How to Have a Beanbag Race

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: April 28, 2022

Beanbag races are a fun activity for the whole family. Young and old alike can enjoy this competitive, safe to play game. However, if you're an adult who hasn't played in a long time (or a younger person who's never played at all) you may be a little foggy on the rules for beanbag races. The rules will depend on whether you're having a scoop and chin-tuck race, a beanbag ferry race, or a beanbag relay race.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Holding a Beanbag Scoop and Chin-tuck Race

1
Mark the start and finish of your race. This distance can be as long or as short as you desire. Generally, mark a start and end point 20 ft (6 m) away from each other. You might want to decrease this distance for especially young kids, or increase it for adults.^{[1]
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- You can use a line of tape on floor, cones, or a personal item, like a shoe, to mark your boundaries.
2
Separate players into teams. An even number of players works best for this style of beanbag race. If that's impossible, the team with less players should choose one player to run twice. Split all those who want to play into two teams.^{[2]
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3
Ready the starting line. Have both teams line up at one of your marked off lines. This will be your starting line. Place two beanbags, one for each team, on the starting line. Allow a few feet (1 to 1.5 m) of space between beanbags.^{[3]
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- Smaller sized beanbags are preferred for this race, especially for younger children, as these will be easier to scoop up and hold with the chin.
4
Start the game. When the game starts, one player from each team should pick up one beanbag from the starting line with their chin. They must carry the beanbag with their chin from the start line to the finish line and back again without dropping it.^{[4]
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- You may want to count down to the start or use your phone to make a starting noise, like a siren, bell, or whistle.
- At no point during the beanbag race are players allowed to touch the beanbag with their hands.
- Players who drop the beanbag should return to the start line, return the beanbag to the ground, scoop it up in their chin, and try again.
5
Rotate through players. When players return to the starting line, they should drop the beanbag as close to the starting line as possible. The next player then must pick up the beanbag with their chin and repeat the process until all players have run.
6
Congratulate the winning team. The first team to rotate through all their players and cross back to the starting line wins. If you'd like to play again, you might want to shuffle players between teams.^{[5]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Organizing a Beanbag Ferry Race

1
Mark your start and finish line. The distance between your start and finish can be adjusted to suit the ages of those playing. For younger kids, you may want this to only be 10 ft (3 m). For adults, you might lengthen this to 30 ft (9.1 m).^{[6]
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- There are many items you can use to mark your starting and finish line. Common markers include tape, cones, unused balls, rocks, or personal items, like shoes.
2
Divide players into teams. An even number of teams works best for this activity. If you have uneven teams, after dividing players, have the team with one less player choose one player to go twice.^{[7]
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3
Cue the start of the race. Once the cue is given, players should race toward the finish line and back to the starting line. You might say something like, "Ready, set, go!" or use a noise from your cell phone, like a siren, a bell, or a whistle.^{[8]
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4
Have players ferry beanbags as they race. Each player must, one at a time, carry a beanbag from the start to the finish and back again. They may only touch the beanbag once when placing it at the start line. They should place the beanbag and ferry it by either:
- Balancing the beanbag on their backs.
- Squeezing the beanbag between their knees.^{[9]
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5
Track players to find the team that wins. When a beanbag falls on the ground, the player who dropped it must start from the beginning. The first team that has all players complete the race is the winner.^{[10]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Coordinating a Beanbag Relay Race

1
Split players and line them up in rows. This version of beanbag race also works best with an even number of players. Once the players are separated into two teams, line players up into two rows, one row per team.^{[11]
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- In the event you have an uneven number of players, the team with one less player should choose one player to go twice. This player will start at the head of the row.
2
Supply the players at the head of the row with beanbags. Each team should receive one beanbag apiece. Any size beanbag should work fine, though you may want larger beanbags for smaller children, as these will be easier to handle.^{[12]
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3
Signal the start of the game. This can be done easily by yelling something like, "On your marks... get set... go!" You could also use your phone to play a game starting sound effect, like a siren, a bell, or a whistle.^{[13]
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4
Pass the beanbag down the row to the end and back again. For very young children, simply passing the beanbag may be enough of a challenge. For older children/adults, have players pass the beanbag in a certain style, like with only their left hand, over their left shoulder, under their right leg, and so on. For uneven teams:^{[14]
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- Have the player at the head of the row for the team with one less player pass the beanbag then run to the end of the row.
- When the player passes the beanbag for the second time, sending it back toward the head of the row, have them run to their starting position.
- When the beanbag and the player going twice both reach the head of the row, the race is complete.
5
Shuffle players and play again. If you only want to play once, you're finished. If the same teams want a rematch, simply restart game. Otherwise, shuffle players between teams and play again in the fashion described.
- To keep things interesting, you may want to change the style in which the beanbags are passed or make it more complicated.^{[15]
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