Arrange the bread-eating race! A roundup of fun, exciting, and hilarious ideas
The bread-eating race has long been a classic and popular event at sports festivals.
It’s a unique competition where bread is hung along the course, and participants bite it with no hands and run to the finish line.
If you’re going to do it, why not add your own twist to make it even more exciting? To meet that need, this article introduces variations on the bread-eating race.
We’ve gathered ideas from three perspectives: rule modifications, ways to hang the bread, and even ideas for hanging items other than bread.
Please use them as a reference.
- [Unique] Fun sports day events that both kids and adults can enjoy
- For the kindergarten sports day! A list of obstacle course ideas
- Play ideas kids can enjoy from 1st to 6th grade [indoors & outdoors]
- [Heated] Summary of modified rules for the tail-grab game
- Arrange the bread-eating race! A roundup of fun, exciting, and hilarious ideas
- [Make Sports Day More Approachable!] Unique Event Names: Fun Competition Titles by Category
- [For Middle Schoolers] A Comprehensive Introduction to Fun Sports Day Events We Recommend!
- Fun Parent-Child Games! A Collection of Ideas to Liven Up Your Nursery School Sports Day
- [Dancing Tamaire] A fun song for the beanbag-toss game, perfect for sports day
- [Sports Day] Songs for footraces: tracks that make kids want to run [classics & J-pop]
- [For Kids] Exciting Class-vs-Class Games: Team Competition Activities
- Cheer songs to hype up the sports day! A collection of motivational tracks recommended for kids
- [March, Foot Races, Dance] Energetic songs and the latest hits to liven up a sports day
Make it a food other than bread (1–10)
Marshmallow
Fluffy and sweet! Let me share a marshmallow idea with you.
It’s a fun twist that uses marshmallows instead of bread.
Catching marshmallows in a bag is one option, but you can also place small marshmallows on a flat surface like a tray and pop them into your mouth.
Just be careful not to choke! Since marshmallows are light, there’s less chance of accidentally dropping them out of your mouth.
Give it a try!
fish paste products
So many variations! Here are some ideas for using nerimono (fish paste products).
When you hear “nerimono,” what comes to mind? There are many types, like kamaboko, chikuwa, hanpen, and fish sausages.
This time, let’s try using nerimono in place of bread for a race-style activity.
If hanging them is tricky, try putting them in bags before suspending them.
The key is to hang them in a way that prevents them from falling due to their weight.
Give it a try!
cheap sweets
Since bread is perishable, you might need to be careful about how you store and handle it.
In such cases, try hanging small packaged snacks in place of bread for people to grab.
Because they’re securely sealed, they’re easier to manage hygienically, and you can prepare them in advance.
As with bread, it’s a good idea to set rules like not using hands.
If it’s something you can take with your mouth without using your hands, options other than snacks could work too, so feel free to try different things.
local specialty
Unexpected combinations can really liven things up! Here are some ideas using local specialties.
Are there any regional products or sweets from your school’s neighborhood or prefecture? Try incorporating those local specialties.
In one of the featured posts, for example, shumai dumplings are hanging as decorations! Items that are individually wrapped or small in size might be easier to arrange.
With these unique ideas that deepen your love for your local area, the venue is sure to get excited.
Be sure to give them a try!
sausage
Lots of people love them! Here are some ideas using sausages.
Sausages are a favorite food among kids, too.
How about a unique game where you try to catch a sausage with your mouth and aim for the goal? Since sausages come in various thicknesses and lengths, they’re easy to customize.
It would also add a special touch that’s perfect for a sports day.
If you put the sausages in bags and hang them, they’ll be easier to carry.
Definitely give it a try!
cream puff
Like bread, cream puffs are individually wrapped, come in a handy size, and are a crowd favorite—so I recommend them too.
They’re more delicate than bread, so be careful if you’re running with one in your mouth!
Switch to foods other than bread (11–20)
Pocky
Isn’t a Pocky box just about the largest size among boxed snacks that you could still hold in your mouth? Since this is a bit more challenging, it might be more exciting to include when middle and high schoolers or adults are participating, rather than small children.