Reducing Adolescent Sexual Risk: A Theoretical - ETR Associates

Activity 9-2Description of ActivityRelay Race for Parent-Child ProgramsObjectives: Teens will be able to:Talk more comfortably with their parents or other trusted adults about various topics about sexRisk and Protective Factors Affected:Parent-child communication about sexActivity:This is a fast-paced relay race between parent and teen teams.Prior to the race, factual questions about a variety of sexual topics are printed on a sheet of paper,cut into individual questions and inserted in balloons—one question per balloon. At one end ofthe room are placed two piles of balloons (not blown up) with equal numbers of balloons and theirrespective questions.The parents form one line and the teens form a second line at the other end of the room from thepiles of balloons. When the educator says “Go,” the parent at the head of the parent line and theteen at the head of the teen line run across the room and grab one balloon each with questionsinside from their respective piles. They then blow up the balloons, pop the balloons, retrieve thequestions that fall out, read the questions out loud and answer them out loud. They do not have toanswer the questions correctly. When each is done, they run back to their side of the room and thenext adult or teen repeats the same process. This continues until either the adult team or the teenteam has blown up and broken all the balloons and answered all the questions. The team that doesthis first wins.At the end of the race, if any questions were answered incorrectly, the correct answers should begiven. In addition, if either students or parents had any questions about any of the questions, thoseshould be addressed. If either students or parents might not be comfortable asking questions, thenthey can be encouraged to put questions into an anonymous question box.Important Considerations in Using ItThis is a relay race and is designed to be fun, so clapping and cheering should be encouraged.Typically, in the heat of the race, teens will read and answer questions that might normally makethem uncomfortable.If anybody answers a question incorrectly, that question should be noted and the correct answershould be given in a subsequent activity; the correct answer should not be given during the race, forthat might destroy the competition in the race.There should be enough balloons for everyone to participate. If there are more teens than parentsor vice versa, then one or more members of the smaller team will have to blow up two balloons andanswer the questions so that each team has to blow up and answer the same number of balloons/questions.References for Lessons That Describe a Similar Activity More Fully1. Parent Child Sex Education Training Module, Balloon Race116 Reducing Adolescent Sexual Risk: A Theoretical Guide for Developing and Adapting Curriculum-Based Programs