Relay with the Thick Mat

This activity can be carried out in several ways, depending on how many thick mats you have available. The students and the mat(s) are gathered at one end of the gym. The students are divided into groups of four to five participants.

One Thick Mat

The group must work together to transport the thick mat from one end of the hall to the other, and back again. The mat should be dragged along the floor, and the group decides how they want to do it, for example by pulling, pushing, using ropes, or just their hands.

Agree on clear rules before you begin: How should the mat be turned at the wall? For example, you can decide that a specific corner must touch the wall before they can turn.

• When is the group considered to have finished? For example, you can say that the entire mat must be across the finish line, and all participants must stand behind the same line.
• Time each group so that you can declare a winner, or let the groups try twice and compare if they can collaborate better and beat their own time.

Two Thick Mats

Here, two teams compete against each other simultaneously, each with their own thick mat. The rules for turning and finishing are the same as in alternative 1. When a race is finished, you can let the winners meet each other in a new round, or simply use the competition as a fun, active exercise without focusing on a winner.

The activity provides excellent training in collaboration, communication, strength, and coordination. Encourage students to talk to each other, distribute tasks (e.g., who pulls, who steers, who makes sure everyone keeps up) and try different solutions. The goal is not just to finish quickly, but to find good ways to work together.