Organizing your own Amazing Race Part 1

To make this as a Dinner Date. (mine was done as a family night activity) you will probably need about 4 hours from beginning to end for the game and dinner so try for a Saturday.You could:
1. Start with dinner/lunch then after the meal have couples/teams do the race.
2. Do this on a Saturday and begin a couple hours before dinner. Have guests meet at your home at 4pm for instructions. Divide into teams. Then have dinner at the finish line.... a restaurant or at your home. Do a crockpot dinner that can cook unattended or sandwiches and salads that can be prepared beforehand.

The Family Handbook was created by printing text on bottom right side of letter size orange cardstock. Then document was folded in half lengthwise. Glued to top was the 'Amazing Race Family Edition' logo. Use image from previous Amazing Race post. Inside portfolio is a 'yield' card, locations of clues, rules, map, and riddle sheet.
Riddle sheet.
Inside handbook. Rules and Yield.
A few of the many friends who came tonight!!!! Notice they are all standing on the pitstop mat!

The group meeting at the park just minutes before the race began.

Amazing Race Part2- What we learned - Improvements for next time

After getting home from the race our family went for a drive listening to the cassette tape with recordings of the families singing their favorite songs. It was great! My kids loved it! They were singing along. We listened to it almost 5 times!!! So while they listened to the music, Jeff and I discussed the race. So here are some of the problems/issues and how to solve it.

1.Many teams finished the race REALLY early!!! Much earlier than we thought they would!
To solve this we need to have someone at the pit stop within minutes after the beginning of the race to greet any who may solve it VERY QUICKLY!!!
Another option would be to have participants have to go to the same number of places and do the same number of challenges but in whatever order they choose so it's based on strategy, skill and how fast they can move!

2. The church parking lot was not a good place for kids to have to hang out since there wasn't a place to sit (no grass no chairs, no play equipment)
I chose that parking lot because the race ended at sundown and would be dark soon. Also because it was private. I knew no one else would be in that parking lot. There was only one park near us that was well lit, but it had no play equipment and no off street parking. In the future end it before sundown at a public park, if the group is small enough end at a home, if someone has a large backyard have participants gather at their backyard. If you have to do it at a place with no seating- take some folding chairs. If there is grass encourage participants to bring picnic blankets.

3. People got backed up at certain challenges
Encourage people not to go in order or move on to another home if they see a lot of cars in front. Tell people to be flexible.

4. People unexpectedly show up who you don't have room to accomodate (THIS LUCKILY DIDN'T HAPPEN WITH OUR RACE)
Either be honest with them and tell them that since they did not RSVP you didn't plan on them. Or if they are a small group see if another car can absorb them and take them with them. If they are a large group see if they are willing to split up. To keep this from happening make extra photocopies of all needed RACE documents. If you go all out, like I did, to make family portfolios you should make a couple extra and then photocopy all documents for an extra participants.

5. How can we make this race better?
Jeff and I next time want to do something else next time. Here's what we are thinking: We'll have like 12 homes next time with about half of them as challenges. I'll buy 12 ink pads at the dollar store and cheap rubber stamps if I need to. Then at each Letterbox I'll have an ink pad and a stamp. Each Team will be given a Passport book. They need to collect all 12 stamps in their book as proof they they went to EACH house. This will ensure that all teams are out for similiar times. Plus... it will be easier to gauge how long they will be out. I think kids or even couples only would have fun collecting stamps in their passports and doing challenges. If it were a 'Couples Only' race there are so many other fun challenges that could be done.
On option to the stamps would be to have the teams collect items from each location and have to bring them back to the pitstop. Like one home may have bouncy balls at their doorstep. Another team may have candy bars. Etc.... and the winner shows up at a predetermined spot with all 12 items!

How to organize your own Amazing Race

Here are the steps to organizing your own amazing "Amazing Race".

1 month ahead:
Figure out how many you will invite
Design invitation (paper or Evite)
Decide on beginning location and end destination. If it is going to take place in the evening, make sure the front doors are well lit, and the destination is some place a group can congregate without being in the dark.


3 weeks ahead:
Make up end riddle (below is our riddle)
You’ve solved the riddle
Your Team did great!
Time for the reward
Don’t be late! Go to church behind Mojave High School
Determine how many homes are needed (use front doorsteps of participants)You may use homes of participants or arrange ahead of time other locations.

2 weeks ahead:
Deliver/Send invites
As RSVP come in set up game
Make up challenges. Ours were:
House #1- Detour- Our home was decorated like Mexico with 2 choices- A color by number picture of a Mexican home or a popcorn bowl full of rice with 5 beans in it to find. These can take long or not depending on who in the family has to do the detour.
House #2- Perform your families favorite song for the resident family (and any families that happen to show up during your musical number)
House #3- Frost 10 cupcakes- a Roadblock- only one person does this and they don't know ahead of time the challenge. (we ended up with some hastily decorated cupcakes... it was funny)
House #4- Put in order a phrase or something similiar

Day of
Cut med. sized banners from plastic tablecloth and tape to front doors and attach Amazing Race logo. Also cut up strips about 1 inch by 2 ft for car antennas.

At meeting place have a card table set up with Tri-folds for each team. In tri-fold is the rule sheet, a map (optional), MC’s cell number, and the checklist) For fun make the kids passports and tear of colored plastic tablecloths or sheets for car antennas.

As families arrive, have MC near card table handing them a tri-fold . After predetermined time explain to all the basic rules and send all on their way. Wait up to 15 minutes for latecomers (optional) then pack up table and head home to wait for players and get ready to leave for destination.

Arrive early at the final destination. Set up a card table and put refreshments on it. Have a mat (plastic tablecloth) taped to ground for families to check in at.

How to play the Amazing Race:
1. Tie colored banner to car antenna
2. All homes arranged by housing development.
3. Each number of the riddle represents a letter. Ex. (25=P)
4. You may call other teams for help with directions, and you are given permission to share ONE clue.
5. You do not have to visit the homes in any particular order (this helps prevent major backups at challenges)
6. Notice the Fast Forward at the bottom of the location sheet. Call or text that number for an entire word clue!
7. Included in each team's packet is a Yield ticket. You may use this ticket to halt the team that follows you or the team of your choice.
8. Leave your last home no later than 7:30pm
9. If you cannot solve the riddle at that point then call cell #999-9999. See you at the finish line!


TO ACCESS ALL MY AMAZING RACE PARTY INFO GO TO http://maggiesdinnerdates.blogspot.com/search/label/Amazing%20Race


AMAZING RACE TERMINOLOGY
A Roadblock is a task that only one team member may perform(Once a choice has been made, the teammates cannot switch roles. Other teammate cannot assist in the task though they may verbally offer advice and encouragement .)
The Fast Forward allows the team that receives it to skip all remaining tasks on that leg of the race and proceed directly to the Pit Stop (or on the final leg, the Finish Line). To receive the Fast Forward, the team must be the first team to perform and complete the task described on the Fast Forward clue. The clue is found along with a regular clue at one of the Route Markers.
A Detour presents the team with a decision between two tasks, "each with its own pros and cons"
The Yield, allows any one team to force another team to stop racing for a predetermined amount of time.
The Intersection requires each team to pair up with one other team and perform all tasks and make decisions together until further notice.
A Roadblock is a task that only one team member may perform(Once a choice has been made, the teammates cannot switch roles. Other teammate cannot assist in the task though they may verbally offer advice and encouragement .)
The Check-in Mat- When teams arrive at the Pit Stop, all members must all step on the check-in mat — the official finish line for that leg

Stay Tuned: Amazing Race on Monday Night brought to you by Maggie's Dinner Dates

This coming Monday night Jeff and I will be hosting the Amazing Race here in the neighborhoods within a couple miles of my home. It will be complete with the pitstop, roadblocks, yields, fast forwards, and detours. I will post more details and how it was organized and how to organize your own! Stay tuned. You won't want to miss it!