Great Race Day ideas for OSHC
29 DIY activities for a great race day at before and after school care or vacation care, usually run around 4 July or First Tuesday in November. Pick and mix, or build a balanced day in one click.
Around the World Race
Teams race through country-themed challenge stations, completing a task at each one to learn a little about different places.
Gross and Messy Day · Messy Play Day · Great Race Day +2Baked Bean Gumboot Relay
Teams race to carry baked beans in gumboots and fill a container, a gloriously messy relay full of laughs.
Wheels Day · Planes, Trains and Automobiles · Obstacle Course Day +1Bike and Scooter Skills Course
Riders practise weaving through cones, slow races and controlled stops on a chalk track, building safe riding skills.
Planes, Trains and Automobiles · Wheels Day · Cardboard Box Day +2Cardboard Car Racers
Children build cars from boxes, bottle caps and skewers, then race them down a ramp. Hands-on design and testing.
Gladiator Day · Athletics Carnival · Teamwork Day +2Champion Relay
Teams race through a relay of running, hopping and carrying tasks to earn the title of champions.
Great Race Day · Challenge Day · Obstacle Course Day +2Checkpoint Roadblock Tasks
Teams stop at checkpoints to complete a mix of physical and brain-teaser tasks before moving on, combining fitness and thinking.
Around the World Day · Teddy Bears' Picnic · Athletics Carnival +3Classic Picnic Games
Children play old-fashioned picnic games such as three-legged races, egg-and-spoon races and sack races.
Athletics Carnival · Games Carnival Day · Great Race Day +2Classic Sack Race
Children hop in sacks to the finish line in a classic carnival race full of tumbles and laughter.
Basketball Day · Athletics Carnival · Healthy Heart Day +1Cone Dribble Relay
Teams dribble a basketball in and out of cones and back, building ball control and teamwork in a fast relay.
Dinosaur Day · Dinosaur & Unicorn Day · Great Race DayDino Stomp Relay
Teams stomp, roar and race like dinosaurs in a high-energy relay that gets everyone moving.
Everything's Duckie · Great Race Day · Animal Theme +1Duck Walk Relay
Children squat low and waddle like ducks to the finish line in a giggle-filled relay race.
Athletics Carnival · Easter · Games Carnival Day +2Egg and Spoon Race
Children balance a plastic egg on a spoon and race to the finish without dropping it, practising balance and focus.
Great Race Day · Outdoor Explorers · Treasure Hunters Day +3Grounds Map Navigation
Children use a simple map of the service grounds to locate hidden checkpoints, building map-reading and directional skills.
Crazy Hat Day · Great Race Day · Down on the Farm +2Hobby Horse Races
Children make simple hobby horses from socks and sticks, then gallop them around a race course in heats and finals.
Games Carnival Day · Athletics Carnival · Healthy Heart Day +1Mini Track and Field
Children rotate through sprints, sack races, beanbag shot put and long jump. A classic carnival that everyone can join at their own level.
Great Race Day · Gross and Messy Day · Games Carnival Day +2No-Hands Donut Relay
Relay teams take turns eating a hanging donut without using their hands, then walk back to tag the next player for a funny, messy race.
Challenge Day · Obstacle Course Day · Ninja Obstacle Day +3Obstacle Course Challenge
Children tackle an obstacle course of cones, hoops and mats, challenging themselves to improve their own times.
Obstacle Course Day · Athletics Carnival · Teamwork Day +2Obstacle Course Relay
Teams race against each other through a simple obstacle course in relay style. A lively team game that suits big groups.
Pancake Day · Great Race Day · Games Carnival Day +1Pancake Flipping Races
Children race while flipping a felt pancake in a frying pan without dropping it. A traditional Shrove Tuesday game with lots of laughs.
Polar Day · Winter Wonderland · Animal Theme +1Penguin Waddle Relay
Children waddle like penguins with a ball between their knees. A silly relay that suits younger children.
Escape Room Day · Puzzle Day · Great Race Day +1Riddle Relay
Teams race between stations to solve riddles, sending one runner at a time to collect the next riddle.
Everything's Duckie · Water Play Day · Great Race Day +1Rubber Duck Gutter Race
Children race rubber ducks down a length of guttering or a water trough, using cups of water or breath to push them along.
Great Race Day · Teamwork Day · Treasure Hunters Day +2Service-Wide Challenge Race
Teams race through challenge stations around the whole service, collecting clues that lead them to a final finish line.
Water Play Day · Athletics Carnival · Summer Holidays +1Sponge Relay Race
Teams soak a sponge, race across the field and squeeze it into their bucket, trying to fill it before the others.
One-Minute Challenge Day · Games Day · Great Race Day +1Spoon and Ball Balance
Children hold a spoon in their mouth and carry a ping pong ball across the room without dropping it.
Athletics Carnival · Healthy Heart Day · Great Race Day +2Sprints and Baton Relays
Children run short sprints and team relays with batons, learning how to pass a baton and cheer each other on.
Great Race Day · Around the World Day · Teamwork Day +2Team Flag Design
Each team designs its own flag with a name, colours and symbols, building identity and team spirit before a race or games day.
Trail Blazers · Treasure Hunters Day · Teamwork Day +2Team Trail Challenges
Teams follow a map with marked checkpoints around the grounds, completing a small challenge at each stop.
Great Race Day · Challenge Day · Teamwork Day +2Two-Choice Detour Challenges
At each stop of a team race, groups choose between two different mini challenges, weighing up speed, skill and strategy together.