Implementing group games is a great way to have groups of friends who come together for some fun. The Alphabet Race game is a quick and easy icebreaker game that’s guaranteed to have everyone thinking on their feet as they scramble through their ABCs.
Features of the Alphabet Race Game
| ★ Game Name | Alphabet Race |
| ★ Group size | any |
| ★ Age | any (4+) |
| ★ Type | stationary |
| ★ Skill | memory |
| ★ Place | indoor and outdoor |
| ★ Time | up to 5 – 15 min |
| ★ Preparation | no |
| ★ Materials | no |
Aim of the Game
The goal when playing the Alphabet Race game is to be the last player remaining in the group. Everyone will have to recite their ABCs in a sequence while pointing at the other players. Playing the Alphabet Race game is almost like passing the baton, except you’re using alphabets in place of a physical baton.
Ideal Age and Group Sizes
The Alphabet Race Game is best played when you have groups of 5 players and above. For larger groups, try breaking everyone into smaller teams to make the gameplay more fun.
You can play the Alphabet Race game with anyone above the age of 4. It is also a great way to teach children their ABCs.
Preparations and Needed Materials
The Alphabet Race game is a great icebreaker game that does not require any prior preparations. This makes it convenient if you’re looking for any last-minute group games to introduce to your group of friends.
How to Play the Alphabet Race game
Before you begin to play the Alphabet Race game, you’ll first have to gather your players in a circle. You don’t have to huddle close, so having a big room is great if you have many groups playing together.
Step 1: Begin by choosing a volunteer to start the game. As the host, you can even decide for the group who starts first. The player must then say, “A” while pointing to another player.
Note: The game becomes more challenging when you can’t go around in a circle!
Step 2: The second player who has been pointed to must quickly follow up by saying, “B” and point to another player. The player that they point to must not be the players beside them as you’ll want to make it more difficult for everyone to keep up.
Step 3: Players will repeat this process following the sequence of the alphabets A, B, C, and so on. If the player does not say their alphabet quickly enough or says an alphabet out of sequence, they will be eliminated.
Step 4: If the group finishes their alphabets up to “Z”, the sequence will reset and players must then begin with “A” again. The last player remaining in the group will be crowned the winner.
Change it up: Different ways to play the Alphabet Race game
The best thing about the Alphabet Race game is that it is highly versatile. Here are some ideas on how you can play the Alphabet Race game differently:
- Call them out: Instead of using ABCs, have your players call the name of the other players in the group. This is a great way to introduce your groups of friends to each other, especially if they’ve only just met because now everyone will remember everyone else’s names.
- Say the word: If you’d like to increase the difficulty of the Alphabet Race game, you could have the players say a word following the sequence of the alphabets instead. For example, instead of saying ABC, your players will now have to say words such as Apple, Banana, Cat, and so on. Many players find it difficult to think of a word on a whim, so you’ll experience many confusing and hilarious moments with this game variation.