Double the thrills and excitement! Borrowed-Item Race prompts

10 years as a kindergarten teacher / elementary school teacher / junior and senior high school teacher / childminderkepiko
Graduated from Kunitachi College of Music, Faculty of Music (now: Department of Music Culture and Education, Early Childhood Music Education major). In elementary school, my homeroom teacher was Jun Kusaba, a game researcher. After graduating from university, I worked as a kindergarten teacher for 10 years and as an after-school childcare instructor for 7 years, then took a position as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I engaged in activities that introduced Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational activities, working with many children. Later, through freelance writing, planning, and editing at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and sharing. Drawing on the perspective cultivated in the field of education and my experience as an editor, I provide practical information with an emphasis on both input and output, mainly in areas related to music and children. My hobbies include instruments, singing, handicrafts, toys, drawing, traditional games, the outdoors, and books. My special skill is spinning-top tricks.
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I’ve been playing the Electone since I was six, mainly performing Disney music, anime songs, and music from dramas and films. I post performance videos on YouTube and social media, and I also give concerts. Building on my Electone experience, I took up synthesizer and piano during my student years and performed at school-sponsored events. As a writer, I’ve covered not only music-related topics but a wide range of genres, so I hope to draw on my experience to deliver articles that make readers think, “I want to try that!” or “I want to listen to that!”

The classic event at sports festivals is the borrowing race, where you quickly find the specified item and head for the goal.

A variation called the “Borrow-a-Person Race,” which changes what you borrow from “things” to “people,” has been gaining popularity at sports festivals.

In this article, we’ll introduce recommended prompts for the Borrow-a-Person Race!

If you’re thinking, “I want to try it, but I don’t know what prompts to use,” or “I want funny ideas,” please use the prompts we introduce here as a reference.

The Borrow-a-Person Race involves even more interaction with others than the traditional borrowing race, making it perfect for deepening bonds with teammates and engaging with members of the community!

XX-like human types (1–10)

Someone who seems popular/attractive (likely to be popular with the opposite sex)

An idea where you aim for the goal by bringing along someone in the venue who seems popular or attractive.

It’s a task that makes both the player searching for such a person and the person chosen feel excited and thrilled.

Not only does the chosen person feel happy, but the fact that people who seem popular gather at the goal also helps boost the excitement of the event.

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A person who seems strong at rock-paper-scissors

A challenge to find someone who looks like they’d be strong at rock-paper-scissors.

Since you can’t tell just by appearances, it’s best to bring them to the goal point and have them actually play.

Try adding conditions like “Reach the goal if you win rock-paper-scissors X times or more.”

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someone who looks good at cooking

This is a challenge where you reach the goal by bringing along someone who looks like they’d be good at cooking.

The trick is to set rules like “someone who looks good in an apron” or “someone you can picture cooking,” and then search accordingly.

Once you make it to the goal, striking up a conversation like “Are you good at cooking?” is likely to liven things up.

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a serious-looking person

Let’s choose by image! Here are some ideas for “people who seem serious.” The theme of “people who seem serious” is unique and fun, isn’t it? The scope is broad—from students and teachers to parents—so it should be easy to find students who are participating in the race, too.

In general, people who wear glasses or have a calm demeanor might be selected, but if self-nomination is allowed, the pool could grow even larger! This is an idea I’d recommend to anyone looking for a theme that really gets people excited.

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A person who looks like a celebrity

When it comes to borrowing race prompts that can hype up the crowd, a classic is finding someone who looks like a celebrity.

Search among your coworkers or classmates for someone with celebrity-like features.

It’s recommended to announce at the finish line, “They look like [Celebrity Name]!”

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Someone who looks like a band guy

Since many middle and high school students start getting into fashion, it should be relatively easy to find someone with a band-member vibe.

They don’t actually have to be in a band, so depending on your interpretation, it might be easier to look.

Of course, to make the competition more exciting, it’s best to choose someone everyone would agree fits the part, so be sure to choose carefully.

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Someone who looks like a dancer

This prompt is to bring someone who looks like they’d suit dancing.

They don’t have to actually be a dancer—the key is whether the image fits.

It could also be fun to see if there are any real dancers among the people who gather at the finish line looking like dancers.

If someone can dance, you could have them perform a routine to liven up the sports day.

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People who can do ___ (1–10)

Next up is a prompt in the “people who can do X” category! Unlike image-based prompts, this one requires you to actually find someone who can do the specified task.

Because you can’t judge by appearance, participants need to communicate thoroughly.

When they reach the goal, it’s best to confirm by having them demonstrate the skill in person, or by showing photos or videos that prove they can do it.

When creating prompts, try not to make them too difficult—aim for people who are common and easy to find in everyday life.