Unique Carnival Activity – Pony Races!

Great fun as a fun fair activity - good exercise, too!

PONY RACES CARNIVAL ACTIVITY - SETUP & DIRECTIONS

The video/gif below shows a parent and child racing at the pony races carnival game.

Supplies for Pony Races Activity:

2 - 3 Riding Ponies - we do not sell them, but click here for our top pick on Amazon (#EarnsCommisions) to see the pricing
Plastic Cones for a starting line and finish line
Double Roll Tickets for a drawing grand winners at the end of the carnival (optional - see Win a Pony below)
Box to collect tickets for your drawing
Carnival prizes - consolation and winners prize

NOTE: These Riding Stuffed Ponies run about $175 - $350. If you want a more affordable option - see these Inflatable Ponies - our top Amazon pick for a much less expensive option! (#EarnsCommissions)

First Things First - Cost:

This carnival activity is more expensive than others, such as sand art or potato sack races. But, if you compare the cost of this activity to renting a petting zoo, zipline activity, or a rock wall, the cost will be similar with a big benefit for the kids - they may be able to Win a Pony! Read our suggestions for what to do with the ponies after your event.

NOTE: we recommend asking a local business to adopt this carnival booth by donating $500 or $600 to fund the booth, and you will post a sign to advertise the awesome business that adopted this booth.

If this booth is too expensive for this year - NO WORRIES - add it to your list for next year and check out our Hopper Races Carnival Activity, which is loads of fun and smiles, too!

Setup this Activity:

First, if you ordered your ponies online, you will need to do some assembly before they can be ridden. Ask a volunteer to "adopt the ponies" and get them ready for your event a week or so before, as the carnival day can be crazy, and you need your ponies ready to race.

Once you have assembled your ponies, you need to find a smooth, semi-flat surface and set out your starting cones and one cone at the end of your race, where the riders will take the pony around the cone and back to the start.

NOTE: Believe it or not, these toys use lots of thigh muscle to make them go - so make sure your race is short for the little ones.

Game Setup:

Once this game is made, setup is quick! Set up this game, put out a basket of ordinary rocks, and be ready for the kids to have fun!

How Children Win a Pony: (Optional)

All children who pay a ticket to join in the Pony Races Carnival Booth can turn in a drawing ticket for a chance to win one of the adorable toy ponies at the end of the carnival.

If your carnival has raffle baskets, you can add this to the public drawing to allow for kids to get really excited for the lucky winners of the ponies!

Another option is to talk to the PE teachers and see if the ride-on ponies are something they wish to add to their physical education equipment. The ponies could be used on rainy days for silly relays or an obstacle course. They can also be used at after-school events and more.

Additional Hints & Tips:

We visited a school carnival that had these pony races. The kids seemed to like them, but we were happy to see that there were not crazy long lines and that some adults could race their children as the toy horses used were weight-tested for 185 pounds!

If you are looking for something unique and super fun, feel free to give it a try for something different for the kids!