OY! KRISTEN

This post is sponsored by Taste Nirvana. All opinions are my own.

The weather has finally turned warm for good here in Georgia! We decided to celebrate this happy occasion in a big way by throwing together a little relay race for my boys and all their cousins. Or at least, the ones that live nearby! It was so much fun getting these kids together and introducing Everett to the concept of relays! Daxton, too, except he mostly toddled around and stared in awe at all his big cousins. It was hilarious and chaotic and exhilarating and all the kids went home exhausted (#momwin). And as a result, now I fear I've introduced the notion of competitive play that cannot be undone. Everett keeps asking how fast he is, over and over again...

I found a few relays online and I thought it would be fun to share! A series of relay races could make such a stupendous playtime activity, birthday party, or even summer holiday celebration! And the best part is that you probably have most of the supplies you need in your garage. A big shout out goes out to my sis-in-law Lauren - she came up with the idea to host a relay race and I just took the baton and ran with it ( ohhh see what I did there? I might be a mom but I can rock some Dad jokes.)

You probably know how to put on a relay race (anyone else having middle school flashbacks or is that just me...?), but in case you need a refresher, the premise is that you have at least two teams with an even number of players working together to complete a series of circuits. The team to finish first wins! I picked up some practice jerseys for the kids to wear and used cones to mark the starting and finish line for each team, but you could get away without using them! The fun of these relays is you can really use your imagination - the sillier the better in my book!

Relays:

1. Egg Walk

Place a hard boiled egg on a spoon and walk (or run!) as quickly as possible to the finish line cone, walk around it and head back to your team as quickly as you came! *We actually used some wooden eggs that were leftover from an Easter project and they required no clean up!
Supplies Used: These wooden eggs and spoons

2. Golf Ball Waiter

Place a golf ball on a frisbee (flipped over, so the golf ball stays within the lip but moves freely). Using only one hand, balance the frisbee like a waiter and run to the end of the relay and back again. Then tag the next person on your team - the race is finished when each person on your team has gone!
Supplies: Golf balls, frisbees

3. Bat Spin

Position a bat at the end of the relay (I mark this spot with a cone). Run to the bat, put your forehead on the top, and spin around three times. Leaving the bat, run back to your team and tag the next person in!
Supplies Used: Bat (any kind will work, but shorter ones will work best for children - we also used a child-sized golf club which worked just fine.)

Other Relays:

4. Kangaroo Hop
Place a bouncy ball in between your legs and hop to the finish line cone, and then hop back to your team mates!
Supplies: Bouncy Ball x2

5. Zig Zag Race
Place 10 cones in a zig zag formation. Run in between the cones until the end, then run back through the cones on the way back to the team.
Supplies: 20 cones, like these

6. 3-Legged Race
The classic relay! Tie the leg of one team member to the leg of another and work together to get to the end of the relay and back again.
Supplies: 2 bandanas (or other tying apparatus!)

7. Wheelbarrow Race
This two-person race requires one person to "walk" with their hands on the ground while the other person directs the human wheelbarrow by steering their legs (example here)
Supplies: none! (Other than brute strength)

After the relay race, the kids refreshed and re-hydrated with coconut water, care of Taste Nirvana. Since I've partnered up with them this month, Taste Nirvana sent us some petite 10 oz. cans of the premium Coco Real coconut water beverage for the kids to enjoy as a post-relay treat. I'm a big fan of coconut water because it is loaded with potassium and electrolytes, making it the ideal post-workout recovery drink. This goes for everyone - adults and children! (Don't worry - there was enough coconut water for all the moms and dads to stay hydrated, too.) While I've been a coconut water drinker for years, I can truly say that Taste Nirvana tastes fresher than anything I've tried off of the grocery store shelf (I shared more about the yummy taste here.) All the cousins loved having such a special "grown-up" treat when they were finished with all that hard work, and after they devoured their coconut water they took to blowing bubbles and playing on the play ground.

Is it just me, or is this summer already shaping up to be the best ever?!

My sweet god-daughter with two handfuls! One for now, one for later - gIrl after my own heart. ;)

I can't get over Everett's genuinely precious smile. And of course, there is his brother, trailing just behind him and watching every move! Watching these two as siblings makes my mama heart soar.

Lauren!!! She is full of all the good ideas, you guys.

He's like, "I know how to blow bubbles mom."

Aren't they the cutest in their little jerseys?

My niece blowing her bubbles with that darling bow! I sent everyone home with bubbles because it just felt like the right way to welcome the season. Summer, you can come on over and stay a lonnnnng while!

Sweet Daxton. His hands fumbled to hold his own can by himself, and although most of his coconut water ended up hydrating the grass, he was still super proud of being one of the big kids. I just love him to pieces.

Taste for Yourself!

Taste Nirvana is offering $6 off an Amazon order of the Original Real Coco coconut water, the Coco Pulp coconut water and the Coco Aloe coconut water using the coupon found here (the promo is automatically applied at check out). This code is good through 6/30 so make sure to snag some at this discount while you can! Even though I love the Aloe version and the Pulp version, my favorite is still the Original Real Coco because I honestly can't get past the fresh, honey taste. This is a stellar beverage to have on-hand to keep hydrated for all the outdoor activities that are looming on our summer calendar! Many thanks to Taste Nirvana for sponsoring this post; you can shop their yummy beverages here.

Happy Friday to you, friends! xx