The mix of team engagement, adventure, and different themes appeals to many team members of all ages, interests, and abilities. But that only happens if the game is done right.
Teams will need to decide the order in which they complete set tasks; careful planning and a clever strategy will set teams apart and is really what this game is all about. The opening task will ignite the competitive spirit and will determine which teams begin first. Various challenges and bonus missions will ensure that speed is not the deciding factor as you navigate your way in search of checkpoints to collect clues. Here are some insanely fun ideas to try out for your team.
Looking for someone to host your Amazing Race activity? See our Amazing Race activity.
20 Amazing Race Team Building Games
Bar Challenge
Teams are given an actual jigsaw puzzle they need to put together. Once completed, a number combination code will be revealed, and teams need to crack the code and come up with a phrase like "90% of the game is half mental" and repeat that phrase to receive your next clue.
All In The Timing
Teams must take a photograph in front of a specific clock location at a specific time; miss it and you could be waiting for a while...this really puts your route planning and strategy to the test.
Chinese Chaser
Teams must make their way to Chinatown and purchase a Chinese delicacy. While on the route, they must then convince a stranger to pose for a photo with the item in their mouth, using no hands.
Build or Boogie
Teams face a detour, a choice between two challenges both with their own pros and cons. In Build, they need to solve a very difficult pyramid puzzle which takes time but is less embarrassing than the alternative. In Boogie, they must complete one full revolution of a chosen dance to the satisfaction of their race host.
Paparazzi Bomb
This is a sabotage mission that requires you to stealthily snap a photo of another team without them noticing, whilst making sure you're in the shot too! Not as easy as it sounds…
Tim Tam Slam
A timed food-based relay involving some interesting combinations of your favorites! This checkpoint goes off with a bang! The fastest-performing teams will get bonus points.
Tin Towers
Teams have a 10m roll of Aluminum Foil and have precisely four minutes to build a tower higher than 1m, successful teams will receive bonus points.
Three-Legged Race
The three-legged game in Amazing Race forces cooperation between team members. The host has to pick the first pair of teammates or allow them to choose a partner. With each pair standing side by side, use a scarf or a piece of fabric to bind their inside legs together to create a third leg. They have to run from the start to the endpoint. The game forces the pair to cooperate and communicate on how to make it to the finish line. To make the game even more challenging, have the players carry something small like a bucket of water as they race.
Pass the Balloon
To play this game, you first want to inflate a few balloons for each group or team. The goal is to pass the balloon down the row where the team members are lined up by gripping the balloon between the knees, no hands allowed. If the balloon falls, the player has to pick it up without using their hands. If the balloon pops, the team has to start all over again from the start. All team members have to take a turn; the first team to pass the balloon through wins.
Pass the Water Cup Race
Like the sponge water race, the water cup game aims to have the team fill an empty bucket from a full bucket at the finish line. This time, cups that have holes at the bottom are used. The team players will run across the start and finish lines filling their pocked cups and emptying in the empty bucket.
Classic Sack Race
Sack races are a popular challenge in Amazing Race games. While the original game used burlap sacks, large pillowcases work wonders as well. To get started, have the team stand in a sack and hop down to a designated location. They may proceed to another task or hop back to their team’s line. The winning team is the one that gets all players to complete this race first.
Amazing Race Challenges
Cup and Plate Stack Race
You’ll need a pile of cups and plates that the team will stack up for this activity. Facing away from the middle of the circle, a team member will run to the center where the plates and cups are and stack them up. The next person in line will run and continue stacking. The competing team can use their ball to knock down the stacked items to derail the other team. The strategy is to either knock down the other team’s stack or focus on staking their own. The first team to stack up all items wins.
Egg Spoon Race
For this classy favorite, you’ll need two teams. Each player gets a hard-boiled or plastic egg (or raw egg if you’re willing to make some mess) and a spoon. Starting simultaneously, each team member must carry their egg on the spoon from the starting line and back. They will then pass the egg to their colleague to play their turn. You can opt to use a raw egg, and the teams have to try to keep it from breaking for the duration of the race.
Necking the Balloon Challenge
Have the team members of each group stand in a line. The first person is to hold a balloon under their chin or any other item such as an orange. The team members, each their turn, will pass the object down the line to the last person without it touching the hands. Like other line race games, the first team to pass the item down the line wins.
Obstacle Race
Obstacle racing involves overcoming substantial physical challenges. Often, these races combine trail runs and mud and require both mental and physical effort. Obstacles may include climbing over walls, crossing high bridges, crawling under mesh wire, or carrying heavy loads. This game trains teamwork and strategy development in a team. It also trains and tests strength, endurance, and speed.
Unexpected Detour
The team faces a choice between engaging in two challenges, both of which have pros and cons. They have to decide which challenge to participate in—a choice that isn’t easy for them to make. For instance, the team may find a detour to walk a different hidden path. They may choose to take the detour to search for more clues or not.
Jigsaw Puzzle
It’s a challenge that requires the team to assemble oddly shaped interlocking pieces into one tile. The mosaiced puzzle pieces have a portion of the picture on one side. When assembled, the puzzle pieces should form one complete picture. This task is highly challenging and entertaining at the same time for team members. Putting the jigsaw puzzle as a team challenges the participant’s observation skills, creativity, and concentration. As part of the Amazing Race, you want to divide the team into smaller groups for every member to take part.
Locked Challenges
The Amazing Race challenge can involve a locked roadblock such as chains. The team is tasked with unchaining the locks to find a way to the next challenge. Locks can be chains they need to open, or they find a way through the locked chains.
Pop the Balloon Challenge
Each team member needs an inflated balloon to play. The team will line up in a row, and at a distance, there’s a chair. The team member will race at a time to the chair and pop the balloon by sitting on it. The first team to pop all their balloons wins.
Carry the Load Challenge
This challenge requires the team to carry some load across a difficult road. This can be a hill or a muddy road. The team creatively gets the load across with some preset condition—perhaps in the same state as was, without damage, or getting dirty. The team gets creative with the provided items such as carriers, logs, or any other items.
