookie and a chair for each participant.
Face the Cookie Challenge is a classic, popular, and fun game that’s much harder than it appears. It’s also easy to set up and entertaining for other party guests to watch.
To play, participants should sit in chairs with their faces directed toward the ceiling or sky, keeping their hands behind their backs. A cookie is placed on each participant’s forehead.
At the start signal, players must use only their facial muscles and head movements, making exaggerated expressions and movements, to move the cookie down their faces and into their mouths. Hands must remain behind their backs, and players must stay seated throughout the game. The first person to successfully get the cookie into their mouth and take a bite wins.
If someone drops their cookie, they can use their hands to pick it up and place it back on their forehead to start over.
You will need: Pancakes and frying pans.
This entertaining party game is best played outdoors and is suitable for kids and adults.
The game’s objective is simple: players must race to a designated turnaround point—such as a tree or a stick—and then run back. However, there’s a twist: each participant must carry a frying pan and flip a pancake three times without dropping it during their round. If the pancake falls, that flip does not count, and players must redo the flip. It’s a good idea to have extra pancakes ready if anyone breaks theirs during the race.
The first team to cross the finish line wins!
This game is hilarious to watch, and the excitement from onlookers is guaranteed!
The game becomes even more exciting when played in teams. In this version, the race is a relay. Once a team member finishes their leg of the race, they keep their pancake but pass the frying pan to the next person, who must flip their own pancake while running.
You will need: Chairs, cotton balls, bowls, and something sticky, such as hair wax or Vaseline.
This party game is a lot of fun for both kids and adults, and the best part is that everyone can participate, regardless of age. It’s easy to set up, hilarious to play, and just as entertaining to watch for those who aren’t competing. While it’s often played outdoors, it works just as well indoors as long as there is enough space.
To prepare for the game, set up two chairs for each player or team, placing them at least seven feet apart. On one chair, place a bowl filled with cotton balls; on the other, an empty bowl.
Before the game begins, apply a small dab of, for example, petroleum jelly or sticky hair wax to the tip of each participant’s nose. This is their only “tool” for transporting the cotton balls - no hands allowed!
The goal is to move as many cotton balls as possible from the full bowl to the empty one using only their noses. Players can shake, nod, or swing their heads to help drop the cotton balls into the bowl, but their hands must stay out of the game!
The player who transfers the most cotton balls in 2 minutes wins.
To play in teams, set up two chairs per team and turn it into a relay. One person at a time will take a turn moving cotton balls for about 30 seconds to a minute, then tag the next player. Continue this process until all team members have played or until a specified total time has elapsed (such as 5 minutes). The team with the most cotton balls in their bowl at the end wins!
You will need: Balloons.
This hilarious balloon race game is enjoyable for both kids and adults. It’s a bit goofy and chaotic, making it entertaining for spectators as well.
The game works great as either an individual challenge or a team competition.
Each player starts with a fully inflated balloon placed snugly between their knees. (Tip: use smaller balloons for younger kids to make it manageable.) At your signal, contestants must waddle, hop, or shuffle their way to a designated checkpoint, round it, and make their way back - all without dropping or popping the balloon.
If a player drops their balloon before reaching the checkpoint, they must pick it up and return to the starting line to try again. However, if they drop it after rounding the checkpoint, they only need to go back to that point, not all the way to the start.
If someone pops their balloon, they must run back to the start, inflate a new balloon, and return to the point where the old balloon burst before continuing.
To play a relay version, divide players into teams. Each team will have its own course and checkpoint. One player at a time completes the race and then hands the balloon over to the next teammate. The first team to have all members complete the course wins!
This game can be played at parties, in schools, or in preschools, making it suitable for all ages.
You will need: An open space and some strings.
This fun and active game can be played individually or in teams, making it perfect for any outdoor gathering.
Each participant ties their ankles together with a string or yarn, effectively “binding” their feet. Once everyone is ready, the goal is to complete a course as quickly as possible using only two-footed hops or waddling forward. Hands or crawling are not allowed!
You can design the course to include simple obstacles, such as circling a tree or navigating around garden furniture. Decide whether everyone will compete simultaneously or if participants will take turns with a stopwatch. The fastest player to finish the course wins!
For a team relay, players race one by one, each with their feet tied together. When one player crosses the finish line, the next teammate takes their turn. The first team to have all members complete the course wins!
For an extra hilarious twist, try binding the entire team together! After tying each player’s ankles, connect team members to one another, so the whole group is linked. Each person should be tied to at least one teammate.
Now, the whole team must work together to complete the course as fast as possible. The team that crosses the finish line first wins.
Get ready for laughter, teamwork, and lots of hopping fun!
You will need: A Kubb game set (or a few wooden blocks and batons).
Kubb is a beloved lawn game, especially popular in Sweden. It’s perfect for playing in backyards, parks, or any outdoor space. Typically played as a strategic team game, Kubb can also be adapted into various mini-games with a bit of creativity - ideal for parties or even as part of a pentathlon. Play individually or in teams. Here are some examples of mini-games you could play if you own a Kubb game.
To begin, arrange five kubbs in a straight line, spacing them about 3 feet (1 meter) apart from the starting point. Place the king, a larger block, at the farthest end of this line.
If playing with two teams, create two identical lanes and center the king between them, ensuring it is equidistant from both teams' kubb lines.
Here are some versions of the game you can play:
Each player gets six throwing sticks and tries to knock over the kubbs and the king from a starting line. Each kubb knocked down earns 2 points while hitting the king earns 4 points. The player with the most points at the end wins!
Players take turns trying to knock down all the kubbs and the king as quickly as possible. Each player has six sticks to throw. After throwing all their sticks, they must run to retrieve them before continuing their attempts to knock down the targets. The player who completes the task in the fastest time wins!
Each team has one throwing stick to share. The first player throws the stick, runs to retrieve it, and then passes it to the next teammate. The teams take turns throwing the stick until all the kubbs and the king are knocked down. The first team to complete this wins!
Add a twist to the game by allowing players/teams to move forward each time they successfully knock down a kubb. Start with the closest kubb; after knocking it over, the player/team steps forward to its position for the next throw. You can arrange the kubbs in creative ways, even creating a trail through your garden. Remember that the king should always be the last target. To increase the challenge, limit the number of throws or set a timer to determine the winner.
These variations of Kubb transform the traditional game into a high-energy activity filled with competition and skill! Challenge your kids, friends, colleagues, or family to see who has the best aim and fastest reflexes!
You will need: One empty bottle, a string or yarn, and a pen for each player/team.
This hilarious and slightly ridiculous party game is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, whether played solo or in teams. It’s great for mixed ages and works well both indoors and outdoors. Best of all, it’s just as entertaining to watch as it is to play, making it the perfect addition to your party lineup.
To play, each player ties a piece of string around a pen and fastens the other end around their waist, allowing the pen to dangle behind them like a tail. Place an empty bottle on the ground about 10 yards (or 3 meters) away from each player.
When the start signal is given, players race to their bottles and attempt to lower the pen into the bottle without using their hands - only by squatting, adjusting, and aiming with their hips.
The first player to get the pen into their bottle wins!
Set up one bottle per team and have the first player complete the pen-drop challenge. Once successful, they run back and hand the setup to the next player, who ties it around their waist and repeats the challenge. The team that gets all their players to land the pen in the bottle first wins.
For a fun twist (often popular at student or adult parties), swap the pen for a tampon and fill each bottle halfway with water. When the tampon hits the water, it begins to swell and gets stuck inside the bottle.
Here’s the twist: once the tampon is in the bottle, the player must race back to the starting line—hands-free—with the bottle dangling behind them! If the bottle falls off, they are out of the game, so be careful.
You will need: Buckets or bowls, water, and one sponge per player or team.
This fast-paced water game is perfect for warm days and outdoor fun. It works well for all ages and can be played individually or in teams - making it ideal for birthday parties, family gatherings, or summer playdates.
To set up the game, fill one bucket with water for each team or player and place them at the starting line. Next, position an empty bucket or bowl a short distance away for each team or player; ensure that all containers are the same size, as these will serve as the “goals.” Finally, provide each team or player with a dry sponge.
When the game starts, players must soak their sponge in the water-filled bucket, run to their empty bucket, and squeeze out as much water as they can. Then they run back and repeat - or hand off the sponge to the next teammate in a relay-style version.
Players are not allowed to move or touch the empty bucket. The goal is to fill it up using only the sponge. The first player or team to make their water overflow wins!
You will need: Suitable fruits, such as an apple or orange, for each team.
This game is typically played in pairs but can easily be adapted into a relay race. Each team starts with a piece of fruit, commonly an orange (or you could use a tennis ball). The pairs must work together to move the orange along a designated course or distance.
To play, the competing pairs stand face to face with their hands behind their backs, holding the orange securely between their bellies. The challenge is to move as quickly as possible from start to finish without dropping the orange.
If the orange falls, the pair must stop, pick it up, and take three steps backward before continuing the race.
To turn this into a relay, each pair passes the orange to the following team members once they have completed their leg of the course.
This game is perfect for kids' parties and can easily be customized for any season. Try using pumpkins for a Halloween party, eggs for Easter, or even beach balls for a summer-themed event!
Replace the fruit with a plastic glass filled with water. The pair that has the most water remaining in their glass after crossing the finish line wins.
You will need: A stick, bat, or similar long object for each player. Use longer bats for adults and shorter ones for kids.
Dizzy Bat is a hilarious and exciting game that is just as much fun to watch as it is to play. Playing on soft grass, such as in your backyard, is a great option since spinning players can get very dizzy and may stumble or fall safely. You can play Dizzy Bat individually or as a relay team competition.
To set up the game, mark a starting line and place one stick or bat about 50 feet away from the starting line for each participant. Make sure the sticks are spaced well apart so that players don’t get in each other’s way.
When the starting signal sounds, players must run from the starting line to their assigned stick and pick it up. Then, they should hold one end of the stick against their forehead and place the other end firmly on the ground.
Next, the player must spin seven complete laps around the stick - the bottom end of the stick should remain in the same spot on the ground while they run their laps around it. After completing the seven spins, players should run back to the starting line as quickly as possible. The first player to return wins!
For a relay race, divide players into teams. The first player runs to the stick, spins seven times, then runs back and tags the next teammate. The relay continues until all team members have completed their turns. The first team to have all players finish and return to the starting line wins the game.
You will need: One sack per participant.
The sack race is a classic game that’s been a favorite for generations. It’s a staple at kids’ parties but just as much fun for adults—and guaranteed to entertain spectators, too!
Whether you’re hosting a garden party, a student gathering, or a family event, the sack race is a fantastic way to get everyone moving. It works well both as an individual race or as a relay team challenge.
Each participant steps into a sack, pulling it up to their waist. When the start signal sounds, players hop from the starting line to the finish line, trying to be the first to cross the finish line.
You can make the race more exciting by adding obstacles around the track or having participants hop to a certain point and back.
In a team relay, once a player completes their leg of the race, they pass the sack to the next teammate, who continues the hopping race. Get ready for lots of laughs, friendly competition, and a bit of bouncing chaos!
You will need: One boot (or “welly”).
This fun outdoor game goes by many names - Welly Boot Throwing, Welly Hoying, or simply Boot Throwing.
It’s a great activity for family gatherings, garden parties, or as part of a pentathlon event. Since it requires a lot of space, it’s best played outside on a lawn, in a garden, or on an open field.
The goal is simple - throw the boot as far as possible! This can be done in various ways.
Participants can throw the boot in any way they choose. Running to gain more force for the throw is allowed as long as they do not cross the starting point.
In this more challenging task, players must stand with their backs facing the direction of the throw. They then swing the boot over their heads and throw it as far as they can without stepping forward.
In this advanced version, players face forward in the designated direction. To toss the boot, they must first swing it backward between their legs. Then, they bring it over their heads and release it at just the right moment to ensure the boot flies in the intended direction. Timing and technique are crucial for maximizing distance.
Pro tip: To ensure safety and add some fun, consider providing helmets. This version can sometimes result in accidental head hits. Get ready for laughter, competition, and some truly impressive boot throws!