Matching Relay

Team Building Games

Matching Relay

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Quick Synopsis

Teams race to set up objects to perfectly match a pre-set arrangement of objects.

Ideal for building: Attention to detail, focus, and communication

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What You Need to Play

  • Multiples of many different objects (such as pencils, balls, paper, cones, pretty much anything you can find as long as you have a few of that same item.
  • 10+ people
  • 10+ minutes

Set Up:

  1. Collect all the objects you are going to use for the game. If you will have three teams, you will need 4 of every object. For example, if you use baseballs, bats, chairs, and paper, you would need four of each of those items.
  2. In a different room you will arrange those objects in a specific pattern. They can be in a line, they can be stacked, however you want to arrange them will work.
  3. Make sure that no one playing can see the set up. 
  4. Place each of the same items next to where the teams will line up.

How to Play Matching Relay

  1. Divide the group into teams of 5-6 people. You can have up to 10 people on a team but more than that is usually too many for one team. You will need at least two teams to make it more fun. Though you could do it with just one team and have them race the clock
  2. Tell the teams that you have set up an arrangement of objects of which they all have copies of in front of them.
  3. Ask the teams to each form a line.
  4. Each team will send their first person to go look at the arrangement, they will get 5 second to look at it and then race back to their team to begin setting up what they saw.
  5. As soon as the first person returns and begins setting up, player 2 from each team will go look at the arrangement for 5 seconds. 
  6. As soon as player 2 returns, player 1 has to get back in line, and player 3 then races to go look at the arrangement.
  7. Keep repeating this process until a team raises their hand when they think they have the right set up.
  8. Pause the game and check if they have it EXACTLY right. They need to have everything facing the same way, logos in the right direction, the correct angles. EVERYTHING needs to be exactly the same. If they got it, they win and the game is over. You may then create another arrangement with the same objects and play again.
  9. If they haven’t got it right, continue the game.

Debrief Example Questions

  • What worked for you in this game?
  • Was there anything you did to help you remember the details?
  • Was it hard having to be so precise?
  • When in our lives is it important to have focus and pay attention to the details?