Snow Blower Relay Race

Overview

Turn up the heat when it's cold out with this totally silly winter relay. Kids use hairdryers to roll paper "snowballs" over a table and into a "snow catcher." This is one of those relays where everyone is involved at once, so it makes for a rowdy bit of indoor fun! Great for all ages, it's perfect for your next family gathering. Team up family against family to see who can blow the most snow!

Age

Preschool, School-age, Tweens, Teens

Number of Players

5 to 10, 10 to 20

Team Division

Teamwork! (divide into teams)

Competitiveness

Competitive (has winners and losers)

Difficulty

Easy peasy (fun and simple)

Indoor or Outdoor

Indoors

Space Needed

Medium (a clearable open space the size of a 2-car garage), Large (gym, outdoor field, reception hall)

Noise Level

Rowdy

Mess Factor

Dustpan, please

Prep Time

5 - 10 minutes

Game Time Length

5 - 15 minutes

Supplies

1 six or eight foot table per team (optional, can be done on the floor, but more fun with a table)

1 snowball catcher per team (waste paper basket, laundry basket, box, etc.)

1 hairdryer with extension cord per team (must reach one end of each table)

Pile of newspaper or white paper for each team

Timer or watch

Setup

1. Divide your group into teams. It doesn't really matter if they have exactly the same number, but it should be close.
2. Set up one table for each team. The tables do not need to be side by side, they can be spread throughout the playing space. Make sure to allow room around the tables for team members to move.
3. Plug in hair dryers, and place one at the end of each table.
4. Place one stack of paper next to the hair dryer at each table.
5. Place a "snow catcher" at the opposite end of each table.
6. Line team members up in order (1, 2, 3, etc.) Make sure they know their order!
7. Have one team member stand with "snow catcher" in hand at the end opposite end of the table from the rest of the team. (We will now refer to them as the "snow catcher.")
8. Set a timer for 3 to 5 minutes.

How to Play

1. On "Go!" start the timer. The first person in line grabs a piece of paper, wads it up into a snowball, turns on the hair dryer and blows the snowball across the table toward the snow catcher.
2. The snow catcher tries to catch the hurtling snowball in the basket. If they miss, they miss, but the idea is to try and catch it before it falls. Snowballs that hit the ground are no longer in play.
3. As soon as the snow catcher catches or misses the snowball, they place the basket on the floor, and run (on the right hand side of the table) to the end of the line.
4. Meanwhile, after the snow blower has catapulted their snowball, they lay down the hair dryer and run on the left had side of the table, pick up the snow catcher, and prepare to catch the next snowball.
5. Play continues with players rotating through as many times as the timer allows.
6. When the timer goes off, count up the number of snowballs in each basket. The team with the most snowballs wins.

Variations

1. If you don't have a hairdryer you can use a balloon pump. Don't have a balloon pump? Try flicking the snowballs with a piece of sturdy cardboard roughly the size of a cereal box. You can set the rule that the person may only flick once (meaning they must leave the snowball where it lies on the table after one flick) or allow them to move down the table with the snowball, flicking as many times as necessary.
2. Use cotton balls and straws. Players blow through the straw to propel the cotton ball.

Tips

1. Keep things moving! The faster the game is played, the more fun! Encourage players to keep going as fast as they can from position to position.
2. Little ones can certainly play this game, but they may need some help and encouragement through the steps.
3. For clean up, set up a recycling bin and have folks toss their snowballs in as fast as they can. Give them a 30 second time limit to add to the excitement.