Games: Dog Sled Racing for Your Winter Carnival

A carnival is a great way to beat the winter blues and involve the entire school in winter activities. For this reason, many schools have such an activity day on their annual schedule.

If you are looking for a good idea for a team fitness activity, try a dog-sled race around your school track or football field.

Setup

The task is simple - to see which team can pull a toboggan around the track the fastest.

Have your classes set up teams of eight dog-sledders. These teams will be divided into two groups, with one group of four riding in the toboggan while the other four pull it.

The teams must make at least one change of "dogs" during the race, so those pulling the toboggan change places with the students who were being pulled. However, the teams can make more than one switch if they wish.

This idea can be expanded into a relay so that entire classes can be involved as a team. For example, a class could enter a team of four toboggans, each of which must complete a lap of the track to complete the race.

Dick Moss (Editor), Physical Education Digest, January 1989.